Interior design in practice : case studies of successful business models / by Terri L. Maurer and Katie Weeks.

Preface ix Part I: Starting an Interior Design Business 1 Chapter 1: The Beginning 3 Why Do You Want to Have Your Own Business? 3 Will You Make the Cut? 4 Do You Have What It Takes? 5 The ABCs of Planning 6 Business Planning vs. Strategic Planning: Johnson ConsultingServices 6 Thinking Ahead: Peterson-Arce Design Group 8 Thinking Strategically: Carson Guest Interior Design ServicesInc. 9 Financial Planning 10 Sound Structure: Daroff Design Inc. + DDI Architects PC 11 Establishing Fees: Deciding What You AreWorth 13 Protecting Your Business: Insurance and Contracts 18 Preparing for Risk: Buying Insurance 18 Complete Contracts = Profitable Projects 20 Setting Up Shop 23 Location, Location, Location 23 Looking Back for Those Moving Forward 25 Advice in Hindsight: If I Were Starting a Firm Today 26 Chapter 2: Structure and Support 29 Building the Team 29 Finding Their Motivation: Rabaut Design Associates 31 Help Wanted: Finding Team Members 32 Getting Started: Studio 2030 33 Making the Cut 35 Tips for Avoiding Costly Hiring Mistakes 35 Going It Alone: Sole Practitioners 36 Flying Solo: Patterson House Design Group 36 In Process: Design Team Structure and Project Management 38 Process Makes Perfect: Soucie Horner Ltd. 39 Step-by-Step: Chute Gerdeman Retail 41 Come Together: Working with Collaborators and Consultants 43 LEEDing the Way: Ecoworks Studio 45 Supply and Demand: Vendors and Suppliers 46 Love the One You re With: Bullock Associates DesignConsultants Inc. 46 Love the One You re With, Part Two: Renwall InteriorsLimited 47 A Two-Way Street: Coopertech Signs & Graphics 48 Clients and Customers 50 Know Your Client 50 Constant Communication: Duffy Design Group 51 Keeping It Personal: Adesso Design Inc. 53 Decoding the Design Process: Steven Miller Design Studio 54 Building Long-Term Relationships: SJvD Design 55 Chapter 3: Communications and Technology for a ModernPractice 59 Who Are You? Creating the Brand 59 What Is a Brand? 60 A Decade of Design: JJ Falk Design LLC 63 Repositioning, Rebranding, Reinventing: Palladeo 67 To Market, To Market: Marketing and Public Relations 71 Being a Professional: Networking and Professional Organizations74 Integrating Technology 76 TheWired Practice 76 The Communications Business: Domus Design Group 78 Log On 81 Going Global, Going Mobile: Retail Clarity Consulting 81 Using the Web to Market Your Firm: Resolve Digital 83 Marketing through the Web: Merlino Design Partnership Inc.85 Plugged In: Slifer Designs 87 Being a Professional: Ethics 91 Ethics in Business: The Designers Furniture Gallery 91 Being a Professional: Licensing and Certification 93 Part II: Sustaining and Growing Your Business 99 Chapter 4: Taking Your Business to the Next Level 101 Deciding When to Grow 101 Deciding How to Grow 102 On Her Own, but Not Alone: Mosaic Design Studio 103 Jumping Right In: Catlin Design Inc. 105 A Deeper Look at More Complicated Means of Growth 107 Deciding to Franchise 107 Picking a Franchise 108 Evaluating a Franchise Package: Questions to Ask 109 A Franchise in Practice: Designs of the Interior 109 Let s Make a Dealership 111 Finding the Right Mix: Elements IV Interiors 111 Ownership Transition: Contract Office Group 114 Residential Roots: Barbara Goodman Designs 115 A + B = C: Mergers and Acquisitions 117 Buying In: Larry Wilson Design Associates 117 Preparing for an Acquisition 119 A Successful Future: Sustaining Growth 121 Suite Success: Cole Martinez Curtis and Associates 121 Riding the Tide: Mancini Duffy 123 Open to the Possibilities: Wilson Associates 125 Parting Shot: A Sixty-Second Guide to Managing Growth over theLong Haul 127 Chapter 5: Transitioning from Small to Midsize and LargeFirms 129 Sprint to the Start: Diane Boyer Interiors 129 Getting It Down on Paper 131 Team in Training 134 Hire and Seek: Creative Business Interiors 134 Personnel Management Issues: Looking Outside for Internal Help136 Creating Policies and Guidelines 137 Bringing in Benefits 139 Monitoring Growth and Progress 140 Success in Seattle: EHS Design 140 Added Responsibility: Sechrist Design Associates Inc. 142 Part III: The End Game 149 Chapter 6: Planning for the Future 151 Learning from Experience: KSA Interiors 151 Thinking Ahead 154 The Value of Planning 154 Next in Line: Succession Planning 159 An Action Plan for Succession 159 Setting Goals: Facilities Connection 161 Successful Succession: TRIO Design Group and David-MichaelDesign Inc. 167 Conclusion 171 Appendix A: ASID Sample Interior Design Services Agreements173 Appendix B: ASID Code of Ethics and Professional Conduct213 Notes 217 Bibliography 219 Index 223

Written by a former ASID national president and an eco-structure magazine editor, Interior Design in Practice: Case Studies of Successful Business Models provides a concise collection of real-world case studies of the business of interior design practice with lessons for everyone from the sole practitioner to large firms.