More often than not, a project in either a business or residential category leads to another project in the client’s other aspect.
When your design team has become immersed in the details of your commercial design project for business, professional practice or institution, they probably have gained extensive insights to the personal tastes that would also drive your residential environment design.
In the process of studying everything from function, color, lighting and sound preferences to ambiance and accessorizing, design experts are able to re-translate those insights from one site aspect to second or third site applications. The huge advantage lies in the fact that the hours and dollars that have been invested in learning about the client’s tastes and budgeting disciplines have already been covered, in depth. Very little of the basic groundwork must be re-visited.
It is also quite reasonable to conclude that most individuals carry similar basic taste patterns from home to work – and vice versa. Even when one wishes definite contrast between their commercial environment and their home environment, those basic traits and preferences drive the overall concepts, even when the design develops its distinct and appropriate “use personality.”
It is a challenge to enter the unique trust relationship required for the development of an environment where the client will be spending an extraordinary amount of time on a regular basis. The success and sustainability of many factors hinge on the choices and decisions made in the process.
Everything from pragmatic employee functionality to the business’ marketing message and image rides on those decisions. It is easy to understand why good communication with reasonable continuity is critical.
With that substantial investment (concerning the connection of a client to their environment) it is a natural step to bridge from commercial to residential when and if the need is present, timely and desirable.
As with the business environment, the residential environment must speak directly and appropriately to the unique personality of the client’s domestic participants. The distinctions and the desired separations between work and home are primary considerations. Yet, even when those distinctly different environments sharply contrast with one another, there are underlying rationales and disciplines that remain consistent.
No one really likes to have to re-invent the wheel when it can be avoided. When a client becomes immersed in the complexities of their design project (large or small), the thought of having to re-visit groundwork could be daunting! Continuity and familiarity with your facts and circumstances provide many advantages.
Building a bridge from residence to business, or business to residence, is something to think about. Consider time, the benefits of piggyback purchasing, budget efficiencies and just the good energy and motivation of “being on a roll.” Much duplication of effort and construct can be avoided.
When the circumstances fit the dual scenario, inform your design team about what is also happening elsewhere in your planning. If it does not eventuate, nothing lost. If it does, you will be way ahead of the game in many important ways.
Robert Boccabella, B.F.A. is principal and founder of Business Design Services and a certified interior designer in private practice for over 30 years. Boccabella provides Designing to Fit the Vision© in collaboration with writingservice@earthlink.net. To contact him call 707-263-7073; email him at rb@BusinessDesignServices.com or visit www.BusinessDesignServices.com or on Face Book at Business Design Services.
