Step 1 – Understanding & Vision
In my last blog, I set the scene for showing you how easy it is to transform a ‘problem space’ using my Three-Step Process. The most common brief I hear is ‘Simple and Natural’.
This blog is all about Step 1 – Understanding & Vision and how it unfolded in this case study of Alison’s carport project.
The first thing I do on any design project is to ensure I understand my client and how they feel about their ‘problem space’. We talk about how the space is used, what works, what doesn’t and any ideas they have for improvement. I want to know why they’re not happy, what they like about it and, of course, how they want it to look and feel after our work together. Basically, I want to find out What’s wrong, What’s right, and What’s next.
What’s Wrong, What’s Right, What’s Next?
Alison sent photos of her space and we looked at them together on Zoom. She explained that what annoyed her most was that it always looked messy and didn’t feel good to use or walk through. The thing she most liked was how spacious the carport is.
As for Alison’s vision, she wanted to be able to use the space for storage and enjoy its appearance and feel. She was looking for my help to primarily use the resources she had. Alison also wanted to use recycled bits and pieces to make the space look and feel simple and natural.
She had access to recycled materials to build a work bench and wanted to ensure that this would ‘fit’ with the restyled space.
Finally, she’s fond of the old green metal chest (a Roma original) and wondered if it could be ‘featured’ in the remodelled space.
To get a sense of Alison’s style, I requested photos of the inside of her home. This helped me see that Alison enjoys simple styling with a simple colour palette.
How to Achieve Simple and Natural
Now that I had a sense of what Alison was looking for, I spent some time brainstorming and planning before our next Zoom a week later. Keep an eye out for what happened next in my blog on Step 2 – Focus & Recommendations
Case Study: Transform your ‘problem space’ in three easy steps
Setting the Scene | Step 1: Understanding & Vision |
Step 2: Coming soon | Step 3: Coming soon