Residential interior design and commercial interior design share similarities, but they also have notable differences.You can find examples of residential and commercial interior design through companies such as Mon Interiors, a interior designer in Cheshire. The biggest difference between the two is the purpose of the space, so as long as you know what that purpose is, you can make sure your final product meets its needs. Here are five ways residential and commercial interior design differ.
Style
Properties can be divided into three categories: residential, commercial, and mixed-use. The two most obvious differences are that homes are residential property, which is typically one or two-story homes on smaller plots of land; commercial properties are made up of larger buildings such as warehouses or factories for rent; mixed-use properties include properties such as churches, schools, gymnasiums, swimming pools or city parks. The meaning is quite clear. A school would not make a good home, nor would a home work well in a factory setting. Each type of property has its own unique design needs and challenges to overcome when creating an interior space. In order to do so effectively, it’s important to understand how each type differs from another.
Materials
There are also differences in what types of materials you’ll need to use when designing different kinds of spaces. For example, furniture used in a commercial space will probably be sturdier than a residential space. This is because commercial spaces can see higher traffic volume and must be able to hold up against that traffic for many years. On top of that, commercial spaces are often rented out to multiple tenants throughout their lifespan. So, if your business is renting an office space, it might make sense to invest in sturdier pieces, so they last longer. If you’re working on a home interior design project, on the other hand, your goal may be for each piece to feel light and airy—so using lighter-weight furniture might make sense here.
Function
In residential design, you will provide creative solutions to people who are looking for a high-quality home that reflects their taste, style, and life circumstances. With commercial interior design services, you will address clients with very different concerns than those in residential design. In commercial spaces—offices, hotels, stores—you must always keep three main factors in mind: function (meaning how you can make a space work best), services (or more specifically what services your client needs from you), and what is possible within your budget.
Clientele
In residential design, a client is generally an individual homeowner or group of homeowners, who have hired an interior designer to decorate their home. Commercial interior designers tend to work with businesses rather than individuals. In some cases, they are brought in to consult on existing spaces and help make them more productive for their purposes. In other cases, commercial interior designers are brought in at ground level, creating a whole new space from conception to completion.
