‘Start With Small Jobs’ and Other Tips From Pros
Designers share things they’ve learned from recently completed client projects
You might think a request to renovate a small bathroom and create window treatments isn’t worth your time, but designer Joan Enger parlayed that exact project into a major multiphase, five-plus-year renovation. Building long-term relationships with clients by starting with small jobs is just one piece of advice the following designers share from recently completed projects. Read on to find out more.
2. Smaller Jobs and Long-Term Relationships With Clients Can Result in Bigger Jobs
Designer: Joan Enger of J. Patryce Design
Location: Hoboken, New Jersey
The project. As part of phase two of a three-phase renovation, designer Joan Enger added this garden-level den.
“What I learned.” “The project was in three phases over the course of five-plus years and turned out to be a very large, intricate project,” Enger says. “However, we were initially hired to do a small-bathroom renovation and window treatments for the guest room. As a designer, you should always be open-minded and meet with potential clients. If they seem easy to work with and their vision and style match with yours, the smaller jobs can lead to bigger ones. The most important part of this job is the relationships that I have with our clients. Their happiness is really all that matters in the end.”
Designer: Joan Enger of J. Patryce Design
Location: Hoboken, New Jersey
The project. As part of phase two of a three-phase renovation, designer Joan Enger added this garden-level den.
“What I learned.” “The project was in three phases over the course of five-plus years and turned out to be a very large, intricate project,” Enger says. “However, we were initially hired to do a small-bathroom renovation and window treatments for the guest room. As a designer, you should always be open-minded and meet with potential clients. If they seem easy to work with and their vision and style match with yours, the smaller jobs can lead to bigger ones. The most important part of this job is the relationships that I have with our clients. Their happiness is really all that matters in the end.”
3. Skip the Design Jargon; Just Speak Plainly
Designer: Cynthia Soda of Soda Pop Design
Location: Zephyr, Ontario, Canada
Size: 64 square feet (5.9 square meters); 6 feet, 7 inches by 9 feet, 8 inches
The project. For this new-build home, the owners wanted a combination mudroom and laundry room.
“What I learned.” “It is important to communicate all your ideas to your clients as though they are learning a language for the first time,” designer Cynthia Soda says. “We designers take for granted the words we use to describe things, and our understanding of how things come together does not necessarily come naturally to our clients. If we can communicate through sketching, perspectives or example photos, it saves a lot of communication heartaches in the future.”
Designer: Cynthia Soda of Soda Pop Design
Location: Zephyr, Ontario, Canada
Size: 64 square feet (5.9 square meters); 6 feet, 7 inches by 9 feet, 8 inches
The project. For this new-build home, the owners wanted a combination mudroom and laundry room.
“What I learned.” “It is important to communicate all your ideas to your clients as though they are learning a language for the first time,” designer Cynthia Soda says. “We designers take for granted the words we use to describe things, and our understanding of how things come together does not necessarily come naturally to our clients. If we can communicate through sketching, perspectives or example photos, it saves a lot of communication heartaches in the future.”
4. Earn Trust and Set Boundaries
Designer: Jan Goldman of Kitchen Elements
Location: Kensington, Maryland
Size: 315 square feet (29 square meters)
The project. Integrate the dining room and the kitchen, creating one larger space with plenty of work surface.
“What I learned.” “Earning the trust of the client is the key to the kingdom,” designer Jan Goldman says. “Once that is done, the projects are nearly 100 percent enjoyable. How to earn that trust is an answer with layers. Honesty and a willingness to assert the knowledge you have acquired through your experience are crucial. Own your knowledge and be sure the client knows what your boundaries are in the professional relationship you are establishing together.”
Designer: Jan Goldman of Kitchen Elements
Location: Kensington, Maryland
Size: 315 square feet (29 square meters)
The project. Integrate the dining room and the kitchen, creating one larger space with plenty of work surface.
“What I learned.” “Earning the trust of the client is the key to the kingdom,” designer Jan Goldman says. “Once that is done, the projects are nearly 100 percent enjoyable. How to earn that trust is an answer with layers. Honesty and a willingness to assert the knowledge you have acquired through your experience are crucial. Own your knowledge and be sure the client knows what your boundaries are in the professional relationship you are establishing together.”
5. Don’t Pretend to Know Everything
Designer: Carrie Harrington of i.d. interior design
Location: Minneapolis
Size: 38½ square feet (3.6 square meters); 5½ by 7 feet
The project. Update a cramped and dated bathroom to include a larger shower and more storage for a couple’s tween daughter.
“What I learned.” “It’s OK to not know everything,” designer Carrie Harrington says. “I used to think that I had to be an expert on everything, and if I wasn’t, I might look inexperienced or incapable. The truth is, no one can be an expert on everything, and if you are open to collaborating, the end result will likely be better.”
More for Pros on Houzz
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Designer: Carrie Harrington of i.d. interior design
Location: Minneapolis
Size: 38½ square feet (3.6 square meters); 5½ by 7 feet
The project. Update a cramped and dated bathroom to include a larger shower and more storage for a couple’s tween daughter.
“What I learned.” “It’s OK to not know everything,” designer Carrie Harrington says. “I used to think that I had to be an expert on everything, and if I wasn’t, I might look inexperienced or incapable. The truth is, no one can be an expert on everything, and if you are open to collaborating, the end result will likely be better.”
More for Pros on Houzz
Read more articles for home remodeling professionals
Talk with your peers in the Pro-to-Pro discussions
Find out how to join the Trade Program
Designer: Denise Morrison
Location: Santa Ana, California
Size: 375 square feet (35 square meters); 15 by 25 feet
The project. For this new-construction project, designer Denise Morrison was tasked with creating a kitchen with lots of natural light. She responded with plenty of windows (without window coverings) and skylights.
“What I learned.” “We had a mishap with the wood floor in that the finish completely changed and became very glossy,” Morrison says. “After visiting the job site and lifting a rug we noticed that the original finish was fine where there hadn’t been any cleaning. The housekeeper was using the wrong product for cleaning. The lesson learned was to always provide clients with recommended cleaning procedures to maintain their new home.”