Interior designers have one tool valuable to
their design, and that tool is the client profile. Each designer creates a
profile of his or her client who offers pertinent information that assists the
designer in delivering a successful home design. Profiles are different because
of the individual client, but the process or steps are the same for each
profile. The information of the client is important to be accurate and
complete. The best way to start a client profile is to build a template with
the names, ages, and occupations of the clients. On the document, the location
of the address and city, the phone numbers, and e-mail addresses should show for
the ease of contacting the client.
After the designer has established a
client profile, he or she should understand five key subjects that allow the
design to fit within the homeowner’s needs and wants. These five key subjects
are the homeowner’s lifestyle needs, decorative needs, bedroom configuration,
living room setup, and dining room accommodations. Learning these key subjects
is the designer’s job to find a design plan that meets the requirements of the
client. For the success of this plan, the following requirements must be
understood and met:
Lifestyle
Preference:
The designer will discover
if the homeowner would prefer a casual or formal lifestyle. For an interest,
the designer will learn what the client enjoys in his or her spare time like a
hobby or interest. If entertaining friends is one of their interests, the
designer would need to know how many guests the space will need to accommodate.
A lifestyle can be expensive, so the designer will establish a budget and how
much of the home will the homeowner want to focus on in this project. Starting
a project of large proportions, another home member needs to come into mind; the home’s pets. Learning the number of pets and
the kind of animal is important at this venture.
Decorative
needs:
In this a designer will
establish color preferences and what the client like or dislikes for color
choices. After learning color choices, deciding on furniture style or design is
important. With so many styles like traditional, rustic, modern, or eclectic
the designer will need to show photos of each to gain a bearing on the client’s
wants. Showing photos is a perfect way to see what the client wants because some homeowners are unaware of style definitions. Another way to
learn if there is a preference in themes is to determine if there is a
selection of collectibles like nostalgic Logos, sports teams, specific artwork,
preferred sculpture, or porcelain dolls. The last decorative item is to
determine a fabric preference whether it is linen, cotton, chenille, leather,
suede, or a naugahyde.
Bedroom
Configurations:
Determining a bedroom
layout makes up diverse interests for the homeowner. Here they sleep, watch
television, read books, or work. When the designer learns the homeowner likes
to read in bed, he or she will recommend lighting options for the homeowner.
The designer introduces seating selections to accommodate whether the reading
is in bed or in the comfort of a chair. Another reason for a seat is for the
purpose of entertainment like television, or listening to music, or working at
a writing desk. A piece of furniture can fit in the bedroom if the designer
follows the rules of scale. A writing desk, a drafting station, sewing
machines, or tables are specialty items that suggest mood or ambiance. The last
item is storage needs and how or where this will be in effect.
Living
area setup:
This point shows where
family and friends would meet or how the homeowner can use the space daily. If
the home entertains musically, the designer will determine space for portable
instruments or the dimensions of a piano. A television is also a piece of
entertainment with the option of connecting
video components and electronic video games. There is a good transition from
games to the function of conversations. After a time, communication takes over,
and the guests will need a place to sit and talk. The designer will determine
if this space is ideal for displaying art. The artwork and entertainment
creates an atmosphere, and the designer will determine what types of ambiance
the homeowner wants to express.
Dining
room Accommodations:
The designer should determine if the homeowner
likes to host or entertain guests. If the homeowner does wish to entertain
regularly, the designer will ask and clarify how many dinner guests will the
homeowner invite on average. The designer will ascertain if the homeowner
prefers formal or informal engagements or whether they are intimate or in a
group setting. Another factor would be the type of meals the homeowner serves
for dinner. Types of dinner could involve sit down affairs, buffets, or casual
gatherings. Last, the designer will offer options for family or business
get-togethers.
The design plan will stem from the answers obtained by this
client profile. The designer will offer a professional summary prepared and
presented to the homeowner, This summary is an explanation of how the designer
will meet the client’s needs. The summary will have essential knowledge in
space planning, circulation or traffic patterns, organization or storage tactics,
and future growth in the family.
A client profile allows the designer to present a sample
board of the plan and the schedule on how the work will proceed. Designer’s offering
a client profile summary of work completed, the presentation board should show a
border around the perimeter of the presentation board, and the writing should
be clear and precise. If the designer is working with an assistant or design
partner, the names, and contact information should be on display
attached to the reverse side of the board.
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