A Guide to Commercial Interior Design

Interior design is a concept that is often misconstrued by the public at large. An interior designer should have an in-depth understanding and knowledge concerning various aspects of a particular space. Their expertise range from the analysis of space planning, behavior of the inhabitants, building finishes expected etc. Accurate understanding of these concepts plays an important role in structuring the inside of a home, office or commercial space, and for an interior designer, this comes only through good education, experience, and industry examination. 

What is commercial interior design?

Commercial interior design is similar to that of home interior design, but the needs and requirements expected from commercial spaces have huge differences from those of a personal space. The commercial interior design has to be done keeping in mind the needs of the owners and their customers alike. Commercial interior spaces include airports, corporate offices, restaurants, and any space that is created for the purpose of business. 

The major difference between residential and commercial interior designs will definitely be the perception of ideas and needs. Homeowners require aesthetically pleasing interiors, whereas commercial interior designs demand more designs that can elevate their space more professionally with an aesthetic touch. 

The interior design of a commercial space should be beneficial for the owners and employees as well as the clients or customers of the business. 

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How does a commercial interior designer or decorator work?

An interior designer always works on a commercial interior design project after considering various elements like the business brand, business model, and their explicit priorities. The functionality of the entire space will have a definite say on how the interior layout is going to be. It is also fitting for the interior designers to get into the weeds of the functioning of the business, interactions between the people, and different departments in the office to create a practical layout plan. 

The preparation will include understanding the workflow, taking necessary measurements of the space, and fixing a color scheme that stays close to the business ideologies. With these, an ideal blueprint of the expected work plan is created. 

The commercial designers should also be good managers so as to provide an estimated timeline to their clients and inform them of the desired timeline for the completion of the project. They should also be proficient enough to complete the project within the budget discussed earlier. 

Also, a commercial interior designer’s work purview does not just limit to assigning and creating of the layout but also accessing through the necessary permissions which are needed for the seamless functioning of the project.

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What are the different stages or phases of a commercial interior design project?

There is a particular system that allows seamless integration of plans and processing of the project. Let us look into the different stages that will help with the successful completion of the commercial interior design project:

Pre-design 

The project starts with the interior designers gathering a lot of information regarding the business establishment, work system, target customers, etc. Some conclusions are drawn, and based on the same, some initial layouts are drafted, which are further discussed with business stakeholders. Opinions are taken in from different perspectives and looked into. Larger commercial projects require much more procedures and paperwork, like budget analysis, zoning and code requirements, etc.

Programming

Once the initial needs are established, the commercial interior designers in Kochi further look into detailed needs expected to achieve out of the given space. The future needs to be accommodated, budget, estimated date of completion, etc. After the decision on the budget and desired date of completion is discussed, the designers move onto the next step.

Schematics

Mood boards and hand drawn sketches form a major part of the schematics. As the elephant in the room is addressed, it is now time to put together the expected needs and create a 2-D or 3-D layout of the expected design for the commercial space. This will help the clients understand better how the expected layout will look. 

Presentation

The 3-D layouts prepared are produced for the client to have a better idea of the vision projected by the interior designer. The clients can render their suggestions or corrections with the design so produced, and a good software can help the interior designer to do updates instantly. 

Construction

The interior designers do not directly enter into constructing the interior but provide the construction team with valid suggestions and guidance when the layout is turned into reality.  It will ensure that the construction team is working according to the layout designed by the interior designers. 

Post-Construction

Once the construction is completed, the interior designers take a walk around the space with the client and make sure that they are happy with the turnout. They also make sure to note down any particular need or change that is manageable and convey the same to the construction team.

Unique traits of a good commercial interior decorator:
1.Versatility

A good interior decorators  have the ability to incorporate designs that are flexible and help the business owner accommodate their future business goals within the designed space. It might amp up the budget a little bit more, but it’s definitely a worthy investment.

2. Purposeful

The design curated by the designer should suit or match the client’s business needs effectively. Purposeful interior decorations and accessories can increase the viability and look of the space.

3. Create an atmosphere

The atmosphere created by the interior designer should greatly resonate with the needs of the business owner and their customers alike. Using a very equipped software for rendering the 3-D layout can help in this process. The client will be able to understand the vision evidently and put forward suggestions.

4. Adding Biophilia

Adding natural elements to the design of the space can create an innate interest in the minds of customers, especially if you are designing a restaurant or a cafe. It will create an ambience of peace and tranquility, which will definitely create an exclusive impact.

5. Leverage technology

A good commercial interior designer should have the knowledge of cutting-edge technology to avail themselves of a niche position and competitive advantage against competitors.

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