Tips to Improve as an Interior Designer
Improve as an Interior Designer
An Interior designer is a professional who has the ability to transform the looks of a place in addition to utilizing the available space in the best possible manner. An interior designer should not be confused with an interior decorator who works in tandem with the architect to enhance the décor of a place. As people have changed their lifestyles and want to live and work in more unique and considered spaces, more colourful, vibrant and at the same time more organized and functional spaces, the demands, complexity and competition in the interior design field has increased. Here are some tips to how and develop as an interior designer.
Improve as an Interior Designer
1. Research
To increase your options of designing, there is nothing better than to do some research and study the works of other interior designers from the past and the present. You need to remain current and up to date in your field and also in other related fields. Interior design is an art and a relatively new profession which is constantly evolving.
In our rapidly evolving world there is something new in the market ready to replace or improve on the existing at increasing frequency. An interior designer needs to know what is new in terms of trends, materials available, and also new technologies which are complementing the design of interiors. Practically, interior designers need to know where to source the new ideas and materials, how much materials cost and if they can be substituted for lower cost items taking into account the client’s budget. One should be well informed and up to date not only on one’s field but also those other closely related to his field.
2. Be innovative – think outside of the box
Essential to interior design success is innovation. Currently clients are placing a high value on originality and uniqueness. Though your knowledge of interior designing and experience counts a lot, you need to rely upon your intuition and creativity to come up with something new and interesting. It is your uniqueness and the ability to stand out from the crowd that will take you far in this profession. It also essential to be innovative because clients often have ideas of what they want that are outside what is traditional or even practical. The client’s demands can often force the interior designer to make possible the impossible, and flexible out of the box thinking is essential here for success.
3. Specialize
This is the age of specialization and people prefer to go to specialists whether it is doctors or interior designers. Interior design is a very wide field where one cans specialize in one or two fields instead of being a generalist. You can specialize in interior designing of residential units or commercial premises. You can even go for designing of hospitals or hotels to carve a niche for yourself. As an interior designer one can specialize in, exhibition design, spatial branding, residential design, hospitality design, commercial design, health care design, universal design among other specialty. Clients have more faith and confidence receiving or hiring a professional who is a speciality in a more narrow area related to their requirements.
4. Be flexible
Interior design being an evolving profession the clients are bound to change their mind or make changes in the initial plan before or during or during the course of the work. An interior designer needs to be flexible enough to accommodate the changes. Do not have rigid ideas for a space that reek of your text books or old, traditional ways of designing. You need to be flexible to adapt and accommodate changes.
5. Be competent
It is not the college or degree but your knowledge and confidence as a designer that will take you places in this profession. The degree gets you a foot in the door, helps you build vital networks, and teaches you the fundamentals of design, and you may or may not be lucky enough to have benefited from some inspirational tutors. But out in professional practice you are on your own. Be bold and assertive and ready to provide answers in a tricky situation as project managers will look to you to guide them in your area of expertise.
As an interior designer like any other profession one is required to carry oneself and to be competence. One should be clear to the client what it is possible to do and what one cannot do from the onset of the project. Do not agree to take on work outside one’s capability which one cannot deriver (over-promise and under-deliver). One should also be in a position to know where to get what, how and when and when to call in help from whom. The services offered should be of quality and satisfying to the client. The relationship with clients should be professional and observe all relevant regulations and codes of ethics.
6. One should be accommodative to diversity
Interior design is a service industry where the designer meets different clients to get what the client wants or requires of him. People are different in behavior, expectations and reactions. To be able to work with different clients the interior designer needs to have the virtue of patience, understanding and be accommodative. You should have the patience and the ability to understand the point of view of your clients and the ability to communicate your point of view to them, in order to improve as an interior designer.
7. Be keen to each and every client expectation
Interior design is a tricky professional where the interior designer has to meet each and every client’s expectations. An interior designer should never try to fit the client into his expectation or taste rather he should deliver what the client expects. One of the more important tips to improve as an interior designer is to simply acknowledge that ultimately what one’s client wants should come first. After all, they are paying the bills, and they will often be the end user of the space.
8. Be a good resources manager
In whatever an interior designer does one should put into consideration the resources at hand. This includes time, money, material and labor. This should be considered to avoid issues with the client. One should be economical on resources and not to miss-use the resources or be extravagant. Avoid un-necessary delays to the project finishing projects past deadline.
9. Always have a plan of work
Before one starts on any project as an interior designer one should have a work plan. Work plans helps one to be efficient and to stick to the budget. Also with a good work plan it is possible to debrief the client before the starting of the project and also it gives the client a follow up of monitoring the project. Success depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be failure.
10. Good communication skills
Interior designers interact with the client on an ongoing basis throughout all stages of the project from beginning to end. To get to know what the client wants one requires good listening and communication skills. Most clients hurriedly gives an outline or overview of what they require and it is up to the designer to listen tentatively to know what the client wants, likes and dislikes in order to properly consider the requirements of the project. The designer is also solely responsible for giving feedback and explanations about the project. All this requires communication skills, an obvious but important tip to improve as an interior designer.
Prev
Next
Prev
Next
Leave a Reply