“Aesthetic experience of the environment (interior) is a matter of all our senses and there are even some situations where hearing, smell and tactility are more important than vision; they are experienced with extraordinary intensity.” (Pierre von Meiss 1990)
The Interior Designer deals with the spaces inside buildings. The role of the Interior Designer is to create interiors with spatial qualities that are habitable for people on all levels of experience: aesthetically, functionally, psychologically and economically. The aim is to achieve comfort and efficiency; spaces that answer the needs of the client. Therefore the Interior Designer is concerned with the layout, finishes, details, furnishings and lighting of such spaces in new buildings or as part of refurbishment projects.
An Interior Designer is much more that a decorator. He or she is a key contributor to the professional team and works in collaboration with architects, quantity surveyors, engineers, project managers, building contractors and suppliers of products, from the design stage - when ideas are considered and designs developed – to the final completion of the project.
Projects can include shopping centers, office spaces, cinemas, domestic interiors, retail outlets, restaurants or airport terminals - any space in which people have to live and function. The Interior Designer works with a wide range of products and surface finishes and must be able to combine creative design and flair with technical expertise. Details such as door handles, wall and floor coverings, lighting, ceiling details, furnishing and fabrics are part of the design overall conception, for the mood and the efficient arrangement of the environment. Thereafter technical documentation must be prepared and contracts negotiated and the installation or construction be administrated.
The importance of well-designed interiors is to create spaces that nurture the spirit, invigorate the senses and stimulate the mind. The emphasis falls on
human well-being and is becoming more critical in our day and age.