Summertown Interiors

As we come to the final months of 2008, the outlook for the economy has become more uncertain. The debate among economists has changed from one of whether the economy will weaken, to one of how much it will weaken as we move toward the end of the year.

The commercial interior design sector is one area which may be impacted - it is perceived to some extent as a luxury-led industry –although everyone presumably needs a desk, chair, and the other basics of the office environment.

Market chatter has revealed that some interior designers are concerned about design being compromised in this financially tight context but I beg to differ!

Cost of green materials

Awareness of appropriate design and specification decisions has been steadily growing over these last few years. In many cases, this is driven by suppliers looking for commercial advantage in an increasingly green-aware society.

The current economic situation may make some of these more exclusive materials more accessible, as the market becomes more competitive, so this could possibly be a plus for those wanted to use such materials.

Demand for durable material

Secondly there is the issue of the increased demand for durable products in commercial interiors. While the economy is in its current state, people don’t want to repeatedly invest in furniture, so increasingly we are finding people opting for materials that they can rely upon for a longer period of time.

Space limitations

I think in this market we will see people opting for smaller offices, which is not always a negative for the commercial interior design sector. In some instances you can find that people will be more selective about the pieces that they buy. For more info, read our thoughts about space limitations in a previous blog.

Thinking outside the Box

This financially challenging situation might be the catalyst that we need to improve and evolve the profession. For far too often, we’ve seen big budget projects produce less than stellar commercial interior design. One could look at this opportunity as a way to separate the designers from the geniuses!

Space is certainly one thing we all could do with more of! Living in a city as busy as Dubai we have become accustom to clutter, whether that be the clutter of construction sites, cranes or road diversions— which certainly has kept us on our toes. We have not only gotten used to, but have come to expect, cramped and busy living. It may be safe to say that space is fast becoming a dwindling luxury in our growing city.

Unfortunately space issues have found their way into our homes and more recently our offices! With the shortage of available commercial space, and with what is available being rented and sold at astronomical rates, more and more corporations are opting to settle for less spacious offices which require resourceful interior design solutions.

Over recent months, and given the current economic downturn, space saving design has risen to the top of the fit-out solutions heap as it directly affects productivity and turnover! More businesses are making do with what they have by optimizing their current work space, by restructuring, rather than relocating to a space that fit their corporate needs.

Here are a few useful tips to optimize your fit-out investment: