The life of an interior designer is anything but typical. All designers are different and have a different approach to their projects. Depending on the type of designer, one could be working in an office on the computer or out and about searching for products, samples, inspiration, etc. Daily life for interior designers is drastically different for those working in a design firm and those working on their own. Some designers only ever spend their time creating and editing construction documents. Others are in charge of working one on one with clients. It truly depends on the type of work, the business one is in and what their strengths and weaknesses are. Continue reading to learn about what I do daily as an entrepreneur in the design world.
Daily life for me is anything but standard. Every day is different, which is one reason why I love what I do. I am someone who needs change and who works better when having a lot of different tasks. My day to day changes drastically, but there is still a sense of continuity as well, because even though the work changes, at the end of the day it is still the same. At the end of the day, I have had the opportunity to do what I love and am lucky enough to love my work.
Most days, from the moment I wake up until the time I fall asleep I am working. The work changes, but I do not have an off switch. Most days, I spend my morning reaching out to my current clients with project updates, ideas, questions, etc. I also take this time to reach out to any prospective clients to learn more about them and their upcoming projects. Doing this early in my day gives me the time to assess and handle any situations that might have arisen, find answers to questions from clients (if I do not have the answer already) and helps me plan how I will address the rest of my day.
There are days when I spend the rest of my day on the computer, doing research for products, ordering samples, reaching out to manufacturers for updates or creating drawings for my clients. I like to use different software programs to create different drawings, 3D models, and renderings for my clients so they can envision their completed project. On the days I work on these, I can get sucked in for hours. I love being able to do this for my clients, as it helps them to truly picture how the space will look when complete. I can walk them through the space digitally, so that they can really see themselves in the space and can dream about how they are excited to use the space upon completion.
I spend many days out and about, doing first hand investigation for my clients. It all depends on the project of course. For example, I am working on a design for a new shower for some of my clients. Therefore, I spent a significant amount of time in a showroom the supplies tiles, going through them to see what is available, what is popular, the new styles that are always being released, and taking some samples with me to further aide me in my research. The amount of work that occurs behind the scenes for a project is incredible. For every hour I spend discussing a project with clients, I am working tenfold that so that I can create the best design solution for them to solve all their needs.
When I am in-between projects or waiting for products to come in for a project, I spend time building up relationships in the trade. I go to different furniture showrooms to not only see what is new, but to strengthen my relationship with the consultants on the floor. In addition, I reach out to new sales reps to build new relationships and have a broaden my scope. This is a way I can not only meet other professionals in the field but to also build my clientele. Word of mouth is key in this business, so the more people who know about you and what you do, the more your name will be out there. Having the opportunity to share it among others in the trade widens my scope and builds trust.
To end my day, I spend time working on inspiration boards for clients, or doing some further research on products. I wind down my day by finding inspiration for my clients or even for myself. I have found my best inspiration for a project late at night. This is when I take a look at what other designers are working on, the new trends that are coming in play in the design world, and spend a significant amount of time on Pinterest. Every project I am working on has a Pinterest board, in order to have a place to easily save ideas. Of course, that is just one of the many places I save inspiration for projects. Between Pinterest, Google Drive, a paper file, and a designated location for samples, I have a lot of ways I organize a project.
This is just the tip of the iceberg for what I do, but I hope it shows to all my readers that designers have a lot that occurs that is not seen. Going into full detail would require a novel, so I just brushed the surface on what I do daily for projects. This does not include any of the marketing we do to generate more business, nor the amount of time we spend on the things that our clients do not think of such as building codes, manufacturing times, space planning for functional reasons as well as aesthetic, etc. I could go on and on with this list. To be a designer, you have to love what you do and have a certain love and respect for attention to detail, as designers are in charge of all the details, large and small. Interior design is a passion, and one that requires a lot of its designers but for us, it is worth every second.
Thank you for reading and do not forget to check back in for more posts!
Colleen
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