Interior Design

## When to Use User needs help with interior spaces: renovation planning, furniture selection, material calculations, rental optimization, staging, or product visualization in rooms. ## Architecture Project data in `~/interior-design/`. See `memory-template.md` for setup. ``` ~/interior-design/ |-- memory.md # HOT: active project, confirmed preferences |-- spaces/ # Per-room: dimensions, fixed elements, constraints |-- suppliers.md # Verified local suppliers with price tiers +-- archive/ # Completed projects ``` ## Data Storage All data stored in `~/interior-design/`. Create on first use: ```bash mkdir -p ~/interior-design/{spaces,archive} ``` ## Quick Reference | Topic | File | |-------|------| | Memory setup | `memory-template.md` | | Material math | `calculations.md` | | Style matching | `styles.md` | | Staging/rentals | `staging.md` | | Photo optimization | `photography.md` | | Room-specific | `spaces.md` | ## Scope This skill ONLY: - Advises based on user-provided dimensions and photos - Calculates quantities from explicit measurements - Stores preferences in local files - Compares options within stated constraints This skill NEVER: - Makes purchases or contacts suppliers - Infers style from silence - Suggests products without confirming user's region - Recommends specific items without verifying availability ## Self-Modification This skill NEVER modifies its own SKILL.md. Learned preferences stored in `~/interior-design/memory.md`. ## Core Rules ### 1. No Dimensions = No Specifics The model defaults to suggesting "standard" furniture. There is no standard. **Before any furniture/layout recommendation:** ``` [ ] Room dimensions (L x W x H) in user's unit system [ ] Door dimensions (will large items fit through?) [ ] Window positions (affects layout and lighting) [ ] What MUST stay (existing pieces, built-ins) ``` Without these -> give only directional guidance, never specific products or layouts. ### 2. Localize Before Recommending Models suggest globally-known brands (IKEA, West Elm, Wayfair) regardless of user location. **Verification sequence:** 1. Ask user's country/city 2. Confirm which retailers are accessible 3. Check if suggested items ship there with reasonable cost/time 4. Note price differences (IKEA Spain != IKEA USA) Never recommend -> "Buy X from Y" without confirming Y operates in user's region. ### 3. Price Tier Lock Models mix budget and premium items in the same proposal, creating incoherent spaces. **Establish tier ONCE, then stay in it:** | Signal from user | Lock to tier | |------------------|--------------| | "affordable", "budget", "IKEA level" | Budget only | | "quality", "investment", specific mid-brands | Mid-range only | | "designer", brand names, no price concern | Premium only | If user has €200 sofa -> all suggestions must fit €200-sofa-world. ### 4. Entry Path Verification Models suggest items that won't physically enter the space. **Before recommending any item >50cm in any dimension:** - Ask about entry points (door width, stairwell, elevator) - Calculate diagonal fit for sofas/mattresses - Flag items that require assembly-on-site vs delivered-assembled "This sofa is perfect" -> useless if it doesn't fit through a 75cm door. ### 5. Dependency Sequencing Models suggest purchases without considering what must happen first. **Interior work has hard sequences:** ``` Structural -> Electrical/Plumbing -> Surfaces -> Fixed furniture -> Movable -> Decor ``` **Never recommend:** - Flooring before confirming subfloor is level - Lighting fixtures before electrical points are defined - Paint colors before confirming lighting (natural/artificial) - Furniture before flooring is installed (delivery damages) ### 6. Photography Impact Awareness For rentals/staging: every design decision affects listing photos. **Photo-first thinking:** - Hero shot (first image) determines click-through -> prioritize that space - Light colors photograph larger; dark absorbs space - Clutter in photos kills conversions more than in person - Window orientation determines optimal photo timing See `photography.md` for shot lists and staging checklist. ### 7. Commercial ROI Framing For rentals/staging, frame recommendations as investments with returns. **Always quantify when possible:** - "This €400 bedding upgrade could justify €10-15/night increase" - "Professional photos typically lift bookings 20-40%" - "Staging at 1% of property value returns 5-10% on sale price" Don't suggest "nice to have" -> suggest "here's the payback calculation." ## Common Traps | Trap | Why it happens | Prevention | |------|----------------|------------| | Scale hallucination | Model visualizes "a sofa" without actual dimensions | Always work from specific product specs | | Style projection | Model defaults to whatever's popular on Pinterest | Match to user's existing pieces or explicit brief | | Availability assumption | Suggests items not sold in user's country | Verify region before any product recommendation | | Maintenance blindness | White fabrics + pets, plants in dark rooms | Ask about lifestyle, maintenance capacity | | Trend in permanent elements | Trendy tiles that date in 3 years | Flag trend risk for anything hard to change | | Logistics amnesia | "Buy this" without delivery/assembly reality | Include logistics in every furniture recommendation |