I’ve sometimes heard clients and friends wondering if interior designers and architects are interchangeable, or if a project truly needs both. The truth is that architects and interior designers are stronger together, and projects are better for the collaboration — and frankly, it’s a lot of fun to work together. I’ve partnered with an architect or twelve in my day, and I’ve learned a few valuable insights along the way…
How Architects Set Interior Designers Up for Success
An architect’s primary duty is to design the building in accordance with the client’s specifications and the local building regulations. The building’s form, exterior treatment, interior layout, building services, and more are all considered in the building design. The expertise lies in designing and building a structure that abides by building codes, rules, and regulations — while ensuring an efficient functional plan AND a beautiful end result (phew!). When working with a fantastic architect, an interior designer has some peace knowing that the structure of the home is sound and that the flow of the rooms and structure as a whole make sense, allowing for the client’s visual and functional wishes to be at the forefront of the interior designer’s mind. Much like designers, architects are able to take a good, hard look at how homeowners plan to use the space, then design a home according to that.
The Role of the Interior Designer
Interior designers deal with function, space, and aesthetics. The majority of interior designers start projects by determining the wants and needs of their clients, which frequently involve the intended use of the rooms and the movement patterns (the flow of a space) of the residents. Interior designers conduct material research and make space plans and design concepts after discussing and understanding client needs.
To complete the aesthetic of the interiors, an interior designer also chooses furniture, counter surfaces, plumbing fixtures, textiles, draperies, hardware, color schemes, paint colors, and wallpaper — among a multitude of other interior decisions depending on the project. It’s incredibly important for the architects and interior designers to be in constant communication and harmonize with each other to bring out the true potential of the space.
How Does AKD Work with Architects?
Not every project we work with needs an architect (in fact, we do so in about 50% of our projects). The homes that require an architect are usually a full build, a complete gut rehab, or sometimes a partial rehab. As long as no walls need to be relocated or removed and there are no additions to the home, an architect is not generally necessary for interior design projects. That said, and I can’t stress this enough, it’s extra special when we do collab…
Innovation Through Collaboration
One of my favorite collaborations to date is the Lakeshore Oasis project we completed alongside the talented and impressive team at Woodhouse Tinucci Architects. Andy Tinucci and his incredible team creatively “inverted” the layout of the home, placing the majority of the living spaces on the second floor to maximize access to the stunning view outside (the homeowners affectionately refer to it as their “upside-down house”). With the large picture windows in the back framing these social areas, we drew inspiration from the lake and the different colors it provided throughout the day. The aquas of the water, the warm pinks and oranges of the sunrise… you can find these subtle nods through the art, textiles, and furnishings throughout the home — and without the lens of the architecture team in all aspects of the home, we may not have been as heavily influenced by the lake in our design. It was a beautiful setup, and one that allowed for my team to create a truly unique and highly functional interior project.