Tranquil Reflections: Decoding the Design Profession
During last week's Design Decoded, we had the pleasure of hosting Interior Designer, Farha Syed, as we addressed the consumer notion that design services are wasteful. This idea promotes interior design as a hobby where people simply select paint and fabrics. So let's touch on this and recap some of what was said. First, I want to place strong emphasis on the differing definitions at play here. A hobby is an activity done regularly at one's leisure time for pleasure. A profession is a paid occupation, especially one that involves prolonged training and a formal qualification. In looking at the definitions and researching a wide variety of designers, one can conclude that this notion is a common misconception that in fact belittles interior design as a profession. There are a number of training and secondary educational programs that equip individuals with the necessary technical tools and principles of the profession. Beyond making a room appeal to one's aesthetic, we as professional provide a range of product knowledge, space planning and reconfiguration, budgeting, and ergonomics. This makes designers assets to the community and interior design a justified and respectable line of work. When seeking out someone to assist you in designing your space, be sure to do your research and seek out their credibility as a professional. It is important to gain a sense of the designer you will be choosing to work with. Tune in this coming Wednesday to see what we discuss next.