As a builder, every time I pick up a hammer,
I realize something that I got wrong as a designer...
By day, I spend my time as a designer and design-educator dreaming up new ways to solve visual problems with a bit of beauty or interest. However, early-on in my career, I took a strong liking to the craft of production... on the journey, I've picked up a few new monikers: builder, maker, craftsman (or the latest: "super-detail-oriented-customer"). Between cabinetry designs, bath renovations, door installs and now audio builds, I'm keeping myself busy.
This has given a unique perspective on how to get stuff done that looks great and works well. I has also dispelled the idea that "good design" isn't about uniqueness, but has as much to do with what can be produced — and repeated if necessary... and last a long time. This spans the gamut from material choices to installation techniques... and along the way, I've learned a few things. Here are three tips that might come in handy when planning a project:
1: It might look great in the catalog, but...
[tip: Ask lots of questions]
Added to the above is photographer as well — things can certainly be made to look good in pictures, but how they feel in your hand and look in person are very different things. It's important to ask questions early in the process.
This came up most recently with an inquiry about outdoor cabinetry. For instance, "veneer" and "laminate" in cabinetry are two very different things — one is primarily used to describe a natural wood covering (wood) while the latter is reserved for a man-made covering (plastic). The outdoor cabinets planned for a landscape project look great in pictures (and are very likely great in person), but this particular brand is available only online, so everything is dependent on marketing imagery or online reviews. When I began to ask more specific questions, the agents were quite helpful, but the details were still a bit foggy. In this case, I feel confident enough to order — and return if necessary — but there's a big gap between what I know will show up and what I hope will show up. Hope is not a strategy, but the questions I asked helped to instill at least a bit of confidence.
[New Age Products makes some great looking outdoor cabinets. Will they look as good in person? When they show up, I'll take pictures and report back.]