Ask The Expert: Things That Will Revolutionize The Interior Design Industry
We talked to Interior Designer Alessia Mainardi to get her thoughts on how the industry is changing.
The Forever Home, Tuscany, Alessia Mainardi Interiors
Talented Interior Designer Alessia Mainardi is know for her unique and bespoke interiors. Her ability to combine Italian design and vintage visuals makes her one of the most in demand interior designers in London and internationally, for both residential projects and commercial developments.
Alessia and her team are able to manage every aspect of the interior design project, from concept to completion or from styling a space to total refurbishment.
3D Visualization
“In the future I can see the industry approaching Virtual or Augmented reality as a medium to present creative ideas
to the clients.”
In the past, the ability for interior designers to showcase an ‘end result’ to their clients through virtual design tools that are now readily available, was not always possible. Now, the ability to digitally create room layouts and 3D mock-ups of what a space could become, can be advantageous as it minimises the need for back and forths between customers and designers.
London LOL04 Deck Mounted 3 Hole Basin Set with Swan Spout in Rustica Brass
Consultation
“From a creative point of view, clients have more access to information and to a lot of visual references, whether it is Instagram or Pinterest, the visual images are all there to be seen by everyone.”
Thanks to the impact of social media and progression in technology, clients are more aware/informed than ever of how they want their homes to look.
Today, regardless of whether the designers are working in residential design or commercial interiors, they will need to master not only traditional interior design skills like drawing and planning out a space, but also an in-depth understanding of the latest computer-aided design tools (CAD), and of course, the products and materials they choose. Designers need to become specialists in delivering the dream, creating spaces that are technically more challenging than they have ever been before. The Watermark Collection’s sales team act as consultants, from the V8 engineering and unique finishes to the hand-crafted nature of the products – designers will be armed with all the knowledge they will need to understand the products in great depth.
London LOL04 Deck Mounted 3 Hole Basin Set with Swan Spout in Rustica Brass
Sustainability
“From an implementation point of view, we are more aware about the effect of our poor choices in terms of sustainability.”
With society becoming increasingly aware of the importance of environmentally responsible building and interior design, it is obvious why more and more clients seek to incorporate sustainability principles in their interiors.
“I try to educate my clients toward the quality and longevity of a product instead of compromising on the price.”
Interior designers can have a tremendous impact on the sustainability of an environment due to their decisions on which materials and products will be used and how ecologically people will be able to interact with their surrounding spaces. The Watermark Collection’s products are built to last and stand the test of time, in terms of both quality and timelessness.
COVID-19 Pandemic
In the time since the COVID-19 pandemic began impacting the daily lives of millions around the world, it has become clear that things may not return to the way they were. With changes in the interior design industry coming quickly and without warning, designers everywhere had to find a way to share their ideas virtually, in order to minimise the impact on collaborating with clients regardless of location. Applications such as Zoom, WhatsApp, Teams and Skype allowed for designers to get a better sense of what their clients need and want than was previously possible when communicating across continents.
With the pandemic also blurring the distinction between home life and work life, designers were challenged with evolving needs from clients. Designing for respite, as well as providing ways to draw boundaries around some practices has become a priority. How a space is connected to elements of the outdoors -views, light and air- and offers areas to mentally recharge have become particularly valued.