Every week in Business of Home’s Trade Tales column, we ask designers from all across the world to share how they run their firms, manage clients and stay inspired. Here, we’ve collected 10 responses that stayed on our minds this year.
On finding a mentor
“I don’t use the term mentor. I have relationships. I met my current business coach Kim Kuhteubl after reading her book. I met my past coach Terri Taylor after attending a seminar. I think the most important thing is when you find someone who you think is interesting—whether you read their books, go to their speaking engagements or meet at Market—that you make sure you connect with that person in some way. Follow them on LinkedIn or have a conversation. Find a way to continue the relationship from that initial meeting.” —Sheryl T. McLean, McLean & Tircuit, Laurel, Maryland
On using color in projects
“We often look for different ways to use color. Using colorful appliances is a unique way to bring life into a kitchen along with painting the inside of the cabinets to match. Recently we designed a kitchen around a burgundy red Lacanche range. It set the tone for the entire kitchen, and opened up opportunities within the design we were not expecting. Painting the jamb of a cased opening in an unexpected color will create interest between transitional spaces, or a consistent-color staircase will quickly become the heroine in any foyer, if the treads, risers, trim, post and handrails all match. When using color, be experimental. Beautiful things will unfold.” —Kristen McCory, McCory Interiors, Burlington, Connecticut
On a material they’ll never use again
“While I won’t say never, I have intentionally stopped using acrylic bathtubs in my projects. Some of my clients are sensitive to certain materials and prefer eco-friendly, nontoxic products in their homes. This shift led me to exclusively specify cast iron or natural concrete bathtubs. The market now offers stunning options in a variety of sizes. These materials are not only natural, but also provide superior heat retention, greater durability and a longer lifespan.” —Lauren Lim, LVR Studios, Los Angeles
On a formal education in design
“My answer, shaped by my own journey, is both yes and no. I started my career in interior design without formal education or even traditional experience. With a simple leap of faith, I entered the industry fueled by passion and determination. My degree is in business administration, but I was eager to learn, grow, and make an impact in people’s lives through their homes. Without a traditional education, I learned on the job, building my expertise through real-life projects, feedback from clients, and a network of mentors and peers. While formal education offers structure and foundational knowledge, experience has taught me things that a classroom couldn’t. I’ve developed my own style, learned the intricacies of client relationships and gained insights into managing a business—all skills I had to pick up on the go.
“A formal education can provide the basics of design theory, color theory and spatial planning, which are crucial for any designer. For some, it can also lend credibility, especially when starting out. If someone has the resources and opportunity to study design, it can certainly accelerate their learning curve. However, it’s not the only path to success. For those considering a career in interior design, I would say that passion, resilience and a commitment to learning are just as vital as formal education. In my own experience, the ability to adapt, keep up with trends and maintain strong client relationships has driven my success more than any diploma could. Interior design is about understanding people, spaces and the emotions a well-designed room can evoke. That’s something you develop with hands-on experience and a deep love for the craft.” —Nayoka Simone, NyRai Interior Designs, Upper Marlboro, Maryland
On finding new clients
“There is one thing that for sure never goes out of style, and that is word-of-mouth advertising. Most clients reach out because a previous client recommended us, or a cousin’s friend’s brother talked about their new spaces and that got our name into someone’s head. Another way we’ve had people reach out is by stumbling upon us on Instagram. I love to post photos of our finished jobs, of behind-the-scenes sourcing and pulling schemes together, which people like to see, so new people stumble across our page and may reach out for our services.” —Emma Beryl Kemper, Emma Beryl Interiors, New York
On game-changing technology
“As cliché as it sounds, as a tech-forward design studio, we’ve fully embraced and taken advantage of the wide-ranging applications of artificial intelligence. From daily operations and best practices to general guidance on growth and scaling, AI has been a cost-effective and efficient digital mentor that has helped us navigate an increasingly complex business landscape. The keyword is help, not replace. Two platforms we like using in conjunction with brand voice, messaging and website UI [user interface] are Figma AI and Typedream. Figma is extremely powerful and efficient for cross-functional collaboration between design and engineering, and with its new AI integration, we’re able to harness its entire database of past creative output, filtered by our specific business use-case and branding, to instantly give us viable options for consideration. This alone has saved us so much time in the initial creative brainstorming phase, which we often get stuck in. Figma AI also makes recommendations on UI and UX [user experience] features specific to our digital platforms, in order to facilitate sales lead conversions, which of course is our single most important end goal.” —Jeff Li, Hanna Li Interiors, Los Angeles
On the best piece of advice they’ve received
“First and foremost, every project is an opportunity to learn something new and push the limits of creativity. A builder once told me that if I wasn’t making him a little nervous, I wasn’t doing my job! Second, never be afraid to ask questions. Learning doesn’t make you less than; it only sharpens your knowledge and helps hone your craft. It’s easy to be intimidated by those with more experience, but another builder reminded me that we all put on our pants in the same way—one leg at a time. Don’t be afraid to speak up and learn from those around you. Finally, always be an intent listener and team player. If you aren’t listening to others, you are only designing for yourself; if you aren’t collaborating with others, no project will come to fruition. Without a teamwork mentality, your designs are just pretty pictures on a sheet of paper. It takes a team to execute a vision, and everyone brings equal value to the project.” —Lindsie Davis, Blueberry Jones Design, Austin
On knowing when to grow your team
“I was working basically 24/7 for the first year of running my firm, and knew I wanted to hire my first employee [after that]. I started out of my house and wanted to set up an office space prior to hiring, as I believe separation between personal and professional [areas of life] is important. Once I signed the lease on my first office, I immediately began seeking my first employee. She started part-time and transitioned to full-time within a few months. When I was working well over 40 hours a week again, I knew it was time to consider a third employee, and we’ve continued to grow from there. We now have a team of 10.” —Elle Cantrell, Elle Du Monde, Atlanta
On how to vet new vendors
“First and most importantly, word-of-mouth: I reach out to other colleagues in the industry that I know may have worked with the vendor. Reviews, be it on web search platforms or social media, can be insightful too. Lastly, if I have access, I ask to visit the studio or the production facility to meet with the team and get a better understanding of their knowledge to produce what we’re sourcing.” —Ahmad AbouZanat, Ahmad AbouZanat Studio, Austin and New York
On unique contract clauses
“Sometimes saying what you don’t do is as important as what you do. In our contract, we clearly list what services are included, but in the following subsection, we also note what services are outside of our scope and fees so that there are no surprises for the client or assumptions made. Each job is so unique and can require different consultants or trades to come on board with their own expertise to keep the project moving. This clause notes that those consultants may be required for the project, but are not included in our scope or services—for example, engineering, architects, conservation approval, surveyor, lighting consultant and audio/visual consultant.” —Erin Hannon-Watkinson, Studio Ha/Wa, Toronto
