With customer’s expectations constantly increasing, Interior Design has become an indispensable tool for companies to keep a competitive edge in their Industry. Companies acknowledged the fundamental need to convert people not only into buyers but into loyal customers and brand advocates. Interior Design has become the means to translate the essence of the Brand, and plays more than ever one of the leading roles into the Brand's Strategy.
As the demand for design has grown globally, it also has created a more fragmented field. New roles and specialties rose to answer the specific and new requirements of that growing Interior Design demand. As a consequence, it has become harder for retailers to understand where to get started with their project and who to get involved.
(Read more - Retail Strategy 2021.)
We created a two-parts Guide in Retail Interior Design to help and support retailers through their Store Design Project. This part aims at defining the Interior Design field and its counterpart in Retail, whilst also explaining who are the different professionals working in this field and which one to hire based on your project's requirements.
What is Interior Design exactly?
Interior design is the art and science of enhancing the interior of a building to achieve a healthier, more practical and more aesthetically pleasing environment for the people using the space. Interior Design is commonly known by the public for residential purposes, however, people do not always know that behind the fancy and unique interior design of their favorite store hides a professional and talented interior designer.
“ People do not always know that behind the fancy and unique Interior Design of their favorite store hides a professional and talented interior designer. ”
Is there a dedicated Retail Interior Design Industry ?
Yes! A lot of Interior Design companies are multidisciplinary meaning that they provide Interior Design services for Retail spaces but also for Residential, Hospitality, Healthcare facilities and other spaces. On the other hand, there are some companies like Zadeika and Adam that are specialized into Retail Interior Design working exclusively on designing Boutiques, Concept Stores, Flagship Stores, Pop Ups, Galleries and other Retail spaces.
Should I hire a Retail Interior Design company or Multidisciplinary one?
There is no straight answer to that, as there is no "universal solution" that fits everyone’s needs. The best option is the one that is adapted to you, your project, its resources and specificities. Whilst Multidisciplinary Interior Design companies can bring inspirational ideas from other industries, Retail Interior Design specialists will have an incomparable understanding of the Retail Industry, its trends and competitive landscape.
Make sure to hire a company with a deep knowledge of your industry to turn your interior design into a truly strategic and competitive advantage.
Who should I hire for my Interior Design project ?
The design industry has seen so many new roles and specialists raising, that unless you are a professional of the Industry yourself, it can be hard to understand the difference between all the different job titles and who to hire for a specific task or project.
Interior Design has horizontal and vertical levels of specialization. Horizontal specialization includes professionals specialized in Residential Interior Design, Commercial, Retail, Sustainability, Lighting, Exhibit, Consultancy… Vertical specialization relates more to the technical background of the Interior Designer. Some won’t specialize beyond their Interior Design degree, others will specialize into Interior Architecture and 3D Creative.
( Read more - Why is it worth investing in Retail Interior Design ?)
In general, Interior Designers focus on the look and feel of the stores. Interior Design combines a wide range of creative and technical skills. Designers work alongside architects, engineers, contractors, and other professionals to build branded retail environments.
Interior Designers specialized in Interior Architecture focus on the functionality, beauty and creativity of a space. It’s the balancing of the art and science of designing an interior space, taking into account all elements of the build.
Interior Designers who specialize in Interior Architecture have a specific degree in Interior Architecture and need to be differentiated from those who don’t. This specialization was created to distinguish those trained to handle increased scopes and responsibilities of interior designers including technical and architectural aspects of interior design. They have a deep understanding of the space’s functionality and structure on the top of the creative and artistic know-how of Interior Designers.
Interior Designers work based on the input provided by Contractors and Architects, whilst Interior Designers specialized in Interior Architecture work together with Contractors and Architects to find the design and technical solutions.
Interior Designers are not to be confused with Interior Decorators nor Architects!
Interior Decorators purely focus on aesthetics & furnishing. People often mistake Interior Designers with Interior Decorators but they are not the same. An Interior Decorator does not require a degree, they usually do not work with Contractors nor Architects, they do not deal with the structural design of the building and are not required to be as knowledgeable about building regulations. They will specifically look into colors, furniture, and accessories. Interior Decorators are of great help to freshen up the store’s look from one season to another. As large Interior Design renovations happen every 3 to 6 years, they do an amazing job at keeping the store trendy in-between larger Interior Design projects.
Architects are usually involved in an Interior Design project when structural changes are involved as they need to make sure that drawings follow the laws, regulations and safety measures. Their work can be involved from the very first stages of concept design to the build of the project.
Interior Designers with a degree in Interior Architecture are not to be confused with Architects! Their drawings, no matter how technical, are “design intention only” as they serve as a guide for Contractors.
Any technical drawing provided by any Interior Designers need to be approved or sometimes redrawn by Contractors or licensed Architects in order to add all the construction details in accordance with all regulations and safety. Sometimes, Interior Design companies might offer an in-house Architect to approve the drawings or you might prefer to outsource this service.
It's important to note that Contractors and Architects own the responsibility for building the Retail Space and Interior Designers do not.
Attention !
"People assume that if they need a design that requires some technicalities they should hire an architect to handle the whole project."
What people ignore is that Architects themselves will likely outsource the design to an Interior Designer specialized in Interior Architecture and overlook the architectural details that require their attention and legal approval.
People end up paying the expensive fee of an Architect for the whole project when they could have hired an Interior Designer in Interior Architecture to handle the design and an Architect as a consultant to supervise the progress of the drawings when needed.
The Full Guide of Retail Interior Design - Part 2 - Why and When should you hire a Retail Interior Designer.
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