The Power of a Professional Design Network

Your professional interior design team embodies a network of skills and competence that goes well beyond the visible frontline. As with any properly orchestrated endeavor, it is the behind-the-scenes crew that bolsters the process and brings the entire plan to a successful completion.

We all know how far an idea goes when it is powered only by good intentions. Without a solid foundation, a vision can be talked to exhaustion, revised to the point of frustration, and ultimately abandoned for all the wrong reasons.

Because a project vision is often entirely new territory for a client, it is easy to make assumptions that lead to important decisions based on flawed criteria. This is a common pattern when someone decides not to reach out for preliminary guidance. It can lead to either abandoning a great idea prematurely or moving forward without essential, realistic, and reliable information.

When professional interior designers consider your raw ideas and vision for a space, they tap into an expansive network of available resources and capabilities to inform their advice and recommendations. When you discover an element you absolutely must have, your design team looks at that desire through a lens of pragmatic feasibility, carefully assessing how possible and affordable it will be. They take your vision and filter it through a formidable roster of references, experiences, and resources—trusted professionals they have engaged in the past to achieve successful results.

A well-tuned network of resources, specifically relevant to the project you envision, is readily at hand. This collaborative foundation is what effectively moves a client's vision—and the accompanying intelligent design plan—forward.

This certainly does not mean you cannot go online or pick up the phone to gather preliminary information and ask questions about the elements you are considering. Independent research is a wonderful starting point. However, it is a wise investment of your time and resources to consult with experts when you are ready to transition from wishful thinking to serious planning.

This is particularly true for commercial interior design, where essential planning must go well beyond the physical constraints of the space. Whether you are designing an entirely new environment or revising an existing one, understanding the intricacies of compliance is vital. Regulations, ordinances, and mandates—especially concerning public safety and accessibility—heavily impact design choices. These regulations govern everything from permitted materials to ingress and egress patterns, and even signage stipulations.

Knowing that your interior design team is closely networked with the experienced, qualified, and licensed resources your project requires provides a distinct advantage.

If you plan to engage a professional team, consider starting with a preliminary consultation. This is the crucial first stage of sorting, prioritizing, and conducting a meaningful reality check on your ideas. The rest of the project will flow much more smoothly with a professionally developed plan in place.

Even if you intend to act as your own project manager and coordinator, a limited professional consultation is one of the best first steps you can take to get off on the right foot. Ultimately, time and budget are precious resources in any design endeavor. Relying on a well-tuned network ensures you spend both wisely.

When your customers or clients leave your professional environment, you'll want to know they had the experience you intended!

Robert A. Boccabella, B.F.A., is a Certified Interior Designer, principal and founder of BDS Interior Design, in private practice for over 30 years. Collaboration & Writing: Ms. Zoe Tummillo. Contact BDS Interior Design to schedule a consultation.