Said no interior designer ever! Oh dear, if only fluffing pillows was all we had to worry about LOL! If you’re confused about what interior designers actually do, then this blog post is for you. Below I’ll give you a quick rundown on what to expect from interior designers.
We plan the whole layout of the interior of your house
And some, like me, can also design your whole extension or renovation thanks to also having a qualification in building design. And because we work closely with builders, architects and building designers, we understand how the structure of your house affects the interiors. Thanks to being educated by industry professionals, graduating with either a Degree or Advanced Diploma, we know minimum dimensions needed for rooms, how much space you need between surface spaces such as kitchen and island benches, and how to design your cabinetry to suit your space. We know the dimensions needed to make sure your kitchen, laundry, bathroom and other cabinetry is actually going to work for you. We design all joinery. We know where fireplaces can go in accordance with Australian Standards; finishes and fixtures to suit the structure of your home (ie maybe the wall in your bathroom won’t actually be able to take an in-wall toilet cistern) and the list goes on and on. Once we have spatially planned your interiors, we prepare all working drawings for trades. Oh, and there's another thing - the technical computer programs we also need to know how to use to get your drawings done (I'm hopeful the day will come when Revit won't make me cry!).
Interior designers incorporate their knowledge of the Building Code of Australia, the Australian Standards, local government regulations, residential estate covenants, the list goes on.
When planning out your interior renovation, or new build, interior designers refer to the codes and standards that regulate the industry to ensure your house is as safe as it can be under Australian regulations. From making sure the extension you want to do fits within your building envelope (Council regulation) to ensuring window openings on your second floor are safe enough so that someone can’t fall from them, we stay up-to-date on all the requirements in Australia and the States and local government areas we operate in.
Selections and styling
Once you are happy with the spatial planning and concept designs, we then work closely with you to select all your finishes, from the ground up. So, if you are renovating a bathroom for example, we will select everything from floor waste (which many people forget about), floor tiles, wall tiles, wall paint colour, shower screen, bath, tapware, cabinetry finish, mirrors, lighting, exhaust fans, and on and on. We can also select all furniture or recommend sizes of furniture to fit in the space, and then, finally, we can conduct in-house styling to finish the project. Phew, finally we get to karate chop those cushions 😉.
I hope this post has helped to give you an understanding of what we do, particularly when you see things like spatial planning, concept design, finishing schedules, working drawings and styling on our list of services. If you need any help with your renovation or styling, feel free to get in touch to book a free 30 minute phone consult and I’ll help you as much as I can.
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