Your Guide to Commercial Interior Design in NZ

Unless you’re in the commercial interior design business like Zhoosh is, it’s not always easy to know what it involves and its importance in the retail industry in New Zealand. Most people are aware of the importance of building a strong foundation for a commercial structure, but its interior design might not be something you factor in until much later.

If you’re involved in a commercial construction project or own a retail business needing a facelift, now might be the right time to learn about interior design. You can then start planning your shop’s layout and style with confidence.

What is Interior Design?

Understanding commercial interior design in New Zealand requires you to understand interior design in general. In essence, it combines art and science to enhance a building’s interior for health and aesthetics.

Typically, those involved in the interior design process will plan, research, coordinate, and manage the entire project from an initial idea to the final product. They will also be involved in space planning, site inspection, research, stakeholder communication, and construction management to ensure everything’s on track.

What is Commercial Interior Design?

Commercial interior design follows along the same lines as general interior design but with a focus on business. Typically, interior designers for commercial companies will be involved in the design of hotels, offices, retail spaces, malls, libraries, restaurants, and more.

Commercial interior designers will be tasked with the important job of creating safe, functional, and appealing spaces by making sure lighting, wall décor, colours, furniture, and details all work in harmony.

Commercial interior design gained importance in the mid to late 19th century when middle-class people wanted spaces that reflected their new statuses and wealth. Interior designers then transitioned from homes into businesses and began working with construction teams to provide an all-incorporated service.

What Do Commercial Interior Designers Do?

Before hiring a commercial interior designer in NZ, it’s essential to understand what they do and how they can help you transform your commercial space.

Commercial interior designers draw layouts and plans that contractors can work from to bring your ideas to life. They also ensure structures meet relevant building codes and even make structural decisions by collaborating with contractors and engineers.

Commercial interior designers are also people-focused. They will discuss your budget with you, work within it, and arrange site visits to get client feedback.

What Skills Do Commercial Interior Designers Have?

Commercial interior designers have a wide range of skills, which can give business owners much-needed peace of mind if they’re unsure if they need to hire someone to assist with revamping their commercial space.

Their organisation is one of their most valuable skills. They can conceptualise a client’s vision and put steps in place to have it turned into reality within a specific timeframe.

They’re also the masters of time management as they can stick to deadlines, allocate time slots to tasks, and make sure particular activities are completed to a high standard when you expect them to be.

Their creativity knows no bounds, either. They can create drawings and designs from your ideas and their own and bring them to life with the help of their team. They do this while having incredible attention to detail, which involves working within the confines of permits, building codes, and local rules and regulations.

What Are the Five Phases of Commercial Design?

The five phases of commercial design incorporate discovery, programming, schematic design, construction, and post-construction.

Discovery

• Information gathering – from clients, managers, employees, and customers
• Client consultation to establish the schedule and plan
• Develop initial concepts

Programming

• Determine the scope of the project based on client preferences
• Evaluate building code requirements
• Establish a budget

Schematic Design

• Develop plans, layouts, and construction materials
• Make final recommendations
• Submit proposals to clients for consent

Construction

• The designer becomes the project manager
• Collaboration between different departments
• Make sure all elements are within budget and to the necessary standards

Post-construction

• Interior designer confirms that all tasks have been completed
• Ensure space is functional
• Confirm the client is happy

Benefits of Hiring a Commercial Interior Designer in NZ

It’s not always easy to know if it’s worth your time to hire a commercial interior designer in NZ, but you’ll likely be pleased you did when you do.

Commercial interior designers can reduce stress levels by allowing you to carry on with your everyday tasks. They can also ensure your project is kept within budget and even perform the work quicker than you could yourself. You might also enjoy getting an outside perspective of your space, particularly if you’re stuck for ideas on how you can transform your business interior.

Hire the Commercial Interior Design Experts Today

Building a commercial structure from the ground up is just one of many essential stages in a retail business’s development. If you’re unsure how to bring maximum value to your new or existing business, hiring reputable NZ commercial interior design experts like Zhoosh might be worth your consideration.

FAQs

What are the five phases of commercial design, and how do they contribute to the successful completion of a project?

The five phases of commercial design are discovery, programming, schematic design, construction, and post-construction. These phases contribute to the successful completion of a project by ensuring that all aspects of the design process are thoroughly planned and executed.

How can commercial interior designers help transform a retail space?

Commercial interior designers can help transform a retail space by drawing layouts and plans that contractors can work from to bring a client's ideas to life while ensuring that structures meet relevant building codes and making structural decisions by collaborating with contractors and engineers.