Weekend Reading, “North America through the eyes of a European”

Episode 6 : The birth of a Concept

We were used to working with a "local" client base, which most interior designers do (unless of course you're a celebrity designer, who globe-trots to service your clientele) so I'd first-hand knowledge of how difficult it is to make a regular, and healthy living purely from interior design clients. Luckily we'd the mix of our design stores, the real estate development company, and our branding service, that helped bridge the many financial gaps that appeared while waiting for customers to turn up clutching both their dreams and their cheque books...

But I always believed that there had to be a solution to this endless “feast or famine” that many designers live in the industry today, on both sides of “the pond”. The civilized world is swimming in trained designers, and the civilized world is even fuller of people up-sizing, down-sizing, buying and selling real estate (whether for need or for profit) renovating homes they love, and living in ones that no longer match their lifestyle...so the need for professional design is ever-present.

But, how many of those needing professional design advice actually go out and get it? 10%? 8%? 5%...

First of all, people need to consider themselves interior designer “users”. But the general conception of “traditional interior design” is that it's a service for the “well off”. And lets face it, you have to be willing to meet the cost of having a professional designer home...and be able to afford the solutions and products they propose.

Even if financially you “have what it takes”, more and more clients want to “do it alone”. And I understand why! There is so much style, design awareness and sophistication around, than there was, say 20 years ago. People travel, dine out, and are used to being surrounded by beauty. But, the reality is that even the best amateur designer around will still see a considerable difference when pitted against a good professional.

You can find cheaper professional options, but due to the imbalance of “supply and demand” (ie. designers versus paying clients) many designers just don't get the chance to develop their skills to the full, simply due to lack of clients. And if we follow the general rule of thumb of any industry: you pay more for experience, and less for inexperience.

So what was my solution to “re-balance” the design industry? Find a way to lower costs, and get rid of the high price tag linked to design. Get designers working by bringing them more clients, and change the public's conception of design as a reserved service for the lucky few.

In other words: make interior design accessible to everyone who may need it, at a price they can afford. Now design at distance had a real purpose...