Interior Design Projects: The Initial Stages + Engaging an Architect

The Processes Involved and Services Available

Our interior design services are most often engaged in conjunction with our architectural services. Though other circumstances may involve client’s purchasing a new house where they want to adjust interiors to allow an infusion of their own style. Quite often, if clients have lived in a house for a long time but have entered a different life phase (a growing family, older children moving out, retirement etc.), rather than opting for a total renovation or moving to something smaller or larger, a refurbishment of interiors can be a great way to respond to changed needs, especially when a client is working with a lower budget. In other projects, clients have contacted us when the finishes in their home feel a bit dated or worn. Adjusting some key elements in the interior of these client’s homes can allow a house to be refreshed, increasing the usability of spaces and the joy in inhabiting them.

The key items to consider in the initial stages of an interior design based project is setting a budget and time frame. It will always be beneficial to identify any other constraints that may affect the project.  A consideration that can assist in establishing a budget and time frame is a process of prioritisation where the client identifies what’s most important in the project.

Another process that can be initiated even before approaching a professional, is establishing a way to communicate your personal style and what you want to bring to your home. This, along with thoughts around the actual usability of spaces and where this is currently lacking can greatly benefit an architect or designer’s ability to promptly meet your needs. A lot of clients will come to us with images cut out of magazines. Once we formalise the project, we set up a shared Pinterest board. Working as a digital scrapbook, Pinterest helps to effectively communicate ideas throughout the project.

Engaging an Architect Rather Than an Interior Designer or Draftsperson

We feel that it can be greatly beneficial to engage an architect rather than an interior designer or draftsperson for jobs of this scale. As architects, we approach interior design more broadly, so the scheme never just involves interior decorating. We look at things like where the light’s coming from, the access to outside etc. and will be able to identify opportunities where say, a new window somewhere may dramatically improve a space. An architect will also have a better understanding of structure and services which will allow a better ability to push and challenge the limitations of a projects scope. In our office, we don’t see interior design, architecture, and landscape architecture as being dissimilar. They shouldn’t be considered separately if a cohesive response is going to be found.

An Architect has the skills and ability to look at the whole house and the whole project. Amelda in our office explains that often a client might be thinking ‘I want my living and dining rooms revamped’ though in some cases the issues effecting the usability of a home are bigger than that. “I think we’re skilled at being able to identify the issues on a larger scale, a project might not only need a couch to be replaced but a whole room to be reorganised, or even rooms repurposed within the house.” Overall, an Architect can draw on and apply skills that are developed through the involvement in larger scale architectural projects allowing a broader based knowledge to be the foundation behind interior design skills. When considering cost management, Paul the director of our firm believes that, as Architects, “we have a great knowledge of costs. We’re skilled at managing budgets because we do it all the time throughout the process of designing buildings and getting them built.”

Read a case study about an interior design project here