Simple Green

摘要

Understanding the client is frequently the most important factor in creating a successful design. In the case of the project highlighted here, for example, it was a given that the clients were highly educated and knowledgeable with respect to design, style and materials: He's a top-flight graphic designer with an amazing grasp of color, line, architectural details, presentation materials and techniques; she's a degreed interior designer with a wonderful artistic flair. They're also two of my best friends: He and I taught together at UCLA and have known each other for more years than I care to admit. They've known about the focus of my business for years and said they hadn't wanted to call me because their project was relatively small compared to those I normally tackle. Instead, they'd called in a couple of other builders to develop plans and offer estimates. One night after dinner, I took a look at the proposals and offered my honest opinion that the designs were, in a word, terrible. They had already reached the same conclusion. After a few more minutes of looking through the plans, he asked me point blank, "What would you do?" So I went to work.