There are so many factors when looking to design an interior, so much so that when you think about it can be truly overwhelming. Today we will be breaking down the top 10 things you need to consider when looking to design a space. Hopefully, after this, you will feel a little more prepared to do so.
1. Purpose
Before the design starts the purpose needs to be determined. This should have already broadly been established if we are talking about a commercial project, as the branding process including logo and USP would have been finalised. So you should have a head start here, which will pave the way for the rest of the process. Some examples could be a dessert parlor catered to teenagers or a specialty coffee roastery and lounge. These examples are catered to our specialty, the commercial market, however, if you’re considering designing a residential the purpose could be centered around a theme i.e. to create an exotic-themed games room.
2. Concept
Once the purpose of the area is established, the concept follows through to deciding on the theme. This gives the designers an idea of the brief and can give a wireframe for them to work under. Based on the ideas discussed there are usually multiple variations or elements from different styles within the central theme or concept.
3. Budget
Ah, a topic no one likes but is essential to the process. Deciding on a rough budget in the early stages is critical. This needs to be discussed with us, the designers as soon as possible, this allows us to design with the budgetary requirements in mind. If this doesn’t happen in the early stages, the whole process has the potential to be a disappointment to the client and a waste of time for designers, as the designer could design something you fall in love with but cannot afford, which is the last thing we want.
4. Timings
Finding out the timing of many elements of the projects is essential early on. From completion deadlines to time limits on refurbishment, you need to know it all. We understand that a detailed collaboration of disciplines is the best way to achieve a timeline of a project.
5. Spacial Layout
Once the above are discussed and agreed upon we move onto the spacial planning. Whether you are using architects, decorators, or interior designers you will want to agree on the layout based on many factors of functionality before starting on the aesthetics.
6. Moodboard
Moodboard-ing is a great way to give you an idea of the ‘mood’ of the space. Remember you aren’t trying to copy these designs but gain inspiration from certain elements. For example, you really like the herringbone tile flooring in an image or the style of the booth seating in another image. You would be surprised at how a few images put together can really give the mood or vibe of the whole project and really set the tone.
7. Interior Designing Aesthetics
Colour palette: Once deciding a theme, a colour palette needs to be chosen for the design. This typically looks like 4 to 5 main colors that are used throughout the space, with variations used in between. This creates cohesion throughout and makes the space feel curated and purposeful.
8. Finishes and Textures
At this stage, it is normal to feel intimidated by all the potential material choices, but just remember now that you have a concept/ theme to work with as well as a colour palette and mood board you will start to have a pretty good idea as to what range of materials finishes you are looking for. The purpose of the project should dictate this stage from a functionality perspective first, then an aesthetics point of view comes second. Think about durability, expected life, cleaning and maintenance, weather resistance, and of course budget. Once you have selected a range of samples appropriate to the budget, purpose and concept lay them all together in a material flat-lay to see how they work together.
9. Lighting
A few things to remember when selecting your lighting which will give you some direction: Darker hues or mood lighting gives off a sense of luxury and coziness, lighter tones and bright spaces give a room an appearance of being larger, and pops of colour or statement lighting draws attention to a feature of the light design itself. We suggest selecting a range of different lighting of a similar style to create visual interest.
10 . Artwork
The final touches some may say, but a step not to be looked over! By this stage you will have gathered so much information on the style, mood, materials, and budget that picking art should make you feel confident. You will know what works and what doesn’t. Some advice we will give you is that size matters! A general rule of thumb/ rough guideline you can follow is that you’d want artwork to cover 2/3ds to 3/4 of your wall. If that is too large for you, you can always look to create a gallery wall or group artwork together to cover the space. A little tip … lots of artists or companies sell a group of paintings or posters as a set. This is a cheat code for creating a cohesive and purposeful artwork selection.
Posted by: Olivia Grier
Spatial layout is key!
Material moodboard – seeing how all the elements work together
Statement lighting is always a good idea!