Why hire a Designer

We spend a lot of time in an indoor environment. An environment that was design to probably house any activity from an office use to an apartment. Have you ever noticed that all the galas of the offices are the same and if you missed this we are sure you know the apartment below and above you will be, well most likely be just like yours.

So how did we get here? Why does every block just look the same? Well this replication and to some extent the blandness in providing a solution can be attributed to our great wisdom of standardization. Don t get us wrong, standardization gave us scale of production and efficiency, well but only to the one producing. Standardization does not bode well for say the consumer or the end user or simply put, you!

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The options in front of you at this moment will be to hire a contractor, hire a web service provider, do it at your self or finally hire a designer.

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So this where we come in, we at the least people like us who believe in the opposite side of standardization – customization. Now – now before you jump the gun and assumes us to be self gloating, let us realize why this matters. So let us look at a simple design process, you have room that needs to be, lets say remodeled. The options in front of you at this moment will be to hire a contractor, hire a web service provider, do it at your self or finally hire a designer.

Lets say you hire a local contractor, off course armed with their team and brilliant reference images he will be able to show you exactly what can be done and what will be the cost and if you tell him the cost before hand, he will most likely agree to the terms and get the work going. This essentially means that now well trained but not a well educated person will try to fit all that is in an image in to the space you gave, with little to no regard to the scale, the positioning of furniture, the intricate layering or even the minor details. Now its only a recreation exercise that is stuck to budget and no personalization, simply put you got all the ingredients you wanted but don’t have the complete recipe or the chef to put it through.

This usually pushes us to web service, angel funded startups who at the end have either a market to capture or a bottom line to meet. They will have swanky designers(usually on payrolls or contracts) who will work hard, but as everyone knows it is not a project they choose, nor a pallet they propose nor personal application that is so intrinsic to design. You now have a chef who, lets say is recreating a dish with standard set of staples and flavour profile. He cant exceed the budget nor budge with colour scheme. Oh and since the bottom lines are the sole focus for the provider, after paying the designer and suppliers, it may be a slightly cheaper option, but usually a lack luster one.

If you decide you want to take on creating the project on your own, with all the tutorials and online guidance one can get, then we see a great colleague in you or should we say a competitor…

And finally let us say you turn to us, the designers. Yes we seem like an added cost of percentage over your project and yes we seem to needlessly delay the project but when you will zoom in, it will be as horrible as you make out to be. Firstly, a designer can help you set a brief, discussing your needs with someone who understands what making a home in reality means. This alone brings in so much of personal tastes and flavours. Then they will carefully craft, yes that's the word craft, because design is like magic that a designer through the wand and a personal computer create for you. Its special its for you. The designers also account for lets say your mood change and the early morning whims of can I change the layout, and usually if its not too late something that designer will accommodate...asking nicely makes it more happier for everyone. We do need to mention, that little change we just made, well it will add a few hours of working back all the drawings and co coordinating with all the agencies involved.

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can you put a number to a pair of comfortable shoes or the satisfaction of holding a hot mug of coffee?

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Well this was just planning but now let us look at some of the even more specifics. What is a comfortable height for you, which colour will bring out which kind of mood, does putting a tv in the bedroom ruin your lifestyle? And many more such questions which a free inquisitive mind can bring about.

We sometimes don’t see designs as craft and just see it as a number, can you put a number to a pair of comfortable shoes or the satisfaction of holding a hot mug of coffee? You cant and if you had to you already pay for it for how it feels and how it engages, adores and respects you. A good home design is just like that and a good designer is the one who strives to get you there, and the fee is just like the tip you gave your barista, well may be a bit more in number but far less if we account for the effort, time and emotions invested, yes invested, in creating your dream into a reality.