10 TOP RULES FOR UP COMING INTERIOR DESIGNERS

I have a learned a few things along the way that every interior design schools in Nigeria Lagos should know and teach their students. Below are some of my personal take when it comes to teaching interior design in schools in Lagos.

Rule #1:

Understand construction. If you ever want to truly understand good design and how to create it, you MUST understand the basic principles of building construction (exterior and interior). How can you design anything if you don’t understand how it was built? Also, it never hurts to be familiar with the newest building trends, processes and technologies. If you pick one rule to follow on this list, this should be the one.

Rule #2: Less is always more.

My key motor in Life that I have always followed is ‘LESS IS MORE’ and I have always thought “Simplinteriors school of interior design” students this.

Have you ever seen a project where you walked away asking yourself, “What was that designer thinking?  They must have thrown everything in their library at that space!”

Striving for simplicity in Simplinteriors design school forces our students to think through all aspects of their design and it forces them to make intentional design choices rather than just filling up the space with visual clutter. Simplicity does not have to mean minimal, sparse or boring. It simply means that the design is true to itself by achieving a consistent design expression throughout.

Rule #3: Good design is not always subjective.

Hope you still remember the design principles you were thought in your introductory design classes in interior design school? They are important! Balance, Emphasis, Movement, Pattern, Repetition, Proportion, Rhythm, Variety, Unity; all of these design principles matter a great deal and we have all seen what happens when these principles are not followed or understood. If you follow these basic principles as an interior designer your chances of success will be exponentially greater.

Rule #4:  Never spend more time selecting products than you do creating space.

Creating space is the single biggest opportunity you have to impact on any project. That’s why we Interior designers work hand in hand with architects to create functional space. Once you create the space, selecting the materials to finish it out will just come naturally. Leave the sample library for later. Instead, spend some valuable time in Sketch Up figuring out the forms that you are going to apply all of those cool materials and finishes to.

Rule #5:  Respond to the architecture.

If you find yourself working with (or for) an architectural firm, the worst thing you can do is let your ego push you into thinking that what you alone want to do is paramount on a project. Instead, work closely with the architectural team to ensure that what you are designing for the interior is consistent with the overall architectural design. If you do this, I promise you that your working relationships with architects will greatly improve.

Rule #6: Be a good steward of resources.

As much as it pains me to say this, most of the Top 10 interior designers In Lagos are essentially “super consumers.” Because of this, each of us has the responsibility to think about the life cycle of our designs and to allow for future flexibility wherever possible. Also, we all need to make sure that our designs are based on sustainable principles and that we use as many sustainable products as possible. Anything less is simply wasteful and irresponsible.

Rule #7: Do your research.

In Simplinteriors school of interior design we teach our students the importance of doing a lot of research to up date themselves.

Change is constant in interior design world. Luckily, information about new trends, new technologies, and new products is everywhere and thanks to the Internet, easier than ever to find. It’s so easy to find the information you need that ignorance is simply not an option.

Rule #8: Lighting, Lighting, Lighting! Without good lighting, even the best designs will fail. No exceptions. Getting the lighting right is absolutely essential. If you don’t understand lighting it’s time to start doing your homework.

Rule #9: Stay inspired. The vast majority of interior designers in Lagos are in this creative profession by choice. You owe it to yourself, your employer and your clients to stay inspired. Figure out what inspires you to be at your creative best and make sure that this activity (or activities) is an integral part of your life experience. Just staying in the creative thought process will help ensure you will be vastly more creative when you need to be.

Rule #10:

Be the expert. You are the expert and your client hired you for that reason. The client is not always right. When they are paying you for your time and expertise it is very important to speak up when they need a nudge in the right direction. Never be afraid to advise your client. But also remember they are the ones spending the cash. LoL!!!!