Studio Ames New York City Interior Design

How Interior Design Is Reshaping "Real Estate"

Residential

developments are continually popping up major cities across the country. This influx of shiny new homes also means plenty of potential interior design clients eager to create their dream space. But to turn buyers into clients, designers must first get on their radar.

One way to reach new homeowners is to get in on the ground floor—literally. Designing the building's lobby or a model apartment exposes a designer's work to both potential buyers and real estate agents. New York-based designer Kelly Behun of Kelly Behun Studio designed a model apartment for Rafael Viñoly's ultra-luxury 432 Park Avenue and found that the project exhibits her work in a whole new way. "It definitely brings your work to a wider audience," says Behun. "The work is marketed through a platform that your work with private clients isn't." She says that she saw a direct correlation between her work on 432 Park Avenue and new business, including landing a client in that building.

           Real Estate & Interior Design

Pablo Alfaro, a real estate agent at Douglas Elliman who works in New York City and Miami Beach, says he's also found that designers who work on developments often get hired by buyers in the building to design their new residences. For the Four Seasons Hotel at The Surf Club, the developers tapped Joseph Dirand to design the hotel, lobbies, and some of the residences. "That completely changed the image of the project," says Alfaro. "A lot of high-profile buyers hired him separately to design their to penthouses or condominiums."

Referrals from real-estate agents also allow designers to tap into the demographic. "I get very involved with clients and I often recommend local designers or designers from New York that they can work with," says Alfaro.
Behun also found that her work on the model apartment at 432 Park Avenue increased the number of broker recommendations she's received. "That is an important relationship to consider and mine," she says. "They are the people who are meeting potential clients."

                                  Modern Living Room

Alfaro stresses that designers keep the lifestyle of the city in mind. Many of the properties he sells are second or third homes, so buyers are looking for something different from what they might have in their primary residence.
It's also important to be able to move quickly. "It can be a deal killer if a designer says the project is going to take 12 months," Alfaro cautions. "I'm careful to recommend people who understand that. That's why sometimes a local designer might be the best way to go. They can source quickly and get it done quickly."

Another potential avenue is home staging, which puts a designer's work in front of potential buyers and their real estate agents without having to snag a competitive gig designing for development. Nicole Schiller and Michelle Goode of Niche Home Styling in Los Angeles added interior design services to their business after clients began requesting it. "They get into their new home and like what we did and want to bring that into their new space," says Goode. They estimate that interior design now accounts for 20 per cent of their business.

                 Modern Apartment

Meridith Baer of Meridith Baer Home also added an interior design department to her firm. "Our staged homes are all showcases, so it's a great way to bring in clients," she says.
If you aren't able to get your work in front of buyers in person, there's always the internet. Behun has found that having her work published continually drives business—even years later. "Buyers are more aware," she says. "They read shelter magazines. They're on Pinterest. They're watching Instagram. Being on those platforms and representing your work, that's an important way to be seen and known."

Modern Bathroom

Studio Ames New York City Interior Design

Source: https://interioglobal.com/how-interior-design-is-reshaping-real-estate/

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