Architecture & Interior Design: A Harmonious Partnership

It’s no secret that our firm values good trade partnerships. Our recent social media campaign and last blog post paid tribute to the many professionals we’ve had the pleasure of working with over the years. These relationships are crucial to the success of a project, and while everyone plays a significant role, the connection forged between the architect and interior designer is key to the form and function of a space. They need to be on the same page lest a home looks disjointed or out of place, certainly not something a homeowner is looking for when renovating or building a new house.

There are many similarities between the role of an architect and an interior designer, but there are also significant distinctions. Architects are responsible for creating and sculpting a space, while interior designers manipulate a space to be both useful and aesthetically pleasing.

At Slocum Hall, we recommend choosing these team members when first considering a renovation or new build. When an architect and interior designer collaborate from the beginning, it benefits the budget, timeline, and overall cohesiveness of the project. This is true whether they are from the same firm or different companies.

Slocum Hall has in-house interior design services to assist owners with the selection of tile, lighting, decorative finishes, millwork design, kitchen design, and furniture specification. However, some clients prefer to work with an outside interior designer, like our project on Bellevue. We partnered with Grant Larkin, who worked with our client to select fabrics, colors, art, and décor, and helped to infuse the finished product with an elevated aesthetic, worthy of the home’s history. We love the process of working alongside fellow design professionals with a shared vision for the outcome of the project. Slocum Hall is not a re-seller of wholesale goods, so we do not work with custom fabrics and furnishings. When this service is needed, we recommend that our clients bring in an outside design team.

Partnering with outside designers from the start ensures that their finishes and details appear in our architectural plans and contractors can accurately price and construct their vision. Our own interiors team acts as a liaison between the interior designer and the architectural and construction team, assuring a smooth process, clear communications, and a beautiful outcome for the homeowner.

Our Bellevue project is a great example of the extraordinary results that can happen when we collaborate with a professional interior design team from the beginning of a project. They are artfully sculpted spaces, meeting, if not exceeding, the owners’ vision for form, function, and a beautiful home in which to live.