THE CONSULTATION: THE ROOTS OF MY DESIGN PROCESS

When people call me, they’re normally interested in knowing what will happen when we meet for our first appointment. This is always a design consultation, and there are two types of clients that I service in this way. The first is the DIY client, who needs some direction, but wants to tackle the project on their own. The second is the full service, turnkey client who doesn't care to attempt what they know they would loathe to start. It’s generally always an exciting process in either situation for different reasons. I’ll expand more on that later but following is a profile of each client and their immediate needs.

Profile 1 -The DIY Client

This person needs guidance [generally quickly] on creating areas of their home in a cohesive way. They are happy to go shopping and are [usually] already looking around at pieces they can source, and at very specific price points. They feel a sense of accomplishment in being heavily involved in solving their own decorating dilemmas but appreciate a heavily directed, short plan to get them to the finish line.

Profile 2- The Full-Service Client

This person has limited time and/or doesn’t care to attempt design or decorating as they know this is not in their wheelhouse of genius. They know their time is much better invested spent on the things in life they really want to be doing [like spending the down time they have with family, for example]. Our consultation is two hours of taking a specific brief to build the scope of work. I will listen closely, and when appropriate, interject with possibilities that regularly involve renovation or bespoke decoration. This client prefers to work with a professional to create a scope of work that aligns closely to their specific needs. After I know that my client and I are in alignment with the same vision, I then put together a tailored design plan. This type of client is the one reflected in the homes of my portfolio. These are turnkey projects with exceptional detail to design. This bespoke approach may be to some a considerable cost, so it isn’t always an option for everybody. It reflects a particular type of person/family who wants the most thoughtful and beautiful outcome, and knows that they generally don’t have the skills, experience or time to make that happen. They may not know the extent of cost before we start to clarify ballpark figures, but they do know that this type of service is expected at a reasonable cost. They value that investment. In my discovery call, I normally determine which type of client I will be visiting in the beginning so I can plan our session accordingly.

My full-service clients are enthusiastic when they know that I have listened & recapped clearly their brief. We understand the contract and the terms are transparent for each party. There is no grey area, no areas of concern. In our two-hour brief, I have considered all of the workings that make their home life tick. We have a more than competent team of builders, bespoke trades and decorating genius to lead the project with the most capable and talented hands available. My team of choice has been curated and created based on sound experience over time.

My Designer Space Power Session

Recently I developed what I now call my Designer Space Power Session for a specific reason. It’s focused primarily on the Profile 1 client, looking for ideas but wanting to implement on their own. If the DIY client is willing to work with me quickly during our two-hour session, I can help source a number of significant pieces of furniture from retail suppliers to help them on their way immediately. I literally have my measuring tape handy but also have a catalogue in my head of potential items or retail sources for this client. I normally workshop with the client for about an hour and a half, before I start writing notes that my client will keep as a reference. This direction eliminates lots of confusion. It’s really difficult to hit the shops without any real idea of what you are looking for and where to find it quickly. I guide rapidly on what colours they should focus on in each room, and often pick two or three paint colours from a fan deck for future reference. I respectfully cut to the chase and let my client know what is and isn’t working, and what they will need to do to pull each room into a sense of equilibrium. No one has time for fluff, and I am engaged to come up with the goods, so I don’t mince words when I have an outcome to achieve in a very limited period of time.

What is exciting for the 2-hour power session client is that I eliminate the roadblocks they have in their head about what to keep and what to cull in their home. Much of the time [at least when it comes to the decorating side] one partner is almost held liable for how the house looks post renovation or purchase. I am there to support that person and get them out of troubled water. I am detached from the emotion and can clearly provide a way out of their current predicament with very practical steps to move forward.

There are also additional ways that I help the DIY client if they have a limited investment amount but would like my ongoing assistance. I offer a room design package that assists in creating a detailed plan that they can then buy directly from retail. If a two-hour power session isn’t specific enough, this is the next best option. The client will handle all the ordering and is paying retail, but it is another way to have a directed shopping list of items that will work incredibly well together and curated by my expert eye.

Even after this process is completed [where my client has purchased the items and has received the items in the plan], my clients can also engage me in further pre-paid blocks of time. This is a great if the room needs those ‘finishing touches’, like the right accessorising and overall tweaks to pull the space together. These are my ‘Designer on Call’ services and I will go into more detail on this one in a future blog post.

So there we have the details of what to expect from either type of consultation. I love creating a beautiful turnkey project for clients who can make the investment, but also get a real buzz out of assisting lots of people with my 2-hour power session. One thing I know for sure, is that It always steers them out of trouble and into the right direction, rather than feeling immobilised and lost because they don’t know where to start.

AS