What is Interior Design?
Interior design is how we function in our spaces. It influences our daily lives in a powerful way; affecting how we live, work, learn, and play.
Interior design is not just picking out furniture, wall colors and window treatments. It is about the whole built environment. Everything you see, feel and experience in a space was designed by someone. Someone who put detailed thought into the materials you see and how you use that space. Design is when a space just feels good. All the details – from grout color to the flow of the floorplan – are accounted for to create a safe, functional and beautiful environment.
Interior design is broken up into two main categories.
Residential and commercial. Residential is just that – residential! Commercial design is any space that is used commercially such as office buildings, retail stores, fitness studios and spa’s. There are more subcategories that designers specialize in, like hospitality, healthcare, marine and even transportation design. Each has their own unique and specific use requirements. How people function in a hotel is completely different than how they function on a yacht.
Relationships are a huge part of what defines interior design.
A good designer asks a lot of questions to understand how their clients function in their spaces. The lifespan of a project can last anywhere from 6 months to several years! So being able to communicate effectively with clients and truly understand them is crucial.
Education is an important part of design.
There are a lot of technical skills required to be able to design effectively. Drafting and reading construction plans is essential throughout the design process. Being able to communicate all those details is also key. Designers have to consider functionality, legal code requirements, city permitting, HOA requirements and of course the clients overall desires. Thus, designers must equally consider functionality, legal codes and aesthetics to truly design a space well. Education, experience and a natural eye for design is the foundation of a designer’s ability to harmonize those three elements.
Next time you’re in a restaurant or hotel, take a closer look. Take notice of the colors, the flow, the lighting and everything that unifies the space. How do you feel? That is
