Libby Slader | Interior Design Inc. owner
Libby Slader in 2010 founded her Providence-based interior design firm, which offers full-service design for the corporate office, hospitality and institutional sectors. She is also the chairperson for the R.I. State Council on the Arts and co-founded DESIGNxRI.
1. What trends are you seeing in interior design as we begin to come out of the pandemic? Most of the projects we were involved with during the height of the pandemic, and are currently working on, are restaurants, so I can speak to those. What we learned is that outdoor dining is becoming an amenity that everyone is trying to optimize. Customers will sit outside in 40-degree weather if it’s sunny and there is adequate heat and/or some shelter. That is a trend I see taking off. Also, takeout and delivery have become an industry standard.
2. How much demand is there right now for interior design work and is there enough skilled labor to meet it? It seems as though all of the projects that were either on hold or were being contemplated during the pandemic have come back in full force. In a design firm, there are multiple layers of talent required, not just designers. In order to support the company and our projects, we need administrative positions, bookkeepers, project managers and technical support for drafting. To be honest, there isn’t enough skilled labor to meet those demands, especially when it comes to actually constructing the projects. There is a desperate need for skilled electricians, plumbers, finish carpenters. ... I could go on.
3. What type of training programs are available in the state for people to get into your specialized design area? The state has collaborated on programs with DESIGNxRI through the Real Jobs initiative. On the municipal level, Providence has also worked with DESIGNxRI on the Design Catalyst program that assists existing design businesses to get to the next level. I was fortunate to participate in the Goldman Sach’s 10,000 Small Businesses program at the Community College of Rhode Island and I learned so much. Designers by nature are not always as business-minded as others, so programs like these are amazing. Rhode Island is unique with the amount of design businesses that are here, and it would be helpful to get the support we had during the pandemic to grow our businesses and talent. CCRI has some design classes available and more of those in specialized areas of design would be awesome.
4. What do you feel should be improved in order to boost employment in the state’s design sector? Start teaching design in elementary school. When asked what the most important quality CEOs look for in employees is, they very often state “creativity.” Creative and critical thinking is key to design and problem-solving in general. I learned this by taking art classes throughout my primary and secondary education.
5. When you are looking to hire someone, what makes an ideal candidate? Collaboration is one of the most important factors in the success of any project. A project is never the work of one person. I look for someone who is collaborative, flexible, passionate about the work we do and, of course, creative. Our work also involves overseeing the construction of projects done by contractors. Understanding design and construction are equally very important.
6. Do you foresee growth in the design industry well into 2022? The pandemic has created a lot of pent-up demand for projects and services, so yes, I see growth [continuing] into 2022. The strong economy also contributes to this. As a co-founder of DESIGNxRI, I have seen the demand for design services and products and the growth of the overall industry grow steadily over the past 20 years.
7. What type of career pathway do you look for in young people wanting to get into or advance in design? Typically, I will hire someone who has a formal education in interior design and some experience in the field. Preferably this person has a bachelor’s degree or a certificate in interior design, from a professionally accredited program, so I know they have a solid foundation to build from. Many people don’t realize how technical the execution of a design becomes. We need to visually represent the design to our clients and also for the contractors or craftspeople who are building it. … Having mentors built into the team to guide and teach others is also key.
James Bessette is the PBN special projects editor and researcher.
