Home-centric cable channels, the Internet and a slow economy have coalesced in a perfect storm to undermine the design professionals perceived value. Although, ironically, even the biggest do-it-yourselfer relies on professional advice and instruction at some point to accomplish a task, whether it’s reading a book or article.

So why stop there?

Great Do-It-Yourself Design Comes from Great Professional Input

Hiring a design professional doesn’t have to relegate you to sitting on the sideline, if that’s not where you want to be. Working with a designer can be a collaborative experience, one where you are part of the process. The problem is that not all designers work well like that, nor do all clients. The resulting horror stories have driven each party into their respective corners, designers in one and the DIY crowd in the other, taking a lot of innocent people in the middle with them.

As a broker for interior designers, architects and landscape designers, I created iMatchDesigners to serve as a conduit between the client and the talent, because there is so much more to the design process than mechanics of light, color, texture and pattern, and scale and balance, especially from the client’s perspective.

There are the human qualities of personality and temperament that can play just as large a role in the success or failure of a project.

Can you think of a more personal act than inviting someone into your home and entrusting him or her with the responsibility for enhancing your living space? I sometimes joke that it feels like I’m running something akin to a dating service, when I see how close some of my clients and their designers become.

But isn’t that the way it should be?

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Easy access to information online is also helping to support a more value-conscious approach from consumers.  People feel that with a list of vendors and options being so easy to find, getting someone to accept a low price offer is something everyone should do.

The result? Consumers feel compelled to bargain hunt, or make willingness to meet a low-price offer a requirement for doing business.  Often this can work against their best interests.  Just because you find someone to accept your low offer, you don’t ensure you’re getting a good deal.  In fact, the deal may be detrimental to you over time, rather than to your advantage.

It’s true that people lost financial wealth and confidence with recent crises in capital and residential lending markets.   But work life and home life continues.  Business owners still need to renovate or move into new spaces.  Homeowners need to update rooms and furniture as things wear out and needs change.  We all respond to evolving values and lifestyles.

People still look to professionals like interior designers, architects, landscape designers, and contractors to make the changes they’re looking for.

Here’s the difficulty: the cost of running professional services has not really moved down.  While income has been going down, expectations and demands from clients have been going up.

These two ingredients are like a recipe for unhappy relationships between design professionals and clients.  The professional design community needs to keep to a high standard of creativity, originality, and current familiarity with materials, techniques and styles.  Otherwise, clients won’t get the satisfaction and results they’re looking for.  And clients who want the latest, best, professionally recommended solutions expect to pay for expert design and implementation; it’s supposed to be a win/win.

But with too much stress on cost-cutting, design firms and contractors feel forced to slash margins deeply, often by letting go of more experienced higher paid professionals, and asking less-experienced staff to put in longer hours.  There’s nothing wrong with cost savings, but in the long run, what happens for the consumer?  What happens to the professional community?

In the end, the cost of excessive price pressure on professional services is paid by the client.  It raises the risk of job dissatisfaction on both sides, in the form of less design creativity, more mistakes from inexperience and lack of oversight, and ultimately in projects that  are not as responsive as they could be, because no one wanted to invest in the time and expertise needed to create the best solution.  The difference between good design and great design is that the latter needs time, nurture, and support.

Of course, despite the economy and temptation towards bare-bones pricing, there are firms today who keep busy without compromising their fees or creative edge.  This is where, I believe, you’ll find the healthiest of relationships between client and design firm.  The client regards professional fees with respect, and the designer works to satisfy – not someone who just “keeps the lights on” — but a valued and preferred client.

A longer version of this article was published in The Epoch Times, in a series of regular columns by Lloyd Princeton.

My own modern life is an example – one that has me living in New York or Los Angeles in any given week, pursuing a demanding career. I admit, I’ve forgotten about using manners that were once very familiar.

Learning to say please, thank you and excuse me early on does not ensure we’ll keep saying them.

We live in a society that encourages material gain, ambition, and dog-eat-dog individualism. We celebrate and admire people who are aggressive and abrasive if they’re good at making money. It’s tempting to believe that getting the right things, having outward beauty and keeping toned at the gym is the road to happiness. There’s nothing wrong with ambition and single-minded focus on reaching goals in life. But what is the cost – if we simply become self-absorbed and forget about the needs of others in the world and in the places around us?

Why have we forgotten about good manners?

Lately, when I’ve gone to the gym, I’ve been doing a little informal behavior study. When opening the door for someone, I’ve counted how many times I hear “thank you.” About 20% of the time, there’s no sign at all that the person has even noticed the courtesy. No word of thanks, no gesture or acknowledgment of any kind. It’s like they didn’t see that another person did anything for them at all.

As I’m walking in New York or taking the subway, it seems most people are okay about pushing past someone they’ve jostled or bumped into. They’re in a rush; it’s fine to just keep going on your way. Once they’ve got the earpieces plugged into a phone or PDA, it’s like they’re in their own personal world. It’s a space without concern or mindfulness of other people.

Try a different approach to daily living.

I want to offer a different way to approach modern life. Starting right now, think about each person around you as a person like you or me – with good days, bad days, hopes, wants, and dreams. Try to show somehow that you see this other person exists. This isn’t about intruding or starting unwanted conversation. It’s about doing something that signals: “I see you.” Stop and hold a door; offer a smile; let someone else go ahead of you in traffic.

It’s a little sign that can make another a person feel special, if only for a moment, and spark the urge to do the same for someone else.

Let’s spread good will.

Forni’s book has me rethinking and practicing more basic courtesies. I do feel more encouraged and happier. I’m feeling the rewards of “think globally – act locally.” Try it for yourself – let’s make today better by sharing a please, excuse me or thank you to make the world a friendlier place.

A different version of Please, Excuse Me, and Thank You appears in a series by Lloyd Princeton published by The Epoch Times

Frankly, I think we have too many choices! This feeds indecision, which leads to

• too much time spent researching our options
• anxiety over whether we have made the right choice
• projects that stall soon after starting

Sometimes the level of indecision results in no choice at all.

I often see people become overwhelmed with choices when they approach the design industry. You have numerous firms and a lot of talent to choose from, especially in places where top design talent congregates, like New York and Los Angeles.

With that in mind, I want to talk about the protocol to follow when you interview anyone for any project. It can be summed up in one word: respect.

When you announce your opportunity and start the process of hiring a professional, you’re triggering a certain degree of excitement. You called; the people you’ve called are going to get busy focusing on your needs. At this point you are responsible for giving honest information about yourself and your project. The designers you approach need to determine what stage you’ve reached in your decision process, and if you’re a potential client for them.

If you cut through indecision before you begin the interview process, you will save everyone time, energy and resources. When you have clear ideas about what you are looking for, you give yourself the best chance to find the most fitting match for your project.

If you are clear and candid, and speak openly with the design professionals you are considering for the work you have in mind, everyone benefits.

To smooth your way to hiring the right designer:

• Know what you want up front
• Ask for it
• Be clear about whether you are just gathering information or you are ready to start your project

Whether the interviewee is the designer you want to work with, or one you decide does not fit your project, this honest communication and respect helps everyone work well together and get what they need. Everyone deserves respect and honesty. If you want someone to be transparent with you, then offer the same to those you meet along the way.

We’ve had a mild winter and early spring, on the East Coast. Now that the weather is so inviting, everyone is looking at their outdoor spaces and ways to enjoy them again.  Whether you’re dreaming up your first summer barbeque on a Manhattan terrace or in an open space, now is a great time for some professional tips on landscape and garden planning.

When to Start

When is the right time to start planning for summer activities? Depending on your idea, the time may vary from a week to six months or a year ahead. When your plans turn to building something like a pool, pergola, tennis court, or even a nice landscape garden, you’ll want to make sure to have time to enjoy it when all the work is done. You want to give yourself ample time to choose the right architect, review the plan, and allow for practical matters like permits and construction.

Work with Nature’s Timing

Connecticut-based landscape designer Janice Parker, says there are 2 times of year that are optimal for planting.  We have from April 1 through the end of May, and in fall between Labor Day and November.  These are not big blocks of time, especially if you’ve still got to decide what to plant.  When your plants are purchased and you’re ready to have them professionally installed, you may find many others are trying to do the same thing, with a limited number of landscape designers to do it.  Finding – and scheduling – a good design firm early will give you the chance to take in your beautiful new landscape with time on your side.

Landscape designer Mario Nievera, who works in New York and Florida, reminds us that some “perennials need a full winter (dormancy) before they look full and healthy.”  So, once you’ve gotten the plants in the ground, you can look forward to enjoying the best display a year from now.

Our West Coast friends have lots of sun and no freezing in winter. Still, your seasonal planning has other challenges.  John Feldman, who leads a landscape design firm in Santa Monica, has to factor in rain and soil conditions.  Sandy soils near the beach, and hillside soils with silt have to be stable enough to build on.  So your timing may need to account for rainy months.

Factor In the Approval Process

For those taking in the view in your dream apartments, in New York or San Francisco, you have your own unique factors affecting your plans, according to Stephen Suzman of San Francisco. Some buildings may limit garden installations to certain times, such as summer.

“Customers only begin to think about their gardens in spring and have the fantasy that their garden will be ready by Memorial Day or by the 4th of July at the latest! They have no idea about the complexity of garden design, the availability of installers, of materials or the length of time an approval process might take,” Suzman says. No matter where you live, getting the most enjoyment from your outdoor space means giving yourself ample planning time beforehand.

Get Your Team Talking

When your plans include siting a home and developing your landscape, you’re wise to talk with your landscape architect early. Feldman points to the advantages you gain when your home architect and landscape architect meet early on. “Landscape architects can, depending on the topography of a site, help the architect to site a home and other structures on a property to maximize the site’s potential including views and solar aspects. They can shape the budget early so that a proper expectation is held by all involved and so that amenities and/or materials are not compromised later.”

So whether you are preparing your terrace or your riding trails, you’re wise to work with design professionals now.  Especially if you want to enjoy your new pool in the summer of 2013!

The point is, tuning into an endless stream of personal distractions and tuning out the world around you can have dire consequences. This isn’t so much a public safety message. It’s more of a wake up message to urge you to become more aware of missed opportunities.

How much do you tune into the world around you?

When at the gym recently, I couldn’t help but notice the number of people intent on their small screens, on messages, on music, or on a phone conversation. What about working out? They were not even tuning in to others around them, including people waiting for a certain piece of equipment.

This isn’t a rant about manners either. I want to go deeper.

Are your best life opportunities going unnoticed?

Letting yourself take in and respond to the world around you, even for a minute, can change your life forever. Let’s say you’re single and looking of someone special, and the most perfect, wonderfully available person stops by. And you never look up from your phone. This is the kind of missed opportunity I’m talking about. Or let’s say you’re texting your friend that you’re running late, which slows down your trip to the subway, and you miss your train – now you’re late for sure. More time away from where you want to be.

Still not convinced that your world is ready for you to open up for richer experiences, even life-changing ideas?

Quiet time allows us to think about problems, situations, the future, the past, and to just listen to what the universe has to say to us in response to our thinking. Giving yourself time for mental peace and quiet can bring about amazing results in your own health and well being. It’s not magic; it’s just common sense.

What happens when you allow yourself to talk to someone new, or take a moment for reflection? Take some time to stop multi tasking – it’s not as efficient as most people think, and it definitely raises your stress. Open to what the universe has to say in response to just being aware of the world around you.

It’s common sense. But it bears repeating. What if we could tune in more willingly to our world and each other? I’m thinking about the young man I heard about recently who went walking on some train tracks, headphones on, music loud enough to drown out the sound of the oncoming train. It’s tragic that he will never know what life had in store for him or for other people.

“People change,” your friend might explain. And you might be thinking, “A leopard doesn’t change its spots.”

Which view do you agree with?

This reminds me of a point in Steven Covey’s The Eighth Habit. He quotes Viktor E. Frankl:

“Between stimulus and response there is a space. In that space is our power to choose our response. In our response lies our growth and our freedom.”

The space is the attention we give to our choice when responding to the world around us. Say a child, in disadvantaged circumstances, witnesses violence and impulsive actions from others. Frankl says he still has a choice when reacting to the rough patches in his own life.

When someone bumps into him, does he say “excuse me,” or deliver a punch? His environment doesn’t necessarily dictate this. As this child grows, he may respond to the same incident very differently much later in life. What at first seemed like a reason to fight may become completely trivial later on.

People DO change, and often do. We look at things differently, given our life experience, insights from friends and loved ones, and from therapy and medication. There are many forces at work that can reshape the space between stimulus and response.

So, what makes us change our reactions for the better?

Speaking from personal experience, I admit, I’ve made many, many mistakes in life. I have, regrettably, hurt other people’s feelings. As I enter into a space at midlife, I’m looking to act more ethically, responsibly and honestly, and try to be more sensitive in situations where I was not as thoughtful before.

As human beings, all we can do is try again. Perfection is a pursuit, not a permanent state. After all, people do change.

A longer version of this article was recently published in The Epoch Times.

This modern bedroom features reclaimed wood and open views to the natural landscape.

Sustainability and green living have become hot topics in recent years.

Designers and consumers have more options to choose products made with sustainable resources, and to remove existing materials for re-use.

In spite of having more sustainable options, the concerns about the environment aren’t painful enough to fuel a strong mandate from the consumer.

Earth-Wise Ways to Remodel

However, even if most people don’t feel a pressing need to go green with the next project, there are some earth friendly alternatives that are easy to do but are often overlooked.

If furniture is high quality, consider refinishing an existing piece instead of replacing it.  Recovering furniture in new fabrics achieves an entirely new look.   Instead of demolishing durable components such as ceramic items or cabinetry, these can be removed and refurbished and often resold.

Once we’re out of a resource, it’s gone.  Saving money and saving the planet is a win-win scenario!

This is a short version of an article published in the Epoch Times:  Sustainable Redesign and Remodeling

Modern home on the water designed to maximize the homeowner's enjoyment of the area's sunsets and life on the water.

Choosing a designer is a bit like choosing other professionals or vendors.

You always check on reputations, appropriate licensing, insurance, and other basic screening criteria.

However, one distinct difference is the type of service you get from a design professional. Your designer or architect is providing artistic products or services.

So here are a few decision points to address wen looking for the desired fit between the professional and client.

What Do You Want Done?

Define a scope of services.  Just because a firm wants to do all aspects of your project, doesn’t mean you should agree by default.

How Much to Spend?

Once you have laid out the work involved in your project, you want a general idea of your overall budget. This will help you set your sights on the caliber of the firm you hire.

What’s Your Style?

Next you need to see which firm has the aesthetics you seek. Many people feel that style is the most important deciding factor.  In fact it may be the least important.  Most firms maintain that they design according to their clients wishes and can do just about anything. My experience is that this is true.

What’s Your Timeframe?

You will need to factor in the size of the firm, scope of the project, and your budget.  These factors determine how soon your project can be scheduled and how fast it can be completed.

Getting Along With Your Professional

Personality plays a major part in the outcome of your project.  At the end of the day, business issues aside, this is an emotional process. Not all designers have the temperament to work well in every situation — and people need to like who they’re working with.

Your goal is to find the optimal relationship when you weigh these factors.  These are some of the major factors that impact how you find the right professional and the quality on the design that results from it.

This is a short version of an article published in the Epoch Times:   How to Hire Architecture & Interior Design Professionals

When choosing accessories it's natural to inspect the price tag. But if quality and style is just right, we may react less strongly to price.

“What’s it worth?”  That question applies to everything, from a cup of coffee to a diamond ring.  The value we give to  something depends on its market value, but also on how much we appreciate it personally.

When it comes to pricing design services, people on both sides of the design contract have expressed all kinds of reactions to putting a monetary value on design services.  Professionals have their own reasons why they can or can’t set certain pricing.

Some clients find price agreement easy to achieve, and readily pay for services and products as quoted.  And others resist every step of the way.

Confidence plays a big part in the emotions and discussion around pricing.  I’ve observed that professionals who feel more confident have an easier time asking for more money than those that did not. Likewise, clients with more confidence feel more comfortable challenging someone else’s idea of value.

Emotion has influence over price.  Ultimately, all spaces benefit from good design—and all good design has its price!

This article is a short version of the full length article published in the Epoch Times:  What is Design Worth?

http://www.theepochtimes.com/n2/life/what-is-design-worth-158501.html