So you think you are an Interior designer?
Figuratively speaking, anyone can become an interior designer. If you are one who likes to dabble with colours, fabrics, textiles and arrangements and posses an inborn flair for doing just that… it is a good sign. And if you dream of becoming an interior designer – follow your passion by all means.
To become an interior designer, one needs to be educated with a degree in that field. To become a successful interior decorator you will need to be well-rounded in the art and science of creating aesthetically-pleasing functional spaces within a building. To be a hotel interior designer you will have to be a people pleaser and sometimes a mind reader – someone who can steer clients towards a favourable outcome while making them feel they (including the owner’s wife) are in full control. Sometimes it‘s like walking the tight-rope.
During a stay at a 5- star resort in the East Coast of Sri Lanka, the room I occupied had an overpoweringly dull color triad of black, dark brown and white – made even drabber with ominous looking dark-wooded room furniture. It was a sad let down from the hotel’s very pleasing lobby design and décor that made a good first impression.
Later during my stay, I came to learn that this hotel was a family-owned property and the guestroom design and décor dominantly accommodated their ideas. When building a hotel there usually is an owner, a general manager, an architect, an interior designer, a food & beverage specialist, a marketing strategist and one or two others. And what happens finally? The owner’s wife decides what type and colour of cushions are going to be on the couch and selects the upholstery and decorative light fixtures, another family member picks the bedside carpet and bits of furniture and voila we’re done. Well not quite. Leaves the guest, as did I, wonder who on earth hired the designer?
Only a professional interior designer will understand things like the 10-30-60 rule one applies to room colours. Once one decides the colours that need to be used, it’s time to determine which role they play in the overall design. That’s where the 10-30-60 rule comes into play where you end up choosing a dominant shade, a secondary shade and an accent shade. As the rule suggests your dominant shade will cover about 60% of the room and since it plays a large role in your design, you may want this to be your most neutral colour. The dominant shade is a good choice for the wall colour and floor. The secondary shade can be slightly bolder and is usually fit for furniture. The accent colour is the boldest and can be found in fixtures and accessories.
It is always advisable to get a professional interior decorator to take charge in designing the soft interiors of the hotel. Interior designers work closely with architects and building engineers to determine how interior spaces function, look, and be furnished - to complement the overall ‘look and feel’ of the hotel.
Sometimes It’s best to be on the side of caution than to err- big time. There are many like me who have an innate sense of colour and how best to use it. This however is a beginning and one needs to sharpen that potential by experimenting and learning more before execution.
Mehroon Wahab
The writer is a former media representative for ‘Spa Asia’ and it was during her tenure that the Singapore based magazine published a 14-page feature on Sri Lankan Spas.
|
|
|
|
