Do you think you could help me pick out a new duvet cover? Which paint color would you choose for a kitchen? What kind of art would look best in my living room? Wait, what exactly is it that you do?
I’ve been a commercial Interior Designer for 8 years and if I had a dollar for every time I got asked one of these questions, I would be a very wealthy lady! The fact is, it’s not your fault. Unfortunately, certain media outlets have not exactly portrayed the Interior Design profession as accurately as you think thus blurring the lines between designer and decorator. But that’s OK because I’m here to answer those burning questions and set the record straight!
The National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ) defines Interior Design as ‘a multi-faceted profession in which creative and technical solutions are applied within a structure to achieve a built interior environment’. Although picking paint colors and fabric swatches are very much a part of my job, it’s certainly not ALL that I do. To even call myself an Interior Designer, I had to successfully complete a certain amount of education (4-year bachelor’s degree), have a certain amount of work experience, and successfully pass the NCIDQ examination to be licensed. You legally cannot call yourself an Interior Designer without these requirements! My main responsibilities as an Interior Designer involves enhancing the life, health, safety and welfare of the public, while providing a holistic design solution. This includes a whole host of services such as:
1) Research and analysis of the client’s goals and requirements; and development of documents, drawings and diagrams that outline those needs. Let’s say I’m working on a tenant improvement project for a corporate office space, some of these tasks could include conducting employee interviews or developing a programming document for client and spatial requirements;
2) Formulation of preliminary space plans and two and three-dimensional design concept studies and sketches that integrate the client’s program needs and are based on knowledge of the principles of Interior Design and theories of human behavior. This is where I’ll utilize some software programs such as AutoCAD, Revit, or Sketch Up to get our 2D or 3D preliminary ideas across to the client;
3) Confirmation that preliminary space plans and design concepts are safe, functional, aesthetically appropriate, and meet all public health, safety and welfare requirements, including code, accessibility, environmental, and sustainability guidelines. Our designs must always be INCLUSIVE first and foremost;
4) Selection of colors, materials and finishes to appropriately convey the design concept, and to meet socio-psychological, functional, maintenance, life-cycle performance, environmental, and safety requirements. My job is not to select a fabric swatch because I think it’s pretty. If I’m choosing a fabric swatch for an airport terminal, it must be robust AF and withstand the constant airport traffic as well as adhere to my client’s maintenance requirements;
5) Selection and specification of furniture, fixtures, equipment and millwork, including layout drawings and detailed product description; and provision of contract documentation to facilitate pricing, procurement and installation of furniture;
6) Provision of project management services, including preparation of project budgets and schedules (this is when I put my project manager hat on!);
7) Preparation of construction documents, consisting of plans, elevations, details, and specifications, to illustrate non-structural and/or non-seismic partition layouts (when I need structural stuff, that’s when I go to my architect and/or engineer friends!), power and communications locations (because we don’t want that duplex receptacle on a glass partition – duh!), reflected ceiling plans and lighting designs; materials and finishes (the pretty stuff!), and furniture layouts;
8) Preparation of construction documents to adhere to regional building and fire codes, municipal codes, and any other jurisdictional statutes, regulations and guidelines applicable to the interior space (again this is where I’ll utilize AutoCAD or Revit to produce these documents);
9) Coordination and collaboration with other allied design professionals who may be retained to provide consulting services, including but not limited to architects, structural, mechanical and electrical engineers, and various specialty consultants;
10) Confirmation that construction documents for non-structural and/or non-seismic construction are signed and sealed by the responsible Interior Designer, as applicable to jurisdictional requirements for filing with code enforcement officials;
11) Administration of contract documents, bid and negotiations as the client’s agent. When our drawings get issued to contractors to be priced (i.e. Bid, tender etc.) we are involved in the process whereby reviewing/analyzing pricing and assisting our clients to make the right decision for their project;
13) Observation and reporting on the implementation of projects while in progress and upon completion, as a representative of and on behalf of the client; and conducting post-occupancy evaluation reports. This is so important! We can’t just provide the client with their new space and be like ‘alright, it’s been real!’, we need to have some sort of say in their change management process or else the employee complaints start rolling in. It’s important to be transparent and ensure your client is aware of the changes to their space and how they will anticipate managing this change.
OK so now that you have been given a taste of my life as an Interior Designer, I hope this gives you a bit of insight into the profession and what an average day may seem like for me. With that said, this section of the blog will focus on a whole host of Interior Design topics for your viewing and reading pleasure!
Source: iida.org
