TX GULF COAST
DESIGN SUMMER 2018
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
TX GULF COAST
IN THIS ISSUE
DESIGN
06 08 10 11 12 13
SUMMER 2018
ASIDTEXASGULFCOAST CHAPTEROFFICE 7026 old katy road, suite 285 houston, texas 77024 t: 713-626-1470 office hours: 10am-4pm Mon-thurs Closed Friday www.asidtgcc.org
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ASID NATIONAL 718 7th st. nw, 4th Floor washington dC 20001 tel: (202) 546-3480 Fax: (202) 546-3240 asid@asid.org • www.asid.org EDITORIALSTAFF Communications Director Brooke Bowman, Asid
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Magazine Chair larry Boykin, Asid ip 713.937.0126 Jay Crowe-Blanchard, Asid Magazine Team sandra smith, Asid Michael williams, Asid ip Candy Castle, Asid Contributors diane Cowen shasta Beveridge Amy lopez david euscher Maria Frank Crystal reeves Amanda watson
Chapter Administrator Janie Mitts Moore 713-626-1470 administrator@txgc.asid.org
Advertising Sales Jamie williams • 352.448.5873 jwilliams@dsapubs.com txgC design magazine is published quarterly for the texas gulf Coast Chapter of the American society of interior designers by dsA publishing & design, inc. editorial content and the Angle magazine are controlled and owned by the texas gulf Coast Chapter of Asid. reproduction of this publication in whole, in part, in any form is strictly prohibited without the written permission of the texas gulf Coast Chapter of Asid.
Bringing Integrated Lighting into the Planning Process
Sharing the Sandbox - A Designer & Builders Success Story The Power of Presence
SCALE - National Student Summit 2018
Office Space? - Collaboration is the new way to do business
Don’t just check the box - Continuing Education and Professional Development Getting Published
Winning it all - Best in Show-Residential Winner - Missy Stewart, ASID HCC Interior Design Portfolio Show Welcome New Members
Peer 2 Peer Group - Team Awesome ASID Business Symposium & Expo Designing Higher Profits
ASID Social Network & Industry Partner Steering Committee Team up to Bowl Designer Peer Group Report TAID Art Sale
On the Road to Design - Tour for Students Only 2018 TXGC Sponsors
Houston Design Center - Upcoming Events Houston Design Center - Design in Bloom
Design Center Houston - Upcoming Events
INDEX OF ADVERTISERS
31
AlexAndrA’s drAperies
26
CArol’s lighting
07 18 07 27 31 30 24 02 30 30 27 15 05 32 13 30 15
BlAtt BilliArds dAllAs rugs
dAzzling deCor
designer’s Furniture MFg. elizABeth Cole
g&s CustoM drAperies gAppA glAss lAdCo
TX GULF COAST
DESIGN
the lonestAr rAnge hood CoMpAny M&M CArpet showrooM MAnChester CArpet
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SUMMER 2018
On the cover: 2017 RUBY AWARD WINNER Best in Show – Residential Missy stewart, Asid Missy stewart designs photo Credit: Bayou City 360 Article page: 16
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
texAs gulF CoAst ChApter | SUMMER 2018 - 3 -
President’s Letter
B
y now you’ve attended some graduations, dressed your kids for prom and made them take those memorable “front yard” photos and perhaps you have a couple
of weddings on your schedule! that’s a good indication that summer is here!
with great excitement, i offer a special Congratulations to all graduating seniors! what a time of enjoyment and accomplishment!
students are shaking things up around here, with great presence and initiative! i had the opportunity to visit the houston County Community portfolio show along with our Membership and Atlarge director. i must say that the student work on display was amazing! earlier in the year, at the national president’s Forum and scale event, i was so proud that 14 of our chapter students took the initiative to attend the event and represent this chapter well! we had the 2nd highest
student attendance in the whole conference! in a different capacity, i was also invited by donna Vining to visit stephen F. Austin to talk with several students there. we are looking forward to attending the shows and events of all of our student groups and schools! the Adopt-A-student Committee is working diligently to get students adopted. there is a waiting list. if you would like to participate please contact the committee. stay tuned as the student enrichment committee is planning a really cool full day “Around the world” tour to visit many of
our local industry partners. our student Career day will be coming soon as well, in conjunction with our Business symposium event. there’s much going on in support of our student members, as there should be. Weareexcitedaboutalloftheupcomingevents: June 28
Membership Celebration by our Membership Committee
July 19-21
leadership experience
July 21
national Celebration – the Asid Awards gala you never know who from our Chapter will be recognized!
August 8
Asid txgC Business symposium @ Citadel on kirby
Coming soon
design Awards submission and event
let me just say, if you haven’t attended the monthly social network events, you are missing a treat. our At-large director along with social network Committee hosted a membership-bowling event and we had a blast. it was so much fun! the social network Committee has really been
thinking outside the box and we have some good times together!
don’t let your membership sit on a shelf! VOLUNTEER,PARTICIPATE,NETWORK...WORKIT,SOITWORKSFORYOU!!! ShundraHarris,ASID ASIDTexasGulfCoastChapterPresident2017-2018
- 4 - SUMMER 2018 | texAs gulF CoAst ChApter
ASID TEXAS GULF COAST CHAPTER 7026 old katy road, suite 285 houston, texas 77024 BOARD OF DIRECTORS President shundra harris, Asid rid 817.228.7297 president@txgc.asid.org President-Elect saima sayer., Asid, rid 281.630.0106 president-elect@txgc.asid.org FinancialDirector tom Connell, industry partner of Asid 713.621.1556 Finance@txgc.asid.org CommunicationsDirector Brooke Bowman, Allied Asid 281.841.0318 Communications@txgc.asid.org ProfessionalDevelopmentDirector Jan therrien, Allied Asid 281.799.0240 professionaldevelopment@txgc.asid.org MembershipDirector sari karki-rajabi, Asid 281.686.1745 membership@txgc.asid.org At-LargeDirector pamela Cortes, industry partner of Asid 713.301.1574 at-large@txgc.asid.org StudentRepresentative khanh huy Vu, student Asid 832.701.4568 studentrep@txgc.asid.org ChapterAdministrator Janie Mitts Moore 713.626.1470 administrator@txgc.asid.org
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BRINGING INTEGRATED LIGHTING INTO THE PLANNING PROCESS By Maria Frank, ASID IP, Cabinets & Designs, Inc.
lighting no longer has to be an aftermarket accessory. By defining integrated lighting possibilities and considerations early in the planning process, your clients are assured of getting the best possible results. what are your client’s goals? what tasks will be performed? in your planning, remember that cabinetry specifications such as materials, colors, tone, reflectivity, placement and lighting from appliances-plus availability of natural light-will influence led lighting effects. For any room or space, you’ll need a clear idea about what the lighting needs to do. think about how each room will be used and which integrated lighting applications are required or desired. For example – UnderCabinetLighting – used to illuminate countertops, backsplashes and other work surfaces while reducing shadows caused by overhead lighting. high intensity is best for work surfaces; choose from warm or cool color temperature depending on the cabinet and countertop finishes. InteriorCabinetLighting– the functional advantage of interior cabinet lighting creates more usable space, with great possibilities for display. Accent lighting establishes mood and character by creating drama, excitement, and interest.
FixedShelfLighting – Fixed shelf lighting illuminates dark interiors or provides lighting to a set of drawers installed below the fixed shelf. LightIntensityandPurpose– high-intensity lighting is used for task lighting and dark surfaces that absorb more light. Medium-intensity lighting is used for drawers and interior cabinet lighting because high-intensity light could overpower the small space. A dimmer can be used with high-intensity lighting to adjust to medium and low light intensities. Committoasinglecolorinaroom – Choose either warm or cool colors: mixing lighting colors will create an incongruous look. if you choose cool light for a tall cabinet, then choose cool lights in drawers and base cabinets as well.
DownLighting– down lighting is effective in a wide range of situations. As accent lighting, it can add a dramatic, ornamental effect. down lighting shines light into dark spaces beneath shelves or cabinets, and creates a floating effect under vanities. DrawerLighting – placing lighting inside drawers illuminates the entire interior and its contents, making the available space more usable, and every item accessible and identifiable. these lights are designed to turn on and off as the drawer is opened and closed. - 6 - SUMMER 2018 | texAs gulF CoAst ChApter
WardrobePoleLighting – ribbon is placed in the pole to create a soft effect across a span of hanging items.
4 Steps to Lighting Success
1 DefineCabinetryGoalsWithYourClient – select the cabinet style, finish, hardware and types of storage/display spaces that best suit their needs.
2DefineLightingGoalsWithYourClient – Choose areas for task or ambient lighting, and identify cabinet interior spaces that will benefit from lighting.
3PlanYourDesignandSpecifytheLightingComponents – Commit your plan to paper as a schematic that includes all essential details.
4ShareYourPlanWithYourInstaller – Before installation begins, review the schematic with your contractor to cover each lighting application. this shares your vision, identifies questions and assures a smooth installation.
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Sharing the Sandbox
A Designer & Builders Success Story
AnInterview By Larry Boykin, ASID IP Image Electric
in my over 30 years of construction experience, i have had the joy of working for both interior designers and Building Contractors. i have noticed over the years that sometimes those two professional types are not always in harmony with each other. sometimes i would hear my Builder complain about the designer “blowing the budget up” or the designer complaining about the Builder “ignoring important design details” – too often they were not on the same page. too often they were not a team. i began wondering how i could help bring these two parts of a whole together. what better way than to ask a successful interior designer / Builder team to share their story. enter Cindy Aplanalp of Chairma design group and Matt sneller of sneller Custom homes & remodeling. Tellmeaboutyourrelationshiptogether. Cindy: Matt and i have worked together for many years- i was a late bloomer- (i went to design school in my early 40’s- he was a young buck – after working cutting his teeth in production building, as an A&M grad- it was a good meeting of the minds. we sort of just clicked. Matt: Cindy and i first worked together on a large whole house remodel in the woodlands in 2012. i needed a top-notch designer for such a large project, and a mutual Builder friend of mine introduced me to her. that first project together was a huge success that won numerous awards and was featured in local and national publications. realizing that we have a very similar target market and approach, we began bringing each other in to subsequent projects.
Matt:the easiest part of working together has always been the ideas and vision for a project at the beginning. Cindy and i both love to do big, unique, award worthy projects. go big or go home, right? if someone is hiring us to do a custom project for them, they want something valuable that they couldn’t have done without us. neither of us are afraid to try new things— i’ve never been one to say no to a customer, and i think Cindy feels the same way. we’re custom, so we should be able to do anything.
Cindy Aplanalp of Chairma Design Group
Whatdidnot?WhatChallenge/Difference/Obstacledid youencounter? Cindy: Always when you are creating things that don’t yet existand it requires a team to bring to life- oF Course there are going to be issues/obstacles- things that you didn’t know! times like this require Creative problem-solving skills and the willingness to get to the ‘solution’. Forget about blame- this is where a ‘back to back partnership’ is really helpful! Also fearless support of each otherclient like a unified approach-they want to feel your trust and calm. no throwing anyone under the bus! you can let it rip in privatebut unified game face of CoMplete confidence and trust in front of the clients. Matt: i think there’s always challenges involved when you get two hard charging, opinionated, go-getter type people working together on anything. process is always something we’re mutually working on—both within our individual companies and with each other. Communication is another big one. we all think we communicate clearly, but it doesn’t always come across the way we want.
Howdidyouovercomethis? Cindy: well this is pretty funny and a completely truthful statement- Matt and Jenny sneller- husband and wife, work as a team in their business- so i tell clients- (and Matt you might not know this… and it pains me to reveal my ‘secret weapon’) but i tell them, Matt Sneller of Sneller Custom if i have a problem with Matt i call him- if i have a really big problem Howdidyoumeet? Homes & Remodeling with Matt, i call Jenny! haha… every woman knows what i’m Cindy:hummmm, i think at the greater houston Builders sayin here! Association(ghBA) – which i would encourage all new designers to become involved Matt:i’m not sure that we’ve come up with the magic formula. every project brings in. A very worthwhile organization, your designs are only as good as the applinew challenges. when you work with someone over and over, a familiarity develops, cation- so get to know your builders/trades. they will make your designs shine! which is helpful, but really, just like with any of our projects, nothing is ever easy. i’m Matt: i had a Builder friend through the ghBA that took me under his wing when unsure if it’s possible to overcome every obstacle—we’re both just always trying to i was first getting started. Cindy was currently working with him, so he introduced get a little better each day at all the things we know are true—dropping our egos to me to her. be a good team player, communicating clearly, planning ahead and being organized…
Howdidyoudecidetoworktogether? Cindy:it’s been so long- i can’t really remember- but i do know that i encouraged him to be at the houzz demo many years ago-so i take full credit for his houzz fame- (just say’n) Matt:A personal recommendation from a friend is always a good start, but having seen pictures of her work made it an easy choice. Whatcameeasyforyouinpartnering? Cindy:we were both new and thought we were individually talented and even more so, collectively talented- it was a good pairing.
- 8 - SUMMER 2018 | texAs gulF CoAst ChApter
Whatissomethingyouloveaboutyourpartner? Cindy: hands down- enthusiasm for our business and the clients. his care for clients and his willingness to own it and make it right, on the rare occasion it’s not right. his willingness to face to face problem solve and his respect for the interior design profession - this is why i love working with Matt sneller Custom homes and renovations. Matt is kind, respectful and talented. Matt: i love that Cindy is not a ‘play it safe’ kind of a person. she wants all her projects to be show stoppers, so there’s almost no repeats of anything we work on together. i’m always excited to see what she’ll come up with next—new products
she wants to try, new designs she’s come up with etc. she works hard to stay in the know about the latest and greatest, and then puts her unique spin on everything. her designs are award winning for a reason. YouwererecentlyfeaturedonaHouzzRemodeling VideoProjectwithAmericantelevisionhostandactor MarioLopezinHoustonTexas.Tellusaboutthat? Matt: houzz contacted us to pitch the project and see if we’d be interested. After talking with them for several weeks and deciding we wanted to take it on, they asked if there was a designer we could recommend to bring into the project as well. Cindy was the natural choice because we knew she’d be able to bring ideas that would take this room over the top. Whatspecialrules,timeconstraints,conditionsdid youhavetoworkwith? Cindy: rules: A big secret, time – everything needed right now!!!!! And thanks to harvey- i think Matt called in every favor he had! interiors are the last bit- so hard on us-but this is our norm- so we just do what needs to be done and hopefully make it look easy- we’d done a hgtV show before so knew the drill. And let me just mention some other unapparent constraints (hopefully) - when filming all A/C - fan must be off for sound - and oMg it was so huMid and hot we were dying- plus work was still happening- i was a sweaty hot mess!!! i’m so appreciative of the trades that busted it on our behalf! thank you!!! Matt:the timing was a huge constraint. everyone in the industry was busier than we’d ever been, dealing with homes flooded by harvey, so, finding crews that were available to take on more work was challenging. the permitting process added additional strain on the timing, we had a few very unusual snow/ice days that added days to the project, and we were surprised with a fire sprinkler requirement halfway through the project that we were not expecting. Also, working around a filming schedule was tough—coordinating the project schedule, the production crew’s travel schedule, Mario’s calendar, and Cindy and my schedules was not easy. Didanyspecialconsiderationscameintoplay? Cindy:of course- budget- time frame, all was purchased through houzz vendors, online so yes, very limited. Matt: one of the biggest considerations was trying to make this room with limited square footage. it was a multipurpose space for everyone in the family to enjoy. Also, keeping it a secret from Mario’s sister was important, so we had to trust ourselves and Mario’s input to make it a space she would love. Whatwasyourfavoritepartofthisproject? Cindy: the kids reaction upon reveal! did you see them!!! oMg priCeless!!!!! Matt:it was definitely our trip to l.A. At the beginning, we had pitched the idea to houzz of doing the design meeting with Mario at his house since his dance studio was the inspiration for the new room, so it was awesome to have it actually happen.
Whatisnextforyoutwo? Cindy: we are in the big fat middle of some harvey remodels. which are going to be so great and i’m so appreciative for the opportunity to be involved. once these are completed, i’m intending super high-end- no budget-restriction clients who just lets us do what we want- sound good Matt??? Matt: we’ve got a few projects we’re currently working on together, and several that are finished and entered for awards this year, so we’ll wait and see. YouhaveclearlylearnedtomaketheDesigner/ Builderrelationshipwork.Cindy,doyouhaveany tipsforotherdesignersonhowto“sharethesand box”withabuilder? Cindy:it is a two-way street. we recommend Matt sneller Custom homes and remodeling as much as he recommends Charima. so you have to know who you can work with a Creative problem- solver is a huge thing for me!!! A contractor who respects your opinion and has the trades to execute your design vision. A builder who is on a quest to know the latest, greatest building possibilities (they must attend kBis and iBs!- even better if you attend together to see the same things at the same times!!! ) i’m at the point in my career where i’ve defined my ‘ideal client’ and know who that is down to the car they drivethis saying, i have also defined who i enjoy working with, and that has a lot to do with a desire and willingness to be the best and to stretch the possible and craft ‘awesomeness’ for our clients. some respect is also thrown in there with a good sense of humor too goes along way. AnythingelseyouwishtosharewithourASID readers? Cindy:get to know all the trades on your projects- know them by name. Be respectful and kind. Brag on them in front of your clients. they will make you look good! i’ve been wildly successful because i know by name and respect all the trades on my jobs-i trust their expertise, ask their opinions, learn from them, And give them credit for their input! everyone likes to be appreciated, recognized and encouraged. i think what you give you get- and that is really the secret ingredient of success in any profession. As interior design professionals, though thoughtful, intentional design, we craft and create spaces that set the stage for better lives. this talent and ability is so impactful- it’s no small thing to be invited into a client’s- sacred space- their home. i’m very, very humbled by this profession and love it with all my heart- i know you do too! Cindy&Matt’shouzzprojectcanbeseenbygoingto: https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/106702366/video/my-houzz-mario-lopezgives-his-sister-a-family-fitness-studio. you can find Cindy at chairma.com and Matt at snellercustomhomes.com. Both are Award winning professionals and wonderful amazing people to work with!
texAs gulF CoAst ChApter | SUMMER 2018 - 9 -
The Power of Presence By Amy Lopez, RID, ASID
“Whenthestudentisready,theteacherappears,”says an
old proverb. i would add to this: teachers are all around us.
it is astounding what we can glean from one another when
we are willing to observe and learn from our comrades. A
few years ago i had the distinct pleasure of desking next to
Michelle. every time i had something to say—no matter how trivial—she would
stop her task, turn to face me, look me in the eye, and listen to what i had to say.
she was present and engaged in that particular moment. it didn’t seem to matter
whether i was coming to her for help working through a design problem, talking
about a client meeting, or complaining about the houston humidity—her pattern
Howcanwedevelopthehabitbringingourundividedfocustoourdailyinteractions?
with a feeling of being acknowledged, valued, and heard. wow! that’s powerful.
•Beaware. tune in to your interactions with others and notice when you see
of response was the same. when i think back on our conversations i’m flooded
i started to ask myself: is that how my clients feel when i am with them? what
about my fellow designers? My family? At that moment i couldn’t give a resounding “yes” to those questions. yet, i realized that i’ve chosen a profession that requires
the ability to foster deep personal connections, gain trust, and provide impeccable
yourself, or others, distracted. Abstain from judgements, here. your goal is simply to gather information on when and how your attention is diverted.
•Removekeydistractions. experiment with the do not disturb feature on your phone during key meetings, or at the dinner table. turn off the noise and
execution of outstanding design.
vibration notifications on your phone for non-essential apps--the beep, flashing
Focusandattention are a scarce leadership skill in today’s world. Michelle’s pattern
not urgent or more important than what is unfolding in the present moment and
interaction. yet, for many of us, it is not. is it surprising? After all, we have multiple
•Putdownwhateverisinyourhands,whether it be a phone, keyboard, or
of mindful interaction should be a basic sequence of events in every human
roles to fill in our lives—each with their competing demands. in addition, there is
the constant barrage of emails, text messages, phone calls, and *urgent* needs.
pop-up box, or vibration compel you to “look and see.” often the distraction is
can wait.
pen. if you are using your device to take notes, let your team know that you’re
doing so. this way, there won’t be an
technology has blurred the line between our work time and sacred personal time,
erroneous assumption that your focus is
gathered together but buried in their screens of their phones, texting and driving,
•Makeeyecontact. it comes as no surprise,
so that now any moment can be made “productive”. we see it every day: people
answering emails during a meeting, having a conversation with another person
and pecking away on the keyboard at the same time. i’m horrified to admit that
i’ve been particularly guilty of the last one!
For years we’ve been duped into thinking that the solution to managing the onslaught
of tasks was to multi-task: do as much as you can simultaneously. unfortunately,
personal interactions have succumbed to the multi-tasking motto. what current
beyond the topic at hand.
lack of eye contact is generally interpreted
as a “lack of caring.”
•Acknowledgewhenyouaren’tabletogiveyourfullattention. sometimes, *now*, just isn’t the best time. it’s okay to say, “i want to be sure i give you/this topic my full attention. Can we connect in 15 minutes?”
people will value that you recognize their time and thoughts as important enough to deserve complete attention.
research is showing is that multi-taking is really just “shift-tasking” and that our
•Practice,practice,practice. use your daily interactions with family, friends
prone to mistakes when our attention is divided, it takes longer for us to complete
•Supportyourintenttobepresentwithothers, and in your life as a whole,
suffer. in addition, we are left with a persistent sense of unease after realizing that
of brain research is fully supporting meditative practices as a means for increasing
brains aren’t truly wired to function well when splitting our attention. we are more
our assignments, we have poor memory recall, and our personal relationships
we truly didn’t get any one task completely finished.
Whatisthecost of not being engaged and present in our day-to-day lives? it
could be missing the nuance in what your client is saying (or not saying) during a
presentation. poor or incorrect communication in correspondence. not seeing the signs of overload in team mate. producing a design solution that is sub-par
and associates as an opportunity to be interact with intention.
by developing a routine for self-reflection and meditation. A growing mountain
focus, self-awareness, creativity, productivity, and happiness.
Asleadersinourindustry,community,andfamilies, we must cultivate in ourselves
the habit of being truly present with those around us. it is a gift—not just to
others, but also to ourselves. see how much more satisfying your interactions
become. notice the nuances that you might have missed before. you may even
because it was not given the dedicated time and energy it needed to be fully
feel a greater sense of ease and flow of creativity. when you interact with
devalued because you did not give them your full attention—which in the end, can
water, your actions will ripple out—simply with your being, you will become a
developed. worst of all, inadvertently making another person feel dismissed and
become the high price of a disenchanted client, embittered business partnership, unengaged employee, or estranged relationship. - 10 - SUMMER 2018 | texAs gulF CoAst ChApter
mindfulness and presence you will impact others. like a pebble dropped in the teacher for another ready student.
SCALE
National Student Summit 2018
By Khanh Huy Vu, ASID Student Representative to the Board TGCC with any professions, the need of creating and maintaining connections is one of the most critical elements for an individual, a group, or a company to grow. As a student, that need is more important than ever, as it may create paths to desired future. in response to the need of students, the American society of interior designers created sCAle national student summit, which is annually taking place in February at different location across America. this event is a central portal that helps students establishing their connections. the relationships that students can develop at this event is not just only with the professionals, but it also forges new friendships and fellowships among students.
Students visit at Avenue Interior Design
From February 23rd thru February 25th the sCAle national student summit 2018 was held at the grand sheraton in los Angeles, CA. it was a hotspot for more than 400 people, including students, academic professors, and industrial professionals from places across the country. with that, students were not just given chances to meet and create connection with Student Social Event/Diner at HumanScale different people from various professional branches of interior design, but they were also able to learn and challenge themselves through various activities during the event. sCAle student summit included numerous seminars and lessons from keynote speakers, who specialize in different areas of the design industry. the seminars covered a wide range of aspects and elements relating to interior design. in addition, the event strongly embraced on the idea of “design impact life,” which emphasized on what a good designer brings to the design table and how we, interior designers, shape the world. students toured the city and visited various incredible firms, such as gensler, perskin+will, Avenue interior, dlr, and Callisonrtkl. in addition, the students challenged themselves through various large and small games and contests, such as Asid student portfolio Competition and Clicks. with these two activities, the students learned from each other how to create impressive design portfolios as well as enhancing their own design skills through observations. Furthermore, the students built new friendships and explored los Angeles to fulfill different components and aspects in the Click contest. A contest where students were asked to take pictures of different objects and places. As a result, there were ten different prizes that ranging from an Asid t-shirt to a sponsorship for nCidQ exam.
understanding the need and importance of the event, Asid texas gulf Coast Chapter had generously sponsored olivia Bufalini, president of stephen F. Austin university Asid student Chapter, Marcia rodriguez, president of Art institute of houston Asid student Chapter, and khanh huy Vu, student representative to the Board of Asid texas gulf Coast Chapter, to sCAle national student summit 2018. Along with student Chapter leaders, eight other students from stephen F. Austin university, sam houston state university, and Art institute of houston had joined the journey of learning and exploring at sCAle los Angeles 2018. the students came back with incredible knowledge on newest information regarding the profession, such as well Being and leadership skills, which includes communications, critical thinking, and teamwork skills, as well as new friendships and fellowships with students and professionals across the country. with the sCAle national student summit, Asid has successfully created a national forum that allows students from every corner of the country to come, learn, and have fun together. it is truly a place where “design impacts life.”
Fun Time of ASID TXGC - Cindy Skaikay (Art Institute Student Chapter - Vice President), Marcia Rodriguez (Art Institute Student Chapter - President), Shundra Harris (ASID TXGC President), Kaylee Webb (Stephen F. Austin Student Chapter – Vice President), Olivia Bufalini (Stephen F. Austin Student Chapter - President, Khanh Vu (ASID TXGC Student Representative to the Board)
texAs gulF CoAst ChApter | SUMMER 2018 - 11 -
Office Space?
Collaboration is the new way to do business By Sandra Smith, ASID Are you an interior designer looking for a convenient place to meet clients in a professional atmosphere? or, maybe you are just launching a new business on your own but not ready to commit to a leased
office space.
A cost-effective way to meet with clients in a professional
atmosphere and keep your costs down would be to join a virtual office, co-working or executive suite/private office. houston
offers many options, but one stands out from the rest. the
Village executive suites.
Although the concept is not new, the Village executive suites
offers some really cutting-edge opportunities. they are
conveniently located in rice Village at 2525 robinhood street,
houston 77005, walking distance to rice Village shops and dinning. this location in the city makes it
easy when doing business around the design centers.
the space is modern, bright and creative, it’s a perfect
place to work, meet and collaborate with clients or fellow designers. the Village executive suites offers a wide
variety of services at reasonable prices. with rent
availably on an hourly, daily and monthly basis it makes
it easy and affordable.
some of the great services that are provided consist of:
two full service conference rooms with all the latest media equipment, wiFi “fiber” with hight speed business
internet. Multifunctional copiers with pantone color options. Commercial phone/Voicemail services that are provided through their live community receptionist.
Mailing and package services. online account history and bill-pay. event planning and catering, administrative services, cafe access with complimentary refreshments,
24-hour key fob access to the building and secure premises with recorded surveillance. the pictures say it all, a light airy, modern. For more information, contact sarah liput or go to www.thevillagesuites.com.
EDITOR’S NOTE hello, i am larry Boykin, and i have taken over the pleasure of leading our wonderful Asid txgC design Magazine team. we hope you enjoyed this summer issue and looking forward to our Fall 2018 issue of txgC design, we will be featuring many articles on Commercial interior design. if you would like to contribute an article or have a suggestion for the magazine, please email those to me at larry@imageelectric.net. this magazine is for you and while i may be beautiful, i am not a mind reader. i need you to tell me what you want and need from this publication. please let me know. i am also available by voice at 713.937.0126. thank you for your help and support!
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3
Don’t just check the box Continuing Education and Professional Development
By David C. Euscher, ASID we all have to do it. As registered professionals we accept the responsibility of maintaining records of our annual quota of Continuing education units. we attend lunch and learn presentations, or attend classes at conferences, and always look for those that cover our health, safety and welfare requirements – those most prized classes. if we are really lucky, we find an hsw class that covers accessibility and sustainability at the same time, thereby reducing the number of Ceus we have to take each year. remember when learning new things was something we wanted to do? those who enter this profession choose to go through a rigorous education and spend many hours learning our craft to develop from students into professionals. As professionals, we can easily get focused on the job of being a design professional and lose sight of the importance of continual professional development. the world we live in is ever evolving, and as designers we are constantly developing solutions to new challenges as they arise. leaders in our profession are developing new forms of practice, new services to offer clients, and expanded roles as design professionals. these leaders look beyond the required minimum Ceu’s and view continuing education as a privilege, rather than a burden.
There is a difference in a Schenck f loor.
A
By embracing an attitude of continual improvement and lifelong learning, we not only develop ourselves as professionals, but we develop the profession as a whole. As the public becomes more aware of the effects of the built environment on human health, we will need to develop our profession to address these issues head on. we are already bound by our professional status to protect the health safety and welfare of the public, yet we are not often viewed as experts in these very same matters. As new information becomes available to the public about the effects of the built environment on human health, we will be called on to answer questions from our client public. At worst, it may mean that we are exposed to more professional liability and risk in a litigious society. At best, we have an opportunity to communicate information to our clientele in a manner that raises awareness of the ways in which design can go beyond minimum standards that protect us from harm and actually serve to enhance human health and wellbeing. By choosing to embrace learning and develop ourselves as knowledgeable resources, we can have a meaningful impact on the lives of those we serve. i challenge our fellow professionals and industry partners to seek out this new information, share it with others and use the knowledge we gain collectively to develop as professionals. By doing so we develop the profession and increase our value. Editor’s note: Continuing education units are easy to get, MANY of our Industry Partners provide CEU units for you yearly in their showrooms or you may work with one of your local Designer-Providers such as Donna Vining with http://www.seminarsbydesign.net or nationally by going to http://acadehttp://academy.asid.org/my.asid.org.
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texAs gulF CoAst ChApter | SUMMER 2018 - 13 -
Getting Published
By Diane Cowen Architecture and home design writer at the Houston Chronicle
you open a newspaper or magazine or turn to your favorite blogger or website to see who and what’s being written about. it’s recognition for their good work, much-needed information for a huge and growing audience and, honestly, an important part of the architect, interior designer or other vendor’s branding or marketing. getting published isn’t as hard as you think, but it takes some effort and persistence. i’m in the business of writing about architecture and design for the houston Chronicle, so i can give you great advice on getting published in the newspaper i work for, but that advice should help you understand what it takes to get published in local and national magazines as well as on your favorite websites. here are tips to get you started: CONTACTS:the first thing you need to know is who to contact at any publication. you can start with editors – after all, they’re gatekeepers and decision-makers – and their names and contact information are often in their publications and websites. Another option is to contact writers directly; many of them work fairly independently and work with an ongoing list of story ideas that they get approved with their editors. At the Chronicle, i’m your contact, and you can reach me at diane.cowen@chron.com. email is best, for me and, likely, for any other publication. i’m often not at my desk and voice mail sometimes seems tedious. email, on the other hand, never goes away and i can access it on my computer, ipad or phone. you’re much less likely to fall through the cracks when using email. YOURPITCH:this is the most important part of getting your message across to any writer or editor. send us long-winded emails that never get to the point and you’re likely to get shuffled to the bottom of the stack. remember to stay focused and get your point across quickly and succinctly. use your subject line to stand out: include a description that lets me know you’re local and what you’re pitching. something like: “story pitch: Jane doe reveals another modern home project in Memorial” … or “story pitch: Jane doe’s newest project brings modern design to the woodlands” if you’re worried that you’re not a writer and don’t quite know how to summarize your project, think of it in journalistic terms: the 5 w’s and 1 h. they’re “who, what, why, when, where and how” and if you include those in your text, you’ll likely cover all of the bases. SUBJECT: i and other writers and editors are basically looking for beautiful homes to write about, but we want compelling stories. tell us something about the home, its owners and what’s unusual or different about it. i get a lot of pitches for homes bathed in pale neutrals, so sometimes a colorful home is exactly what i want for the mix. if you’ve - 14 - SUMMER 2018 | texAs gulF CoAst ChApter
got before-and-after photos, mention that too, because home transformations are what it’s all about. i require a look at the home and interview with the homeowners; i also must be able to use their names in my stories. Most other publications will ask the same. PHOTOGRAPHY:when you send your initial pitch, send at least a photo or two to grab my attention. they can be low-res, attached or even embedded in the email, but a quick look at what you’re talking about is necessary. if you’ve got a gallery on your own website, include a link that serves as a strong preview. For newspaper publication, i am always happy to use the professional photography that you have, but it’s not required. when i go to the home for the interview, i can bring a Chronicle photographer to get the photos we need. here’s the difference, though. your professional photography is likely shot by someone who does (almost) exclusively interiors photography. My photographers are trained to shoot crime scenes, parades, baseball games … and home interiors. their eye is a little different – not necessarily a bad thing, just different. Also, when you provide photography, you control what we used and you know it will be shots of your work as you want it seen. when our photographers shoot a home, it is at our discretion what they photograph. SMARTBUSINESS: i can’t tell you how many times i’ve asked a homeowner how they found their designer and they reply that they saw their name in the newspaper, in a magazine or on a website. some people hang onto that person’s contact information for years, waiting for the right home to invest in a designer’s work. using links to published stories and pdFs of magazine covers or newspaper pages in marketing is a smart use of resources. what better way to show your work is successful than by showing how it’s been received in the media. links to those stories transfer perfectly to social media such as Facebook, pinterest and instagram. As you evaluate your brand and how it’s perceived or how you might elevate your profile, consider how you can use what you’ve already done for leverage. look at the projects of which you’re most proud and consider those where the clients or homeowners might be willing to help you get recognition. then reach out to me or one of my counterparts elsewhere and see what happens.
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texAs gulF CoAst ChApter | SUMMER 2018 - 15 -
l l a t i g n i n n i W AnInterview By Larry Boykin, ASID IP Image Electric
“Award winning design” – something every designer wants to be known for! Asid’s own Missy stewart of Missy stewart designs is one such interior designer. Missy’s talent, passion and dedication to her craft lead her to top honors as the texas gulf Coast Chapter’s 2017 “Best in show – residential” award winner. i asked Missy to share with us about her award-winning career, her design process and future. here is what she had to say. 2017 BEST IN SHOW RESIDENTIAL – WOW, HOW DID YOU FEEL WHEN YOU HEARD YOUR NAME CALLED? Missy:when i heard my name called, i was so blown away! never in my wildest dreams had i thought i would win best in show. i was surrounded by vendors who had been a part of the project and happy to be with them because they had been a part of my win as well. i value my industry partners so much and know they are winners too. TELL US A LITTLE ABOUT THE AWARD-WINNING PROJECT Missy: the award-winning project was with a client which we had done two prior projects, which were designing her master bedroom. the concept of “less is more” was something she was loving and was getting rid of the many items she was not using. living with less was making her enjoy her life more. so, she wanted that same philosophy carried through to her main living space. we worked with kitchen and Bath Concepts to design the kitchen. she hired another industry partner, greymark Construction to remodel her home. i designed most of the furniture in the space and had it custom made. My industry partner, Creative style Furniture was a big part of the furniture construction. i was thrilled with the outcome of the project and most importantly my client was thrilled as well. WHAT WAS YOUR DESIGN PROCESS AND WHERE DID YOU GET YOUR INSPIRATION? Missy:My design process is different for each client, and i proceed at a pace that makes them comfortable. since this project, i now use renderings that are so real you can hardly tell that they are not a photograph. My clients can see the concept i have in mind and
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Best in Show Winner in Residential Missy Stewart, ASID
Missy Stewart Designs missystewartdesigns.com
what the end result will look like. de-signers have the ability to see the end result as they work through the design phase. our clients most often do not have that ability, if they did, they would not need a designer. having the use of renderings has changed my process a little bit and made it easier to share my vision with them. i often start by asking clients to collect photos they like as inspiration so i can then proceed to analyze the function of the space. once the space is defined, i move on to the design development and start making construction selections. After all the construction selections have been made, i move on to the furniture. the finishing touches consist of defining the art and accessories that will pull everything together. sometimes i take them outside their comfort zone but keep reminding them that a well curated home is defined by how it looks from the waist up. Most people can purchase a sofa and/or a coffee table. then, they wonder why the room does not look well designed. i always tell my clients that a room looks amazing when it is well curated from the waist up. the art, drapes and anything above the waist is a big part of what makes the room look well designed. WHAT WAS YOUR GREATEST CHALLENGE ON THIS PROJECT? Missy:My biggest challenge for this project was making sure my client understood the construction process.
DID YOU COLLABORATE WITH ANY OTHER ASID MEMBERS? Missy: yes!!! As i mentioned before, greymark Construction was the builder. i worked with thorntree, kitchen and Bath Concepts, Creative style Furniture, and designer Floors of houston. i hope i have not forgotten anyone. HOW DID YOU MEET THIS CLIENT? Missy: this client found me on Angie’s list. she is very intelligent and sent me detailed direc-tions to her house for our meeting. we were neighbors, and it was a good thing we live nearby, as i was often popping in when she needed me during construction. we have now completed every square inch of her home and are currently working on her exterior, including the landscaping. AND ABOUT YOU, TELL US ABOUT MISSY. Missy: i have been in the business for over 30 years. ouch! i remember the day when i could say i have been in business for 5 years, then 10, then 15, now i do not want to count anymore. i started de-signing because i owned a construction company and was building spec homes. As soon as the house would sell, i would design and build the next one. Also, i built and sold homes for my family, so we moved every two years. this was not an easy task with a family of five. i agreed to move as long as my children were always in the same school district. it was very valuable to my clients to have a designer who not only knew how the construction process worked but could also explain what it is like to actually live with the finish selections we were incorporating into their home. i gained clients after they became familiar with my designs on my projects. the reno/tahoe area, where i lived, was hit hard in 08. it became harder and harder to earn a living there. in 2012, i decide to move to houston. i have family in sugar land. i started working for a showroom but was missing design so much
that i decided to start my own business. i had no idea if i could make a go of it in a city where i did not know anyone. however, because of the internet and the great reviews my clients were posting about me, my business was successful. My number one goal is to make my clients happy. As my business became more successful i raised my hourly rate, as well as my project minimum. i now have a full-time designer working for me, someone running my procurement department and am currently trying to hire another designer. Business is so great in houston, i’m so thrilled to be here. i like having the opportunity to make a living doing what i love. WHAT IS NEXT? Missy:i plan on continuing to grow my business while increasing my online presence taking ad-vantage of the opportunities that social media provides. And, of course, to keep designing spaces that lift my client’s spirits. ANY “AWARD-WINNING” ADVICE FOR OUR INTERIOR DESIGNERS AND STUDENTS? Missy: My advice to designers and students is to be true to yourself and your client. don’t ever under estimate the power of a strong work ethic. Missy’s award-winning work is featured on this 2018 summer edition txgC design Magazine cover and can be found online at missystewartdesigns.com. you can also reach her at 713-936-4265 or at Missy@Missystewartdesigns.com.
texAs gulF CoAst ChApter | SUMMER 2018 - 17 -
Portfolio Show HCC Interior Design
By Prof. Shasta Beveridge, ASID Educator, NEWH, NKBA Educator Associate Chair, Consumer Arts and Sciences Houston Community College
houston Community College’s interior design program’s portfolio show – reVeAl was held on wednesday, May 9th at the decorative Center of houston. this annual event showcased the studio work of our spring 2018 graduates. the event was well attended by houston’s architectural and design community as well as professional design organizations such as the Asid texas gulf Coast Chapter. the portfolio show is made possible by the support of our generous industry partners that sponsor our event. this year we were very proud to partner with debner and Company, Creative style Furniture, Creative Branch, sherwin williams, Jane page design group, koroseal, Ann sacks, human scale, ACs Flooring, Architex, Fixtures & Fittings and the decorative Center of houston. the event culminated with an evening reception and seated presentation in which each graduate was recognized and received a stole of gratitude to wear at the hCC graduation ceremony. kip Alstaetter, owner of the kip Co. and president of
Dr. Anthony Hancock, Prof. Leticia Bridwell, Prof. Sally Swearingen, Prof. Kevin Hamby, Dr. Madeline Burrilo-Hopkins, Dr. Muddasir Siddiqi, Prof. Shasta Beveridge, Prof. Jackie Barry and Prof. Jennifer Luque
hCC’s interior design program Advisory Committee, served as emcee of the program. guest speakers included Bill stubbs of william w. stubbs & Associates, dr. Madeline Burillo-hopkins- president of hCC’s southwest College, dr. Mudassir siddiqi – president of hCC’s Central College, sally swearingen – sFA university, Ashleigh kiser – Creative style Furnishings and hCC interior design program alum kirsteen James with debner and Company. the evening ended with the announcement of the award recipients and presentation of medallions. this year’s winners were Critic’s Choice - ronnie hale, Kip Alsteatter people’s Choice – Madison Miller and Best in show - rachel denny. ronnie has just accepted a position with debner and Company. Madison is currently working with steve Clifton of scene one interiors and rachel is moving to georgia this summer to continue her studies at savanah College of Art and design. on behalf of professors hamby, Barry and luque, i want to share how proud we are of all of our graduates and how thankful we are for a thriving design community that continues to support interior design education in the city of houston.
WORLD TRADE CENTER 2050 N. Stemmons Frwy Floor 6, Space #6294 Dallas, TX 75207
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Prof. Jackie Barry, Ronnie Hale, Madison Miller, Prof. Shasa Beveridge and Prof. Kevin Hamby.
welCoMe new MeMBers
Asid texas gulf Coast Chapter and Membership Committee would like to extend a warm welcome to our new members! ALLIED
Nowwhat?
your classes are done, final projects submitted and your portfolio complete…but now what? this time of year we have many design students graduating all over our texas gulf Coast region and while we all love a graduation party, it’s important to realize that the portfolio show is not the end of your education but the beginning of your professional career. your portfolio should not be stuck in a drawer somewhere. realize that your design portfolio is a living document that should grow and evolve just as you will as an emerging designer. As you transition from school to the design field, keep the following in mind: n Re-evaluateyourdesignportfolioonceayear. if your skills have improved or you have gained new skills, add these to your portfolio and remove previous work that is not as impressive or shows a lower skill level. n Emphasizeprocesswork. you know those annoying bubble diagrams and criteria matrices that your instructors made you do in school, they are important. potential employers want to know that you have an understanding of design as a process. show the progression of studio projects from conception to completion. n Theportfolioshouldbeaboutqualityoverquantity. take a less is more approach to portfolio content. show your best skills and eliminate excessive clutter. A potential employer is not going to sit down with your portfolio book for an hour and evaluate each project. open and end the portfolio with your strongest projects. n Tailoryourportfoliotospecificinterviews. if you are interviewing for a commercial design position, adjust your portfolio accordingly. research the company you are applying to and have your portfolio reflect work similar to that of the firm. n Updateyourresumeonceayear. keep your resume fresh and up to date. you never know when an opportunity may present itself. n Developawebsite. i am not saying you need to become a web design guru. Aside from a static printed portfolio you may want to consider creating an online version. the link to your site can easily be added to business cards and resumes. today it is easier and cheaper to create a website than ever before. if you are a website novice, stick with sites such as wix and weebly. if you are more advanced go for something like wordpress. n Stayconnected! Although you have left your school family, it’s important to remember you are not alone! you are now a member of an even larger design community. stay connected with your professional design organizations. Most organizations such as Asid have programs specifically for students transitioning from school to the working world. take advantage of these opportunities! lastly and on a personal note, stay in touch with your faculty. they have invested a great deal of time in you and want to know how you are doing. they are also contacted regularly by employers looking for graduates, so if you need a job, don’t be a stranger.
Jenifer d. hungate, Allied Asid gloria herring Meissner, Allied Asid Billie M Clanton, Allied Asid Angela C. lahay, Allied Asid kathryn patterson, Allied Asid April lindsey littmann, Allied Asid STUDENT MEMBERS osiel Adams Mireles, student Asid yirish Abimeleck Cardenas, student Asid kathryn wheeler, student Asid Claudia placencia, student Asid Jazmine limbrick, student Asid Marie lowry, student Asid samuel soto, student Asid trang nguyen, student Asid Madison l. teale, student Asid Camden Mcbride, student Asid susie Condara Maddox, student Asid taylor peyton Ferris, student Asid sandhya krishnan, student Asid Ashley J. Mcclendon, student Asid Jasmin Astala, student Asid kandi J. palella, student Asid eva diaz, student Asid thaliah B. Felix, student Asid su-hui wu, student Asid trekeva M. Cotledge, student Asid Jordyn r. graham, student Asid Amanda leigh ransbarger, student Asid INDUSTRY PARTNER REPRESENTATIVES Mark harrison, industry partner Harrisons Fine Antiques & Art
karee laing, industry partner The Red Vault Agency
Ash inayatali, industry partner Onyx Marble Designs
Fatimah Abdlukmajid, industry partner Arhaus Furniture
stacy Mendenhall-parsons, industry partner Lary's Designs
texAs gulF CoAst ChApter | SUMMER 2018 - 19 -
peer 2 peer group T E A M A W E S O M E By Debbie Herbert, ASID IP, Dream Theaters
on thursday, May 10th the Asid peer2peer group, team Awesome, held a social networking event for our interior designers at the tasting room. we had 16 industry partners and over 30 designers in attendance. this was an excellent event and opportunity for the industry partners to get to know new designers and for the designers to learn about the industry partners in our
group. we had a very fun “icebreaker” game in which designers learned some littleknown facts about the industry partners and won wonderful prizes too! there were many door prizes and goody bags for the designers as well as rich hors d'oeuvres and of course amazing wine for all. it was a nice casual atmosphere which allowed everyone to get to know each other and fun was had by all! we look forward to our next event. our peer group is; larry Boykin of image electric, Jon schuler of Aria stone gallery, debbie hebert of dream theaters, nubia heinz of sherwin williams, grace lee hofer of Cambria, david langley of david langley Furniture, ginny knauff of Qdi surfaces, lisa slappy of postmodern traditions, pat Brewer of pat Brewer designs, April Carter of Creative style Furniture, diane Morris of M&M Carpet, Cindy howard of decorative & Faux Finishes, debi dekrey of Big Ass Fans, eric hoffland of premier sales & Marketing, Marilyn Biles Artist, and Vicki kelley of Creative Branch if you are an industry partner and would like to join an txgC Asid peer group, please contact our txgC Administrator at Administrator@txgc.asid.org or by phone at 713.626.1470
- 20 - SUMMER 2018 | texAs gulF CoAst ChApter
Designing Higher Profits
Pricing Strategy in an Age of Disruption By Julia Malloy Disruption happens in every industry at some point. Forbes Magazine quotes market disruption as similar to innovation, but “Disruption takes a left turn by literally uprooting and changing how we think, behave, do business, learn and go about our day-to-day.� A market disruption often occurs as a result of events that are widely perceived as economically detrimental. And that may be true in the short term. As a Principal Designer, you have undoubtedly felt the squeeze over the last couple years. Online product sales and lax trade only product sources have changed the consumer’s landscape, forcing most of the interior design trade to adapt. Technology has a knack for forcing industry to evolve and become more efficient. Just as the lightbulb displaced the oil lamp industry and the automobile forced the carriage industry to adapt or die, disruption can be a harsh reality. It also represents the most fertile environment for creating massive wealth. When the environment shifts, the ones who adapt quickest and employ the best specific strategies, win big. So, how do you approach adapting your own business model? There are some outstanding opportunities and strategies that will help you thrive like never before. There are several keys to harnessing the power of this wave. The first key is paramount and it has to do with billing. I work with designers in every corner of the country and abroad and I have analyzed financials for hundreds of firms over the last decade. The profit center for most firms has indeed shifted over the last 7 years.
texAs gulF CoAst ChApter | SUMMER 2018 - 21 -
The Billing Model Landscape
The answer is simple; Gross Profit Margin. I propose the entire industry shift its focus from billing model to profit margin. The quickly evolving variables of mark-up, no mark-up, flat fee, hybrid, and time billing, make it impossible to establish an advantageous profit strategy industry wide. We cannot build the future of the industry upon the mindset of the past. So, how do we do this and what is our target? According to industry accountant, Marc Molinski of Designer Advantage, our target is 40% gross profit margin on average for your projects. This is extremely helpful! This means that if we can easily calculate the gross profit margin for our projects, we can know if our billing model is serving us well or not. But how do we calculate this?
First, before we talk about how to bill, I propose the framework for how you figure out pricing for your projects needs to shift. The evergreen question about billing that everyone seems to ask, must change. The question usually goes something like this, “How much should I mark-up? How much should I charge per hour? What about flat fee? What is the best model?” This was the right conversation to have up until about 10 years ago. Before the recession, the billing model was fairly stable. Time billing with a 35% mark-up is what I usually saw, but now, this is not the best way to think about billing.
This has been something I’ve been working on for over 2 years now. Calculating an estimated gross profit margin (GMP) on a potential project seemed nearly impossible, unless you’re gifted mathematically, which I am, well...let’s just say, NOT. And most designers aren’t either. That means any solution would have to be easy and quick to use. So, I went to work on this challenge and came up with a self-calculating excel spreadsheet that has over 10,000 formulas built in that could do the heavy lifting for us. You enter in your estimates for time, how much you pay your staff and other basic metrics and it calculates the GPM for all three billing models; flat fee, time billing and hybrid, which is both - a design concept fee and time billing for implementation.)
“The GPM based billing method frees us from the billing model conundrum and elevates our thinking to a more factual framework.”
The conversation needs to shift from billing model to profit margin. This is the fundamental shift that we must make in order to adapt and win in this unstable landscape. First, the billing model shifts depending on which part of the country you’re in, the type of project and the echelon of clientele. Now, throw in the consumer - even high end clients, now shopping online and you’ve got a mess. This is why it’s been so confusing for you. What works for your peers, may not work for you. If billing model isn’t your north star, how the heck are you supposed to figure out how to navigate your pricing structure?
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This method frees us from the billing model conundrum and elevates our thinking to a more factual framework based on our profit, which is what really matters in the first place! This allows ANY billing model to work and that’s important because as profits on non-custom soft goods likely goes down for most of you, you’ll know how to adjust your pricing for time or flat fee to compensate for lower product profits.
Whether you decide to use the Pricing Calculator tool I have developed, or create one on your own, or simply have your accountant figure out your GMP, the profit margin, not billing model framework is how you are going to win at this game over the next 5 years. Once you have your numbers, you can now use them to navigate. If you see that profits are decreasing in one area, likely soft good sales, increase your flat fee or time billing so that you are at least 40% GMP.
It’s very liberating. It will also give you the profit structure and framework that will enable you to be nimble and responsive to changes in your profit numbers. If you discover that when you calculate the 40% GPM on a prospective project, the numbers seem higher than what you are able to charge with your current clients or company positioning, this indicates there are a few other elements in your business that you’ll need to adjust as well. Often times this is efficiency, another key to getting profits up and elevating your firm as you move forward.
This same approach is to be taken when pricing a prospective project. Estimate number of hours, profit on time along with total sales on goods and average margin on goods. Next, do the math to figure out the estimated GPM. Finally, nudge your numbers up or down as needed to get to at least 40% GMP. Once you have a number, based on real estimates and data, you can plug it into your billing model and propose it to the client with a lot more confidence. A solid contract helps too.
We will discuss efficiency factors next time. Until then, if you would like to get more information on the Billing Calculator tool and the Pricing Strategy Bootcamp that comes with it, feel free to reach out via phone or fill out the contact form on my website https://www.juliamolloy.com/contactus and I’ll be in touch.
Keep in mind, once you know how much money you need to make on the project based on how much time it will take and estimates on purchasing, you are then flexible. If they say that they want a flat fee, you can now calculate what that fee needs to be. You are no longer shooting in the dark. I have found that the client usually tells you how they want to be charged. If you are focused on profit, not billing model, you are able to plug in the right numbers into ANY model and get it to work in your favor. Simply figure out the number you need to make and plug it into whatever model is most amenable to your prospective client. The billing model doesn’t dictate how much money you make. You figure out how much money you need to make and then plug it into the most appropriate billing model.
Must Do’s
1. Track ALL Time Every Time 2. Run as efficiently as possible 3. If using time billing model have different rates per role – Track by quarter hour 4. Track project coordination time
Julia Molloy is the leading operations specialist for the interior design industry. She has over 2 decades of operations experience, 12 of them in the design field and has a wealth of knowledge from the interior design, graphic design, operations and technology sectors. She is a sought after speaker, a Business of Design faculty member, on the Better Practices Network board of advisors, has been a continued education instructor to the faculty at New York School of Interior Design and a member of ASID. Molloy has also chaired the ASID Student Affairs Committee and the board of advisors for the Art Institute – Interior Design program.
Julia Molloy is also the founder of the renowned BOLD Summit –
Business of Luxury Design Summit. This event focuses on the special
business needs unique to firms positioned in the luxury market and
is a powerful catalyst for luxury focused interior designers and architects around the world. In pursuing her mission to advance
the industry, each year she galvanizes the world’s leaders in luxury design to share their wisdom and advice. The BOLD Summit
continues to be a driving force for enriching lives and propelling
excellence in the design community around the globe.
texAs gulF CoAst ChApter | SUMMER 2018 - 23 -
ASID Social Network & Industry Partner Steering Committee Team Up to Bowl! By Amanda Watson, ASID, IP Steinway Piano Gallery Fun was had by the “fans in the stands” and the 10 bowling teams that were made up of Asid interior designers, industry partners, and students during the mid-April social network. the Asid social network and industry partner steering Committee collaborated on the event in order to bring everyone in Asid together for some laughs and bowling. teams were judged by their performance, teamwork, and team spirit. prizes were awarded to the highest score, lowest score, and best team spirit. the best team spirit was awarded to “striking designs” who was comprised of david langley, April Carter, Candice rogers, and Maryellen donnelly (photographed with president shundra harris). this team even handed out bowling-themed “goody bags” and made their own banner! there were some creative team names such as “Bowl & Beautiful”, “pin slayers, “too legit to split”, “pin pals”, and “i Can’t Believe it’s not gutter” to name a few. Congratulations to the highest score team “houston strong” including team members dawn Boudreaux ginn, Anthony garcia, kelly wesson, and John taylor. Better luck next time to lowest scorers “Bowl & Beautiful” featuring Connie page, Jackie Manuel, rachel Baptist, and lisa slappey. special thank you to industry partners Marilyn Biles, david langley, and Jumper Maybach for donating your masterpieces to our business card raffle. Also thank you to the members of both committees who arranged such a successful event: pamela Cortes, Amanda watson, ray levy, Maria Frank, and suly weissman.
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designer peer group report By Jay Crowe-Blanchard, ASID
Asid industry partner ray levy of sunbelt designer window Film planned our designer peer
group program for May and invited a couple of artists to talk and show us their craft. Jan Fortune
and Beverly Vaughn with painted petals were wonderful, very creative and shared their story of
how they started their
business. Very impressive and fun! our group is Jay Crowe Blanchard, ray levy,
Ann tiffany, desiree guillory, dawn Frazier,
silver hernandez. thanks ray, Jan and
Beverly!
if you are an interior designer and would
like to join an txgC Asid peer group,
please contact our txgC Administrator
at Administrator@txgc.asid.org or by phone at 713.626.1470
SAVE THE DATE WINE PULL : RAFFLE : SILENT AUCTION EVENT DATE
September 20, 2018 @ 5:30 to 7:30
LOCATION
Skyline Art Services 6955 Portwest Drive, Suite 160 Houston, TX 77018
texAs gulF CoAst ChApter | SUMMER 2018 - 25 -
On theRoadtoDesign tour For students only By Crystal Reeves, ASID, RID Student Enrichment Committee Chair
Calling all interior design students!! get ready to have some fun at some of our Asid industry partner Chapter / event sponsor showrooms…each stop will feature products from a particular country or the different “roads of design” that are available in the design industry. some of the countries include italy, germany, Japan, sweden, great Britan and the good old usA!
we will begin around 9:30 am, thursday september 13, 2018 at scene one interiors (high-end furniture showroom) for breakfast and “travel” by charter bus to walker zanger (tile and slabs), Creative style Furniture (custom furniture), echo workshop (home automation), Modern luxury (luxury magazine) for an afternoon “Fika” (coffee), and peck & Co. (custom iron workroom). we will conclude the day at Ferguson (plumbing/lighting) with a cooking demo and lite bites from 5:30-7:00.
All interior design students are welcome - whether you are an Asid student member or not. (trip is free for Asid student members and $20 each for non-members). Bring your friends – you don’t want to miss it! Book your seats now…space is limited. Call/text/email Crystal reeves, Asid, rid (student enrichment Committee Chair) – contact information is below.
Many, many thanks student enrichment Committee – steve Clifton (co-chair, scene one interiors), rhonnika Clifton (rJ Clifton designs), Julie downey (downey design), ramon navarro (echo workshop), Brenda payne (BBF Consulting group, inc.) lindsey root (Ferguson), Jan therrien (Jt designs), Monika walter (Mariposa’nluv), suly weisman (BsA), Jasmine Aldrich (Asid student Member)
here’s to the “well-traveled” designer in all of us!!!
Please join us for a day of touring and mixing/mingling with Interior Designers and Industry Partners - including Modern Luxury Interiors Texas Magazine, Ferguson Bath, Kitchen & Lighting Gallery, Peck & Company, Walker Zanger, Creative Style Furniture, Echo Workshop, and Scene One Interiors.
- FREE How to join the tour OF CHARGE
IN THE WOODLANDS 27132 I-45 N. FREEWAY CONROE, TX 77385 (281) 363-0114
IN HUMBLE 1710 HUMBLE PLACE DR. HUMBLE, TX 77338 (281) 446-7613
WWW.CAROLSLIGHTING.COM 9:30am–5:30pm Monday thru Saturday
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1
Applicant must be a student member of ASID *If you are not a member, & interested in becoming one email ramon@echoworkshop.com
2
Contact Crystal Reeves if you are interested in participating in the tour.
THURSDAY Sept. 13th 9:30am to 7:30pm
Crystal Reeves, ASID, RID, Student Enrichment Chair Crystal@CLRdesignservices.com Cell: 713-269-4505 3
Wait to be notified. We will send out a detailed itinerary & liability waiver to all participants for the trip.
Space is limited - SIGN UP NOW!
THERE IS NO NEED FOR FLOORING TO BE BORING. Captivate your client with innovative, interesting, unique and beautiful carpet, wood, vinyl and custom area rugs. On display in our “to the designer” showroom.
e: gram pag our Insta n o n s a n o m test creati pholstery See our la tagram.com/theu s http://in
❖ Located in The Design Center 7026 Old Katy Road Suite 100 Houston, TX 77024 T: 713.880.9699 F: 713.880.9779 manchestercarpet@gmail.com
❖
HTTP://INSTAGRAM.COM/THEUPHOLSTERYMAN
ASID Industry Partner Exclusively To The Trade
texAs gulF CoAst ChApter | SUMMER 2018 - 27 -
UPCOMING EVENTS Wednesday, August 1 Summer Design Sip & Stroll Presented by Audi Central Houston with Modern LuxÕÀÞ Interiors Texas
Tuesday, October 9
Meet our Leaders in Design. 5:30 to 7 pm
Leading in Design Fall Market 2018 Celebrate Design Inspiration!
Thursday, August 24 – Sunday, August 26
Wednesday, October 17
Designer Sample Sale It Only Happens Once a Year!
Fall Design Sip & Stroll Presented by Audi Central Houston with Modern ÕÝÕÀÞ Interiors Texas
Friday, August 24 – Saturday, August 25 ACCESS/DESIGN Meet some of Houston’s top Interior Designers who will discuss tips and trends 10 am – 12:30 pm
Tuesday, September 11 2nd Tuesday Presented by LUXE Interiors + Design Programs and continuing education classes for
the Design Professionals. With more than 40 shops, showrooms and design studios featuring in excess of 10,000 manufacturers, The Houston Design Center is the city’s preferred destination for the best in luxury residential and commercial furnishings and products.
Meet our Leaders in Design. 5:30 to 7 pm
Friday, November 2 – Saturday, November 3 ACCESS/DESIGN Meet some of Houston’s top Interior Designers who will discuss tips and trends 10 am – 12:30 pm
Tuesday, November 13 INSPIRE! A day of continuing education classes for the design professional
Tuesday, December 4 – Friday, December 7 Deck The Tables & Holiday Tabletop Tour Benefiting MAM Christmas Share
For more information and reservations please visit www.TheHoustonDesignCenter.com ÇäÓÈÊ" `Ê >ÌÞÊ, >`]Ê ÕÃÌÊ Ã `iÊ «ÊÈ£äÊÊUÊÊ ÕÃÌ ]Ê/iÝ>ÃÊÇÇäÓ{ÊÊUÊÊǣΰnÈ{°ÓÈÈä - 28 - SUMMER 2018 | texAs gulF CoAst ChApter
Design in Bloom @ The Houston Design Center
Remco Van Vliet, India Hicks, Charlotte Moss, Gil Schafer
Cali Justice, Margie Slovack
Noof Almahmood, Letricia Wilbanks, Missy Stewart
Julie Durkee, Michael Mandola, Paloma Contreras
Connie LeFevre, India Hicks, Chaille Ralph
Jana Giammalva, Courtnay Elias, Mike Mahlstedt
Elizabeth Perry, Lynne T. Jones
Tom Richardson, Rainey Richardson, Gil Schafer
Marte Grif th, April Lykos
Teresa Sanchez, Suzanne Duin
Charlotte Nail, Charlotte Moss, Mary Grace Gray
Casey Brand, Leslie Pendegraft
Peggy McGowen, Remco Van Vliet
Chloe Baumgartner, Ashton Morgan
The Houston Design Center welcomed design experts, trendsetters and in uencers to the inaugural Design In Bloom.
Special Thanks to our Affinity Partners
Visit Houston Design Center on Facebook and Twitter for more event information and photos. texAs gulF CoAst ChApter | SUMMER 2018 - 29 -
EVENTS SHERWIN WILLIAMS 2019 COLORMIX EVENT
september 13, 2018
learn about the inspiration and influences behind the 2019 colormix palettes.
PAST EVENT COVERAGE DCH 2018 SPRING MARKET on thursday, April 26th dCh celebrated the hidden power of trusting your instincts and intuition. over 300 trade professionals were in attendance and enjoyed two special keynotes, nine showroom programs and fifteen open houses.
Jennifer Schreiner of Fabricut and Vern Yip
Hannah Swiggard, Vern Yip and Amy Stephens
Kate Reid, Marshall Watson, Ellie Cullman and Claire Ratliff
Paloma Contreras and Benjamin Johnston
Paige McCauley, Albert Wilson and Julie Koch
Mary Vu of DCH and Saima Seyar
Design Fabricate Install Service
THE LONESTAR RANGE HOOD CO.
713.520.8134 Fax: 713.526.8541
sales@custom-rangehoods.com 1226 Jackson Blvd. • Houston, Texas 77006
WWW.CUSTOM-RANGEHOODS.COM
2504 Bissonnet Houston, TX 77005 713-528-2404 www.vbaf.com
- 30 - SUMMER 2018 | texAs gulF CoAst ChApter
8572 Katy Freeway Ste 101 Houston, TX 77024 showroom@mandmcarpet.com www.mandmcarpet.com
2017 Ruby Awards Best in Show Industry Partner
P E C K & C O M PA N Y CUSTOM METALSMITHS FIRESCREENS
BEDS
MIRRORS
DISPLAY STANDS
98 DENNIS STREET HOUSTON TX. 77006
TABLES
T: 713-526-2590
LIGHTING F: 713-526-3931
POTRACKS
VENT HOODS
DRAPERY HARDWARE
www.peckandcompany.com