LIFE AS AN INTERIOR DESIGNER IN KENYA

John Kyalo, an interior designer in Kenya, Design Forty Limited.

Within the dynamic field of design, designers create spaces that are both aesthetically pleasing and functional. Every carefully chosen space has a backstory full of creativity, passion and limitless opportunities. In a recent interview, John Kyalo, an interior designer, shared his experience in his personal life while following this career path.  He took me through his roles and responsibilities as well the advantages and the challenges that come with a designer’s career.

John has a Bachelor’s Degree in Interior Design which has equipped him with prowess in landscape design, interior architecture, furniture and exhibition and display. At its core, interior design is the ability to solve problems by redesigning places, creating spaces and evoking feelings through aesthetics.  In addition to being practical problem solvers, interior designers wear several hats. 

John’s responsibilities at Design Forty Limited include:

1. Conceptualization of designs:  From initial sketches to detailed mood boards, he turns abstract ideas to complete functional designs according to the client’s wants and preferences.
2. Collaborating with clients: John collaborates closely with Design Forty clients to understand their needs, preferences and budget. This enables him to turn their vision into reality while offering expert guidance and creative solutions.
3. Material selection: As an interior designer, John selects a palette of textures, colours and finishes that work well with the design concept and create a unified aesthetic design.
4. Site analysis: Before coming up with sketches and moodboards, John visits the site to take photos, take measurements and have a clear picture of the space.

John during a recent site visit

I also had the privilege to learn about the perks that come with being an interior designer in Kenya.

They are as follows:

The ability to express oneself

“This, to me, is the best part of being creative. You let your work speak for you and your beliefs, through the designs you create. It is relaxing to the soul and brings about a sense of fulfillment which inspires you to keep on keeping on. It is a nice escape,” John says.

The ability to freelance

As an interior designer in Kenya, John is able to do freelance projects on the side and get a few coins to sustain himself. Freelancing in the beginning was not a walk in the park  for him though. It was disheartening due to a couple of reasons; finding clients is an extremely difficult task, successfully joining freelancing sites is like trying to fit a camel through the hole of a needle and it is also not a stable source of income. However, John’s experience at Design Forty Limited has helped him build a strong portfolio making it a bit easy to navigate and get clients.

Steady demand

Design is timeless. No matter what technology comes up, people still need houses to live in and spaces to work in. For this reason, an interior designer is always a valuable person. As an interior designer, there is something to do at all times.

 It is well-paying

Who would not want to be successful in this capitalist world? It is actually an essential in this modern-day world. Well, if you are looking at design as a career, this is an advantage. In the words of John, “I am just beginning my career professionally but there are many people I look up to. From what I have seen, with the right connections and strong portfolio, you will land the right job and begin your success journey immediately. It may take some time but eventually, it pays off.”

Interior designing improves time management skills

Working as a creative, time is one of the most important factors.  Interior designers in Kenya are always working with deadlines and strict timelines.  John explained to me that no one plans his schedule for him other than himself, especially if he is working on a solo project. If one is not careful, work time will easily creep in their free time and before you know it, you are always working. As one grows their  experience in design, managing time becomes one of their strongholds.

Design Forty Company strives to create a conducive environment for all the employees to feel appreciated and motivated. However, work life cannot be all roses. Like any profession, interior design has its own challenges. John shared the few interior design challenges he faces and how he is able to overcome and mitigate them.

The challenges John faces as an interior designer are:

John creating doodles while listening to music

Having creative blocks

There comes a time as a designer where you have the inability to access your internal creativity and it is mostly caused by fear of imperfection. Sometimes, the demand is too much or too high and there are deadlines to meet. “ When this happens to me, I just take a break from reality to reconnect with myself through creating doodles while listening to music, exploring nature and taking a walk. It restarts me and gives me fresh ideas  and inspiration,” John says. 

Dealing with multiple deadlines

Commercial  Interior Design is a very fast paced and high pressure industry. It gets really hectic because as an individual, one could be working on multiple projects at the same time. Each project has its own deadline that has to be met. 

In order to mitigate that, John avoids distractions as much as possible to enable him to achieve the intended . He makes a schedule to outline the order in which he will do projects. He also takes ten minutes before starting any work to strategize and give himself personal deadlines. This really helps him get a straight line of thought and saves a lot of time which in turn allows him to meet all the deadlines.

Balancing a social life and a work life 

“I work five out of seven days a week, a typical 8-5 job and I live by one principle, ‘you should not take your work home’,” John says. This however may prove challenging to achieve.  Projects may become cumbersome and difficult to complete within the stipulated time. In order to finish everything while in the office, John extends and works overtime to enable him not to work at home. Home should be a sanctuary of peace where you relax and spend quality time with family or with yourself. This helps one rejuvenate and  go to the office with a fresh mind.

Project Interruptions due to Software Crashes and Power Outages

An interior designer in Kenya heavily relies on computer-aided design software and digital tools to create floor plans, renderings and design presentations. However, software crashes and power outages can disrupt workflow and lead to potential loss of project data, resulting in delays and frustration for both designers and clients. Since there are backups that are already in place and UPS supply in the office, the best way to mitigate this as an employee is developing procedures for saving and organizing project files to ensure recovery  in case of data loss. It also helps a lot when John communicates proactively with clients about potential technical challenges and plans to manage expectations and build trust.

Keeping Up with Trends

Continuous learning through research and analysis

In the fast paced world of interior design, trends evolve rapidly, presenting a challenge for interior designers to stay relevant and innovative. With new materials, colour schemes and design concepts emerging regularly, it is very essential to remain updated without compromising the integrity of the design. In order to keep up with trends, John is always on a journey of continuous learning. He dedicates his time to do research and this helps him to be aware of trends. There is endless information on the internet on platforms like Instagram, Pinterest, YouTube, TikTok and online blogs that are useful to designers. Therefore, research goes a long way. However, it is paramount that John employs the timeless principles of design and understands a client’s preferences.

The take home message is, interior design is a collaborative journey that involves a lot of creativity and innovation. It’s about creating spaces that leave a lasting impression in the minds of those who see them. As much as there are a few drawbacks to interior design, it is vital to embrace these challenges as opportunities for growth and innovation. With perseverance and adaptability, interior designers can turn obstacles into stepping stones towards success. 

That was John’s take of his life as an interior designer in Kenya . What is yours? Let us know Contact us here.