What does an interior designer bring to a project?
We asked Marion Falchi to offer some insider insight into her role as senior designer and director of Falchi Interiors.
“The interior design industry has changed quite a bit since we began Falchi Interiors over 20 years ago. The biggest influence has been the effect of social media. Prior to social media, the only influence for interior design was retail or magazine features. Today people are more interested in the way they live in their homes and the interiors they want to emulate. This is a good thing but, in the interests of sustainability, we do try to resist a “too flawless” interior which lacks character and personality.
When I began working in interior design I lived in New York and was in the fashion industry. I had demonstrated my ability to put together a display and organise major sales meetings and so I was asked by my employer to design their new three-storey showroom in the Flatiron Building on 5th avenue. That was the beginning. Today, I believe my major strength is my ability to visualise how best to use the space available and I think that building in New York is where it all began.”
“Clients are consistently surprised at how hands on I see my role. I have a great team and I think because of this they expect I would take a back seat. I like to be involved in every aspect even if from a distance so that the clients feel they can always talk to me.
If you’re thinking of employing an interior designer, choose someone that you like. You’re going to be working with this person for several months and you’ll need to be able to talk to them about almost anything.
The only circumstances in which I would turn down a commission is when a client is unrealistic about the budget needed to meet their brief. It is best to be clear on what can be done, rather than take on a commission that it breaks down halfway. No-one ends up the winner in this situation.
Understanding what your client wants is a skill that comes with experience. Right from the beginning the initial conversation is so important. Managing expectations is another. I tend to run through a list of questions with a new client about what they want from their project. Their answers can be very revealing.”
“Someone once told me that being an interior designer was just “about plumping cushions”. I love plumping cushions, thank you, because it means that a project is completed. Giving back the clients their home is a high for any designer. My strength throughout the project is keeping clients informed and managing their expectations, so no surprises. I do find it challenging however when a supplier doesn’t meet promised deadlines.
Being an interior designer is glamourous in the sense that you get to work with a variety of people in fabulous situations. The rest of the time it’s like any job, heads down and hard work! What’s the most unglamourous thing I’ve every done? That has to be changing the water in dehumidifiers in the middle of winter… not to be repeated!!
If I wasn’t an interior designer, I think I would be a mind-reader! That’s definitely a side-hussle this industry prepares you for!”
“Where do I get my inspiration from? Like most interior designers the first port of call is trade shows, then I add in a pinch of magazine information and opinions. I also like to watch shows like Britain’s Most Expensive Houses, Selling Sunset and Million Dollar Listings. But quite often I find that the home that I’m looking at as a potential project inspires me. In a previous life I was involved in photography and have a very visual mind as a result, I look at a space and can envisage what it could look like.”
“While part of Falchi Interiors’ signature is cohesive interiors, if every job were the same life would be very boring. It never ceases to amaze me that every project delivers surprises. For example, in a current project in West Sussex, things weren’t quite gelling for me. We were discussing ceilings and it crossed my mind to imagine tipping the house upside down. I looked at the different heights and pitches of the ceilings and considered how they sat together. There it was, we introduced beams throughout, bespoke stained or painted according to the finishes in the room. Perfect.”
“One of the most important things to get right is working with your contractors. By the time we start on a project, we have had many meetings and worked through tender packages together. A good working relationship will have been sealed and continues throughout the project. During the course of the project you will need to rely on each other: our role is to make sure everything we source is delivered on time and does not hold up the schedule of works.”
“Every job brings its challenges as well as its joys, but one of the most challenging I have been asked to do is to convert a Grade II property in Surrey into a HQ for an international cement production company. Their list of requirements exceeded the opportunities offered by the property! It wasn’t designed to hold a conference room, multiple offices, private dining room, chef’s facilities and an outdoor seating area overlooking the prize Koy Carp pond, but we succeeded in ticking all their boxes!”
“Is there any skill I wish I’d picked up earlier in my career? Yes, I wish I’d learnt AutoCAD. All my staff have this skill, so I really don’t need it, but it wasn’t a prerequisite when I started out.”
If you’ve ever considered working with an interior designer or have any queries regarding this career, email us at [email protected] and we’ll do our best to answer your questions.
