Finding Your Niche in Interior Design
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WHAT IS A NICHE IN INTERIOR DESIGN?
A niche is an area of specialty and expertise in a particular industry. If you offer niche interior design services, it means you know how to deliver maximum value to your target clients by designing interiors that suit their particular lifestyles or needs. Instead of being a “jack of all trades and master of none”, you focus on a specific area and promote your expertise to that client segment.
WHAT ARE THE BENEFITS OF TARGETING A NICHE?
Focusing on a niche has numerous advantages. First, it distinguishes you from the saturation of fierce competition and establishes you as an expert in the field. Specialization justifies higher rates for your service. Even if your market is smaller, your conversion rate will be much higher, so you'll end up with more clients. Also, marketing a niche is easier than marketing to a broader audience, as companies with a unique product or service tend to stand out and appeal to different media. Bottom line? It's more important to be in front of the right people than many people.
WHAT ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF INTERIOR DESIGN NICHES?
YACHTS
Being highly specialized in the design of interior spaces for luxury yachts means that your clientele belongs to the highest percentage of high-net-worth individuals. Meeting the extreme requests of clients can also be a challenge when designing the interior of a luxury yacht. In addition, you must have the technical knowledge and be able to collaborate with the right suppliers and even shipbuilders. In some cases, you may not be able to share your entire portfolio, as yacht owners sometimes request confidentiality agreements for their privacy.
CRUISE SHIPS
On an even larger scale, the cruise experience demands a luxurious atmosphere in a way that is often somewhat more relaxed and prepared for the greater wear and tear of a large number of guests coming and going. And although passengers may not feel it, the normal vibration of cruising is tantamount to an earthquake. So overhead lighting fixtures and all other structures must be built to withstand it. Adding spas, movie theaters and all types of entertainment devices require extensive knowledge and research. With regulations on where pools, restaurants, and dance floors should be located, you also have to think almost like a city planner.
CANNABIS
What has long been stigmatized contraband, cannabis in its various forms, has been repackaged and has burst onto the market, increasingly legalized and marketed to appeal to a diverse sector of consumers. Where once it was all about the product itself, competition has grown, and interior design is playing an important role in helping elevate cannabis dispensaries and CBD vendors. Already, airy, minimalist designs are emerging with natural materials that evoke wellness, or jewelry store-inspired designs and indica-patterned wallpaper with a luxurious feel. There are increasing opportunities to expand as chains or even merge with other wellness spaces, such as spas or yoga studios. However, working in this niche means staying sharp and up to date on the legal nuances of each state.
LUXURY SENIOR CARE
At a time when comfort is more essential than ever, wellness is at the forefront and the daily pace slows down, interior design can be a great ally. Designers specializing in luxury senior care understand how to create a better environment for residents with challenges such as memory loss or physical impairments. Whether updating a home or designing a group residence, a joyful daily experience is achieved with the help of plenty of natural light, varied spaces with comfortable furnishings, soothing yet vibrant color palettes, and greenery or access to landscaped outdoor areas. Technology comes into play with enhanced climate control systems and smart home features to keep residents connected.
…AND MORE
Your niche may be based on values or principles such as Feng Shui or eco-friendly design. There are interior designers who are dedicated to restoring historic homes. Others hone in on an aspect of interior design such as lighting or window treatments. Specializations could focus on particular rooms: kitchens, kids’ rooms, game rooms or home gyms. Your expertise may even take you to such unexpected places as a video game. On their Twitter account the Fab Five, members of the reality show Queer Eye, offered players advice to decorate their houses on Animal Crossing, a popular social simulation video game.
HOW CAN I FIND MY NICHE?
Your perfect niche may lie where your passion and your ideal client meet. Are you passionate about transforming family homes or setting the scene for a successful business? Have a good look at your background, and what kind of projects you've completed so far that have been outstanding or led to more referrals. What are you most proud of?
Next, you'll need to dive into market research to check out the competition and determine the sustainability of the idea. Remember, a niche is a need that hasn’t been fully catered to yet. So keep in mind that if you are targeting a niche with a novel proposal, you will probably have to "educate" it, while continuing to educate yourself. Sometimes your potential customers will be people who don't know they need you or don't fully understand the benefits of what you do. You will have to show them.
xx, Danae