IIDA Perspective - Spring/Summer 2013 - 56

What is your design pet peeve?

Viewpoints
I work solely in the commercial realm,
and often collaborate on projects
with a large design committee. As we
approach the finish-selection phase,
inevitably someone from the group
says, ‘I just finished redecorating my
house, and we used…’ Although
I graciously listen to their suggestion,
in my mind I’m shouting, This isn’t
your house, it’s a hospital!
Ken l. BoWman, IIda, aSId, edaC, nCIdQ, leed

One Question, One Firm, Eight Voices: We
posed this issue’s query to interior designers at
Earl Swensson Associates, a multidisciplinary
Nashville firm that brings a humanist touch and
a strong research foundation to projects ranging
from health-care facilities to education and
cultural spaces.

aP Id+C Director of interior DeSign

The value-engineering or cost-management phase of a project
is always the most difficult for me. The interior finishes and
detailing typically represent a small portion of the overall job
costs, particularly in health-care design. Often, the interior design
is cheapened in an effort to save a minimal amount of money,
with results that increase the long-term costs and maintenance
requirements. aBBy WeIlmuenSter, IIda, aSId, leed aP BC+C, edaC

Lack of communication from the general
contractor and subs, particularly during
the pricing process. When assumptions are
made on design intent by the GC and priced
accordingly, chances are they’ll miss the mark.
When this happens, the final design will fall
short of the goal and, more importantly, differ
from what was presented to the client. I’d
rather field a lot of questions up front than
have the alternative happen. Janet Wennerlund,

Senior interior DeSigner

IIda, aSId, leed aP Id+C Senior interior DeSigner

As an interior designer, my biggest pet peeve is when clients or others refer to me as the ‘interior decorator.’
tom Bauman, IIda, aSId, edaC Senior interior DeSigner/interior Detailer

It’s very frustrating when a manufacturer is stingy with sampling, whether
in size or quantity. I can’t get your product in the job if you don’t let me see
a real piece of it. leSlIe ann WIlSon, IIda Senior interior DeSigner

I have several pet peeves. First: Our team spends a great deal
of time designing to the proposed budget, and during the pricing
exercise with the contractor, we’re led to believe we’re in budget.
But then somehow at CD pricing, we’re suddenly over budget
and have to redesign. It would be great if all contractors and
subcontractors actually priced what was drawn rather than pick a
number out of thin air. Second: When some clients ask us to design to
a particular budget number, they’re unwilling to tell us what that
number is. Finally, when manufacturers’ reps go directly to the client
to try to get their products substituted over the specified design.

My number-one pet peeve is when I spend
hours, days, weeks, months on drawings—
and they don’t even get looked at. I wish I had
a dollar for every time I’ve said, ‘It’s in the
drawings… angela rInehart, IIda, edaC, nCIdQ, leed
green aSSoCIate Senior interior DeSigner

Sarah Woodard, IIda, aSId Senior interior DeSigner

The expectation of extravagant design solutions when given less-than-extravagant
budgets and unrealistic deadlines. Jarred BoBo, IIda, aSId Senior interior DeSigner
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