Homes made to measure

Interior designers offer the expertise to make a house a home .

As the UAE develops into an even greater business, leisure and lifestyle destination, it has triggered the demand for interior design services. As more and more people buy properties and move into new homes, the urge to fill spaces with creative concepts is also on the rise. From envisioning preliminary design concepts to supervising installations, interior design services offer a complete design consultancy.

Kenneth Laidler, President of the Association of Professional Interior Designers, Dubai, says it is important to distinguish between professional interior design consultants and interior decorators and contractors. He says, "While interior decorators and contractors are linked to contracting companies and help fit out the interiors and supply the furniture, professional consultants find out from clients what they are looking for and develop their design concepts on the basis of the brief. Interior design consultants are sometimes mistaken for interior decorators, who most often are gifted amateurs."

Interior design, according to Laidler, is interior architecture and professional consultants offer a series of services such as a feasibility study of the client's home, formulation of a brief, preparation of the initial design concept, design development of these concepts, preliminary selection of materials and production of final design drawings. It also involves production of tender packages with the help of final drawings in order to obtain competitive prices from consultants, reviewing the tender prices that have been submitted and informing the client of the right contractor and supplier, supervising the installations
on site and finally ensuring that the client gets what
he or she is looking for.

Monica Twarowski, an interior designer at WA International, says interior design services are beneficial to anyone who seeks to create a space to live or congregate in. "Specialising in problem solving, interior designers are capable of creating solutions to obstacles that are commonly faced when trying to accomplish all aspects of a client's brief. Space planning, design development and budget restraints all impact the final product. Interior designers are experienced with such issues and can seek the perfect solution," she says.

Plan of action

Paula J. Letelier, Head of Design, United Design International (the Abu-Dhabi based firm is involved in designing high-end residential villas and penthouses) explains how the process of designing starts. She says, "We request a full brief from our clients stating their specific requirements for every job we undertake. As designers we have to be fully aware of all considerations to be addressed to achieve."

According to Letelier, it is very important to have
a full set of plans, elevations, sections and details
of the structure they will be working with for any given space, as they initially space-plan the area with all its limitations. "As specialists our goal is to achieve maximum space usage and circulation. Volume of space is very important as well, especially if the requirements are luxurious. For instance, the higher the ceilings are, the grander the effect will be."

If you've just moved into a new home and are thinking of using the services of an interior designer, what can they offer you? Isabel Pintado, Associate Partner of Godwin Austen Johnson, says interior design services can be divided into two groups. "At a planning stage when the actual floor plan is being decided, we would assist the client in the distribution and dimensions of each of the areas requested. We would also suggest areas that might improve the overall practicality of the villa.

"If the house has already been built we discuss with the clients the overall feeling they want to achieve. This is usually done by going over reference images they provide us or selections we put forward to be able to understand the style they would like to achieve.

"All of our services would include coordination with sub consultants for any electrical, mechanical or power changes. This covers positioning of light fittings, relocations of supply and return grills if the ceilings are redesigned and the ideal locations of power sockets. We provide a complete design service from the designing of the bathrooms, kitchens to furniture fittings and equipment packages," says Pintado.

New ways of living

Speaking of current trends, Pintado says kitchens are becoming the heart of the home. "Different cultures deal with them in different manners although within my clients, all of them are requesting or accepting this suggestion. Living areas are also becoming less formal. Large, comfortable sofas and superb light fittings are some of the elements that are constantly present in our current projects. Designer items are being requested that in a way compensate for the lack of formality. Grays or white schemes with strong splashes of black are in."

Every area of a house, Letelier says, should be approached in the same manner. "For example, all living areas, bedrooms, kitchens or even bathrooms will have to be studied for the usage. Materials selected should be slip or heat resistant in the case of kitchen, moisture resistant in the bathrooms, water proofing membranes for wet areas and beautiful tactile materials for luxurious seating or sleeping areas.

"Storage is a main factor that is often forgotten, as well as accessibility to reach high cabinets. We therefore ensure that we look at these and other details to prevent design problems and complications."

As Laidler says, interior design consultants must be sensitive to the clients' needs. In a profession as creative as this, careful listening and a planned process obviously pays off.