Von Löwen Designs

If you stop and think about it, in a many numbers of ways, an adept designer’s skill set should be very comparable to those of a successful professor or teacher. Both having the objective to encourage and provide guidance to the student/client to get from Point A (what they know, understand and believe to be true in the present) to Point B (an advanced state of deeper understanding and knowledge to enable and support a conclusion).

I’m not sure if you will find many noteworthy educators that just stand up in lecture to simply declare B as the correct answer. Of course not, there is considerably more to it than that, and similar methods will apply to a proficient design approach.

At the outset a designer most posses a thorough understanding of Point A. Meaning: Where is your client starting from? What do they understand now? What do they believe and why do they believe it? For what information and knowledge are they ready? What are they doing now and why are they doing it that way? This comprehension of your client’s perspective can only come from doing a lot of direct questioning and careful listening, saving your own reactions and opinions until much later in the process.

Having an appreciation of Point A, the designer cannot proceed directly to a discussion of Point B and it’s objective quite yet. The designer must develop and nurture a reasoning process that initiates a focus on the differences and a journey of discovery for all parties involved. The goal here is an interactive way to guide your client, shining light on any present enigmas and facilitate those doors to be opened so that upon reflection your client will come to their own conclusion that Point B is the more suitable way to proceed. Thus avoiding the awkward and uncomfortable position of trying to convince them.

I always try to remember to ask those sometimes difficult to handle questions that initially might appear that I am literally trying to sway my client out of doing the assignment, and you know in some cases we do realize together that moving forward is not the best solution to their existing predicament. On the other hand, together we may conclude that in order to truly resolve what’s troubling them their scope of work will need to be increased, and it will be necessary to rethink the entire downstairs floor plan instead of just knocking down a single wall. You never can tell. It works both ways, but the bottom line is the result was never forced or just provided, and their commitment was achieved through reasoning and discovery by closely working together.

Have a wonderful holiday!

lars-

They say a picture is worth 1,000 words, so before you leave be sure to visit Von Löwen Designs to view an assortment of refreshing examples in kitchen and bath design concepts, refined palette and interior finishes, and sustainable yet chic, green remodeling ideas that may encourage and inspire your next remodel or home improvement project.