Katelyn Bell- Interior Design is Not One Size Fits All

 The job of an interior designer is not one size fits all. It changes based on the firm you work at. Typically though an Interior Designer is responsible for functional programming, space planning, construction documents, floor plans, technical specifications, selecting every finish and furnishing, ensuring code and accessibility compliance, creating renderings and/or physical models, and managing the project. You’re also collaborating since it isn’t a one man show. Interior designers work closely with architects, structural and mechanical engineers, lighting designers, landscape architects, contractors, project managers, owners’ reps, and a dozen specialty consultants to make sure the vision gets built correctly and on budget. Katelyn has spent more than a decade in the field. The lessons she shared with us are really important and can help make us better designers. First, know your client, truly know them. Know their habits and how they actually move through a day, because a design is never for the designer. It’s always for the user who will live, work, heal, age, and really experience life in the space. Second, communication and collaboration is key. Everyone’s talent can get you in the door, but the ability to listen, draw details, and keep everyone on track and in the same direction is what finishes projects well. Third, design is a lifelong practice. No project is ever perfect. Design is constantly changing and requires a team of people working together to make the space perfect for the consumer. We are always leaning on each other and learning from our past designs.