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By Design: A Professional Team: The importance of a design team for property refurbishment
by Lori Hagen-Hulitt
Interior Design
Architectural Concepts, Inc.
Wear and tear, market trends and the unavoidable change of time bring the need for refurbishment to every property. Though there is more than a place for your property’s in-house facilities and maintenance teams, there comes a time to bring in professional design teams to keep your property at the top of the ratings. Along with updating, maintenance and replacement, often it is as simple as a fresh look and a whole new perspective from an industry professional.
A professional design team will offer many aspects to your refurbishment, renovation, or property addition. A few of the most important services that may be offered to you in the process may be:
Following project programming, including primary information provided by the property staff/owner, a thorough site evaluation will allow initial concepts to be developed & explored. Creating a solid foundation in the beginning will help determine the full scope of work and precisely where the project should begin and end. The evaluation can also help to establish if the project will require a phasing plan and/or development into an overall design master plan for the property. Design professionals will help provide options and alternatives to property conditions and identify items in need of repair or change.
Consider strongly where your property stands on the calendar for simple maintenance vs. overall refurbishment. Is it a time for replacement and updating of softgoods or casegoods only? Or is it a time that now requires both or more? Where do other major property improvements and renovations fall into this schedule, such as lobbies, corridors or other amenity areas & spaces? Also consider guest comment cards in all of this - what is most highly requested by guests to improve the level of their stay? Prioritizing will become necessary, approval and buy-in from property leaders and staff is essential, then schedule and budget are to be produced.
Concept and budget development can also be greatly affected by a thorough site evaluation. A simple example and place to start is the consideration of items to re-use, modify and/or replace in any given project. This one line item alone could help you save hundreds, if not, thousands of dollars. It is often invaluable to identify items that may be able extend the life of investments already made, while still accomplishing an updated environment. These items could widely vary depending on the decided scope of work: guest room casegoods could be refinished and new door pulls added; artwork and accessory items can be re-used or relocated; existing drapery can be re-dressed with a new valance or decorative curtain rod with a swaged sheer; an entire room can be changed simply by adding an accent wall to a room. Be realistic in considering all goals hoped to be fulfilled, the lifespan hoped to achieve, and the budget as well as the property’s refurbishment schedule.
Confirm the property’s theming & branding strategy. Depending on the scale of the project and if it is a small refurbishment vs. a major remodel, it is important that theming and property branding be stated accurately. Regardless of the current project on the board, guests should be able to count on a particular image stated throughout your property, regardless of their location. Ultimately it is important that a design consistency be developed to create an overall ambiance and quality property.
Guests have become well traveled and design savvy. They pay more attention to design aesthetic and small detail than in years past, thus making those special touches more important than ever before. Consider what it takes to span the gap between renovations, while focusing on concerns such as practicality, durability, affordability and uncompromising design. A design professional’s technical capability, product knowledge and commitment to exceed industry standards, requirements and product uses/limitations can help create the most of each space.
Technical skill and code knowledge applied by your designer can help the property with some of today’s more sensitive issues. The building department may require particular conditions to be updated depending on the extent of work included in the scope. A few items that should be addressed in new construction and renovations whenever possible are fair housing guidelines, ADA requirements & upgrades, clearances and adjacencies (for example, entrance ramps, parking, and all clearances at doors, knee spaces, walkways, etc.) and specialized items requiring permits (i.e. structural, mechanical, electrical and plumbing). Technical and code items flow down the project list, each in need of evaluation by your designer in order to specify product and materials fittingly. Your designer will assure that specified finishes and furnishings meet required codes pertaining to their specific application. Whether the items pertain to fire codes for smoke and burn tests or furniture and casework being constructed according the commercial guidelines, an experienced design team will specify items that surpass the design goals while complying with all required codes.
Architects and Certified Interior Designers are state licensed and certified in their field. Though basic knowledge is gained in school, expertise is gained through highly dedicated hands on experience generating construction documents under senior professionals, by working directly with contractors and related trades, and from working closely with individual representatives of various materials and products (Finishes, Furnishings, Fixtures and Equipment). Pride is taken for looking at the complete picture, no matter how large or small the project, to largely accomplish design and continuity for a successful project.
With a minimum of mentioned items combined, your professional design team will help you achieve a suitably fashioned environment that your guests and staff will feel proud to be part of. Keep your property among the most desired and a true destination guests will want to return to for years to come. Allow your project to be carefully calculated into an implemented equation to transcend your guests into a priceless experience.