How to Make a Great First Impression With Your Interiorscape Design

First impressions are important. As the saying confirms, “You’ll never get a second chance to make a first great impression.”

From 3 to 10 seconds—it takes just a quick glance for someone to evaluate and form an opinion based on appearance, body language, demeanor, mannerisms, and the type of clothing worn. And confirmation of this understanding is proven by the energy that goes into our looks before we leave home, as well as the amount of time placed on the upkeep of our wardrobe.

In the world of design, it is no different. Take, for instance, the lobby of a building, the place for first impressions in any company. To walk into a hotel lobby and exclaim, “I love this hotel,” it’s obvious the designers on this project achieved their goal. And it’s no small feat.

Elements of Interior Design

The majority of people are not truly aware of the intent and work placed in the creation of interior designs. For most, dissecting all the attributes found in the interior is not on their radar. Features such as colors, wallpaper texture, lighting, furniture layout and style, flooring type, accent rugs, accessories, window coverings, artwork, and of course, plants all fuse into a wonderful experience that speaks to all their senses at once. A bank lobby might reflect you can trust us, whereas a design studio lobby might boldly state, come in and watch us create. In other words, all these design elements contribute to the consumers’ instantaneous first impression of the company from the very first time they walk into the lobby.

Everything is important when it comes to the flow of design, that it matches and complements for an amazing impression. Unfortunately, many times, the opposite happens. Many travelers understand the trials of hotel hopping—walking into a hotel lobby tired, weary, and ready for a soft bed, only to turn around and go back out the door. Something just didn’t feel good and a negative reaction took place. This does not go over well and probably will be the first and last time the traveler enters that hotel.

There could have been many reasons the lobby wasn’t a hit. Sometimes it is just the simple failure to understand the key elements of design necessary for positive responses. Whatever the reason, the bottom line is that interior design is important for first impressions. It goes even further than that these days with social media constantly on the scene. Negative experiences are promptly displayed instantly all over the world, or people simply don’t bother to share their experiences because there is nothing to talk about. Both can prove fatal to any business.

Harmonizing With Nature in Design

Plants, as we all know in our industry, give people something to talk about. The role plants play in overall design can be subtle, but vitally important to the look and feel of any environment. I have seen many hotel lobbies that are extremely contemporary with a clean, serene look, but however cool the lobby design might be, neglecting to include plants excludes a very important element in design—biophilia.

Part of understanding design is understanding biophilia. The WELL Building Standard utilizes information from many biophilic studies that show how human beings are drawn toward situations that make them feel good. These studies explain how plants can connect the beneficial aspects of nature to us inside our environment. It’s actually very simple. We need to use the earth, the way she naturally flows with life, in designs to keep ourselves in balance.

In contemporary spaces, a simple plant in a sleek, modern planter can go a long way. Or group several together in a rectangular container with rocks at the base. Though modest, these accents bring warmth and life to stark, cold spaces. Without plants, rooms feel uninviting to people on a subconscious level, but thoughtfully placed greens beckon us in. They satisfy our psyche’s innate need for nature’s beauty, even in the most refined interiors.

Another great attribute of plants is to help fill the vertical gap—that corner or empty space disconnected from the rest of the design. Furniture is all at a certain height in a room, and a tall specimen plant in the right decorative container fills the void from ceiling to floor. There is nothing else that can achieve this so perfectly than plant life. When all is done properly, the results are magical.

The Art of Making a Lasting First Impression

Now, as you go out, pay attention to your surroundings and see what flows and what is missing. As an interiorscaper, it can be so powerful to bring this knowledge to your clients. In today’s designs, we must always remember less is more and, just like anything else in design, using fewer but meaningful pieces is key. By working with the design community on projects, we can produce impressive environments, bringing a collaboration of respect into their world. The overall achievement is to make a lasting first impression on clients, and interiorscape design is a natural progression gaining worldwide recognition for the part it plays in the process.

The power of plants, as I have been saying for 35 years, is that they are the least expensive part of interiorscape design; however, they can have the most impact. How’s that for ROI?