What qualities make a good Interior Designer?
An interior designer must be many things to many people!
When working on a project whether it’s residential, commercial or healthcare, good communication and negotiation skills are paramount as a designer will have to liaise with numerous stakeholders concurrently. ?This can be a major juggling act as everyone must be made aware of the details of the design, the costs involved and where they fit in and how their acidity will affect the other elements and participants.?Think of a project like being a massive jigsaw!
One of the basic qualities is being able to listen, as the key to any successful design is to bring to life the client’s ideas and wishes.?Organising and planning are crucial, as one must make sure that a certain activity is completed before the next can begin e.g., the walls must be plastered before the floors can be installed, but the underground heating needs to be done before that!?Being able to space plan is vital, ensuring efficient use of the floor space to accommodate the requirements such as joinery, furniture, lighting etc.
A design professional must have good presentation skills and be able to bring to life the design scheme, mood boards, samples, and swatches go some way in helping but the way the design is presented is key to the buy-in from the client.
Understanding colour and shapes is fundamental, not many people want a clash of colours even if they like the bolder hues, a good design professional will be able to add patterns, and different shades of the colour wheel to guarantee a cohesive scheme.?Shapes can make a space feel larger or smaller so depending on the aim of the plan, different shapes can be incorporated.
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Interior designers must keep up to date on health and safety and building regulations, aware of any new guidelines to guarantee the project is compliant.
Problem-solving is an important quality in interior design as there are normally a few kinks in the chain, it could be weather related, as in concrete floors not setting in time for the next phase of works, alternatively, it could be delayed delivery of furniture, so flexibility and patience are cornerstones of the industry.?We also can act as marriage counsellors, when one party prefers a certain look or colour, we can step in to explain the benefits and make sure a compromise is reached.
Remember, a design professional should never impose their style on a client regardless of their own preferences. By working closely with them, you should benefit from their experience and creativity, allowing you to understand the complexity of what is involved and to make informed decisions about all aspects of your project and what you want from it.?A qualified interior designer will open your eyes to ideas and possibilities you might not have thought of, making the design process inspirational, educational and rewarding.
Find out more on how to choose your interior designer via the British Institute Interior Design (BIID) website:
Key Account Manager - London and East Anglia
1 年Nice choice of wallcovering! ??