The “INTERIOR DESIGNER” has the task to make interiors more functional and to increase their value.

Once you are in charge of a project, it is better not to try to create weird shapes, although they could look nice, because the client may or may not like them; the house that you are redesigning today, sometimes for a full renovation, may be resold in the near future to buy a bigger house or a different house from that desired by the client; then the problem of the sale would arise.  The space that you are designing must satisfy the market standards; their value will have to increase and at the same time the clients needs to be satisfied.

For this reason, the project will have to think about all these things, unless you find a very wealthy client that does not want to consider such rational elements because he wants the result to be exclusive: for instance a sheik.

Let’s go back down to earth to consider a client’s expectations in general:

He/she expects from you a house that satisfies his/her needs within a regular and ordinary life with appropriate concepts of aesthetics and functionality, with finishes compliant with his/her “STATUS SYMBOL”.

During the appointments with your client, try to use the correct words, (this could also be good as a general habit), talk softly, try to articulate your words well, show enthusiasm and flexibility while talking; never say “no” strongly, prefer instead “we will see that later”, always think before giving an answer, don’t ever be hasty or inaccurate.

If you don’t know the answer, take your time and give priority to some other topics that you consider as more important. Therefore, it is necessary to have a design education together with the ability to synthesize and a knowledge of materials and above all colors, as they are important for choices; every client has preferences that you’ll have to take into account: this is where you need more ability as the client’s favorite colors may not give the results you expected: it would be good to use your experience and show the psychological aspects of colors and their functions.

In order to obtain a rational composition of the project, the interior designer must learn to listen the client very carefully to best interpret his/her expectations, otherwise the project will surely not be successful: the designer will then be forced to reject the assignment with a resulting negative promotion.

A secret and a strength for the interior designer is also the ability to take quick and firm decisions and take on responsibilities about the choices taken.

He/she should moreover examine all the material that the client will bring for the design; furniture elements, colors, type of doors, floors, coverings, wall finish, etc...

These documents will give a quick summary of the client’s desires and expectations: magazines, press clippings, Internet sites where he found ideas.

For the work to be successful and not to waste time and to retain the client, all of these documents must be precious to you, you can’t neglect them, as many usually do, erroneously believing that the client will accept the designer’s needs.

All the projects need an investigation work, the designer has the task to consult specific magazines, specific interior magazines, to see other people’s houses, also those shown on TV. An idea or a cue can come from anything, even a thought, provided that we keep a flexible and open attitude towards any comparison.