Selecting the Perfect Furniture
Not all clients consider the benefits of having the architect also serve as the primary interior designer for a project. There are a numerous benefits, that range from comprehensive design aesthetics to understanding how all the details come together – to create well-rounded and thoughtfully designed project.
CHARACTER + AESTHETIC
Having the architect serve as the lead furniture designer/selector has many benefits for a client. First, the architect generally sets the overall design idea for a project, so they know exactly what pieces of furniture match the design aesthetics they were intending for a space. Likewise, they can better choose pieces that fit a space well. For example, a round space could benefit from round furniture pieces to accentuate the characteristics of a room
STYLE + CONSISTENCY
The same quality holds true for picking out furniture fabrics in a project. If the architect is the lead designer in the this area, they can choose patterns + colors that again match the overall feel + style of your project. This allows the furniture to work well with other pieces, has colors, and patterns that feel cohesive and additionally fit well within a space.
FINANCIAL BENEFITS
Beyond the aesthetic benefits a project gains financially from having the architect as the lead interior designer. The architect is uniquely positioned to be a natural non-biased party in the selection of furniture as they do not represent specific manufacturers or have financial stake in pushing new products or those that may have a higher margin of profit for a vendor. The architect, can compare multiple vendors that offer similar products to help clients pick furniture that both matches their budget and project style.
Architects can therefore help owners put together competitive solicitations for quotations, where they can then issue to multiple furniture vendors for competitive quotes. This process helps to assure owners get the best possible pricing and the creates amount of flexibility in choosing what furniture to purchase for their project, and helps their dollar stretch further.
DAKOTA COUNTY | PLEASANT HILL LIBRARY
Kodet Architectural Group recently conducted this process with Dakota County for their Pleasant Hill Library in Hastings, MN. The project features over 50 unique furniture families, each selected to match the architecture of the project and unique fabric selected to match the overall, “autumn leaves” color theme of the library. The variety of furniture pieces is intended to give patrons of the library the greatest variety of seating options. This will serve the library well long-term, to ensure there is always various spaces available to meet the needs of every individual, families, groups, young and old regardless of abilities to create a welcoming and inclusive space for the community.
