Victoria Horobin, BAA, ARIDO, IDC, NCIDQ

Principal
KBH Interior Design, Toronto
CIDA Board of Directors

Expertise/Specializations/Interests: private and public sector commercial design, interior design advocacy, and regulation

What is the highest and best purpose of interior design?

Interior design is about fulfilling individual and group needs and goals within a given space, and creating an environment which achieves these while being functional, safe, and aesthetically pleasing.

We deal with the health safety and wellbeing of the users of the space, be it a home, workplace, retail, hospitality space, or an institutional facility. Health and safety are relatively easy terms to define; they deal with the application of building codes, material selections, and the like. Wellbeing is less easily defined, but encompasses issues such as environmental concerns and sustainability, access to natural light, universal and accessible designs, and ergonomics. As interior designers, we strive to create spaces which solve problems of work flow and communication, and which will elevate the spirits of those who inhabit and use the space.

Interior designers should be facilitators, engaging the active participation of all end users, whose input generates ideas that, along with our specialized knowledge, produce a design that meets the cultural, practical, and emotional needs of the users. At its best, interior design is a community-driven activity that can allow diverse groups to invest themselves in and contribute to design solutions.