What are the best ways to present material options to clients?

As a commercial interior designer, you know how important it is to communicate your vision and ideas to your clients. But how do you present the material options that will bring your design to life? Choosing the right materials can make or break a project, but showing them to your clients can be challenging. In this article, we will explore some of the best ways to present material options to clients, from physical samples to digital tools.

1 Physical samples

One of the most traditional and effective ways to present material options to clients is to use physical samples. Physical samples allow your clients to touch, feel, and see the materials in person, which can help them to appreciate their quality, texture, and color. Physical samples can also help you to create a mood board or a sample board, where you can arrange different materials together to show how they will look and work in your design. Physical samples are especially useful for materials that have a lot of variation, such as natural stone, wood, or fabric.

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Léna Macé

Interior Designer, Art Advisor
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First let's be curious! Sampling is an essential part of each and every design process, to offer a very unique selection of materials. Keep growing the materials library by dedicating real time and effort in searching for new materials. This includes visiting craftsmen's workshops, exploring art, design fairs and museums, discovering new applied techniques from the industry, getting samples from many different suppliers and organizing the display of the physical samples.

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Asad Zaidi

Creating luxe interiors in posh urban settings
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I think this is the best way to present to a client. Sample books of drapery, tiles, upholstery etc are better for clients to see and feel. It gives a much better idea of what the result will be like.

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2 Digital tools

Another way to present material options to clients is to use digital tools, such as software, apps, or websites. Digital tools can help you to create realistic and interactive visualizations of your design, where you can show how different materials will look in different lighting, angles, and settings. Digital tools can also help you to compare and contrast different material options, and to share them with your clients easily and conveniently. Digital tools are especially useful for materials that have a lot of options, such as paint, wallpaper, or flooring.

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Asad Zaidi

Creating luxe interiors in posh urban settings
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Amazing renderings are a very good way to present to a client. We make real life renders and walkarounds so that clients can actually be immersed in the space being designed.

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3 Material libraries

A third way to present material options to clients is to use material libraries. Material libraries are collections of physical or digital samples that you can access from various sources, such as manufacturers, suppliers, or online platforms. Material libraries can help you to discover new and innovative materials, and to find the best match for your design. Material libraries can also help you to save time and money, as you don't have to order or purchase every sample yourself. Material libraries are especially useful for materials that have a lot of diversity, such as metal, glass, or plastic.

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Asad Zaidi

Creating luxe interiors in posh urban settings
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Yes adding this along with the above adds to the presentation. Vendors make really nice books that can be shown to clients to see and feel in the material variety.

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4 Client feedback

A fourth way to present material options to clients is to ask for their feedback. Client feedback can help you to understand your clients' preferences, needs, and expectations, and to adjust your design accordingly. Client feedback can also help you to build trust and rapport with your clients, and to make them feel involved and valued in the design process. Client feedback can be obtained in various ways, such as surveys, interviews, or meetings. Client feedback is especially useful for materials that have a lot of impact, such as furniture, lighting, or accessories.

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Léna Macé

Interior Designer, Art Advisor
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In order to get the best client feedback, the process of specifying the materials needs to be very precise. Furthermore selecting directly thanks to every insight the client gives whether in formal or informal meetings is key to the most comprehensive feedback. Getting to know my client's likes and dislikes without trying to impose my own taste, is essential to a successful specifying process.

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5 Professional advice

A fifth way to present material options to clients is to offer your professional advice. Professional advice can help you to guide your clients towards the best material choices for their project, based on your expertise, experience, and knowledge. Professional advice can also help you to explain the benefits and drawbacks of different materials, and to justify your design decisions. Professional advice can be given in various forms, such as reports, presentations, or proposals. Professional advice is especially useful for materials that have a lot of complexity, such as technical, functional, or sustainable materials.

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6 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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Léna Macé

Interior Designer, Art Advisor
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Here is my personal story as an interior designer for commercial projects. It starts with great ideas. All of us have our own perspectives. How to determine which of the solutions are really impactful? and how to come to a mutual understanding? I invite the client to dive into concrete situations. I organize a real life experiencing of the materials. To be able to do that, I have to be creative. Take the clients to special places that are relevant to the client's needs. The key is to have the clients themselves exploring the materials with their own senses through experiences. These all immersive experiences give the most profound and reliable impact on the decision making process.

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What are the best ways to present material options to clients?

1

2

3

4

5

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1 Physical samples

2 Digital tools

3 Material libraries

4 Client feedback

5 Professional advice

6 Here’s what else to consider

Commercial Interiors

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What are the best ways to present material options to clients?

1

2

3

4

5

6

1 Physical samples

2 Digital tools

3 Material libraries

4 Client feedback

5 Professional advice

6 Here’s what else to consider

Commercial Interiors

Rate this article

Thanks for your feedback

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