Design Process

Class schedule

Introduction

The design process in interior design is a systematic approach that guides a designer from the initial idea to the final realisation of a space. It makes sure the interior meets the functional needs of the people who use it and also reflects their personality and style.

It is iterative and collaborative, and it rewards attention to detail. From understanding the client to the final installation, each phase adds to a well-designed space that suits the lifestyle of its occupants.

1. ProgrammingGather and analyse information about the client, the space and the brief.
2. Concept developmentBrainstorm ideas, then express the chosen idea as a concept statement with sketches and visuals.
3. PresentationShow the client one or more concepts for review, feedback and approval.
4. Design documentsProduce the construction drawings, specifications, schedules and timeframe.
5. ExecutionTurn the approved design into reality through contractors, scheduling and project management.

A. Programming

Programming is the first and most important phase. The designer gathers and analyses information to understand the client’s needs, objectives and requirements for the space. It is what makes a design attractive and also functional and tailored to the client’s lifestyle or business.

1. The design statement

The design statement identifies the type of client, the genre of the project (residential, commercial or retail), the location, the function of the space and the level of work required.

Client profiling and personas

Profiling starts by identifying every user of the space. For a home, a profile is written for each resident: age, sex, hobbies, habits, needs, style and colour preferences.

You will create a persona that captures the client’s needs, frustrations, likes and more. A good persona includes every detail that helps you work out how the project will be a solution for that client.

The data is scrutinised and the findings are written into a Program Document that defines the design challenge and proposes a solution. The client reviews and approves this document.

2. The empathy map

An empathy map is a shared tool for visualising what we understand about a client or user. It brings that knowledge into the open, builds a common view of user requirements and supports decisions and concept development. It starts with analysing the client’s needs, pain points and goals. Through empathy we put ourselves in the client’s shoes, connect with how they feel about their space or problem, and offer a good solution.

B. Concept development

Once the design program is approved, concept development begins in two stages.

Ideation

Ideation is brainstorming design solutions through speech, sketches or writing, filtering out unworkable ideas and refining the viable ones.

Ideation by inspiration from external influences

Here, creative concepts come from observing forms, patterns, structures or ideas in the natural world or in existing man-made objects and translating them into new design solutions. Using nature is often called biomimicry. Using objects is called analogous or metaphorical design. Both give forms that are visually striking and conceptually meaningful.

Why this method works

• Emotional and cultural connection: familiar forms are instantly recognised and relatable.
• Symbolism: a form can communicate identity, heritage or values.
• Structural efficiency: natural forms often solve engineering problems elegantly, such as shell curves that spread load.
• Visual impact and branding: it creates memorable, iconic results.

The concept statement

The main design concept is written as a Concept Statement and supported by sketches and visualisations: schematic drawings, a bubble diagram drawn to scale, a mood board, a 3D rendition, a floor plan and a furniture layout. Together they show siting, orientation, space allocation, circulation patterns and other key details.

C. Presentation

A proposal is presented to the client with one or more design concepts for review, feedback and approval. It should include:

1. A design concept statement
2. Conceptual drawings
3. Scaled floor plans with furniture placement
4. Mood boards showing colour, materials and finishes

Depending on the size of the project you may add sketches, perspective drawings, colour renderings, 3D models or computer renditions.

The proposal also gives cost estimates for materials, labour and design services, and a timeframe with sequenced events and a proposed completion date. Precise project costs can only be fixed after the final working drawings go out to contractors, suppliers and installers for bids.

D. Design documents

After the presentation, the necessary adjustments are made and the construction drawings are prepared. These include perspectives, site plans and floor plans, with all the notes needed for construction and installation.

• Specific details of all furnishings and materials are included.
• A finishing schedule sets out the types, finishes and placement of architectural and design elements.
• A critical path timeframe sets the duration and sequence of every activity.
• The drawings, specifications, schedules and timeframe together form part of the designer’s contract with the client.

E. Execution

After the final design and the client’s approval, the project moves into execution, turning the design into reality. The designer gets contractor bids and plans a detailed work schedule, often as a Gantt chart, to organise construction and installation. This stage also involves project management.

Designing a mood board

A mood board, or inspiration board, is a physical or digital collage of ideas used throughout interior design. It can hold photography, designs, illustrations, colour palettes, textures and descriptive words, anything that helps define the direction of a project. It is a first step in conceptualising.

Why design mood boards?

How to build a mood board

1. Gather materials and define objectivesWrite down your objectives. Choose a concept: theme, style and colour preferences. List the items the space needs. Research sources such as magazines, blogs, art, nature and architecture. Collect images, swatches, fabric samples, textures and quotes or words that capture the mood. Choose a colour scheme, limited to three to five main colours, with colour psychology in mind. Decide on a physical board (bulletin board, foam board or large paper) or a digital one (software).
2. IncubationQuickly look through your pile of pictures and check that every item, element or visual theme you want is there. Find an image for anything you have been thinking about but missed. Incubation is the idea that the brain produces its most novel ideas when it rests after a period of preparation.
3. ColoursAnalyse the palette of your unedited set. Write down every shade, colour family (for example nudes) and combination (for example gold with forest green) that appears in at least five images. This raw data shows the weight each colour should carry. Then decide whether each shade works as a main or an accent colour.
4. CullPrepare a big OUT box and a TO KEEP box. During the search you should not edit your thoughts, but now you must be ruthless. Anything you do not love, anything redundant and anything neutral goes out. Every remaining image must also suit the context of your board.
5. Organise elementsYou should now hold only images you truly love. This step and the next are the nitty-gritty that most people skip, and they turn a set of inspiring images into a useful visual statement of your ideal style.
6. Fill in and tweakCheck from a bird’s-eye view that the set represents your style and gives each element the right emphasis. Does one image stick out or weaken the theme? Swap, remove or add images until the set is coherent, then decide the weight of each element.
7. Finalise the boardSpread the final images on a canvas, or attach them to a wall, so they show the relationship and weight between elements. Place important elements near the centre and accents around the edges. Keep the board where you can see and handle it, and add or remove items as the idea grows.

Now you are ready to start designing. Other ways of conceptualising are covered in the next module.