Interior designer

An interior designer is an artist who works with clients to decorate interior spaces. Interior designers are educated in the field of design and are trained artists who understand textiles, fabrics, patterns, color theory, trends, styles, and aesthetics. A person who works as an interior designer may work in commercial or residential settings to create beautiful, unified interior

Good interior design adds a new dimension to a space. It can increase our efficiency in the way we go about our 
daily lives and it adds depth, understanding and meaning to the built environment. Th oughtful and well-crafted design makes a space easier to understand and experiencing such a space lift s the spirit, too. It is, therefore, not just about the aesthetic; it is a practical and philosophical

discipline. Beautiful spaces betray a logical and rational questioning of

the status quo and can be an honest att empt to find new 
 exciting ways to lead our lives.

There is often some confusion between the terms ‘interior architecture’, ‘interior design’ and ‘interior decoration’. 
What is the distinction between the diff erent professions? In truth, the distinctions are not absolute. Where boundaries are drawn depends upon several factors. In a professional 
sense, it may well come down to a matter of which country the designer is working in (or perhaps more properly, 
which regulatory system the designer is working under). 

Why become an interior designer?

Being an interior designer puts you in a privileged position. You are trusted by the client and, in the case of commissions by private clients, you have intimate access to their homes and way of life. You are given freedom to create spaces that will become an everyday part of their lives. You can propose radical planning solutions that may overturn preconceptions. According to the budget, you will source and curate all the elements that make up the interior space. You can select beautiful pieces of furniture, interesting and unusual finishes and colour scheme. It is not enough to try to ‘think things through’ 
and then create a drawing to record a finished idea, as almost no one is gift ed enough to be able to foresee 
a fully resolved and articulated design. Instead, it is through the act of drawing itself that issues are identified and resolved. This is such an important point for the novice designer to grasp: drawings are not made simply to record 
an idea or detail that has already been formulated in the designer’ s mind. Instead, making drawings is a process 
of ‘thinking on paper’. Drawing is crucial to the development of a design, an extremely powerful tool in the designer’ s arsenal. Sketching and hand drawing play a part in the lives of almost all designers, even those who use cohesmputers on a daily basis to turn their ideas into the drawings 
used for construction purposes.

Quick sketches and formal technical drawings are used in conjunction to conceive new ideas and examine their 
impact on the scheme. Plans are usually the fi rst technical drawings to be made, but as soon as the fi rst planning 
options are being explored, the designershould be thinking in three dimensions, so elevations, sections or perspective sketches will follow to show other aspects of the space. Drawing is an excellent way of comparing alternatives, of seeing different options side by side.

After the project has been presented to the client, and the client has approved the work to date, further drawing will 
be needed to progress the project. Th ese drawings, done in more detail than those for the presentation, will be sent 
out to tender to allow accurate quotes to be given by potential contractors. Th ey will highlight what work needs to be done to the space and, where necessary, will show constructional details, thus ensuring that the designer’ s vision 
for the project is realised by the contractors as intended.It should be said that, while the designer is always aiming to provide the best solution possible, that solution is almost certainly going to include compromises. At the very least, 
there will be competing, if not confl icting, needs and wants in almost every design brief. It is the job of the designer 
to make judgements and to prioritise. In some situations, it will be the practical that is the most appropriate, in others the aesthetic will win. You will be able to make these judgements having referred to your design analysi

unusual fi nishes, and colour schemes that together create drama,serenity, or whatever other mood the client wants

for their space. For a creative personality all of this is satisfying in, itself that the global community will face through the coming decades off er lots of opportunities to try our creativity further. Climate change and populationg growthare causing problems that we need to address, and the solutions are almost all to do with the way that we lead our lives. Current ways of working and living will change, and whether theses changes turn out to be sudden and dramatic or slower and more subtle, changes in lifestyle will mean that designers are required to navigate new landscapes and propose alternative routes for clients to allow them to meet their commitments as part of the new global, responsible society, whilst
Still maintaining a sense of wellbeing derived from their immediate surroundings. As well as these changes, there is a growing acceptance that the current condition of public and private spaces does not facilitate their use equally by all members of society.

‘Inclusive design’ answers this by considering the needs of all people during the design process, that is, anyone and everyone who may have call to use the space including children, the elderly, those carrying heavy or awkward loads, and so on.

Designer process

• Client
• Client approval
• Full brief
• Design analysis
• Concept
• Sourcing Planning
• Decorative scheme
• Client presentation / Sign-off
• Detail design
• Schedules and specifi cations
• Detailed costings
• Client approval
• Implementation

‘The design process’ is a term that
covers a set of operations which,
when carefully undertaken by
the designer, result in a thoroughly
considered and well-craft ed design
solution that meets the needs of
the client. The process is not exclusive
to interior design and, in one form or
another, applies to all fi elds of design.
Design might be seen as a largely linear
activity, with a start point (at which
the client makes fi rst contact with the
designer), and an end point, when
the project has been implemented
(that is, constructed or built). However,
the reality is that within the process
many of the individual tasks are
interrelated and highly dependent
upon one another, so changes
to one element of a design solution
will oft en require that earlier parts
of the process are revisited and revised
as appropriate.
You should try to see the design
process as a malleable one where
the different tasks are adaptable
to the unique nature of each project.
Th e design process is not a standard
‘one size fits all’ solution, and you will
need to develop your understanding
of it so that you can see how it might be
used to meet the needs of individual
projects that you work on

Analysis

In the following description of the major parts of the design process, the comments made earlier about its flexibility should be borne in mind; any or all of the actions described here could be adapted to suit individual projects. It will also become clear that the job of a designer actually involves a great deal of general
administration work in addition to the design element of a project. When working as part of a large practice,
this may not be especially apparent, as job roles will probably be tightly defi ned. In smaller companies, however, the designer may fi nd themselves deeply
involved in all aspects of the process.
Analysis is relevant at two related but distinct parts of the project cycle: In the very earliest stages, before in-depth
design work takes place, the designer will need to assess the scale and complexity of the project work to be undertaken.This will allow preliminary estimates to be made of the time
and resources needed to complete the project, and these will in turn provide a foundation upon which the designer
can base a fee proposal. Part of the work at this stage will involve determining the scope of the project and the likely
format and content of the presentation, as this will control, to a large degree, the amount of drawings and visuals
that are prepared, all of which take time that will need to be charged to the client.
Following this and once the client has agreed to the proposed design work being undertaken to reach the first presentation stage, the designer can take an in-depth brief from the client. Initial examination of the brief, allied to a general understanding of the project, will give the designer a starting point for further research. All of this work will lead to the second tranche of analysis, in which the designer is aiming to edit, distil and ultimately make sense of all the information that has been gathered. Some of the information will relate to the practical aspects of the brief, some to the aesthetic, some of which could be
contradictory in nature. Over time, the designer will become used to sett ing priorities and reaching a comfortable
compromise with regard to confl icting information. It is very rare to fi nd a project that does not need some element
of compromise to succeed, but there is never one single way to deal with it. Each project must be looked at on its own
merits, and decisions reached that refl ect the unique nature of that project.
Once analysis is complete, conclusions regarding style and content of the project can be summarised by creating
a concept. This will then be used to generate ideas and drive the project. Different methods of analysis and concept styles are looked at in greater detail in

Development

During this stage, many diff erent strands of the fi nished design will be coming together. Space planning will be a major priority. Taking account of ergonomic needs, the designer will seek to create a balanced and eff ective
furniture layout that meets the functional needs of the user.The designer will be sourcing furniture, fi nishes and fabrics
which will be chosen for their aesthetic and practical fi t with the concept, with space-planning constraints also informing furniture choices. As the decorative scheme begins to take
shape, the collection of fi nishes will be refined and edited.The design is likely to be quite fl uid; changing and evolving
while heading towards a fully resolved fi nale. Being open to change is one of the best qualities a designer can have. It is
by being open and seeing where the development process leads that unique breakthroughs in the design can be made. Th e development stage of the project is one of the most interesting for the designer. It is where the natural talents of most designers fi nd their expressive outlet, and where the individual can really make their mark on a project.This is the stage where the needs of the client are taken and transformed into a workable, practical and aesthetic design solution. It is where ideas are generated and given
life, where ‘fl ights of fancy’ are captured and turned into feasible and stunning reality. Th e discovery of an idea and
the realisation that it can be used and made into something special is exciting, it is an experience that designers live
for. It motivates and helps spur the designer on to discover more of what the project holds. Interior design is problem
solving on a large and complex scale, but we are also adding the aesthetic touches, the humanising elements, that make interiors appealing and functional on an emotional level. Development work can sometimes be hard, requiring a great
deal of thought and re-working until the result is as perfect as is practicable, but the pleasure and pride that the designer
experiences when it goes well are worth the eff ort. How much development work needs to be undertaken depends very much upon exactly what the client requires from the designer. If the client expects to see ‘concept sketches’ for a project, then only minimal design work may need to be undertaken; just enough basic space planning and the development of a few decorative ideas or motifs, for example, to allow the designer to produce sketch visuals
of the proposals. If, however, the client wants to see a fully resolved design solution, then a great deal of development work will be undertaken; space planning, decorative details,
and bespoke items will all need to be worked on, and this will generate a much larger number of drawings.

Whatever form ideas may take, gett ing them out of your head and on to paper is crucial to being able to see the issues clearly. It is not enough to try to ‘think things through’ and then create a drawing to record a fi nished idea,
as almost no one is gift ed enough to be able to foresee a fully resolved and articulated design. Instead, it is
through the act of drawing itself that issues are identified and resolved. This is such an important point for the novice
designer to grasp: drawings are not made simply to record an idea or detail that has already been formulated in the
designer’ s mind. Instead, making drawings is a process of ‘thinking on paper’. Drawing is crucial to the development of a design, an extremely powerful tool in the designer’ s
arsenal. Sketching and hand drawing play a part in the lives of almost all designers, even those who use computers on a daily basis to turn their ideas into the drawings
used for construction purposes.

Quick sketches and formal technical drawings are used in conjunction to conceive new ideas and examine their
impact on the scheme. Plans are usually the fi rst technical drawings to be made, but as soon as the fi rst planning
options are being explored, the designer should be thinking in three dimensions, so elevations, sections or perspective
sketches will follow to show other aspects of the space. Drawing is an excellent way of comparing alternatives,
of seeing diff erent options side by side.
Aft er the project has been presented to the client, and the client has approved the work to date, further drawing will
be needed to progress the project. Th ese drawings, done in more detail than those for the presentation, will be sent
out to tender to allow accurate quotes to be given by potential contractors. Th ey will highlight what work needs
to be done to the space and, where necessary, will show constructional details, thus ensuring that the designer’ s vision for the project is realised by the contractors as intended.
It should be said that, while the designer is always aiming to provide the best solution possible, that solution is almost
certainly going to include compromises. At the very least, there will be competing, if not confl icting, needs and wants
in almost every design brief. It is the job of the designer to make judgements and to prioritise. In some situations,
it will be the practical that is the most appropriate, in others the aesthetic will win. You will be able to make
these judgements having referred to your design analysis.

Professional practice What makes a good designer? ‘Professional practice’ is a term that covers the personal 
qualities and business procedures of the individual designer, and also the framework of regulation that the designer is subject to while working. Th e latt er falls outside the scope of this book, as the laws that 
govern design work vary considerably from country to country, and are frequently subject to change. 
Some basic and universal business practices are, however, worth looking at.

Designers are creative people, and being organised does not always come naturally to a creative personality. It is, however, a trait that all designers would do well to cultivate, as there is so much more to the business of design than just designing. Being organised is probably the most important facet of a professional att itude, though not the only one. For those who get involved in the full range of tasks associated with 
the day-to-day operation of a design practice, it could be that they will spend no more than 20 per cent of their time 
actively pursuing the development of a design. The other 80 per cent can easily be taken up by the mundane side 
of running a business: administration, fi ling, letter writing, travelling and so on.

Allied to good organisation skills is good time management. Because interior design is a subject that it is easy to be 
passionate about, it is also one where it is easy to spend a disproportionate amount of time on the design work, 
to the detriment of other tasks that need to be undertaken if a project is to be completed successfully. To help with this, one of the fi rst things to be done on a project is to create a project plan that shows the tasks that need to be 
addressed in order to successfully complete the project. Probably the most useful way of visualising the project 
plan is in the form of a Gantt chart; a horizontal bar chart that illustrates a project schedule. Strictly speaking, a true Gantt chart shows the outcomes of a project, and not the actions that will be undertaken to reach those outcomes, 
but for most designers this distinction is academic, and can be ignored. Soft ware, including free open-source programs, 
are available to help produce project plans.



Reference book
Fundamentals of interior design