You need interior design help. You need it fast. You need it to be affordable. And that’s what stops you short. Affordable interior design? Maybe not in the past, but with virtual interior design, definitely now.

Just run a quick internet search for "virtual room design", "online interior design, "e-Decorating" or "online room design" and you’ll come up with dozens of affordable online interior decorating services.

The beauty of this new online room design trend is two-fold: not only is virtual interior design budget-friendly, but it also delivers professionally decorated rooms that can rival those designed by on-site interior designers. That adds up to a pretty sweet deal for those who have always wanted to hire an interior designer but couldn’t foot the fees.

Traditionally, hiring an on-site interior designer is a pricey proposition, as it well should be. An on-site interior design team puts in weeks of project work developing and implementing the client’s design concept over several meetings. They draft interior architectural drawings down to the finest detail. They often design custom furniture, as well as purchase custom goods on your behalf from exclusive To-The-Trade vendors.

In major metropolitan areas, standard industry pricing for traditional, on-site interior design typically includes an upfront, non-reimbursable design fee, or retainer, ranging from $1,000 to $10,000. The designer charges actual project fees at either a flat project rate or a fee of $120 - $200 per hour. To-The-Trade products (furniture, accessories, etc.) are purchased at a discount by the designer and then sold to clients at well-below retail costs, usually at an industry standard of 20% to 35% above the designer's net cost.

Virtual interior design is similar to traditional on-site interior decorating in that your interior designer creates a design concept which typically includes a concept board, space plan, color palette, and product recommendations. But, instead of on-site consultations, communication is via phone and email.

You also pick up some of the designer’s legwork by sending photos of your room, room measurements, and photos and dimensions of any furnishings you want to keep. Product recommendations are typically purchased directly by you via online retail merchants, though many online interior designers also offer product recommendations that include To-The-Trade items.

Though virtual interior decorating requires a bit of extra effort on your part, the payoff in the savings is huge. Online interior design services typically charge a flat rate fee which can range anywhere from $250 to $1,000 per room, with most online decorating services falling in the $300 - $500 per room range.

Want the look of a professionally polished room but need to pinch a few pennies? Virtual interior design may be just the thing.