Did you know that 77% of employees say that a clean and organised workspace makes them more productive? Or that 1 in 3 believe that their workplace doesn’t encourage productivity? Or that background noise is responsible for at least a 66% drop in employee productivity?
The list goes on, but the takeaway is the same: office design has a significant impact on employee productivity and morale. But finding the right balance between comfort, collaboration, creativity, and uniqueness isn’t an easy task. Far too many businesses focus on aesthetics and forget that beyond the furniture and flooring, an office should be designed to fit the business culture.
That’s why engaging a professional office fitout company whose offering includes a commercial interior designer to craft an identity for your space can be a worthwhile investment. Not only will the same company be able to design your new space as a unique reflection of your brand, but they’ll also be able to bring that vision to reality through the construction phase.
In this guide, we’ll fill you in on what commercial interior designers do, the benefits of hiring one as part of the package from your fitout firm, and how to select the right one for you and your business.
What Is the Role of a Commercial Interior Designer?
Let’s begin with the basics: what does a commercial interior designer do? Below are their 6 key tasks:
Define the Scope of Work
A commercial interior designer’s first job is to understand the project’s objectives. This includes understanding your purpose for the space, your vision, your budget, and any other requirements or constraints. Once all aspects of the project are fully understood, they’ll then develop a scope of work that outlines how they plan to deliver on the brief.
Designing the office: Initial concept layout to final design.
After pinpointing the project’s scope, the interior designer embarks on crafting a comprehensive concept plan and layout for the designated space. The initial concept layout is then presented to you for your valuable input and feedback.
With the foundational plan solidified, the interior designer meticulously selects furniture and finishes that harmonise seamlessly with the established concept. This includes everything from lighting, flooring, paint colours, technology, wall coverings, rugs, seating, artwork, and more. This is further enhanced by the creation of a 3D representation, providing a vivid visual portrayal of the envisioned space.
Upon approval of the final design, the interior designer takes the reins in assembling the ultimate construction design, along with a detailed finishes schedule and a comprehensive furniture schedule. These elements converge to form the blueprint for the project’s execution, ensuring a cohesive and aesthetically pleasing result.
Create a Safe and Engaging Environment for Your Team and Visitors
The commercial interior designer will strive to create a safe and engaging environment for both your team and visitors. This can include incorporating ergonomic solutions such as sit-stand desks, adding accessible features, designing spaces that promote collaboration, or choosing materials that are aesthetically pleasing but also easy to maintain.
By creating an inviting atmosphere with thoughtful design, they can help maximise employee productivity and ensure any visitor’s first impressions of the space are positive.
Design to Budget
While designing your office, the interior designer will keep your budget on the horizon. The art of a commercial interior designer is to design your new office with the optimum facilities that are within your budget.
Inspect Building Works
The overall office fitout is overseen by the project/construction manager. However, the interior designer will inspect the construction work at regular intervals to ensure that the construction is progressing according to the design.
What Are the Benefits of Working With Dedicated Commercial Interior Designers?
Other than making the experience a hands-off one for you, there are many benefits to working with a fitout company that includes dedicated commercial interior design teams or designers in their services. Below are just a few of the advantages:
Access to a Wealth of Expertise and Knowledge
With years in the industry, commercial interior design teams can provide you with invaluable insights on how to best optimise your space, while also keeping your ideas and vision in mind.
Capability to Think Outside the Box
By drawing on their creativity, commercial interior design teams can come up with unexpected solutions for even the most complex design challenges, ensuring that your space reflects the unique culture of your company.
Sustainable Solutions
Interior designers can create a space that’s both eco-friendly and aesthetically pleasing. This includes using recycled, upcycled or sustainably sourced materials as well as incorporating energy-efficient features into the design. As such, they’re able to help you achieve your sustainability goals in the workplace while still creating a pleasant atmosphere for both employees and clients.
How to Select the Right Interior Designer for Your Project
With that said, how can you ensure that you’re hiring the right fitout company and interior designer to create your dream workspace? Here are the key pieces to bear in mind:
Track Record + Case Studies
The number one factor to consider when hiring an interior designer is their portfolio and experience. Ask to see some of the interior design projects they’ve completed in the past and get an understanding of their overall style and approach. Also, try to find out if previous clients have been satisfied with the results or not. This will give you an insight into whether or not they’re qualified for your project.
Realistic Costs That Align with Your Budget
After that, it’s important to know what kind of budget you’re working with and make sure the interior design firm you’re considering can meet your needs within that budget. Discuss the costs upfront and try to get a ballpark figure on what they think it will cost. Additionally, ask them about their payment plans or any additional fees they may charge.
How Is Their Communication?
The last thing you want is to end up working with someone who doesn’t listen to your interior design ideas or requirements. Even worse, you don’t want to work with someone you can’t get a hold of, right? As such, it’s important to assess their communication style and rapport before signing the contract.
See if they’re willing to have conversations with you, answer your questions patiently, and understand what it is that you’re trying to achieve. During that process, take note of the following:
- Are they easy to reach?
- Do they respond quickly?
- Are they professional and courteous in their communication?
Do They Have Experience in Your Industry?
General experience is one thing, but specific experience is another.
If you’re in a niche industry, it’s important to find an interior design firm that has some familiarity and knowledge of your sector. There are often unique requirements and considerations that come with different industries, so it’s important to find a team that understands this.
Ask for examples of their past work in your industry, or if they have any certifications that make them qualified to take on your project.
References
Finally, it’s always a good practice to do your due diligence and get references from people who have worked with the office interiors firm in the past.
Ask them about their experience, how they felt working with the team, and if there was any issue that came up during the project. This will help you gain a better understanding of how they operate as well as any potential pitfalls or issues that might arise.
Need Help Finding the Right Commercial Interior Design Resource for Your Project?
The benefits that collaborating with a professional office interior design and commercial fitout firm can bring to your business are invaluable. But, and this is a huge but, it’s important to make sure that you’re working with the right team to be able to harness those benefits.
At Bowen Interiors, we’ve been in the business of providing quality interior design along with fitout services to businesses since 1982. That means we not only handle the design aspect of the process in-house, but we also take care of the fitout process for you – no need to hire another service provider!
So if your next step is finding the right interior designers for your fit out, we’d love to be your team. Get in touch for a workspace consultation (no strings attached!) to discuss how we can work together to create a flawless office environment for you and your team.
