INTD 55 business practicessetting up a design studio

setting up a design studio

•where do I want to work?•what is an appropriate space in which you will be most productive?•where do you want to meet your clients?•how do you want to work with your staff?

evaluating a location

•is it close to my market?•are there sufficient potential clients with adequate income levels to support a design firm?•how much competition is there?•how do I feel about making this area my home for the next 10 years?•what is the quality of the area’s schools & cultural resources?•is there good police & fire protection?•is there affordable housing available for both management & staff?•what is the quality and cost of the available staffing?

evaluating a location

•what is the quality of the business climate?•does my business conform to the zoning within this area?•what are the taxes?•are merchandise and materials readily available?•can my clients get the contractors they need?•am I able to get the warehousing I need, or can I supply it myself?•how will I be able to process the jobs in this location?•do I have the appropriate traffic flow?•is this a good neighborhood for visibility?

evaluating a building

•is the building physically suitable for a design business?•does the exterior reflect my design image? Can it be adjusted within a reasonable range to suit?•is there an opportunity to use some type of display or image-attracting signage?•what is the cost of purchase or lease?•can I design a space that is of value to our use, or am I paying for a lot of real estate that I will never be able to use?•how will the building hold up over the next 10 years?•is the space flexible? Can we grow or shrink according to our needs?•is it a pleasant place?

evaluating a building

•what kind of history does the building have? What kind of business was there before? Did it do well?•is it a safe environment for both my employees & my customers?•is it a stable neighborhood?•is the building easily accessible for my clients? can they find it? parking?•does the interior layout correlate with my design firm objectives? Will it be easy to adapt?•is the lighting good?•what is the condition of the HVAC?

equipping your office

business equipment & supplies do not sell design so keep these as minimal as possible

•computer•scanner•printer/plotter•CAD system/software•large monitor•tablet—portability•digital camera•accounting software

an interior design library collection

•computer•vendor catalogs (online)•price lists (online)•textbooks & reference books•professional journals & periodicals•research & reference reports•clippings & tear sheets•fabric samples•carpets•wood & finish sample chips•paint chips & wallcovering samples•lighting catalogs