LIKE FINE WINE
For a perfect outcome to an interior design project, give it time
Orson Welles summed up in one advertisement for wine a mindset to be applied to many aspects of life: Some things take time. That is, outstanding outcomes don’t come without putting in the effort and, yes, the time.
Nowhere is this more true perhaps in the creative world than in interior design. Because, regardless of the project, and regardless of what stage that project is in, time is an essential element. Its presence is everywhere, and for a design project to be successful, the designers and their clients have to work realistically with it.
At the beginning of any project, designers work with their clients — through in-depth conversations, the sharing and discussion of ideas and imagery and dreams, as well as the practical constraints and requirements of the work — to develop a framework. Regardless of the time and care both parties take, there is no guarantee there will not be surprises along the way, as these projects can and often do take on a life of their own. But the good news is that often, if everyone has spent the necessary time upfront exploring the parameters and context of the work, when those unexpected “design challenges” pop up, they can be addressed and even integrated into something better than originally designed.
There are many layers to any good story, and understanding them and retelling them in a designed space takes time as well. There are characters and their backstory, the plot, taking the characters through a narrative and the resolution. There are a multitude of details and tangents along the way that lead inexorably to the final outcome. In the case of fiction, the outcome is usually intended as a surprise. In an interiors project, surprise is less desirable. Keeping those surprises to a minimum takes time, time to make, review and communicate every decision.
A great number of the decisions are integral to others, one building upon the other, and many cannot be rushed. There’s due diligence for research, field observation and verification. The nature of finishes and materials in the marketplace is such that every single one is subject to being available, attainable and affordable within the established guidelines and expectations of project completion and budget. For every three or four finishes or materials that you might fall in love with, one or two might be unavailable or unaffordable, and you and your designer will have to find a good substitute, often requiring other dependent decisions to fall in line. A seasoned professional who has spent the time knows the right questions, where to find the right resources, how to present the best options, and can make sensitive and superlative decisions on the ground when problems arise.
The end goal, of course, is finished spaces that convey all of the desired characteristics and elements together in a way that far exceeds expectations. Every story is unique; there is no cut and paste. Constant, iterative reflection — even if it seems to slow things down — in the end gets the desired result a whole lot faster (and of course, we’d argue, better).
Heather Van Luchene, ASID, and Steffany Hollingsworth, ASID, are partners in HVL Interiors LLC, an interior-design firm offering professional residential and hospitality design services. Both are New Mexico-licensed interior designers. They can be reached at 505983-3601 or info@hvlinteriors.com.