Collaborating with Your Professional Team Members
“If everyone is moving forward together, then success takes care of itself.” – Henry Ford
When building a new home or planning a renovation, we recommend assembling a talented team of professionals: architect, builder, and interior designer, along with a landscape architect and specialty craftspeople. The best outcomes are a result of seamless collaboration with other project professionals. We have had the good fortune to work with those at the top of their professional careers in Boston, Washington, D.C., and beyond. When creativity meets intelligence and hard work, anything can be achieved.
“The most important element in successful projects is clear communication among the professional team and with the client,” says Dane Austin. “The process is relatively stress-free when each professional understands their role and works effectively with the other team members. Anticipating challenges and solving problems are made easier when each team member is able to be a part of the process to communicate and reach a consensus.”
DADI has collaborated on many projects over the past decade, including a current home in Dane’s neighborhood with New England Design & Construction (NEDC). “Collaborating is all about putting together the best possible project for the client and servicing them to that end. Working with such incredible talents as Dane helps achieve that–but it does require increased communication since we are different entities. As professionals, we need to be on the same page and understand each other’s role as part of the whole, working out issues together behind the scenes and then presenting solutions to the client,” says Dave Supple, CEO of NEDC.
“The roles of each member of a design team can differ from one job to the next. Oftentimes, the client sets the tone for these roles and responsibilities and the team becomes customized around the needs of the client. It is extremely important to the success of a project for each design professional to be both flexible and collaborative when working with other members of the design team,” explains Emily Coutu, Managing Principal of Mellowes & Paladino Architects.
COMMUNICATION IS ESSENTIAL
Selecting products and materials for a project is one of the most important contributions we make as the interior designer team. That means we need to be aware of the budget, scheduling, and timeline milestones, which can only happen if there is excellent communication among all collaborators.
We also believe that the homeowner - or the homeowner’s representative - should be able to speak with the lead professionals on the project directly (although we also strongly recommend that homeowners do not communicate or ask for changes from the on-site staff or subcontractors as that often leads to disruptions and misunderstandings). Speaking of changes, we all know that plans are sometimes amended along the way. Once one of the collaborators has initiated a change order, making sure that everyone is up-to-date is essential, especially where measurements are concerned. The DADI team are sticklers for changes in writing, which protect the homeowner as well as the professional partners. Thorough communication prevents the wrong amount of tile or the wrong size cabinet to be ordered when the layout has been amended.
A SENSE OF ACCOMPLISHMENT
Along with the shared accountability when collaborating with a full design team, there is a shared sense of accomplishment when the project is completed. We enjoyed collaborating on our Luxury Loft project with Pomeroy & Co. One of the most fulfilling parts of a project is the process of installing and professionally photographing the work. And we know it is gratifying for our clients to finally move into and enjoy their space after installation. Toasting with the entire team delivers a wonderful celebration of the completion of the shared vision.