“Your job must be so fun!”
And it is, don’t get me wrong, but before and after’s come with a huge amount of responsibility and aren’t all about the “fun stuff” like picking finishes and curating furniture. If anything, we touch on those pieces briefly in our overall process and day to day work.
Because interior design is still considered a “new” profession, in comparison to some, I thought I would take the opportunity to unravel some of the parts of the profession that are less likely to be known.
First things first - the legal end of things.
Less glamorous to be sure, but important none the less. Interior design is considered a profession that is protected by a “title act” here in Ontario. This means that only registered members of an association (ARIDO), who are fully insured and have passed multiple tests, can call themselves by this name. Are there non-registered designers out there who go by interior designer? Absolutely. Are they immensely talented and knowledgeable in the practice of interior design? Yes. It’s a sticky subject, and even though I chose to go through with my registration, I also support many colleagues in design who did not.
I always recommend doing your research, ask for references and go with your gut when choosing someone to work with. Real life experience and rapport holds an immense amount of value.
The second piece that often comes up is the difference between the profession of interior design and the gray area between it and interior decorating, and then the additional gray area between interior designers and architectural design. There are so many facets of design, there is bound to be overlap between all of these professions.
What can interior designers do?
We are primarily trained to work with the functional layout of space, while also being considerate of aesthetics and life safety. But what does this actually mean?
It means we plan where walls, cabinetry, electrical and plumbing go - while also deciding what all of those elements look like. While we’re laying these elements out, we also need to be cognizant of the building code and how our designs and layouts affect life safety (i.e., fire codes), barrier-free access, human comfort and well-being. We need to carry liability insurance as well as E&O insurance since we are responsible for choices that affect human life safety.
Where we overlap with interior decorating is in the design of cabinetry, selection of finishes, fixtures, furnishings and accessories and many interior decorators also work with the layout of where non-loadbearing walls go.
Where we overlap with architectural design, is that we are able to work on the design of new buildings from the ground up, and fully sign off on them without an architect. In this case, the building needs to be less than 6000 sf and the designer needs to have gone through the appropriate channels and training within Ontario to do so.
So what does a typical day look like for a designer?
This is what a typical day might look like for me:
start the day with coffee/tea or beverage of choice (obviously)
slam in some breakfast if there’s time
drop kiddos off at school
drive to studio
check emails to see if there is anything pressing that needs addressed
settle into working on drafting plans for permit in AutoCAD
make multiple trips to the building code, referencing beam spans and making calculations for post spacing and floor joists
take a quick break for lunch and a latte
check emails again
take a phone call with a client wondering why their windows are framed at 36” instead of 60”
call contractor to ask the same question
make an impromptu site visit to review framing of new custom home
get back to office and place order for tile for a bathroom design
call client with paint colours
settle in to source additional tiles for a kitchen project
update spreadsheet with confirmed selections and reach out for quotes
send email to rep asking for tile samples
schedule a day to head out to tile stores to see additional options in person
reach out to rep for exterior siding samples for full-home renovation
review project questions and hand over work to keep our team busy
review door and window shop drawings, make adjustments and scan back to manufacturer/supplier
check emails again
take contractor phone call
pack up and head home
And there we have it. A lot of the behind the scenes parts involve phone calls, emails and working away at the computer. Occasionally, we get the fun part of heading out to a furniture store with a client to review options and give seating a test.
I consider our team to be professional decision makers.
With so many projects under our belts, we have quite literally made thousands of decisions alongside our clients. If you ever wonder if you should trust your designer - trust that at the very least we are extremely well informed. We have been on thousands of websites, visited hundreds of stores and perused boat loads of inspirational design sites.
We can humbly assert that we know what’s what when it comes to design. Trust us - we’ll make life easier, and we’ll make it beautiful while we’re at it!
xo. J