You have probably heard the expressions, "Designing from the outside in" or "Designing from the inside out." Both have commonly been used to represent a philosophy of design and what you hear depends on from whom you hear it. The fact is that the exterior affects the interior and the interior effects the exterior, and the middle ground happens to be clients and their intended uses for the space. Unfortunately, interior design historically has been considered icing on the cake, rather than an aspect that should be dealt with from the onset of a project. A building might be enticing on the outside, but does it accommodate the needs of the client by utilizing space to its best advantage, in a way that expresses their unique personality or corporate identity?

As a professional interior designer, how often have you entered a project at the framing stage, only to discover major problems affecting the interior, problems that would have been easily remedied or corrected had interior design considerations been included from the beginning? How many buildings have you encountered where there is not enough room to accommodate the most basic functions your client needs to achieve in a particular space? How many structures have you encountered where space is wasted or it is difficult to establish workable seating arrangements because of corridors, doorways, windows, fireplaces, focal points etc.? How many times have you played a political balancing act in order to represent the best interests of your client, while trying not to step on the toes of other professionals involved in the project in order to get important design elements corrected?

There is a way to avoid these problems. It is a relatively new trend within the building industry called design-build, which attempts to address the issues of integrating a job from beginning to end. It has developed in an effort to reduce expenses and construction costs, while providing realistic budgets and continuity throughout a project. This method, when implemented, facilitates a smooth progression during a project by integrating architecture, engineering, construction, interiors and landscaping. When a design-build team is created, a team interested in working together for the benefit of the client, there is a distinct advantage. The expertise and experience of qualified individuals are available to address every aspect of the project in unison, rather than each service working independently. This method instills a checks-and-balance system to create a project with few surprises along the way. It also allows each entity the time necessary to address solutions to problems in advance, rather than "under-the-gun" during construction. And, most importantly, these specialists will be working from the onset to provide the client with a fully designed, totally integrated project.

In theory, no building should be presented for bid until all the exterior and interior elements are completely designed to include a site plan, foundation, framing, exterior materials, architectural details, plumbing, wiring, lighting, cabinetry details, finish selections, space planning, furnishings and even accessories.

Individuals are always searching for the highest quality at the lowest price. But, how can one really know what the final costs will be or if the bid is truly an "apples-to-apples" comparison if every aspect of the project is not considered? Allowances are often made for basic materials, when what a client really wants are high-end products and materials. Landscaping can also add a pretty penny to any project. Add to this to the fact that a project can run over an original estimate because of increases in materials and labor, especially if it is delayed, and you can see how quickly a project can overrun a budget because all things were not considered at the outset.