"What a waste of money"

This post on Hacker news really defines for me why I need to take a break from design, especially corporate design.  Many the comments in here are exactly what clients and end users think.  Yes, there are a few comments rebuking the concept that good design is expensive but most focus on the perceived "wasted" resources-money as well as energy-going into space design.  To be fair, Interior Design is essentially a luxury service, icing on the basic need of shelter.  Yes, there are lots of studies done on improving productivity, morale and decreasing employee attrition.  However, no one seems to care about that when it really gets down to brass tacks.  All that matters is money.  And sometimes, it's not even the actual amount of money you spend.  I have had more than one client that was concerned about "optics"  They spent MORE money to make it look like they spent less so employees wouldn't think that the company valued how their space looks over how much an employee was paid.  So, they spent the same amount of money building a life-sucking dilbert-ville instead of a space that the employees might like with access to views and sunlight; control over the lighting in their space; better common areas where people can get to know their co-workers and feel connected to them.  I have had clients tell me that red paint "looked expensive"  Are you kidding me?  Paint costs the same, no matter what color it is!!!  The business of Interior Design is stupidly demanding, given what it is.  Partially because Interior Designers do not get paid nearly enough for the the ridiculous amount of hours and energy put forth in an effort to please your client and create a design that you are happy to have your name on.  Just to define this a little more, since everyone thinks they are not paid enough.  The minimum work week is 45 hours.  Even then, you can't get everything done that needs to be done.  There is always more-one more drawing to do, one more design iteration, one more hour on that detail...it's never done.  In my twelve years of working in the industry, I have been treated for TMJ and panic attacks, and been admitted to the hospital twice with life-threatening asthma attacks because I was too busy to take my medicine.  Yes, all of that is my fault, not the industry's fault, as I am ultimately responsible for my own health.  However, none of my friends in other industries report similar issues.   The other issue I have with this industry is value.  We do not value ourselves.  We give away our services for far less fee than other professional services. THEN we perform extra services without asking for more money.  Just dumb.  If we don't value ourselves, how can we expect people who are uninformed about what we do to value us?
I suppose my real question is, is there a way to change the perceptions of the general public, so they think that Interior Design is something worth spending money to hire a professional?  Do we charge more, don't back down on those fees and embrace the luxury nature of our services?  By charging more than we do, does this make people want it because they can't have it?  I would love to hear thoughts on this-both from people in the industry and not in the industry.

Photo credits: from my portfolio. SRAM Offices, Chicago, Illinois by RTKL Associates. Photo by Steve Hall, Hedrich Blessing.  This project was one of the few exceptions to the above.  The client was very involved in the creation of the space, even in the development of custom furniture for the space, and really appreciated what we as interior designers could bring to the table.  I think mainly because they were designers themselves and "got it."