Let us preface this article by saying all of us at Creative Style Furniture are thinking about all of you during this difficult and uncertain time. We hope you are staying safe and healthy, and we look forward to seeing you again when this is all over.
We know this topic can be stressful, so we’ve opted to include these gorgeous and hopefully calming photos of some furniture we created in this beach house project. Designer: Sherrell Neal, Founder & Principal of Sherrell Design studio. Image courtesy of Sherrell Design Studio.
The circumstances with COVID-19 are changing daily and all of us are feeling the effects as the virus continues to spread throughout our communities. The coronavirus has business in all industries paralyzed and in disarray, including the interior design industry. Events have been canceled or postponed, business have closed their doors, and Stay Home/Work Safe orders have been placed throughout the world. We’re likely to feel the effects of the coronavirus for a long time to come, but there are things we can do now to cope, measures you can take to get a sense of normalcy back into your business and potentially changes you can make to your business interior to help prevent the spread of viruses and diseases.
Image courtesy of Sherrell Design Studio
Virtual Design is the New Normal
By now, most of us have probably moved out of the panicking phase of quarantine and have found our footing managing work/life balance. Keeping projects moving, maintaining client relationships and meeting deadlines in distinctly different circumstances is presenting difficult challenges for most of us. Online conference platforms like Zoom, Skype and Microsoft Teams have become the new normal and suddenly, all interior design is e-design. Managing “real life” tasks in a virtual setting is tricky, but not impossible, and in fact, many design professionals have started offering, and may continue offering, virtual design consultations. The good news is that a lot of the processes and components that go into driving interior design projects can be handled in a virtual setting. For instance, mood boards, floor plans and paint and fabric swatches are all components that can easily be discussed virtually to ensure projects continue moving forward while we’re all sheltering in place. In the instance that a swatch or print needs to be approved in person, the postal service is still up and running and can get the item to your client for approval in about the same time frame as usual.
Reevaluate Your Work and Purpose
The new normal means accepting the fact that things may never quite be back to “normal,” or at least back to the way they were before the virus. Some of us in the design community may be reevaluating our approach to design for large communal spaces like airports, restaurants, gyms, offices and hospitals. One change in offices we might expect is a decline in open-concept work spaces in exchange for buildings that equally offer secluded, private offices as well as thoughtful, collaborative spaces. Some offices may opt to allow more of their employees to continue working from home due to the numerous benefits such as greater productivity, improved work relationships and fewer work/family conflicts, not to mention the money saved on affording office space and supplies.
Another change we might see is a change in the type of furniture placed in public spaces. We may start to see a decline in the amount of upholstered furnishings, drapery and carpet in exchange for furniture that can be easily cleaned, sterilized and thus void of viruses and bacteria like terrazzo or epoxy flooring, aluminum or stainless steel seating or copper and brass hardware because of their antimicrobial properties.
Image courtesy of Sherrell Design Studio
Resources Abound
If you’re looking for more detailed information regarding managing your business, leading your team or finding inspiration, the ASID website is full of useful information including resources and links, webinars and virtual learning courses as well as answers to frequently asked questions. Click here for more information. Financial assistance is available for many small business, those who are self-employed or small business employees seeking financial assistance through the U.S Small Business Administration. Click here to learn more.
Image courtesy of Sherrell Design Studio
Keep Your Business Visible
We have no way or predicting what exactly the outcome of this pandemic will be, and most of repercussions are out of our control. Some of the things we can do to keep our businesses, products and services visible and afloat during these uncertain times are the same as they’ve always been. Keeping in touch with your clients is crucial now more than ever. Checking on your clients, business partners and suppliers to let them know you’re still operational and here for whatever they may need. Right now, no job is too small. Varying your services and creating different price-points is another great way to ensure your business remains accessible to customers who may be experiencing some financial impacts during this time. And finally, continuing to market your business is important now more than ever. Continue to post your products and services on social media as this is great way to market yourself while also keeping in touch with your customers. If you have the budget to plan marketing campaigns you’ll continue to be visible to potential customers as well as other design professionals you may be able to collaborate with.
There are very few people whose lives haven’t been and won’t continue to be affected by the virus and it’s consequences in the weeks, months and potentially years ahead. Let’s all remember that however we’re handling, or not handling, quarantine and all of it’s daily ups and downs is perfectly okay and good enough. We’re here for you if you need anything. Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our team for anything you might need.
