Behind the Curtain
Interior Design is a wonderful and exciting profession, but it requires a wide range of skills– and not the ones that most people might imagine.
One might assume that having good taste is the primary, and potentially only, criteria to be a good designer, where “that sounds fun” is the most common response I get when telling people what I do.
And it is fun! But while I would say that every project demonstrates good taste, much of the time taste isn’t what drives a project. What REALLY matters is having the ability to get all aspects of a design project done in the most expedient, efficient, cost effective and beautiful way possible. And that is no small feat.
After four decades in the business, starting with a design education at New York School of Interior Design, and all the way through corporate design for some of the largest and most prestigious Architectural and Interior Design firms, to running my business as an ASID professional designer (we just had our twenty-five year anniversary, by the way) I can safely say my company offers the correct complement of skills to get our projects right, every time.
Skills
But, what might those skills be? I imagine you are already asking. Well keep in mind that the goal is alway to create a beautiful and functional space that meets the owners’ criteria in every way in addition to my own high standards. Managing all of these elements is what makes the project work in the end and creates a happy client who loves their space, and calls back year after year and gives referrals to friends and family.
None of the skills I am about to share with you even relate to taste. Sure, my clients often rely on us to provide insight and guidance to develop their taste, but most of the problem solving has nothing to do with patterns or colors. They count on the fact that we will have put their room together perfectly in the first place so that all the furnishings work together, are the appropriate scale and the right material has been selected for a harmonious result. In addition to being beautiful it must have the proper specifications and construction for its use.
Lets not forget the space itself, afterall. Rooms have to be built and painted, furniture has to be made to order, window treatments sewn, etc. These tasks have to be fabricated by skilled and experienced craftspeople who will need to communicate directly with you, and interpret the good design you have provided. This process goes way beyond just assembling some elements “In good taste.” And this is where all these skills begin to really matter.
Every cushion needs the perfect fill. The window treatments need to be detailed properly so that they will hang correctly, open and close perfectly and provide the correct level of privacy, light control and security, depending on the clients’ needs. Are they lined properly? The rugs need to be the perfect size so they accommodate the furniture and no one is tripping on them. Every little minute detail needs to be explored fully, and approached with a breadth of knowledge, well beyond what may be provided to you by simple good taste.
Then there is the very complicated issue of delivery and installation. What is the best way to get things made or delivered? What happens when you think something is about to ship after eight weeks and they’d never put in the order? What do you do when the custom sofa can’t fit through the door?
The way projects are tracked and monitored has everything to do with the beautiful end result and a happy client.
And no discussion of Interior Design could leave out the all important budget. What is the best way to allocate the dollars? Advising your client on where to save and where to spend is another way to have happy clients. Understanding the value that each aspect of a room holds is a skill unto itself. What good is a gorgeous armchair if it's sitting on a ragged or rug?
Problems appear out of nowhere every day even with the best systems in place. So no matter how well you think you’ve anticipated what could happen there will still be things that go wrong. It is knowing how to navigate these hurdles that make an excellent Interior Designer. And certainly good taste as well.
