| Interior design is the process of shaping the | | | | your options and helping you select those options |
| experience of interior space, through the | | | | that best suite your style. You should strongly |
| manipulation of spatial volume as well as surface | | | | consider the merits for major renovation projects. |
| treatment. Not to be confused with interior | | | | Also, if you need some creative assistance, a |
| decoration, interior design draws on aspects of | | | | good designer will help make your remodeling |
| environmental psychology, architecture, and | | | | efforts a success. |
| product design in addition to traditional decoration. | | | | • First Impressions |
| An interior designer is a person who is considered | | | | You should interview several interior designers |
| a professional in the field of interior design or one | | | | before making your final selection. Be sure to |
| who designs interiors as part of their job. Interior | | | | review pictures of their recent work for similar |
| design is a creative practice that analyzes | | | | home improvement projects. A good designer will |
| programmatic information, establishes a | | | | have a portfolio of pictures from several of their |
| conceptual direction, refines the design direction, | | | | recent remodeling projects for you to review. |
| and produces graphic communication and | | | | Pay particular attention to their style and consider |
| construction documents. | | | | whether it aligns with your goals. Ask for the |
| Market for Interior Design: | | | | designer for referrals and contact each prior client. |
| There are two types of market for interior | | | | Some prior clients may hesitate to answer your |
| design: | | | | questions, but most will answer one important |
| • Residential Interior Design | | | | question: Would you re-use the designer for a |
| Residential interior design focuses on the planning | | | | future remodeling project? |
| and/or specifying of interior materials and | | | | • Attentive Listening |
| products used in private residences. In terms of | | | | Many interior designers will appear to be listening, |
| scope and contract amount, residential jobs are | | | | but then politely ignore your suggestions. There |
| often smaller, but offer a higher profit margin | | | | are times when this may be acceptable and times |
| particularly if you are marketing the products to | | | | when this is bad. It may be acceptable if the |
| be used in designing the rooms. | | | | designer is very good at what they do, has taken |
| • Commercial Interior Design | | | | the time to understand your overall objectives |
| Commercial jobs, on the other hand, are often | | | | and then chooses to offer alternatives if your |
| much bigger in scope but the bidding that often | | | | suggestions do not fit well with their overal design |
| accompanies the contract can push down your | | | | plan. It is generally bad when an inexperienced |
| profit margin. Commercial design covers a wide | | | | designer ignores your suggestions, does his or her |
| variety of specialties, such as entertainment, | | | | own thing and then ultimately you are unhappy |
| facilities management, government/institutional , | | | | with the results. |
| health care (e.g. hospitals, nursing homes, long | | | | • Experience Matters |
| term care facilities); retail or store planning (e.g. | | | | The ideal interior designer will have many years of |
| boutiques, department stores, malls, food retailing | | | | experience working with builders, remodelers, |
| centers); hospitality/restaurant (e.g. country clubs, | | | | contractors, vendors and other suppliers. They |
| hotels, cruise ships); and offices. | | | | should have depth of experience in fabric, |
| Tips for Choosing Good Interior Designer: | | | | appliances, furniture and other accessories. After |
| • Hiring a good designer | | | | listening to your desires, they should be able to |
| Good interior designers are like good therapists. | | | | take you to showrooms, fabric stores and other |
| They don't tell you what to do, rather they guide | | | | suppliers that will offer you products that |
| you through a process of helping you determine | | | | complement your individual style. |