What does a successful collaboration with an interior design studio look like?
Interior architects are involved in the arrangement of the space of houses, apartments and commercial premises. Their services are used by many people planning to move or building a new house. What does interior design look like and what should a successful cooperation with an interior design studio be like?
What should an e-mail to the interior design studio contain?
Cooperation with an interior design studio starts with the first contact. The easiest way to do this is to provide the studio with all necessary information via e-mail. The e-mail should contain the necessary information about the project and contact details:
- room plan/plan with dimensions
- year and place of construction of the facility (or information if it is only under construction)
- size of individual rooms
- layout
- photographs, if the project concerns a renovation
- preferred interior style and colouring
- name, surname, phone number.
Establishing a time frame for the execution of the project
Designing an interior is a time-consuming task. Often one design absorbs all the designer's attention, so it is sometimes possible to start working on the next order only after the completion of previous work. Fortunately, after sending an inquiry, we will very quickly receive feedback with an available deadline. Usually it is a period of several months. Based on the information provided in the e-mail, the studio will also be able to estimate how long it will take to complete the project.
First meeting with the interior design office. How to prepare yourself?
The first meeting with the office is very important, because during the conversation both the client and the designers can learn more about the expectations and course of cooperation. Such a conversation also allows the architect to learn about the Customer's taste, which later translates into the quality of the project. Other important issues are also the age of the residents of the house and special amenities or wishes of the investor. Sometimes it is advisable to meet again, which will allow for a possible ongoing verification of the proposed solutions.
What should be required from an interior designer?
Some requirements of the clients towards the architect are obvious. Everyone has the right to expect that the office cooperating with them is represented by competent, reliable and experienced specialists. Besides, it is worth to require one more thing - visualization. Thanks to this visualization the client can see and imagine the appearance of the rooms in advance and make possible corrections, thus facilitating the work of architects.
Order confirmation and acceptance of the offer
The price of the project depends primarily on the size of the investment and the time needed to complete the work on the project. In the contract with the interior design studio we will find information about, among other things: staging of design works, scope of the project and payments. It also contains information about the obligations of both parties and a possible possibility of termination. The last step before starting cooperation is signing the contract.
Creating an inventory drawing
The activities of an interior design office start with the preparation of an inventory drawing, if there is a possibility to make measurements. Otherwise, the work can be started after the investor has provided the plans of the apartment or house, but with a note that the natural measurements must take place at the earliest possible time. The inventory shows the current condition of the object whose interior is to be designed. In the case of new flats or houses, the inventory drawing will consist, among others, of the floor plan. If the interior is in developer condition, the team can come to the building to make accurate measurements.
What should the conceptual design contain?
After making the inventory drawing, designers start preparing the conceptual design. This stage usually takes more time, during which the people responsible for the project usually do not contact the customers. The time for joint corrections or changes of specific elements comes later. Then the clients receive a conceptual design, the most important elements of which are arrangement drawings with a detailed description of the proposed solutions, sometimes supported by a moodboard.
Moodboards are juxtapositions that change the colour and style of each room (see trends for 2020). Thanks to them it is possible to make stylistic changes, such as changing the colour of furniture. Arrangement drawings, in turn, are the wall layout and functional arrangement of rooms. They show, among other things, how the furniture can be arranged.
What should an executive project consist of?
Executive designs include designs for the technical finishing of the house or apartment. These are, among others, projections of ceilings, floors, installation solutions, wall views with descriptions. The executive design also includes drawings of furniture to size and a detailed description of the entire project. The aim of the executive design is to provide all information that will allow to finish the interior. At this stage, a meticulous cost estimate is also created, together with a list of materials. It includes the costs of materials and labour, a description of products and their models, and sometimes even transport costs. The cost estimate can only be made on the basis of available sources, therefore the purchase prices may vary slightly, e.g. due to an ongoing promotion or the purchase of products at a later time when their price may change.