Have you ever come up against a contractor who just didn’t get you? No matter how hard you tried to explain what you wanted, or why you didn’t want something, they still insisted on doing it “their” way? Months later you will still complain about the size of the drawer, the cabinet hinges, or the color of the paint. Frustrating, isn’t it?
As a designer, it’s very important to understand what my place is in the whole outdoor lighting process. With the training and experience I have, my job is to create a lighting plan that you love. While I might be able to stroke my own artistic ego by including some fancy techniques or unique features, if you don’t like it — then I haven’t done my job. That’s why we take the time to get to know you, your style and your property before we begin designing a lighting project for you. After all – you are the captain of that ship!
After 10 years in the outdoor lighting business, I have had the opportunity to see many different styles and tastes all over central Texas. From urban contemporary in Austin to rustic ranch style in the rural hill country, there are as many different personalities among property owners as there are flowers in the fields. If I were to design only for my personal tastes, it would be tough to make everyone happy using only my preferred design style. Working with all these treasured clients, I believe, has actually made me a better designer. It has expanded my view and certainly broadened my ability to tune into each new relationship. Very often I have found that thinking outside my own box yields the absolute best results. Like when we designed and had made 70+ custom fixtures for a client that wanted something rustic-contemporary. She’s is very pleased with what we came up with just for her.
Contractors or designers that bully their clients do themselves no favors by following their own agenda, rather than listening to the clients. Are they trying to take shortcuts, compromising the quality of the project? Or perhaps they misquoted the job and need to save money to increase profits. Some contractors just don’t want to do something they don’t like themselves. Although the finished product may be beautiful in the eyes of the builder, the frustrated homeowner will be unhappy with the work and could be quite vocal about it to everyone they know. Eventually, this is going to cause a problem for the business that failed to please the customer – in expensive re-do’s or lost revenue. And listening to the client was all it would have taken to avoid a costly “mistake.”
My advice to the designers and contractors? Listen. Schedule consultation time with your client to make sure you understand their needs and can deliver what they want – not just what you visualize yourself. Really hearing the client will help you to avoid catastrophic consequences. Getting everything in writing protects both sides of the contract.
And for potential clients? Speak up to those you are considering hiring. If you aren’t being heard or feel uncomfortable about any kind of artistic conflict – pull the plug. Stop everything until you can reach an agreement or hire someone that can get on the same page with your vision. Don’t throw good money after bad if you see blatant disregard for your wishes.
At NightScenes, I schedule at least an hour on site with each client before I ever start a new design. Only then can I create a proper custom lighting plan for them – not just myself. If you are looking for a lighting designer that puts your vision first, contact us here.
