Lidiya Manolova is an editor, journalist and blogger. She writes about architecture, design, interiors and lifestyle. In her articles she analyses trends in interior design and closely follows the work of designers, architects, craftsmen and brands in Bulgaria and around the world
Architect or designer when relying on professional help to change the interior
Buying a new home, moving your office to a new location, remodeling your current home, wanting to freshen up the interior - both small and big changes happen much easier and are significantly more pleasant when you rely on professional help. On one condition - to find your architect or designer.
Who doesn't love flipping through the pages of interior design magazines on leisurely Sunday afternoons and admiring beautiful houses and apartments, lingering our eyes on this or that living room, that fantastic kitchen or that comfortable sofa we've always dreamed of? Sometimes the smallest decorative items - vases, place settings, cushions - can evoke an instant desire to change something about our own interiors. If we pay attention to the text (which rarely happens, because most people take magazines as something to look at), we will most often read the sentence that is the key to a beautiful and harmonious picture of the home - "Owners trust entirely in their designer, who understands their lifestyle and finds the best aesthetic and functional solutions." If just a decade ago, turning to an interior designer or architect for the design of your new home was seen as an extravagance and a privilege of the rich, today more and more people are convinced of the advantages of professional help that saves 1) time 2) money 3) hassles 4 )mistakes that we will have to live with until the next renovation or forever... Going back to the quote above, however, the big issue of trust remains, i.e. - how do we know who to trust with our dream? Choosing the right interior designer, architect or decorator will save us the disappointment, bitterness, feeling of wasted time and financial loss. In my many years of experience as an interiors editor, I have often spoken to designers and their clients and I have to say that the process of working on a project is not always smooth and happy. In some cases, after many misunderstandings and stumbles (which can also run in the family in terms of choosing one thing or another), clients exclaim, "Oh, I could write a book about working with a designer already!" and the designer on the other hand say, "It didn't turn out right, sorry we won't be shooting this apartment." Whether your dream is to see your home featured in an interiors magazine, post photos on Pinterest, or simply enjoy the comfort, working successfully with an interior designer requires some rules that are good to know from the start.
Architect, interior designer or decorator?
Although these professions overlap in our country, when it comes to interior design, it's good to differentiate between the qualifications of professionals to find the right one for the job. Except when it comes to designing a house, an architect can plan structural changes to a home - when we need a complete remodel, changing functional areas, knocking down walls and building new ones, etc. An interior designer, who generally works with volumes, light, functional layout, most often performs the same tasks as an architect with the help of a structural engineer. When you just want to change the colours, style of furniture, lightings, textiles and accessories, the interior decorator is there for you. All of this is largely formal in this country - most architects who deal with interiors design not only the remodelling but also the furnishings in detail, selecting furniture and light fittings, often even the decorative items and serving dishes 'down to the last spoonful'.there are professionals in our country who are involved in interior design without having graduated in this field - they can be artists or even master craftsmen. The cases vary, but the approach to finding the right designer for your project can be summed up in a few points.
Research and gather information
Even without being purposeful, you have already noted the work of a designer or architect (or even more than one); it could be in the magazine we talked about at the beginning or from a recently renovated apartment of your acquaintances. Check out their website for more projects; see what they specialise in, look at their portfolio and if available, the feedback from their clients. The style of interior designers is clear, however different their projects and clients, and if you like the functional layout, the lighting, the interesting solutions - bookmark the name or bookmark the pages of the magazine. This could be your architect. In a perfect version, if this is really a passion and e enjoyable pastime for you, you could make a moodboard - even if it's not on a computer, a folder with all the furniture, colors, textiles, small objects, moods, materials you like would give the architect much more information about your narrative, style, desires than all the explanations in the world.
What you must not forget - you choose the designer, but he chooses you too. Try to clarify a few basic questions beforehand that will make it clear whether you will work together.
The budget
A basic and very important question that you should have answered before the first meeting. Based on the size and type of the project, the designer will determine the financial parameters. Some conversations may end at this stage if the prices he suggests are too high. In our country, designers usually price per square meter, not per hour as in other countries. It can range from 30 to 100 euros or more per square metre, but the work on the whole project has many different parameters and they are all a matter of negotiation. You may ask for a conceptual design only, without author supervision; or without furniture and lighting selection.
What you should not forget - the higher price can sometimes save a lot of time, and money. Professionals can provide good and reliable subcontractors, know where to look for the right materials and furnishings at the best price. They take full responsibility for the budget and make sure that it does not exceed the set limits. They find solutions that will make your home unique.
Style
"Everything went beautifully and my client had complete confidence about colors, volumes, furnishings. He said he only wanted to see his apartment when it was finished. At one point, he called me and said he didn't envision it that way at all. And that his wife was extremely unhappy and unhappy." The story is by arch. Antonia Manolova, but not only in her practice there are such cases. The preliminary work that the client has to do at the very first meetings with the interior designer is another essential key to success. You have furniture that you hold on to and want to stay in the new interior - show it to him at the beginning. You have favorite colors, fabrics and surfaces - let him know them before the project begins. You have certain habits - you cook every day, you don't cook at all, you entertain friends often, you throw parties or you hardly ever go home - all of these are very important to get an interior that will serve you well and that you will feel comfortable in.
what you should remember- when you show an architect a magazine and tell him "I want it to look like this", for him it is just a guide; he will suggest options that are tailored to your home and your lifestyle. Very often in the process our tastes change, evolve, we learn a lot about design and end up at a very different stage in our aesthetic appreciation of the environment in which we live or work.
Communication
Even if all of the above has already been done - you've chosen an architect whose style you like, meets your budget, and will complete the project on time - the most important requirement remains - good communication. Much more than just answering emails and phone calls and being punctual for an appointment - your architect is the person you will spend a long time discussing various issues with; he will learn a lot about your family's life and habits. The least you need is to like him in order to trust him. There are no rules for this condition - people like each other or they don't, and this is usually clear from the first meetings. When they share a common goal and values, work can be fun and easy, and problems can be solved much faster (and again, this saves time, money, and emotional strain). Even if there is a difference in the things you like, if communication between client and architect is good, a good solution can always be found (without compromising quality, function or aesthetics). Your architect is the one who, at every stage of the project, thinks about the comfort and added value you get with your new home. He won't force you to live with furniture you don't like, nor will he use the project as an expression of his own ego. The elegant balance between the lifestyle and personality of the client and the style of the designer is what creates the unique atmosphere in every interior. And no wonder the next time you're looking through a magazine, you see your own living room on the pages.