Importance and Role of Interior Design in Society

Importance of Interior Design in Society

You enter a house to see its intricately designed walls and the ceiling. You instantly fall in love with it and hope to emulate it or have something similar to yourself. A good interior design can help in building a good first impression.

But gone are the days when interior design was merely a presentation for a specific sensitivity, and you had good taste. Also gone are the days when interior design was reserved for the affluent class.

As per estimates, the interior design market was worth USD 150.7 billion in 2020.

While there is no denying that the art came to life because of the elite class’ wish to build something different from the rest, the art is more than a century old and exudes much more than the mere luxury and opulence it once catered. Several societies like ASID (American Society of Interior Designers) have been operating for years and contributing to a better community in their unique ways.  

This article discusses the role of interior design in society and the contribution of interior designers.

Read also – How Does E-design Add Value To Your Interior Design Business?

We are in the age of the internet. Today, anybody can watch a few YouTube videos and believe that they can paint walls. While it takes nothing to start using a brush with a dollop of paint on it, you will require extensive knowledge to understand the nuances of interior designing and work your way out. Many governments levy a fine if the interior design is not within the periphery of set codes and limits.

Read also – 16 Interior Design Rules Every Interior Designer Should Follow

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Traditionally, the meaning of the term ‘interior design’ was limited to interior decoration, primarily home décor and commercial space planning. The focus was more on functionality, not on the ancillary aspects involved and creating an overall experience.

The role of an interior designer today is multi-faceted and involves a plethora of experiences brought together to orchestrate an end product that is functional and aesthetic. They are no longer focusing on merely building something practical but have geared to incorporate practicality coupled with safety and aesthetics for optimum impact.

The focus has shifted to improving the overall experience and quality of life by better utilizing the available space more meaningfully. The change in the thought process has been perverse and has gradually started impacting the thought process of society as a whole.

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Interior design is today no longer used merely by homeowners but has also become a central point of contention in commercial spaces, such as workspace, healthcare buildings, and public areas. Graphic design is no longer the only talking point, but because a good professional interior designer also contributes to society in their unique ways.

How do interior designers contribute to society? Here are 11 ways interior design contributes to the community –

The primary aim of having an interior design service is to help improve the quality of life. Given that so many people have shifted to work from home due to COVID 19, there has been an increased need to have beautifully decorated homes, not only for the outsiders but for insiders who reside in them 24*7. A beautifully designed home gives a sense of happiness and contributes towards a better living environment.

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It is a known fact that the ambiance we live in and grow up in has a significant impact on how we behave and feel. So be it commercial, public, or home design, it is imperative to curate something that makes people happy and soothe them after a hectic day. In addition, it would help speed up the revitalizing process and give people more legroom for building on their creativity and positive energy.

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The focus of interior designing is not only to design a new home or office but also to ensure that it accommodates one and all. For example, while giving shape to a home, it is vital to create individual spaces for each family member.

It is no different for a commercial space, where it is crucial to keep different human personalities and their unique requirements in mind during the design phase. It allows improved comfort levels and contributes to the better mental and physical health of all the people who are a part of the said space.

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Without colors, life would seem dull and disoriented. Imagine living in a dull and muted living room for most of your life. There would be no surprise if people around you emulate the same in your behavior – muted and disconnected.

The fact is that colors have a definitive role in our lives and impact our moods and emotions. For example, blue exudes calmness and freshness, whereas gray symbolizes serenity and a relaxed outlook.

Depending on the colors you choose for your interior design, the characteristics will gradually start emulating themselves via your behavior pattern. It is why people focus so much on what color to choose while designing their new home or revamping their existing spaces.

Read also – Psychology of Colors in Interior Design

The modern interior doesn’t necessarily mean having a plethora of colors to augment and emulate the fast-paced nature of our lives. We, as a society, are on the verge of an environmental emergency. So it is imperative to be cautious about our habits and how we use the available resources.

The choices we make have had a massive impact on society, and sustainability has become a key driver in modern interior designs. But a majority of the population has not yet understood how their choices regarding designing spaces can impact the environmental balance.

Read also – 9 Best Sustainable Architecture Design Ideas

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So interior designers need to educate their clients about the importance of using sustainable design elements and eco-friendly materials and their contributions to society.

Here is an article on 10 ways to create eco-friendly interior design for more insights into this topic.

Just two years ago, homes were merely homes and considered being a place where you would come to sleep. But with the pandemic disturbing most equations, even it was not spared. The modern interior design courses and interior design profession understand that homes today also include private spaces, apart from being where people retreat to.

So with the help of interior designing, homes have also become part-time offices, classrooms, gyms, and whatnot. Moreover, with the world embarking on rapid transformation, interior designers would play a crucial role in deducing society’s nerves and making the changes with time to cater to evolving needs.

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Renowned sociologist Jean Baudrillard in his book The System of Objects, opines that your interior design choices have a lot to do with how you think and behave in real life. Every nook of our space and the items that fill it signifies our personalities and desires. According to him, the guests evaluate the interiors based on four criteria –

Function – Do the items you have chosen as part of your interior design fit your needs and are sufficient for the family?

Exchange – Are the items worth their price, or could you have got better deals regarding the money spent?

Symbolic – Did you choose to include any of the items symbolic of your past or things you desire to achieve?

Sign – Are you a guy who is driven by status symbols, or are you happily using generic but good quality ingredients for your interior designing?

These factors allow visitors to have an opinion and understand what to expect from you upfront. While there is no guarantee of these being true in every case, the percentage of them hitting the bull’s eye is pretty high. So today, interior designing services are very particular to ensure that their design choices align with the qualities that a family, a company, or an individual possesses.

Read also – How To Find Your Personal Interior Design Style?

Even though interior design is for the inner parts of a home or a commercial space, there is a need for professionals in this field to find common ground. Foyr has a Community space that allows graphic designers and other interested individuals to benefit from courses dedicated to the interior design business.

In addition, you get access to a social feed to ensure you know the current market scenario, an online portfolio builder to help you develop an interior design portfolio or website within minutes, and several other learning elements to decode the profession’s nuances. We have also added a Jobs section for interested parties to meet and work together on a freelance basis.

Read also – 8 Best Interior Design Communities

While interior design focuses more on aesthetic value, a good interior design is also known to couple it with functionality. Be it office space, home designing, or any other project management, a design firm or an individual focuses on optimizing the interior spaces and ensuring that the beauty also serves a function and is best suited to the needs of their clients.

It is imperative for interior designers to focus on the safety aspect, too, not only of the people expected to be a part of the said space but also of the overall society. So they are not expected to use materials challenging to unwind and remove when necessary. In addition, there is a significant shift in utilizing eco-friendly products that offer the same aesthetic value.

For example, an interior design professional would not use sharp edges for a home or a commercial area where people are often casual or subconsciously not as careful. These professionals also cater to the unique needs of people with disabilities and ensure that they can stay safe, above all.

Read also – Self Care for Interior Designers

The world has a rich history of cultural choices exuded by their architectural remains. Given that we are in the age of the internet, several modern design elements make their presence felt too.

An excellent interior design professional should be capable of seamlessly merging different ideologies of the present and the past to bring about a design language that caters to your expectations. It would also enable the society to keep its traditional values intact while adapting to the new changes.

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The job of an interior design firm is a unique one – it has to stitch together a myriad of expectations to bring about a final product that everyone feels their own. Be it workspaces or home designing; it is vital for a professional to catch the underlying nerves of their clients and conjure a final product that matches their expectations.

And they also have an added responsibility of augmenting sustainability because they are a part of a society where resources are fast depleting, and there is a need to be sustainable in every way possible. So all of this has made the job of an interior designer very crucial, and they are making their presence felt.