Current Event Post 1

This article that I have chosen is a 43 page article. I have written this current even on the first 15 pages of the article since it is practically a small novel. I have found that this article, produced by ASID, is a very helpful tool for finding success in today's economy. It is full of many pointers and lessons that can be used throughout the design business. 

"Interior Design in the New Economy--Lessons Learned from the Great Recession"

The 2008-2009 recession brought the building and design industry to a stand still. Jobs were lost, spending was down, and consumer habits drastically changed for the worse for the industry. Lifestyles quickly went from lavish and excessive to minimal with a “less is more” attitude, all the while being a totally acceptable perspective.  This outlook took a large toll on designers as they found themselves with fewer and fewer projects. Clients found that they could demand much lower prices from their designers as most were eager for the job and competition amongst them was high. Many designers found that, like their clients, they too could get by with less. This lead them to cut overhead costs, and find ways to run their business as effectively as possible.  Some even redefined their role in the business to better advance themselves in the market of this “new economy”.

This report was written by ASID professional members who are seeking to help others in the interior design industry in the future of the design industry. These professionals got together and shared with each other their own experiences from their personal highs and lows of the business. They have broken down their advice as follows:

“Think Lean, Mean, and Green”

While the economy was flourishing members of the industry were focused on bringing in jobs and money at a regular pace. During this time, this is where their time and energy was solely used.  All the while, no time was spent finding ways to reduce business costs and run the firms most effectively. These professionals agreed, that if they were to start up a new business today, they would start small and conservative.

“Right-Size and Retool for Today’s Cost-Conscious Market”

-       Reduce Overhead

o   The ASID professionals came up with a list of recommended changes they could make to their business in order to reduce overhead costs. The common denominator amongst their recommendations is to analyze what you have, what you use, and where you can cut back. Do you really need to be paying rent for a larger space filled with a sample library? Can you use the internet for these instead? How often do you use your conference room? Do offices really need to be as big as they are? Bottom line: scale back!  With both Jane and Linda working out of their respective home offices, they are able to reduce the overhead costs of rent. Meetings are held in their dining rooms (although still very professional) or on site. This cuts down on all sorts of costs including rent, travel time and money to/from work, utilities, and maintenance.

-       Go Green

o   Find ways to operate your business on a total green level.  Promoting sustainability to your clients is one thing, but if you can model your own business in the same way it can lead (no pun intended) to better business.

-       Be more strategic about choice of projects/clients

o   Here they introduce a interesting concept deemed the “80/20 Rule”. This states that 80% of your revenue should come from 20% of your clients.  This encourages businesses to focus in on their most profitable clients, and maintain a relationship with them over time.  They also recommend that you invest time early in getting to know the client so that you can fully assess and determine whether or not the client/project will help to better your company—not all clients do! Additionally, these ASID professionals stress the importance of billing appropriately. I have seen this a lot recently with Studio Entourage, and both Jane and Linda agree. It is so important to put good time into your estimate and proposals so that clients have a general idea of what they will be spending. What’s equally important is that they recognize that what you are providing them is an estimate. In addition to this, Jane and Linda, have been stressing with everyone (including themselves) the importance of keeping track of where your time is spent. Any time that can be billed out to the clients, rather than spent as overhead, should be carefully noted. They have found that this is particularly challenging when they are out on the run and they are constantly fielding phone calls, or when they are having to take time away from the design aspect of their project to answer email after email.  Recently, they have found that they have to tell some of their clients, that their time is better spent if they can work through preliminary phases of a project uninterrupted and then follow up with a meeting or phone conference.

-       Offer Expertise, Not Just Experience

o   This is a big one for me, especially as a young designer who is still in school. When it comes to getting a job, how can I compete with designers who have been active in the industry for years? These professionals suggest that you show the client that you have a thorough understanding of their specific needs and propose ways to address these needs accordingly.  Many designers rely on their portfolio to get them the job, but if you can hone in on the client and find the most effective ways to meet their needs you will stand out from rest.

ASID. "Interior Design in the New Economy." Asid.org. American Society of Interior Designers, 2010. Web. 27 June 2011. <http://www.asid.org/NR/rdonlyres/E24FD5C1-27B6-4077-A1B5-0E9F39483A4B/0/DesigningInTheNewEconomy_FINAL.pdf>.

The Carrot and the Stick

So today I left Ponte Vedra Beach at 6:30am and headed back home. The goal was to get back in time for my friend to make it to work in Athens by 2 and for me to possibly get to a 1230 meeting with my mom (didn't think that was going to happen). Dad met me in the Cracker Barrel parking lot and  asked what my plans were for the day. When I told him I thought I'd missed the boat on the meeting he insisted that I call immediately and do all that I could to be there. He is always a big proponent of on site experience, but more so he believes that I have the opportunity to learn so much from her in her way of managing a project.  Aside from having wonderful taste and a knack for interiors, she is really great with communication and working with clients, contractors, builders, architects, and other designers. I have recently seen the importance of keeping a project running on schedule and all of the work that it takes to make this happen. In a kitchen project that my mom just finished up I was able to see her keeping everyone working with both "the carrot and the stick".  Needless to say, I jumped out of my shorts and t shirt and into by "business suit" and met her and her partner for a new client meeting.

In attendance at the meeting was the "Retreats" entourage (Mom, her partner, Paige, and myself), the clients, the builder and his in house designer. The couple is planning to build a new Georgian style home in a nearby neighborhood. She says it's always been her dream to have a white brick house with black shutters, and by golly she's getting it...and a good one too!  The house isn't scheduled to be finished until next July, so there's a little time for us to start filling our role, but I guess it's never too soon to brainstorm. We will mostly focus on furnishings and finishes for the home, but my guess is that mom will fill the role of project management when it comes to the client and contractors. As far as furnishings go, the goal is to use as much of what the client currently has, and to find new (or new to them) items for the main floor.

One thing that I found particularly interesting was the builder's in house designer. She came with very preliminary CAD drawn elevations, and the kitchen plan that she had put together was pretty less than impressive.  It really highlighted the importance of a kitchen specialist in custom projects like this one--especially since both the husband and wife are very into cooking. I have never seen a man so into kitchen planning and really wanting such a functional kitchen.  He certainly left with his brain cranking as he was trying to "live through the plan" in his head.  This might be a great opportunity for Studio Entourage to jump on board for some basic plans and rough elevations so that the client can get the most out of their space! I'll let you know what happens.

I know this isn't technically part of my summer internship with Studio Entourage, but I figured it was closely related so I thought I'd share :)

Kitchen Proposal

So today I worked on putting the as-builts of an existing kitchen plan into CAD and then I worked on developing 2 design options to present to the client and contractor for feedback and pricing. This is a family who is looking to make their house more "livable". Option A shows where the back wall is pushed out to be flush with the back of the bay window. This is definitely the preferred preliminary plan, although it has the added costs of altering exterior walls (and load bearing walls). Option B shows a more cost effective plan in which only the cased opening to the dining room is shifted. This is also a nice plan, but does not provide as much space as Option A. Both plans are very very "drafty" and are drawn with the purpose of showing design schematics for client feedback and general pricing.

I have really had to work on this whole concept of "quick drafting".  This is a really challenging thing for me to grasp because I like to think things through and really develop ideas. It is hard for me to figure out when enough of the concept has been illustrated for the client to have a good idea of each schematic, so that they can then determine which plan to press forward with. It's all a matter of respecting my own time and the client's money to call it "quits" on a proposed drawing...easier said than done if you ask me! 

Take a look at the As Built, Option A and Option B and feel free to voice your opinions! 

Recurring Trends: The Zinc Hood

The Zinc Hood...A good zinc hood has been a big hit lately in kitchen design within the office lately. We've had alot of clients looking for a fresh and inviting kitchen that has a sense of casualness about it as well. Jane has recently been designing a number of custom zinc hoods as alternatives to a hood designed to fade into the millwork. They're really pretty cool and a nice new alternative to copper or wooden hoods (although you do pay for it!).

Here are a few pictures that I found, none of Jane's designs, although very similar with the metal strapping and exposed fasteners. I'll try and get my hands on a few of her designs for an upcoming post.

I'll be heading out to the beach in a couple of days so don't expect too many posts.

Options Options

Important note: I forgot to preface this little project with the fact that my internship coordinator sort of handed this one over to me as a job for me to "spearhead" and take some ownership over. She, of course, was there to mentor me, bounce ideas off of, and oversee the project, but she allowed me to take the lead and take a stab at it. At this point the client just wants some ideas for space plans, and doesn't want to put alot of money into having developed drawings. We may go back and add some elevations after we get some feedback, but they may decide to take it from here on their own. 

After a day and a half of work this is what we came up with. We wanted to offer the client some options - all of which make a nice bathroom space, and as well good closet storage.  However, as you will see - each has a bit of a different layout and functional options.  Just to note, we left the existing master bedroom the same in all scenario's. We just pulled the closet space into the bathroom and then moved the entrance into the bathroom from your bedroom. However, the bedroom will feel the same in size and won't affect the entry off the hall or the furniture layout.

Here are some summary notes on each of the three proposed options:

OPTION A:

• a tub centered under the window
• separate shower and separate toilet closet - both angled to make the room perfectly symmetrical around the tub
• opposite the tub - a double vanity with tall flanking medicine/linen cabinets on either end
• a large shared master closet
• a large closet off the hall

OPTION B & C:

• separate sink vanities
• separate toilet closet
• walk in shower (different dimensions and shapes in each)
• separate his and hers closets
• no tub
• different options on linen and/or hall closet (see plan) 

Let me know if you have an opinion! 

Short Day At Home

Today was a really short day. I was supposed to go out and meet a new client and help take measurements for the As Built plans, but I woke up to an email saying that the woman I was to be helping had an emergency with her baby. Needless to say, I only had to put in a couple of hours of work from my computer at home. I finished up the As Built for the McGee Residence (posted earlier) and this is what we're working with. Obviously the scale is out of whack, but you can see where their bathroom and closet are very small and broken up. We've got some ideas brewing to take advantage of the existing spare bedroom and make the best of this space. 

Double Check Your Desitantion

Note to self: Double check your destination!

So today I headed into work around 11:30, met with Jane to set some goals for the day and then set out for my next destination...or so I thought!  I jumped in the car, tape measurer and camera in hand and instructions on my mind.  Following my little GPS step by step I headed over to Sandy Springs and parked in front of this adorable little house with a perfectly manicured lawn. I knocked on the door and could hear the hustle in bustle inside as the homeowner shushed the barking dogs. A few minutes later I found myself still standing on their covered porch, nervous and debating when was too soon for another knock. I knocked again, rousing up the dogs once more. Next thing I knew, the 2 huge poodles had been let out the side door and were coming my way! As they jumped all over me I tried to keep my calm, still waiting to be let in. Finally, I rang the doorbell. This lady answered her door, as confused as can be. Not so sure how she could have felt the least bit threatened by a 22 year old blonde college student, but something was off. I politely introduced myself and told her I was here to measure her bathroom. She quickly informed me that I was at the wrong house and sent me on my way! Embarrassing? I think YES!

Anyway...so I head a few doors down, after calling the client to get the correct house number, and started on my first mission for the day. The McGee's are an older couple looking to renovate their master bathroom and closet, expanding into the neighboring spare bedroom. They are hoping to get a few conceptual space planning options so that they can then figure out what their next steps will be. My job was to fill in the missing measurements that they had missed the last time they were there. This was a tricky little area that was very compartmentalized with about 3 little closets, a tiny shower/toilet area, and a small single vanity. The bathroom happens to open up to a spare room, which they are currently storing their clothes in.  Though the broken up space was a little challenge to get on paper, the real trick was figure out how to handle the gambrel roof, which leaves the walls sloping inward starting at 29 inches off the ground.  I took all the measurements  I could (figured it was better to over measure than under measure), snapped a few pictures and headed on my way! 

When I got back to the office I got to work putting the As-Built measurements into CAD and then messed around with some rough space layouts! Stay tuned to see what we came up with!

Sample Searching

Referencing that last post...one of my first independent missions was to find a few good options of countertop materials to use in the Johnson's kitchen renovation. To recap, they love the look of white marble, but the inherent properties of marble don't make it a good candidate for a kitchen countertop. I set out to Marmi and Stone Connections to find a few alternatives.

First stop...Marmi. Let me preface this by saying that this was my first visit to a stone warehouse but this one seemed to be pretty top notch! I walked in and this nice UGA Interior Design graduate met me at the counter and showed me around. We walked up and down the aisles looking at all of the granites, quartzites, limestones, and marbles just looking at slab after slab. The girl who was helping me was so helpful in recommending different materials and explaining to me why some were better than others for countertops, etc.  I didn't have much luck finding a good white granite option because most of them had alot of large dark flecks that didn't really fit the profile I was looking for. They recommended a quartzite material as a nice alternative because of its good properties that were better suited for kitchen use. They sent me on my way with this cute little green bag (that weighed about 12 pounds!) and a bunch of samples to take back!


Then my next stop was Stone Connections, which was a more independent, help-yourself kind of place. I had alot of fun browsing through the aisles and taking notes of what I liked, prices, materials, etc. I found some pretty light granites that could possibly work, I made my list, grabbed by samples and hit the road!

This is a shot of part of an aisle of the stone slabs. They had some really interesting stones, unfortunately I only got shots of the light granites because I was just thinking about this project. 

I thought this was a really neat option for a light granite. It sort of has that marble look to it. Plus it had this really beautiful "velvet" finish to it which was just great looking! 

Client Inspiration

While I have been working on as-builts and demolition Plans, Linda and Jane have been working hard on designing a beautiful new kitchen and "butler's pantry" for a renovation nearby. The clients pulled some inspiration images of their "dream kitchen" to better communicate what they were trying to achieve in their home.   I'll share the images below!

The Johnson's love this cabinet profile

They're hoping to have a working table/island in their Butler's Pantry that looks something like this.

This is another cabinet profile that the client favored...and of course they'll have a nice big ole Wolf range!

 The Johnson's are really wanting to have a nice white countertop, but they're hesitant to put marble in a kitchen. This is the look they're looking to achieve. Stay tuned for a post on my visit to the stone yards!

This image features the stone wall that really tickled their fancy. Not quite sure how this can be incorporated, but I'm sure that we'll find a way to work something in. 

All of these images really fit the style and image of Studio Entourage.  The beautiful millwork and architectural details are right up our alley! Also notice the natural light that just spills into the vast kitchen areas. Love it!

Update From the Old Office

So I got an email this weekend from a friend of mine who works at the architectural firm where I interned the past two summers. She was just passing along some pictures of a completed project that I was able to work on the beginning stages of last summer. The renovation turned out pretty cool so I figured I'd share just for kicks!

The client is a man from Germany who only visits Atlanta a few weeks out of the year. He owns a high rise condominium in Buckhead right across from Lenox that he felt was in need of an update, so he called on his buddies at Knight Architects to help him out. The goal was to create an upscale and contemporary environment using clean lines and fine materials. The client sent us down to one of his favorite Atlanta restaurants, Blue Pointe, to check out the Venetian plaster that they have on the walls. He said he wanted to have this same wall finish in his condominium along with Statuary marble floors and a Siematic kitchen.

Here are a couple of renderings that I was forwarded of the small galley kitchen proposed renovation. I believe that these were produced by Siematic.


Below are a couple images that were just sent to me since the construction has taken place. All of the furniture isn't installed yet, but you can sort of get an idea of what the place looks like. I'm sorry I don't have any before pictures to share! Maybe this renovation will be enough to get the owner visiting more often than a couple weeks a year!

This is a totally different style than what I am working on this summer with Studio Entourage, and as a matter of fact it is out of the typical realm that Knight Architects (who I worked with last summer) usually works within.  It has been really fun to keep up with the project since I finished up my internship last summer, and I think that the space turned out beautifully! 

Measure. Measure. Measure.

Today was an fun and exciting day for me! I woke up, hopped in the car, and headed off to meet Pan, the out-of-office-CAD-queen, at a new client's house. My job for today was to help Pan with taking measurements, pictures, and notes of the as-built (existing house) so that we could then put the plans and elevations into CAD for Linda to start her master work designing. Having never done anything like this, I felt like I learned alot about the methods of going about getting correct measurements and photographs without missing anything. It is very important that you are thorough and precise in your measurements on the initial visit, so that you aren't wasting your time, or your clients time and money. Step one: I went around the house taking pictures of every room and every wall, making sure to catch any tricky details, all materials, and most importantly the stairs, exterior elevations and roof! While I was taking pics, Pan was going around drawing rough floor plans of each room taking note of all of the openings, sloping ceilings, fireplace locations, change in floor levels, etc. Once we were all set with a good set of rough plans, the two of us went through the house and measured EVERYTHING...and I mean everything. Pan had this awesome laser measuring devise which was the real deal! She could easily shoot dimensions of ceiling heights (particularly useful for vaulted ceilings) and walls. We got all the walls, all the opening heights and widths, noted double hung windows, measured window and door headers, yadda yadda yadda.

3 Hours later...We were finally finished! I feel like Pan and I worked really well together during our first little outing! She was so complimentary of my understanding of everything and said I was the best assistant she's had! It was very uplifting to hear this as I was a little nervous going in. Next week we have another  As Built Measurement appointment scheduled for a new client, so hopefully it will all be smooth sailing!

I feel like I am really finding a good fit into Studio Entourage :) I have been doing alot of As-Built plans and Demolition plans, I've attended a number of meetings, been on some site visits with Jane and by myself, and I've successfully assisted Pan in measuring homes.  Things are going to be super busy this week as Linda is getting ready to head out of town, so hang tight!

Speaker Phone

So I have always been one who has hated speaker phone...I've never been able to clearly understand the person on the other line, and I've hated the idea of my voice being played over a loud speaker for all to hear. However, at work Linda almost always talks on speaker phone and I couldn't love it any more! I know it sounds funny, and some would find it distracting, but I feel like it is an opportunity for me to learn so so much! I think that a huge part of running a business is the relationships and the communication that you have within those relationships. It is really neat to get to hear both sides of these conversations between clients, contractors, cabinet makers, copying companies, etc. Plus, I am able to jot down little notes of things that spark my interest or new terms that I can look into later on. I am so amazed with how both of these women are able to come up with these fabulous ideas on the spot and how they are able to manage stressful situations with such grace! Their experience, their poise and their confidence is something that I will continue to strive for, but it's going to take some serious practice to get to where these ladies are!