PLAINVIEW, NY—From start to finish, a project needs to not only stick to its timeline and budget, but also stay true to the vision. In order for the process to run smoothly and to satisfy all parties involved, there are a few core principles to follow.
Hosted and sponsored by Furniture Design Studios here, the InspireDesign—part of ICD Publications hospitality group—roundtable discussion “Concept to Completion: Creating Designs for One-Of-A-Kind Experiences,” allowed design leaders to lay out these points. Moderated by Editor-in-Chief Christina Trauthwein and Publisher Allen Rolleri, the discussion began at the beginning: the concept.
“From the start, you need to have someone who is pushing the schedule, making sure we’re hitting the timelines and making sure we’re keeping within the budget provided for us,” said Brad Czechowski, project executive, H-CPM.
Others agreed that all project contributors need to not only be on board, but on the same page from the beginning. This allows for more time planning and sourcing the right materials, and it leaves time to handle the unexpected, which—ironically—is something that is always expected.
Celia Barrett, founder/principal, Barrett Design Studio, recommends coming in early to hear what the client is looking for, and then using that to help guide the physical design while also setting realistic expectations.
“This allows you to discuss with the architect the concept and then bring that to the client. Sometimes, the client doesn’t know what that concept is; they may know what they want to happen, what they want their guest to experience, but they don’t really know how to put that emotional thought into visual direction,” she said.
The participants also agreed that communication plays a vital role, with weekly conference calls or meetings necessary throughout the project, with one person serving as the point of contact to avoid confusion. These check-ins also give people the chance to highlight potential issues and offer insight.
“We created our own engineering and design department to go through everybody’s concepts and drawings,” said Charles Monaco, director of design, Furniture Design Studios. “We always try to throw a suggestion out there on something. We’re not just manufacturing; we’re trying to make this thing seamless.”
For more from the InspireDesign roundtable and these design principles, read the upcoming Winter 2019 issue.
