If there’s one thing I cannot stand is sloppy craftsmanship.

A good general contractor is someone who knows how to build millwork, install floors or paint a space properly.

But sometimes, they can run into trouble, and build a poor product.

But, some designers simply don’t see or understand if something is built installed poorly or not.

That comes with experience & education.

Experience is the “on the job training” we often tell our younger interns and junior designers at our work studio. These years of exposure and job training are what and how to identify these inaccuracies and bad projects from our GC friends.

Yes, I said friends.

The interior designer who isn’t “friends” with the GC, is one who is going to lock horns daily with that person and I will say it out load…will cause project delays.

A good designer works with the general contractor. They are the experts in the construction realm. And as interior designers we must know our place, its certainly not “means & methods”… which means we don’t tell the GC how to build it. That’s their job. But a good or experienced interior designer can help resolve a detail of installation issue. That is our job.

Education is paramount.

Any good designer will tell you the education that they received from their respective university or college exposed them to most elements of the design process.

But not all.

A good education for designers is one that simply builds their foundation for project success and helps the designer understand where to get information for their clients when needed. This is putting it very simply but it helps them understand the players in their ID world.

In a broad and better education, we learn history of design, styles and technology. We learn about business practices and what is ethical and what is not. We learn about budget responsibility and the impacts on the environments for not only the inhabitants of the spaces we are design for, but the world they live in. The “Green” and planetary impact is one we all must recognize.

Education and a strong curriculum from university will give the ID student exposure to details and lessons in quality for construction.

So, with these two very important elements of a designer’s career, experience & education are the two strong holds for that interior designer to understand what is built correctly and what is not. And hopefully how to resolve the issue.

Anthony Waters RID, TAID, ASID