Professionalism will take you places

Before cutting her teeth into the business, Kajubi had worked with an advertising company for some years. Although she did not know anything about interior designing, her former company gave her a good foundation, from which she took a leap of faith.

"Advertisement has a lot to do with graphics, designing, animation, billboards, illustrations and different artistic ways of delivering messages to the intended users. This was my starting point. I took time to learn most of the programmes that we used at work and in the long run, I easily transitioned to interior designing” she narrates.

Kajubi says her passion for interior designing stems from her innate love for colour, lighting, patterns, textures and fashion. “I love colourful things. I love organised environments. I always want to do things in a unique way” she recounts.

She says another factor that jumpstarted her business in interior designing was the fact that every time her friends went to visit her, they complimented the beautiful pieces in her house.

At this point, Kajubi made up her mind to earn from her passion. Although she was passionate about interior designing, she needed to make research on what she was getting into by reading books and watching YouTube videos.

But this was not enough. Because she longed to be an outstanding interior designer, she decided to pursue a diploma in interior designing at the British college of interior designers.

After completing the course, Kajubi started searching for business deals and clients. Her first client experience was quite challenging.

“One day, a friend called me and said someone needed an interior designer to work on her house. Are you available? I said yes and immediately I went to meet the client,” she recalls.

She says it was a big house with seven bedrooms. She was pleased that the work she did met the expectations of her very first client. And because of that, she has been able to have more recommendations.

“When your first job is done exceptionally well, a good number of people in your client’s circles will seek your services. Even that same client will not hesitate to engage you in other projects. An assignment well done can lead you to 100 clients. ” she says.

What an interior designer does
An interior designer works with elements such as textiles and texture, colour harmony, mood boards, material boards, 3D artistic visuals, features, space planning, furniture, symmetry and balance to give a warm and welcoming effect to the house.

And for those who may wonder at what stage they should hire an interior designer, Kajubi says as soon as one has finished their foundation.

“Actually where need be, as an interior designer, I would need to look at your house plan, and know how the spaces are going to coordinate” she says.

Kajubi says most people in Uganda do not appreciate interior designers and that’s why most houses have messed up décor from lighting, flooring, paint colours, curtains and the chairs.

“You need a team to work with after the house has been plastered. The plumber, tiler, an electrician (because you need electric lamps to draw the lighting plan), painters, and a good builder who does stitching (draperies, curtains),” she says.

She says most times, people consider interior designing as an unnecessary expenditure, considering that there are websites such as houzz.com, and Pinterest.

Pricing
“There’s no standard fee for interior designing. Many things will determine how much a client will be charged,” she says.
She says the scope of work such as cost of materials, time it will take to have the project executed and distance from a location to the site determines the charges.

Kajubi says on some good days, one project can earn her enough money to sustain her for three months. “There’s no standard fee when it comes to interior designing; because the projects vary in size. And also there’s nothing like income per day because we work per project” she says.

Capital
Kajubi knew for sure that she had interest in everything art but had to back up her passion with knowledge and skills. And for her, this is all the capital she needed to get started.

Like all businesses which revolve around creativity or drawing, Kajubi says one needs to invest in a good laptop, camera, logo, website, phone and stationery. She is quick to affirm that the most important thing for any prospective designer or decorator is invest in classroom knowledge and research.

She tips interior designers to exhibit their work whenever they are contacted to undertake a project.
“Show prospective clients that that you have the right skills to design beautiful and functional spaces. Draw sketches, talk about colours and patterns, among others. If it’s your first client, you won’t have all the logistics but let your knowledge stand you surety not forgetting the passion and honesty,” she says.

Marketing
Kajubi says most of the business deals she gets depend on referrals.
“There’s not so much pitching in interior designing but people trust us with their money. Professionalism, honesty, and a good job will takes you places” she says.
She adds that contracts don’t come in all the time but that when they do, they take you for a long while. “You can do a project today but get a client from the same two years later,” she notes.

Challenges
Kajubi says there are instances where clients underpay designers. “Many times, my clients and I agree on an activity schedule and the project goes on beyond the estimated time. The client chooses not to pay for the extra days but I soldier on” she says.

Achievements
Kajubi says: “Interior designing feeds me, pays for my children’s school fees, puts a roof over my head and foots all other home bills. I never lack,” she says.