When thinking of interior design, it feels like a huge task with so many decisions to make. Do you have a certain picture of your workplace or office or your home in your head? We all have. But it’s always posed with a dilemma. “I don’t know if I should go for it.” Or “It may be so heavy on my pocket.”

These imaginary assumptions have a very easy solution, begin it like a designer or hire one. Now the question is –

HOW TO BEGIN IT LIKE A PROFESSIONAL INTERIOR DESIGNER?

I feel that literally anyone can become a designer. Or let me put it this way – There is a designer in everyone.

Okay, if you do not believe answer these questions like;

– Do you arrange furniture in your house or office by yourself?

– Have you ever received compliments for the living room arrangement?

– Are you the one with classy taste in choice of draperies, curtains, furniture, flooring, artifacts, or colours in your bedroom, drawing room or office? If yes is the answer for any or all, then you already are a great decorator.

But that’s not enough. It doesn’t give enough confidence and clarity to begin your home renovation or office design. It’s about estimating the real functionality of the spaces. It’s about making the right design choices that would meet all your needs until you are actually using them.

I have heard this stereotype question so many times. ‘Why would I need an interior designer?’ or a strong feeling of denial that “I don’t need an interior designer.”

Well, there is a difference between a decorator and a designer that I need to draw your attention to.

If you love to play with colours, fabrics and a variety of artefacts or you like to experiment with arrangement of the furniture, keep everything organized; then you have an artistic eye. But, what makes a decorator, a designer is some extra education. Studying architectural designs is an aid for an interior designer and this definitely puts him on a different stand than a decorator. An interior designer is quite mindful of and better trained in all these. An interior designer is a person who has an educational qualification which is most requisite and accredited as well.

A designer deals with an innate flare of colours, architectural and spatial arrangements and even with textiles to be used!

People with “Do it yourself” approach focus mostly on the looks of the building’s interior and often overlook functionality of spaces.

Design is not just what it looks like and feels like. Design is how it works. – Steve jobs

We, here in India, mostly believe that taking services from an interior designer is an additional overhead cost. But people not hiring a designer; designing by themselves often end up spending more money for alteration than they would have. It is I believe because of not knowing how important it is to have a right beginning of the project. We have seen in many instances that even the largest places can lack space, go clumsy. One can thank poor designing & bad craftsmanship for it! On the contrary, a professional’s touch can turn a small apartment or a work area into a place so perfect to satisfy your conception. Designing is as important as architecture when it comes to interior.

Let me share some of my personal experiences. I not only focus on the layout but also make it easier with the choices of right décor according to the area, lighting options, colors and many such elements as per the client’s taste and again keeping the utilitarian significance in my mind. Many of my projects at Rajkot, Ahmedabad and in nearby surroundings can illustrate what exactly I want to convey.

I simplify my design process by breaking it into following categories:

• Flooring Design – i.e. selection of Marble, Wood, Granite, Tiles etc.
• Ceiling Design – i.e. Artistic POP Ceiling, Gypsum Boards, Wooden Panels, Glass Panels etc.
• Furniture Design – i.e. designing for storage, sitting, sleeping and all the day to day activities, etc.
• Colour & Lighting Design – the aesthetic design that brings the ambience, comfort & unique look of a great space.

Later comes the scheduling. Being an interior designer, I can foresee the things that my clients might overlook. For instance, the lighting and pre furnishing needs such as Electric fittings, designer lights, fixtures must be addressed before construction.

I consider every detail at this step. I feel it appropriate to quote one of my favourite architects cum designer Ludwig Mies van der Rohe to emphasize my point –

He said, – God is in the details.

Now you by yourself can conclude whether to hire an interior designer or not. The best justifiable reason to go for is Value for money. This suggests that you are getting what you are paying for. Beginning a project with a designer brings harmony in designs. It helps to nurture a lifestyle that reflects your nature, choices and wants. To know not seemingly but accurately what actually would work and what not for you, an interior designer is needed. A designer can give you a hand in getting unique solutions with saving really an amount you would like to count on. A glam look for your place and an increased value is a bonus you are getting on hiring an interior designer.