Industry insight
Understanding how the design industry works
What is design?
Design is the creation of a two dimensional or three dimensional form that has function, meaning, requirement, aesthetic and intention for a purpose. For example, a bespoke chair is designed to sit on. A designer ensures it has a unique form and detailing to serve a practical function and aesthetic, and it will be a one of a kind (not repeated).
The design for a clothing garment or a graphic will also require the same process but for a different specialised area, (fashion design or graphic design) While interior spaces, landscape design and architecture are other individual areas of design which operate their own specialised design industries.
All differing design mediums require individual professional knowledge and professional qualifications to enable the understanding of a particular design process required for professional design delivery.
What does an interior architect / spatial designer do?
A designer uses their understanding of the relationship between the people that use the space and the space itself to create innovative designs and layouts for individual projects.
The designer’s task is to deliver a bespoke design solution while considering spatial awareness, workable ergonomics, functionality and innovative detailing. An architectural interior designer creates a 3D form and creates elements for purpose within that space. This is often referred to as spatial design or interior design. They will also understand furniture, product and industrial design too, in order to develop the elements required for interior spaces.
Finishing touches – are just that – and bring an aesthetic quality to a design. But they are not the fundamental aspect of a design.
Who is the best person to employ for your project?
For interior design services
(Also known in the professional design industry as interior architecture / spatial design.)
Interior architecture covers the three dimensional design of any given space. It includes space planning, as well as fixed and loose furniture design, staircases and other fixed interior forms and elements within the space.
This service provides professional direction on spatial ergonomics for individual needs and serves a wide sector of design for the built environment including retail, hospitality, mixed use spaces, museums, transport interiors, commercial spaces, airport interiors and other large public spaces, as well as individual residential spaces and individual hospitality designs.
The service provides space planning, design and detail, built-in form and furniture design, interior working drawings / drafting, ergonomics understanding, schematic design and finishes and fixtures selections.
An interior architect is not an architect and should not be offering services for the design of a building but rather the designs of an internal space only. They are also not a builder and do not offer services for the co-ordination of a build. Architectural services are best left to the architects and building services are best left to a registered builder.
Qualifications
An interior architect / spatial designer requires a Bachelor of Arts degree in design and several years of design experience in the industry prior to setting up practice.
For architectural design services
The role of an architect is to deliver the design for a built environment / building to a design brief and budget. Architects often work alongside other professional occupations, such as structural engineers, mechanical engineers, landscape designers and interior designers (interior architects) to bring the individual requirements of the project together.
While architects understand the spatial requirements of a building internally and externally, they’re not specialists in the design of an interior. A good architect will adopt the services of a qualified interior designer to design and detail the interior spaces for the buildings they’ve created, with appropriate function, form, detailing and finishing.
Qualifications
A professional registered architect will have a Bachelor of Arts (Hons) in architecture, followed by a Master’s in architecture, and many years industry experience. They will then complete further registration exams to qualify as a registered architect, with the singular name ‘architect’ only used by registered architects.
For Interior decorating services
(Also known as Interior styling.)
Interior stylists provide the styling and furnishing of interior spaces designed and built by others, which involves selecting furniture and furnishings, and choosing colour palettes.
While the interior styling of a space has a dramatic and welcome effect, it has no relationship to the word ‘design’ and should not be described as a ‘interior design’ service.
Qualifications
Interior decorators and stylists don’t require a professional qualification but do require training in the field and will have a diploma qualification or have completed a decorating and styling course.
Home renovation services
Building companies often offer a full home renovation service which may include building, cabinet making, tiling and stonemasonry among others. But they are not designers, unless they have a professionally qualified interior designer with the relevant degree qualification working as part of their team. This, however, is not common practice within home renovation package services.
Qualifications
There are qualifications and certificates needed for individual trades used in home renovation services and it’s important you use a company that uses certificated trades and professionals for the various elements of your build. Refer to the individual certification and qualifications required from the appropriate building board to your country / area for qualifications required.
In summary, interior designers are not architects or builders. Likewise, architects are not interior designers or landscape designers. Cabinetmakers are not designers, they make cabinets! Interior decorators and stylists are not designing they are curating palettes and selections using existing finishes and objects.
For any project, it’s important to understand and employ the right service for your project and ensure those people are suitably qualified for the task at hand.