Show Me The Money

It’s all about the Benjamins, baby/Now what y’all wanna do?/Wanna be ballers?/Shot-callers?/Brawlers — who be dippin in the Benz wit the spoilers/On the low from the Jake in the Taurus – “It’s All About the Benjamins by Diddy

I read that Anderson Cooper is being sued by interior designer, Killian O’Brien, who fell 18 feet through an uncovered fire hole. Killian was working on Anderson Coooper’s firehouse home renovation project in New York where a fireman’s hole was left uncovered after the pole was removed by the project developer. *blank stare* The article got me to thinking about how often interior designers are forced to sue clients as a result of job site injuries, contractor issues, and compensation issues. On the contrary, interior designers are also at risk of being sued by their clients. What if a client is not satisfied with the designer’s work? The contract agreement protects the designer to a degree but the client still has rights. You know what they say “the customer is always right”. Interior designers get most of their business through client referrals. One bad incident between a designer and a client can affect a designer’s chances of getting new clients or repeat business in the future.

Have you ever filed a lawsuit against a client due to an injury at the job site? Has a client ever failed to compensate you for your services? What are a few typical clauses that you put in your client contract agreements to protect you from potential liability issues? If you have a small business or work as a freelance designer out of your home, liability insurance can be pretty expensive.* How do you get around that?

The American Society of Interior Designers recommends five types of business insurance for interior designers: professional liability insurance, commercial general liability (CGL) insurance, employment practices liability insurance (EPLI), and workers’ compensation and property insurance.

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Decorator versus Designer

You’re here/I’m pleased/I really dig your company/Your style your smile, your peace mentality/Lord, have mercy on me/I was blind, now I can see – A Long Walk by Jill Scott

An architect can design and a designer can decorate. So what’s the difference between an interior decorator, interior designer and an architect? Color Theory. My professor once said that interior designers study color theory and architects do not and that is the main distinction between them. Color theory is more than looking at a color wheel and selecting a scheme that creates harmony in a space. Interior designers also learn the psychological effects of color as well as it’s proper application in different spaces for specific types of clients. For example, when designing a nursing home an interior designer understands that elderly people have poor vision. Therefore, strong color contrast is necessary to ensure the safety and well-being of the people living in that facility. Flooring should be darker than the walls and furnishings should contrast the floor so they appear highly visible to someone whose eye sight is weak. That’s one example of how a designer uses color theory principles in the design process.

Despite the differences between an interior designer and an interior decorator, people still use the terms interchangeably. According to the National Council for Interior Design Qualification (NCIDQ), “Interior design is the art and science of understanding people’s behavior to create functional spaces within a building. Decoration is the furnishing or adorning of a space with fashionable or beautiful things. In short, interior designers may decorate, but decorators do not design.” Popular design shows on HGTV, TLC and the Fine Living channel have created a lot of “confusion” between the two fields. In fact, I’ve stopped watching those shows all together. Yes, they’re great if you are looking for decorating tips. But they do not paint a realistic picture of the interior design process. When I tell people I’m studying to become an interior designer they always ask “can you come over to my house to give me some ideas”. People don’t realize that interior designers do more than just “decorate” your home. An interior designer develops space plans and design concepts that are safe, functional, aesthetically appropriate, and meet all public health, safety and welfare requirements. Skilled interior designers are knowledgeable of building construction, building materials, building and fire codes, ADA (Americans with Disabilities)requirements, and environmental and sustainability guidelines. Additionally, interior designers are not just limited to residential projects. They also create design concepts for restaurants, hotels, office buildings, government facilities, hospitals and medical facilities, schools/universities, night clubs, lounges, etc. The final difference between an interior designer and an interior decorator is that an interior designer can become a “licensed” professional. State board certification requires an interior design degree from an accredited school or university along with several years of formal training. In contrast, interior decorators do not require formal training or education.

Do you think the interior design industry has devalued the work of interior decorators? What do you think is the difference between an interior decorator and a designer and does it really matter? How do you feel about interior decorators calling themselves “designers”? What do you think about the term “interior architect”? Is it adding to the confusion? If an architect can also design then are interior designers really necessary?

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College Dropout

“Closer to my dreams/It’s coming over me/I’m gettin’ higher/Closer to my dreams/I’m getting higher and higher/Feel it in my sleep” – Closer by Goapele

I’m finally re-enrolled in school. *claps* I am super excited!!! I only have one year left, three semesters to be exact, to finish the program. In 2005, I went back to school “the first time” to get a B.F.A in interior design. On the first day of class, I knew I was exactly where I was supposed to be. The work outside the classroom was extremely time consuming. But I was a dedicated student and eager to learn. I invested hours of my personal time working on class assignments that involved cutting up tiny bits of construction paper, drawing stick figures, mixing colors, and shopping for fabrics. It was like Home Ec. on crack but I enjoyed each and every minute of it. Then life happened and I was forced to leave school to focus on more important things like…PAYING BILLS. Since then I have wrestled with the idea of going back to school.  First, school is not free nor is it cheap. I  already have a bachelor’s and a master’s degree in another field and those student loan payments are a financial pain in the butt. Second, I question if a degree is really necessary in order to become a successful interior designer. Look at Nate Berkus. He’s a self-taught, sought after, high-end designer. He has a successful interior design firm, a line of furniture and home accessories and an upcoming interior design show. Of course endorsements by Oprah Winfrey have helped his career tremendously. However, Nate was obviously a pretty talented designer before the “O-effect” catapulted him into the public spotlight. There are several other designers like Nate who have made a name for themselves in the design industry. It goes to show if you work hard enough at something and really hone your skills it’s possible to become recognized as an “expert” in any field. *scratches chin*

How has a degree in interior design benefited your career? Do you recommend getting a master’s degree in interior design? Are you a self-taught designer? If so, how did you learn the skills of the trade without going to school? What are your thoughts on on-line interior design programs?

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A Design State of Mind…The Beginning.

“It was all a dream/I used to read Word Up magazine/Salt-n-Pepa and Heavy up in the limosine/Hanging posters on my wall”

I fell asleep on the couch with the television on and woke up to catch a 6 a.m. plane flight. A televangelist on the TV was talking about the pursuit of happiness.  He said when you are at a crossroads in your life and can’t make a decision, ask the universe and you shall receive the answer. I listened to him as if he were speaking directly to me. His words struck a cord with my innate desire to have a fullfiling and successful career. I stood in front of the bathroom mirror, yawning and still half asleep and I asked the universe, “What should I be when I grew up”.  Four hours later, I arrived at home and decided to take a nap. As I dosed off into la-la land, the words INTERIOR DESIGN popped into my head. Those words hit me like a brick waking me up out of my sleep. I immediately ran over to the computer and Googled “interior design”. I had no idea what interior design was but I knew at that very moment that I was going to become an interior designer.

A Design State of Mind was created to document my journey on becoming a designer, learning about the industry, and making my dreams come true by any means necessary.

*cue Biggie* you know very well who you are/don’t let em hold you down, reach for the stars/you had a go, but not that many/’cause your the only one i’ll give you good and plenty/and if you don’t know, now you know…

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