Interior design is not only about art and design; it’s about problem-solving and attention to detail.
The ability to solve a puzzle, while also being truly creative: this is what I personally love about interior design and it drives what we do as an interior design agency. Every element of the interior space is carefully thought out to create our client’s ideal interior. Each project poses a new challenge (that we tackle with excitement) and the end product is always elegant, but more importantly, it is unique as it reflects the client’s own personality or brand. This is what makes our field so exciting.
The technical aspects of spatial planning, and the considerations regarding the health, safety and welfare of the client, make the discpline of interior design seem more like a science than an art. This knowledge comes not only from years of training to obtain an interior design degree, but also from working closely with architects, engineers, contractors and specialists. An understanding of ergonomics and social behaviour is essential, and of course the interior space must be aesthetically pleasing. Thus, in interior design, science and art go hand-in-hand.
Once you have been practicing interior design long enough the process becomes more like intuition. An experience interior designer will automatically start to plan through sketching, coming up with design solutions for the various design problems until the best possible solution naturally presents itself. The designer does not need to question this process, he/ she knows when the problem is solved, but this only comes from years of hard work through training and experience.
It is a very tough industry to get started in, you work incredibly hard and the hours can be long to ensure deadlines are met. Your designs will undergo criticism from your employer and your clients which can also be disheartening. For those looking to start their interior design career, and you are serious about being an interior designer, you need to treat criticism as a chance to learn and improve. I still learn something new every day in my field, design constantly changes with new technology, materials and building methods.
Be willing to learn from others and accepted why your designs must be reworked. The best advice I can give is to make sure you go to site to observe installations taking place and interact with the various contractors. Attend site meeting, understand why the architect or designer made their design decisions, and ask questions of the contractors so you understand building methods. With that experience you will eventually be running projects from start to finish.
I love interior design and what it stands for, “it is, after all, for Humanity, our ultimate client, that we design. We shape the spaces that shape the human experience” (IFI Interiors Declaration, 2011). I hope this perspective provides you with some inspiration and appreciation for the interior design discipline that I am so proud to be a part of.