Architect & Interior Designer Guide to Specifying Art
Specifying art in a design package — surfaces, substrates, lighting, coatings, and coordination with the construction schedule.
Specify the surface, not just the idea
The single most useful thing a design team can do is define the wall: substrate, finish schedule, flatness, lighting, and whether power or access is nearby. A well-specified surface removes almost every downstream surprise.
We are comfortable working inside a design package and providing the art scope, artist credentials, and coating specification your consultant set expects.
- Substrate and existing coating history
- Finish level and required prep
- Lighting type, angle, and color temperature
- Access route and equipment clearances
- Protective coating and cleaning protocol
Coordinate art with the construction schedule
Art belongs in the sequence between final wall finishes and furniture. Installed too early it gets damaged; too late and it collides with occupancy.
Keep the artist selection defensible
Clients ask why a given artist. A short, documented shortlist — style fit, commercial track record, insurance, references, availability — makes that answer easy and keeps selection out of subjective territory.
What to remember.
- Define substrate, lighting, and access in the package
- Sequence art after wall finishes, before FF&E
- Specify the protective coating explicitly
- Use a documented shortlist to justify selection
- Budget renderings for client and committee approval
Common questions.
Can you work from our design intent package?+
Yes. We take design intent and deliver the art scope, artist shortlist, renderings, and coating specification to match.
Do you provide renderings for client approval?+
Yes — concepts are composited onto site photography so clients approve what will actually be installed.
Can the artist match a brand or finish palette?+
Yes. Palette constraints are part of the artist brief and reviewed before installation.
- Feature WallsStatement interior walls for lobbies, amenity spaces, restaurants, and offices.
- Artist SelectionCurated, vetted artist shortlists matched to your style direction, budget, site, and schedule.
- Concept DevelopmentCreative direction, narrative, and renderings that get stakeholders to yes.
- Wayfinding DesignArtful wayfinding systems that make complex properties legible while carrying the brand.
- OfficeLobby, collaboration, and campus art that expresses culture and supports return-to-office.
- HospitalityGuest-facing art that anchors a property's story and shows up in every review photo.
- HealthcareCalming, wayfinding-aware art for hospitals, clinics, and pediatric environments.
- MultifamilyAmenity, lobby, courtyard, and garage art that differentiates apartment communities and supports lease-up.
Let’s Discuss Your Project
Tell us about the property, the surface, and the timeline. We’ll come back with a scope, a budget range, and a curated artist shortlist.