PROFESSIONALINTERIORDESIGNER has been pondering this issue for few seconds….

What is the brand identity of professional interior design?

Essentially a brand is not a logo, or a color, or a product per se’. A brand is a memory. It is the mental vision, or “mentalization” of the entire experience one has with a product and/or service.

That experience could be positive or it could be terrible….obviously a positive brand identity is the desired outcome.

So when we try to envision our brand, the one for our profession, Professional Interior Design, the resultant mental image, at least for me, is very fuzzy. And those portions that are bit more in focus really have nothing to do with the profession. You know….the “interior design” as defined and promoted by HGTV and an ever-increasing number of on-line do-it-yourself “I just work up this morning and decided to start an on-line interior design blog cum interior design business”. At least that is how I see our brand. To say our brand is not really effective is an understatement.

Recently I have become aware of two highly polished videos promoting the effort of two very talented architects and their dream projects. What strikes me about these videos is that the message is clear, it is impactful and it is accessible. The Skyhouse project, although designed by Architect David Hodson, is despite his spin, an interior architecture/design project of the highest order.

SKYHOUSE- https://vimeo.com/57106369

The Private Library designed by architect Andrew Berman, is more of a traditional architecture project but here the interior space and the exterior space are inexorably linked. The exterior design becomes the interior design and vice versa. The progression from Landscape to Interior Architecture is seamless. Mr. Berman caught lighting in a bottle.

PRIVATE LIBRARY- https://vimeo.com/1696112

But I am not here to elaborate on the projects. What struck me is how these two videos left an impression on me as to the brand identity of these two architects. Both are eloquent and their projects are treated with respect. There is no drama…not even close. Anybody who watches these videos will get it.

If we demanded better of those who claim to represent us as a profession…maybe just maybe we could start promoting our abilities to create awe-inspiring interior design projects that will educate and inspire.

Seems to me to be a far better investment than several dozen lobbyists and lawyers whose goal it is to validate us via the law…..but then what do I know?