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Claire Totman, Director at Claire Totman Designs Ltd has given her insights into the industry.

Why did you want to work in the interior design profession?

Interior design and architecture have been my passion for as long as I can remember. My mum said I was born drawing! From a young age design was a huge passion of mine, my only passion. I was always very creative rather than academic and my mum and I would spend our weekends visiting local show homes, furniture shops and trade shows. I collected hundreds of interiors magazines and I had a beautiful wooden dolls house that I spent hours re-arranging and re-decorating the little rooms. All my pocket money was spent on my dolls house. It was my pride and joy. When I finished school, I knew I wanted to study Interior Architecture at university, which I did at Oxford Brookes. My professional career started in 2009 and I worked my way up the ladder working for various design firms in London before starting up my own practice in 2016.

Claire Totman Designs Ltd
Claire Totman Designs Ltd

Which elements of your profession do you enjoy the most?

The aspect I enjoy the most of my profession is seeing our projects complete and how happy our clients are. Each project is years in the making, at least two by time we get to project handover. There is a huge amount of work that goes into every single project. The architectural side, the interior design side and the project coordination side. The late nights, the endless emails, it’s all worth it when you see the finished article. Knowing we have created a beautiful home for our clients to enjoy and create memories in is a wonderful feeling. It’s an honour to work with our clients on such an intimate part of their life, their home.

Claire Totman Designs Ltd
Claire Totman Designs Ltd

What has been your most memorable career highlight from the past year?

The most memorable career highlight from the past year has been appearing in four very well known interiors magazines and being nominated for three international design and architecture awards.

What are your favourite types of projects to work on and why?

My favourite type of project to work on are period properties. You just cannot beat those high ceilings and original features. I live in an Edwardian property myself and I just love the character and scale period properties offer. So many have had their original features removed over the years so it’s very exciting to bring a property back to its former glory, yet fit for 21st century living.

Claire Totman Designs Ltd
Claire Totman Designs Ltd

What are the most challenging aspects of working in interior design?

I would say the most challenging aspects of working in this industry is dealing with difficult trades and delays from suppliers as this can have such a knock on effect on the whole project programme.

Claire Totman Designs Ltd
Claire Totman Designs Ltd

What do you wish you knew before working in the field?

I wouldn’t say there’s anything I wish I knew before working in this field as this has always been my goal and there is no other industry I’ve wanted to be in since a child but if I had to say something I’d say the sheer amount of admin. A lot of people think interior design is a very glamorous job, but 80% of it is sitting at your computer designing and managing the sheer amount of admin per project.

Claire Totman Designs Ltd
Claire Totman Designs Ltd

If you could give one tip to aspiring designers, what would it be?

My number one tip to an aspiring designer is go for it. Work hard, work late, work for free if you have to, to get a foot in the door and start building your portfolio. It’s a very competitive industry and you need to stand out from your competition. Start at the bottom and work your way up. Hard work will always pay off if your mind is set on achieving your goal.

How do you see the interior design industry evolving in the year ahead?

I have seen a huge shift in online design. This is E-design and remote services. I would say most established design practices now offer this as an option. It means you can work with clients that a more further a-field and allows clients to work with a designer that they couldn’t necessarily afford if an e-design wasn’t an option.

Claire Totman Designs Ltd
Claire Totman Designs Ltd

What does being an SBID Accredited Interior Designer mean to you?

Being an SBID accredited Interior Designer is a huge honour. It gives our clients, both existing and future, the reassurance that they are working with an accredited designer that is part of the UK’s leading industry bodies. It also means we are always up to date with current industry standards and innovations as well as the huge amount of training that we undertake to keep our membership.

About Claire Totman Designs Ltd

Established in 2016, Claire Totman Designs is an award winning Architecture and Interior Design studio specialising in high-end design for private residential clients ranging from design focussed extensions, major renovations and new build homes. Claire Totman Designs offers a range of different services from architectural design and planning permissions to interior fit out and project coordination.

If you’d like to feature your news or stories on SBID.org, get in touch to find out more. 

If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.

As a teenager the founder of Chatelaine Interiors Stephanie Douthwaite worked in a fabric shop and studied textile design at university. After working in the software industry, following a suggestion from a friend, she began making curtains and founded Chatelaine Interiors. Ten years on and Stephanie has a list of both trade and private clients; their commissions include country houses, boutique hotels, town houses and apartments.

Why did you want to work in the interior design profession?

Inspired by my mum and grandmother’s love of sewing, I fell in love with sewing and fabrics at a young age, spending countless hours creating a mixture of soft furnishings. As a teenager I worked in a fabric shop where I really flourished with the experimental nature of fabrics. The emotion that it evokes in myself and others led me to further my passion for interior design where I studied textile design at university. Interior design offers a unique experience mixing both creative and structured environments, throughout the years of working in the interior design I have witnessed the evolution of trends, technology and fabrics which has always interested me.

Which elements of your profession do you enjoy the most?

As an interior designer who specialises in soft furnishings there are several factors that contribute to my love of interiors. My favourite element is meeting the client and the consultations throughout the project. The feeling when you find the perfect sample to go with a colour scheme. The Unique challenges that each job has and the reward along the way.

I also love working with fabrics, the ability they hold to transform a space completely to the clients desire and personality is so unique.

What has been your most memorable career highlight from the past year?

My most memorable career highlight from the past year has to be the numerous whole houses we have worked on, from Listed Properties, to houses in the centre of London there is a big sense of achievement when a large project is completed to the schedule and the client is happy. Reaching a such significant milestone in my business journey has been the relocation to our new spacious workroom and the expansion of our team. Witnessing the growth of the business in this manner has been an immense source of pride and fulfilment.

What are your favourite types of projects to work on and why?

I enjoy working on a variety of different projects because they all have their own unique challenges. I mostly enjoy projects where we have done work at the property previously and the clients have remembered us years later when they want to redecorate another room. Working with other interior designers and clients who are very creative allows for new opportunities for us to create something truly unique. However, any positive impact on a clients life makes a project enjoyable for me regardless of the size.

What are the most challenging aspects of working in interior design?

There are a variety of different aspects within interior design which are challenging. Project coordination and time management are key to ensuring that a project runs as smoothly and on-time as possible. Thankfully, we have a very experienced project manager who is always ensuring that all the components of a project have been meticulously planned out and ensures that the clients expectations are always set realistically. Furthermore, if there are any delays then the client knows of them straight away and can adjust accordingly. Finally unforeseen challenges are the most challenging because you never know when to expect them or the magnitude of them until they arrive.

What do you wish you knew before working in the field?

How important building a network of reputable designers, suppliers and contractors is, they are all critical to interior design projects and are needed in every project. Having someone who you can rely on for part of the project can take lots of the stress and time away from you which will leave you to do the more important aspects of the projects. Additionally, to recognise how important your brand identity is with your marketing and to always ensure that you have professional photographs taken.

If you could give one tip to aspiring designers, what would it be?   

Do not be afraid to step outside your comfort zone and to embrace every opportunity to expand your knowledge and skills. With the field ever moving it is important to stay on top of developing techniques and technologies by taking every opportunity to learn, build and grow. Ensure you attend lots of networking events to find reliable contractors and suppliers to help you on your journey.

How do you see the interior design industry evolving in the year ahead?

I see the design industry continuing its push towards being more sustainable and eco-friendly. Last year I visited Rapture & Wright which was an incredible experience to see how they make their fabric and the processes with the paint creation and breakdown after use. I believe other fabric houses will be following suite creating a more sustainable and futureproof design industry. I feel certainly from clients that they have been more conscious of where everything comes from and if there are better alternatives that can be chosen within their budget. I also think from COVID-19 that lots of clients have been trying to alter their spaces to be more versatile to many different needs such as trundle beds in offices.

What does being an SBID Accredited Interior Designer mean to you?

Being an accredited interior designer by the SBID holds great personal significance to me and my business. It represents a significant achievement, as it demonstrates that I have successfully met the rigorous standards and criteria set by a respected professional organisation in the design field. Being accredited reinforces my credibility and assures clients that they can expect a certain level of quality and professionalism when working with me and my business. Additionally, the access to value researches that the SBID provide help to keep me well-informed with trends and aids me in collaboration with like-minded accredited designers.

Questions answered by:

Stephanie Douthwaite

Founder, Chatelaine Interiors Ltd

About Chatelaine Interiors

Founded in 2012, Chatelaine Interiors offers a personalised service to clients with commissions including country houses, boutique hotels, town houses and apartments from Berkshire to Chelsea and Wiltshire. Whether working with property owners, developers, or interior designers, Stef and her team provide a first-class service using high-quality fabrics to create luxurious made to measure curtains and soft furnishings.

If you’d like to feature your news or stories on SBID.org, get in touch to find out more. 

If you’d like to become SBID Accredited, click here for more information.

Interior designing is a good career for many, but you may be confused and curious about how to get into it. If you are considering a career in this area, you will need to know a few things about getting started. This guide will cover what you need, from interior designer accreditation to interior design tools and skills.

What Does an Interior Designer Do?

Quite simply, an interior designer is responsible for planning the layout and décor of a building’s interior environments. They can also implement the design scheme themselves or with a team of experts to supervise procurement and handle the project management for completion.

On a daily basis as an interior designer, you may be meeting with your clients to talk about their project needs and wants. You can then work on a design proposal that not only looks amazing and meets their requirements, but fits it to their available budget and timeline.

Once you have an idea of the desired design style, you can create mood boards with material selections and colour schemes, as well as some initial sketches to show the client. This is where you can discuss the design with them, and make any adjustments as needed. You’ll likely do quite a lot of maths, as you determine the costs involved and scope out the quantity of materials. When the client has approved the design, you can then create more detailed drawings.

Now it’s time to turn to the computer and create more accurate visualisations of your preliminary drawings, working on the changes requested and creating a space that they will love! You’ll also need to source your suppliers for all the products and materials you’ve included in the design – this can include wallcoverings, flooring, fittings, furniture, bespoke joinery, and art.

As an interior designer, you will find yourself working at home, in an office or studio, and even with your client at their place of home or business.

How to Start with Interior Design

There are a few ways to begin the journey of becoming a professional interior designer and they each have their own pros and cons. There’s no one right way, since everyone and their circumstances are different, but you’ll need to determine what will work best for you.

University

If you can go to university, the recommended route to professional practice is to study a degree in interior design. However, there are other creative courses which can compliment a career in interior design too – you can take classes in architecture, furniture design, spatial design, interior architecture, textile design or fine art, as these tend to overlap with the interior design field.

While going to university may be the most effective method of becoming an interior designer, it doesn’t suit everyone. Education and training can come in many forms, and you may prefer to learn another way. However, many people do go on to get their Master’s in interior design to further fine tune their taught knowledge and expertise, so it’s mainly a matter of personal preference.

College

You may choose to get a diploma in interior design. These courses tend to give you a head start and may lead to going on to university in the future. Here, you’ll find less intensive courses which is a great way to gain a foundational understanding of interior design practices, as well as the skills and knowledge you require. These courses can also help you decide whether or not to pursue higher education and continue to develop your career in interior design.

Apprenticeship

Another good option which can assist with your training as an interior designer, is to do an apprenticeship. This essentially means you work for a designer who is already established in the field, so you can learn from them as you go. It’s a great way to learn on the job and get a real insight into the day-to-day role and responsibilities of an interior designer, but it does require some self-starting skills. You’ll often receive nothing or a very minimal salary to complete an apprenticeship, so it’s important to choose the right person to be an apprentice to. You will need to select someone who is willing to teach, and not just looking for free or cheap labour!

Work

In some cases, you may be able to take an entry level job as a design assistant and then work your way up from there. However, you may be be competing with more qualified candidates, so we recommend engaging in supporting design studies and training opportunities before entering the field to improve your chances of success! Depending on the size of the company, it can be quite difficult to progress, but you will gain invaluable working experience and learning opportunities as part of a professional design team. For those who cannot afford to take the time to study, this may be a good way to increase your earnings and learn at the same time while you get your foot in the door!

It’s best to let the designer know that you ultimately aspire to be an interior designer. This will allow them to determine how they can best support you in your professional development, and tailor your role to help you move forward in your career. You may also have access to additional learning opportunities provided as part of your employment. Whether you’ve acquired your diploma, degree or completed an apprenticeship, working in the field is the best way build that all-important experience as a practicing professional and will form an essential part of your training as an interior designer.

What Skills Will You Need?

Not everyone can become a successful interior designer. You need to have the creative ability, holistic vision, and knack for bringing different components together to create a cohesive look. Many people cannot manage this, which makes it difficult to learn what they need to do. Some skills are just necessary in order to become a high-quality interior designer.

Creativity: This is a primarily creative career path, and one that you will need to be creative in. If you’re going to be successful, you must be able to look at things around you and turn them into inspiration for the interiors you want to design. Courses can teach you about design disciplines and techniques so you can learn what the rules are and when you can break or bend them, but first, you have to have that seed of creativity inside you.

Attention to Detail: While it’s important to have a holistic approach to see the bigger picture, you must be able to focus on the smallest of details. This is what makes a professional designer work so well – they can consider factors that others would simply over look. With so many different elements and design considerations needed to curate an effective interior design solution, from door hinges and switch covers to the placement of a chair. They see all the little things that will take a room from ordinary to incredible. It’s often the tiniest details that truly make an interior special.

Computer Skills: Do you know how to use design tools and software proficiently? Technology has become a major part of interior design in recent years. While some people prefer to hand sketch their designs, they will likely need to be translated digitally into computer generated images (CGI) to create more powerful design presentations for clients. With the increase in virtual reality and 3D modelling, it’s important to stay up to date with the latest innovations to remain competitive in your field. Fortunately, these are skills that can be learned and taught.

Communication Skills: Can you convey your ideas easily to someone else? If you’re better at drawing up your ideas than communicating them with potential clients, this is something you will need to improve as you learn to work with other people. Not only is it important to be able to articulate your design decisions and explain them to clients, you will also have to be able to communicate with contractors and your team members. This is a career that requires a lot of interpersonal communications, so you’ll need to be good at talking to people and conveying your ideas. Communication will play a vital role in building business relationships with customers, suppliers, tradesmen and wider design teams.

Critical Thinking: You’ll also need to be able to use reason and critical thinking skills. Some clients can be challenging and, in these cases, you must be able to work with their needs to come to a resolution. Often, there will be problems that need to be solved or unforeseen issues that arise on site, and again, your thinking and reasoning skills will be tested greatly.

Organisation: It’s best for interior designers to be organised as they manage a project’s procurement. They will be responsible for planning orders and deliveries, so they need to know exactly when their vendors are arriving and have the timeline mapped out carefully. Coordinating everyone and all the products can be stressful, especially when the deadlines are tight and you’re on a budget! However, it can be very rewarding if you are highly organised and adaptable when it comes to dealing with unexpected delays.

Some of these skills can be taught, while others can be honed. However, if you’re lacking in any of these areas, you’ll find the job a more difficult so it’s important to make sure you’re willing to advance your skillset where needed to maximise your potential for success!

What to Expect from a Career in Interior Design

The pay can vary drastically. On average, you can look to achieve a salary between £25,000 and £75,000, depending on your level of experience and reputation as a designer. If you’re starting with a job or an apprenticeship in interior design, you should be aware that it will take a lot of time before you’re ready to on-board and manage your own paying clients and their projects. When you are ready, setting up your own interior design business can be a rewarding venture both individually and financially.

As an ever-evolving industry, you must be prepared to put in the effort to continue working on your professional development and be prepared for a path of lifelong learning. During your time working in the field, it’s important that you get as much experience as possible so you can begin to build up your design portfolio. You can also try your hand at designing your own home, and even helping friends and family with their design projects!

Why You Should Join SBID

The Society for British and International Interior Design is an interior design body that is internationally recognised. It’s important to have support from an organisation like this, particularly when you are just starting out in the field.

Students can join for free while taking accredited interior design courses and recent graduates are eligible for associate level accreditation as they progress to full accredited status! SBID Accredited Designers have a better chance at gaining new clients and building their reputation. This is thanks to a package of promotion, networking, events, and industry opportunities presented by the interior design body, with an online directory of designers. With the support of the SBID behind you, you’ll find it easier to learn about the latest industry news, product designs, trends and Continuing Professional Development (CPD) training for interior design.

A career in interior design can be very rewarding and you’ll find that it is a good opportunity to be creative, but it does require ongoing training and a professional commitment to providing quality design services. While you need to be a business person as well, you can really let your artistic side spread its wings.

Interested in learning more? Find out how SBID can help you achieve your dreams. If you’re looking for an interior designer, check out our Designer Directory of accredited interior designers.

As a professional interior designer, you need to do everything possible to ensure your clients can trust you to deliver their project. While a good reputation and word of mouth can certainly help you with this, it’s also good idea to join a professional association or society that is well respected. The Society of British International Interior Design is one of these organisations that can support your career and give you a boost to achieve success.

While there is no legal obligation to join a body or receive accreditation to practice interior design, there are certainly good reasons to become accredited by the SBID.

Showcase Your Expertise

Having accreditation is a great way to show that you are an expert in your field. Since entry to the SBID is limited and determined by strict professional criteria, clients will understand that you’re very good at what you do when you showcase your accredited status. It indicates that you have reached the pinnacle of assessed knowledge in the UK and that you are among the best in your career for providing quality interior design services.

SBID measures your education, training, and experience, as well as your competence and skill as a designer before you can be accredited. You will also need to show that you are continuing to improve your skills in the profession each year that you are a member with an annual CPD commitment. The SBID Accreditation framework is internationally recognised for design standards, so this endorsement of your services can really help to boost your credibility and reputation in the industry.

 

Reach More Clients

Clients tend to trust recommendations that come from recognised organisations like the SBID. Anyone who is looking for an interior designer can search the list of registered professionals in the SBID Designer Directory. This immediately opens your business up to reach more potential clients with increased online visibility so they can not only discover your practice, but also contact you about jobs more often. SBID also support in the promotion of your news, expertise and projects, which can help to enhance your media coverage and increase brand awareness.

 

Receive More Opportunities

Interior design isn’t only about working with clients and finding them. You’ll also need to stay on top of the latest products, innovations, trends and industry regulations. Being a part of the SBID provides you with the opportunity to learn more about the products and services that are available to you as an interior designer.

You’ll be introduced to new products, industry updates and CPD learning. This can help you create even more impressive interiors for your clients. As you learn more, you advance your skills and offerings, which ensures you continue to grow as an interior designer. For example, gaining a better understanding of a material’s use, customisation capabilities and application can help you improve your designs and product specification.

Are you interested in becoming part of the Society of British International Interior Design? Take a look at the website to learn more about the process.

While the name may seem like interior designers are restricted to indoor spaces, they can actually be used for outdoor spaces as well. While some aspects of interior design only apply to indoors, a lot of design elements are just as easily applied to outdoor spaces.

For more about what an interior designer can bring to an outdoor space, read on to find out.

Patio

A patio is commonly seen as an extension of the home, so should be designed in collaboration with an interior. This is where an interior designer can bring their skills to an outside space, creating a unified look and feel to the space. Elements such as furniture and flooring are essential to a patio, so an interior designer can help pick items ideal for your vision that will match up with the rest of your house.

Just like they do with interiors, an interior designer can design a patio that maintains a great flow. This is great if you intend to use your patio to socialise regularly. An interior designer’s eye for creation will have to be slightly different when working outside, especially in terms of furniture. They’ll have to make sure they think about elements such as the weather, picking items that are durable in the case of high winds and also weather-resistant in the case of rain.

Lighting is another important aspect a designer can help with. Outside spaces are constantly dependent on the weather, with certain parts of it only in sunshine at certain hours of the day. A designer must consider how to light a space so it can be used all day/night and in all weather conditions.

 

Plants

Plants and wildlife have become an essential element of interior design over the years, as many seek to bring the outside inside with plants and other wildlife. This is why a talented interior designer should have the skills to expertly design a space incorporating plants, including outside spaces.

 

Focal Point

Many gardens are constructed around a focal point, a technique also commonly used in inside spaces. An interior designer can help you enhance your garden by making a focal point. This could be an outdoor pool, a pizza oven or a BBQ.

Find Interior Design Experts

If you’re looking for an interior designer for your indoor or outdoor project, The Society of British & International Interior Design can help. Our members have the training, experience and expertise to deliver a project brief to the highest professional standards. You can use our Designer Directory to browse an extensive database of accredited interior designers for your needs. You can search by location, keyword and specialism to find a designer near you that you can collaborate with to achieve your vision.

To find out more about SBID and how an interior designer can help with your design project, visit our website today.

Cover image credits: Fenton Whelan – Lonsdale Road, Notting Hill

Tristan de la Haye, founder of De la Haye Coaching, is now on board with the SBID community to give advantage to members bogged down by business growth challenges. His expansive experiences in the industry of design and furniture are evident in his coaching style; realism and purposeful analysis to tap the potential. These help in forecasting and directing decisions towards desired outcomes. Recognised for his dynamic approach in business, passion for developing successful businesses and affinity for the interiors and furniture industry, Da la Haye Coaching, aims to guide those in need to meet their goals to success with clarity and focus.

“Over the years, I have discovered that one of my true career passions is helping others find success and my wealth of knowledge and expertise within the industry allows my clients to do just that.” – Tristan de la Haye

Company growing pains

Every business goes through growing pains. But the pains or issues encountered by enterprises are industry-specific. It takes the expertise of an experienced industry insider to help identify the core of the issues, find the hidden potentials, and align these with company goals and business objectives. De la Haye Coaching supports furniture and interior design business owners accomplish revenue targets; optimise costs while reducing specific expenses; and time management. He also works with teams within an enterprise – in sales, production, and other departments, covering every area of the business as needed.

“I have always loved working within the industry and partnering with some of the leading brands and manufacturers. Working together to help you understand your target market, best ways to profit from it, and how to develop foundations for long-term success are some of the first steps we will explore together.”

Working together towards success

Tristan de la Haye has worked with industry leaders in design and furniture manufacturing, as a support system to owners and their teams. He found satisfaction when working with entrepreneurs and manufacturers in helping them achieve their revenue and productivity goals at less stressful levels. Here are what he considers some of his achievements with clients:

  • Revenue growth of up to four times; and 10-fold net profit growth in three years for a multiple outlet furniture retail enterprise.
  • The preparation and successful sale of a family business when the owners decided to retire.
  • Helping a small finishes manufacturing business remarkably reduce the overhead cost that increased profits exponentially.
  • Helped a retailer with several outlets in operational streamlining to maximize staff performance and time efficiency.

Client testimonials

“Tristan is a pleasure to work with, and I have truly benefited from his knowledge and his commitment to helping me achieve much more in my business life. He is an extremely focused business coach and worked hard to ensure that I achieved the targets we set together. I would have absolutely no hesitation in recommending Tristan to any company that is looking for growth and also wanting to implement new systems that make their business more efficient and successful.” – Eleanor M.

You can contact Tristan de la Haye: +44 7825 248 508 or email [email protected]

About De la Haye Coaching

Tristan de la Haye’s career has been expansive and diverse. This gives him the advantage as a coach across business aspects – operations, financial control, marketing and sales, customer service, and profit creation. His expertise within the interior design and furniture retail industry is also helping him and his clients harness individual and team potentials.

Tristan started at John Lewis Partnership on their management training program before moving into the SME business sector where he found his niche. From small single outlet companies with modest turnovers to multi-location retail and manufacturing enterprises with revenues of tens of millions.

Commercial insurance is often synonymous with buildings, contents or employers’ liability insurance. It can be difficult to recall or understand the need for professional indemnity (PI) insurance. As SBID’s trusted insurance partner, Marsh Commercial are here to explain all you need to know about PI insurance.

Do interior designers have to take out PI cover?

SBID members are required to take out PI Insurance as part of their overarching commitment to quality and consumer protection. Also, some commercial clients may ask to see evidence that PI cover is in place in advance of an appointment. Compulsory or not, many professionals opt for the cover because of the protection and security it provides in the event their advice or service fails to meet a client’s expectations.

What’s the benefit of PI?

Having a policy in place can reassure your existing clients and help you secure new clients. While you may endeavour to deliver perfection, occasionally mistakes will happen. A PI policy protects you and your business if your clients alleges financial loss. PI insurance is part of the SBID’s commitment to quality, promoting confidence and strengthening the industry with an appropriately equipped workforce via enhanced professional trading standards.

The SBID’s trusted insurance broker, Marsh Commercial, explains all you need to know about PI and how to choose a provider. Sign in to SBIDPro to learn more. Members also have an opportunity to join the upcoming CPD webinar with a live Q&A  hosted by the insurance experts.

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As an international multi-award-winning Interior Designer and Business Consultant with over 40 years of industry experience, SBID founder & CEO, Dr Vanessa Brady OBE was interviewed for FRAME Recruitment’s recent Interior Design & Architecture Employment and Industry Update for 2021. In this Q&A, Vanessa comments on how the career path for an interior designer has evolved, shares her unique expertise on the key employment trends that she has witnessed throughout her professional career, and offers her predictions for the future of the industry.

How have you seen the hiring landscape and career path of an Interior Designer change over the last few years?

The industry has seen a rise in the number of graduates choosing a career in Interior Design. In the past design was viewed as ‘not necessary’ and had a bad reputation for ‘excessive expenditure’, but in more recent years it has changed a lot. With the professional role of an Interior Designer aligning more heavily to what students learn at university, it has made it much easier for graduates to follow a clear career path. Now, the best recruitment is from university, where students know that they will have a job once they graduate.

As a result of a more career-focused and targeted university curriculum, fewer design students are ‘dropping out’ and the professional practice feed is stronger. When recruiting, practices now have candidates who are aware of the skills that they need – such as strong mathematical skills and soft skills like resilience. These are all skills that are needed to be a designer but something that was not even considered six years ago.

Now designers have to specialise to procure a job in a specific sector, such as hospitality, retail, workplace or residential.

How has the progression of a designer changed and how do you see it changing in the future?

Looking back to three years ago, projects were client-based in terms of the review that a designer received. Additionally, a designer would have to self-promote themselves to get jobs because they didn’t have the methods to gain projects or recruit staff for projects. Growing a practice was not as connected as it is today and that disconnect has held back many talented people that were unknown or in the wrong place.

As an employer, it was very difficult to recruit the right talent and find candidates with the right specialist skills. Fast forward to 2020/2021 when we were forced to go online, designers and architects have been able to create online communities and network in a new way. Now designers can upskill themselves through podcasts, free information and webinars to continue career development online. Going online has also made it great for people that work different hours by proving more flexible working options; it has created a better quality of life for work in the home and office.

However, I do believe that teams need to interact, especially in a creative industry. Sometimes just having a team meeting together at a desk makes it easier to create a concept. Online this is much more difficult, and it can take longer to converse. I think that what we will see in the future is a blended way of working, which will improve the way we communicate in business and provide a better home/life balance.

What is the ‘risk’ vs ‘Qualified’ advice between designers and investors?

The difference now is that as designers, we are always seated at the table of a design project with investors funds. Interior design adds the extra value that helps to sell an investors product. It’s that extra value that makes people stay in the bar/club longer or buy the product. Colours influence the way people feel and act and investors want that for their businesses. It isn’t by chance that places such as restaurants are designed the way they are, they are designed with a return of investment in mind. That is a part of the designers skill-set, and investors want the designers that they choose to have the experience to link the remit with visual aid.

To mitigate risk designers need to ensure that the advice they provide is qualified. It is crucial to consider the usage that the client requires and not to over-specify. This is where it is fundamental to overlap the skills of compliance, legislation, building regulation and sustainability. Untrained designers do not necessarily pull all of these skills together.

In more recent years, the respect between the client and a designer has grown because of these skills and I think that this will only continue to develop. Designers are now required to work collaboratively with builders/contractors and as a result, there is better communication across the industry.

What have been/will be the biggest growth sectors?

When something is global like COVID-19, everyone suffers simultaneously, which reduces risk because you are all in the same place at the same time. However, when we all had to work online, I was initially concerned about the lack of communication between the sectors that would suffer. I remember thinking ‘will design be the first thing to go?’.

Instead what we saw was an uptake in residential design because people were not going out and spending money, so more people had disposable income to spend on improving the home and changing furniture. This growth across the residential sector fed the smaller practitioners, which were my initial biggest concern.

In terms of the business sectors, IT and design were the only two categories of the entire creative sectors that have experienced growth throughout the COVID-19 pandemic.

How has the industry experienced ‘change of use’ and will it continue to do so?

Areas such as hospitality, especially smaller boutique hotels which were originally homes, have been forced to close due to COVID-19. However, many of them are now ripe for re-configuring into the super-luxury high-end residential fit-out properties. The larger hotels have taken the opportunity during ‘lockdown’ to refurbish and therefore design and construction in this area have continued.

Is REVIT going to play an important part in Interior Design, just like Architecture?

REVIT and Vectorworks are the two most commonly used, and the most in-demand. So, they will always play an important role in both architecture and design.

What advice would you give someone looking to delve deeper into the visualisation and design fields?

Define the specialism that you want to practice in. In this industry, it is all about getting as much training and as many internships as you can. The more that you can learn about each different sector, the better. I would also say becoming more qualified in a specialism will help when it comes to securing a job, and recruiters will favour this too.

Have social media platforms, such as Instagram influenced the way designers work or design spaces?

I think Instagram has made the industry more popular and reachable, but I wouldn’t say that it has influenced it. It has enabled people to see the design errors that we didn’t see previously and has pushed people to realise that they need to hire qualified designers. Instagram is great for seeing the end result, which people love but we need to show the journey to get to the result.

What do you think is important when it comes to recruitment?

An industry recruitment specialist, like FRAME, has the strong ability to place people into the right roles, the right practices and the right industry. Their experience and expertise give them the ability to advise based on individual and business needs, as a result, the industry will do better.

You can watch the full webinar with Vanessa on-demand here.

SBID are partnered with FRAME Recruitment to support its membership of SBID Accredited designers with career opportunities, advice and guidance. Find out more.

Want to become SBID Accredited? Click here for more information.

As a professional accrediting body for the Interior Design industry, the Society of British and International Interior Design (SBID) have formed a partnership with FRAME – the recruitment specialists in Interior Design, Architecture and Visualisation to support professionals working in interior design with career opportunities, career advice and guidance.

The partnership was formed to provide an important link between SBID members and a trusted recruitment business, supporting interior designers with employment and recruitment opportunities.

Awards 2020 CGI & Visualisation Finalist Project by Inside Studio - Parish View Development

Dr Vanessa Brady OBE, founder & CEO of SBID says: “I’m delighted that we can now provide employment opportunities for SBID members through this partnership, whether to find their new team member or discover the latest interior design job vacancies. Finding new talent is time consuming and expensive, so it is important to recruit with care. It takes time to source an honourable partner and we are confident that FRAME Recruitment are the perfect match for the high standards we uphold, and our ever-evolving industry demands.”

“We are honoured to form a partnership with an internationally recognised professional accrediting body for the Interior Design industry at this important growth stage in FRAME’s journey. We are pleased to be able to provide an important link between the esteemed members of SBID and some of the UK’s top Interior Design practices. Offering key career and recruitment advice to committed professionals is what the FRAME specialist Interior Design team does best.” Explains Martin Bennell, Managing Director of FRAME Recruitment.

Join Vanessa and Martin at FRAME’s Interior Design & Architecture Spring Update Webinar on Thursday 29th April 2021 at 12pm BST.

Please contact Jasmine Stirling [email protected] to secure your place.

In the announcement of the Budget 2021, the Chancellor set out a £65 billion three-point plan to provide support for jobs and businesses as we emerge from the pandemic and forge a path to recovery. 

In light of the encouraging news about the UK’s social distancing restrictions due to end this Summer, and with businesses now readily preparing for post-lockdown operations, Mervyn Clarke FCCA; director of the SBID Accredited specialist advisors, Baker Clarke offers advice on how to manage business finances to help get interior design businesses back on track. 

Specialising in commercial advice and having advised many companies over the years about re-structuring and recovering from bad times after recessions and banking failures, discover Mervyn’s key tips to aid business recovery for the interior design sector.

It’s time to reassess! 

  • Look hard at your current customers and consider your position regarding any who might become credit risks. Tact is the key here – maybe obtaining a deposit or staggered early payments to minimize credit risks? Make sure you seek consultation from credit reference agencies like Experian.
  • Consider credit insurance. There are some specialist firms and it does cost money, but can take away lots of “heartache”. Just be mindful of policy wordings. Firms like Premium Credit can finance your premium payments by instalments.
  • “The best runners are lean”. Evaluate your overheads and be tough in cutting back costs – spread cash flow with instalments where possible. I have never yet seen a company where cost savings cannot be achieved, you just need to be ruthless!
  • Think about Directors` salaries and benefits. In tough times, this becomes a key area. Cash flows can be alleviated by year end dividends and save tax!
  • If you lost money (as many have) during the Lockdown period, get advice about tax loss carry back and carry forward.
  • Get advice on your accounting year end. Moving this around can legitimately save tax by efficient use of reliefs and losses.
  • Keep your “books & records” up to date, especially sales debtors!
  • Beware of banking pressures – they will come! Some banks are already dropping out of factoring etc.,  and/or putting pressure on overdrafts in spite of promises. Act now to secure longer-term finance if you can.

If things are really tough…

  • Talk to financial specialists like Mervyn Clarke about corporate re-structuring and check your legal position.
  • Get advice – don’t just leave it…Act NOW!
  • Monitor your position daily (or at least weekly).
  • Look at holding company structures for long-term security.
  • Look at re-finance of property. Here you need specialist lenders and help with presentation as, regrettably, the major clearing banks are often unable to assist in such cases.
  • Again – be tough! Cut down those costs and cut out “dead wood” wherever possible.

    Marketing matters!

    • Evaluate how are you reaching your customers and clients. What other ways can you engage this target audience?
    • Can you improve your website and online media presence in the increasingly digital landscape?
    • Are you being proactive and chasing business hard enough?
    • Look out for new opportunities and areas you could expand or diversify your business to remain agile.
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