Whatever the type and scale of a project, a professional interior designer has a process of work involving various stages or research, design and negotiation.
Winning a project
Designers get work a number of ways. Better known practices may be asked, along with several other companies, to pitch for a job having been given an outline of what the client wants from a scheme. There is usually no fee involved at this stage and there is no guarantee of winning the work. Some interior design projects will be open to competition. These will usually be for publicly-funded interior schemes. When a designer or design practice becomes more established they might get work through recommendation or word of mouth, but most will still have to pitch for jobs occasionally. Once a job is won, a fee must be negotiated with the client (fee negotiation being a much-underestimated skill) which will depend on the size and scope of the job as well as the design team's experience.
The brief
The success of an interior design scheme will depend not only upon on the skills and creativity of the designer in question, but their ability to answer the brief set by a client. A good brief will be as detailed and project-specific as possible. It will outline the client's requirements and aspirations and set down a budget for works and, crucially, the time scale in which the project must be realised.
For more information on writing a brief use our guide to finding and working with a designer
In all cases the designer will need to know:
- Who will be using the space and what are their various needs/requirements?
- How many people will be using the space?
- How long will the space be used for? Days? Months? Years?
- What does the client hope to achieve/gain through commissioning the work?
- What's the budget?
- What's the time scale for completion?
Research
The type of research and preparation an interior designer embarks upon prior to designing a scheme will differ from project to project. In the case of designing a commercial environment, like a shop, bar or restaurant, for example, they must research the client's brand inside and out, and understand its customer base. Some investigation into the clients' competition and their interiors is also important.
Interior designers will also often spend time observing how a client uses their existing space in order to understand where they should position functional parts of their design such as lighting, doors or electric outlets.
Creative design
The creative design stage is likely to begin with the designer creating sketches or visuals which will be used to communicate their initial ideas and concepts to a client. When the client is satisfied with the plans the design team will often move on to technical drawings or plans (usually done using AutoCAD software), which a builder or fit-out company can use to start the construction process. 3D modelling and rendering software (such as Rhino and 3ds Max) is also used to help bring a project to life.
In commercial projects, a building regulations application will have to be made, which involves a professional (either a licensed consultant or a council employee) looking over the technical drawings to ensure they satisfy health, safety and efficiency requirements. Bigger building projects will require actual planning permission from the relevant local authority.
Adjustments to the designs are likely to be made along the way as briefs can alter (clients have been known to change their minds) halfway through a project. This will also have an impact on the budget and could impact on the proposed completion date.
Building a team
Depending on the type, range and scale of a project, an interior designer will need to work with various specialists. These can range from lighting consultants, mechanical and engineering consultants, electricians and engineers through to environmental consultants and fit-out companies. Most interior designers and architects will be keen to assemble their own team of experts – usually trusted firms that they've worked with before.
Specification
Sourcing the right materials, furniture and furnishings for a scheme is a significant part of an interior designer's job. An interior designer working on luxury residential projects is likely to access one of a number of select retailers and distributors who specialise in supplying items for professional interior design projects. Chelsea Harbour in London is a mecca for interior decoraters who work at the very top of the residential interior design market – acting as a showcase for leading fabric, furniture and furnishing companies. Interior designers working on commercial or public projects will also have their own set of specialist suppliers they can go to – contract furniture companies who are used to supplying items in bulk, and therefore at cost price. In all cases, a designer should be given a furniture and furnishings budget. In the hotel industry this is known as an FF&E budget (that's a furniture, fixtures and equipment budget) so they know how much money can be allocated to this aspect of the project.
Completion
Interior designers will want to see a project through right to the end. There will be finishing touches to make and probably some styling to be done, possibly more for a residential project, in order to realise a scheme's full potential.