Sabine Grimes Principal Unison Group
Interior Design
The Value of Good Design Interior Design Can Add Value to Your Real Estate Investment and to Your Everyday Life
There was a quote that I stumbled across some time ago, when I read it I chuckled to myself thinking that it was silly that a quote like this even existed: “The bitterness of poor quality remains long after the sweetness of low price is forgotten.” Now, I don’t think of this quote as humorous but instead think about the poor quality of some design solutions. In the past 10 years as both my professional self and business have matured, I have taken time to think carefully about the above statement. This piece is of course not specific to condominium refurbishments – it expands far beyond it and is intimately intertwined with the things that we value in life. Good design is not just the product, good design also encompasses the process. Design is the way that we take time to understand the problem or task on hand, digest all the information and finally provide a resolve which is the finished design product. There is a misconception that design (and
having a designer) is frivolous and expensive. As a professional that has (in my past life) existed as the client, I had reviewed proposals and approved invoices for interior design work. It was always necessary to ask myself – did I get what I paid for? Did I find value in the work that I have received? Was it worse or (hopefully) better than expected? Did this service provide value in the product that I am developing?
especially since the most important part doesn’t have a physical and easily quantifiable product associated with it. It is important to recognize the value of the consulting service and how it relates to the end product. It is also necessary to make sure that you ask yourself the following questions during the design process:
Will newly renovated spaces contribute in a positive way to the property value?
Any time an entity is retained for their services it’s necessary to know why you need them in the first place so that you can hold them accountable to delivering those services. At the same time, you should always be cognisant of the value that they will be providing. When you go to the car repair to get your tires changed there is a clear, tangible expectation. Consulting services and specifically Interior Design are different as the majority of the services,
• How is the Interior Design consultation process positively contributing to the conversations that the condo board is having regarding the immanent renovation? • How will the newly renovated spaces contribute in a positive way to the property value? CONDOVOICE SUMMER 2019
CV
19