Risks and rescues
Another good reason for considering professional help when starting to plan an Interior Design project is the simple fact that your Interior Designer knows which risks to take! And there are risks.
Color scheming and space planning are two good examples of where intent may not match up with the end result. Individual elements that go into an Interior design project, present two functional and aesthetic challenges. First, each element must stand on its own as a preference and positive choice. Second, it must be compatible with all other elements of its focus area.
In a softer composition discipline, each element must (at the very least) be a close relative within the overall Interior Design composition for your environment to work the way you envisioned it at the front end of your project.
So, where are the risks, how serious are they, and how do we “know” in advance that we are in the safe zones? It isn't all just about the elements alone. It's about you, your personal dynamics and the future functionality of your designed Interior as it relates and cooperates with who you are.
When you launch an Interior design project, you have expectations! So does your Interior design team! In a certain sense, any recommendation or advice is a risk of sorts. It can be particularly risky when your team strongly advises you away from a favorite choice — for reasons that may not immediately seem reasonable.
When it occurs, there's a lot that goes into your Interior professional's somewhat forceful recommendation that may be contrary to one of your strong preferences. It's important that any selected element viewed in isolation by you, has to meet your Interior design team's criteria viewed in context!
Let's consider some example areas where the conflict/risk situation might occur: Color work, Space planning and Floor covering.
We all know the Colors we love and try to work into our lives and surroundings as much as possible. Random uses of favorites don't cause many problems — clothing, toss pillows and other “variables.” But, choosing colors for broader impacts (such as walls, ceilings, floors) brings more important considerations to bear. How will color choices be impacted — or completely changed! — for instance, by lighting and texture?
Space planning, on its face and after the fact seems straight forward — until it meets actual traffic patterns, relates to available lighting and receives the flow of sound. Materials and their textures come into play importantly. Space planning, i.e., the appropriate and reasonable placement of furniture, equipment, lighting, ingress and egress, etc., must be strategized from multiple perspectives. Simply put, it's not as simple as the coordinated, finished result might imply! Like a well-made article of clothing or a favorite car model — both are sleek and attractive when finished, belying the complexities of the making.
Flooring is an exceptionally important element in the design of your Interior environment. Wrong moves in flooring choices have far-reaching ramifications. Like the bow you place on a gift package, your choice can either enhance or destroy the presentation! Consider the walls and ceiling as the “wrap” — then the flooring choice as the bow — the factor that pulls things into harmony and balance, and holds it all together for function and aesthetics.
You don't want to fight shadow or glare where it shouldn't be because Color and Light are colliding. You don't want employees or customers bumping into each other in the pragmatic business stream because the Space use is a nightmare obstacle course. And, who wants Flooring that turns an otherwise pleasant area into puzzling gloom, with premature (and possibly dangerous) wear?
There are risks. There are also Rescues. Whether you need limited preliminary consultation that gets you focused and on the right and realistic track, or you think you need the whole enchilada, stop and consider before you jump into the deep end of the pool.
Robert Boccabella, B.F.A. is principal and founder of Business Design Services and a certified interior designer in private practice for over 30 years. To contact him call 707-2637073; email him at rb@BusinessDesignServices.com or visit www.BusinessDesignServices.com or on Facebook at Business Design Services.