On the Ask Us Anything podcast, BOH editor in chief Kaitlin Petersen taps former Trade Tales guests to answer real, confidential designer questions, offering a safe space to discuss business challenges. Have a question of your own to ask? Send an email to start the conversation.
This week, San Antonio, Texas, designer Alison Giese joins the show to answer a question from a designer who typically invites client approval and feedback throughout the design process. After attending a recent industry panel, she was surprised to learn that other designers often present the entire house to clients in one fell swoop. Now she’s interested in a more hands-off relationship—and curious about the changes she’d need to make in her presentation approach to get there.
Giese jumps in with advice on the value of providing clients with curated choices, how to hone powers of observation during the intake process, and why whole-home presentations help convey continuity—and give designers a chance to build confidence and salesmanship skills.
Crucial insight: Rather than checking in with clients frequently for approval on selections throughout the design process, Giese recommends focusing on getting to know them thoroughly from the outset of a project—and using that information to make choices with confidence when sourcing. “It really does help to have been in their shoes and to be able to anticipate what they may see or want. With the style aspect, it is a lot of observation: What do they wear? How do they shop? What do they drive? And then I ask people what three words do they want their house to convey? That says a lot,” says Giese. “It really helps curate the priorities in the design—style and function.”
Key quote: “It’s never going to not be a little intimidating to do someone’s whole house, but that’s part of the challenge and part of the growth. Can we take what we’ve learned about this client in a fairly short amount of time and turn it into something that they feel really good living with for a long time? I don’t know if you ever get past those nerves. If I’m so confident that I’m like, ‘Oh, I can do this in my sleep,’ then I’m not pushing myself enough.”
This episode was sponsored by Four Hands and Crypton. If you like what you hear, subscribe on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.
