Running a small business as a creative person is like a baby giraffe walking across a log, over the rapids, in heels – it’s unnatural, precarious, immensely comical, yet totally possible. Figuring out how to pay yourself and others to do something we would normally do for free is so challenging, and the learning curve is high.
But, one thing we do know over here is how pull together a design plan – for your home, office, studio, conference room, store, dressing room, etc, no matter what your project or business is. Trying to get employees to be excited, to work hard, to come up with new ideas, and the biggest ‘get’ of all, TO CARE in a really stale and uninspiring office space is extremely difficult. I should know, we used to work in one.
So, today we are going to walk you through our design process; how we go from the blank (or uninspiring) ‘before’ space, to a real design plan for that space. We partnered with Epson to create a video about the process, and just telling you the steps seemed boring, so we instead made it a one day challenge. It’s like an episode of 24 over here. We all know that each design plan takes days, if not weeks (or months) to produce, but that would be a very long blog post. So watch the video to see what happens then keep on scrolling:
For this project we’ll use our client, we’ll call her Kate, because that is her real name. Here’s her space before we got there:
First we take measurements, ask lots of style and color questions, then (once the contracts are signed) we get on it and the fun begins.
Step one: Find Inspiration. After you have determined what space you are going to design, you’ll want to find some inspirational images to help guide you. This may sound super laymen and obvious to a lot of you, but the first thing we do after we see the space is troll the internet, magazines, Pinterest and design books (vintage and new) for aspirational versions of what that space could be. This is both for look, feel, and practicality.
We tear out pages from magazines (or scan/photo copy them) and print out our Pinterest pages. Since we have to do this often, we have a shared digital cloud file for each client, but you could just put them all into a folder on your desktop (either drag and drop from Pinterest or screenshot by hitting command/shift/4 at the same time then the mouse pops up and you can take a photo of whatever you want on your screen), or print everything out and put it in a binder. These days you can put everything on your ipad, but I’m a big fan of the binder because you can scribble all over it (especially when you are working with a client).
Then we stare at all the inspirational images and look for the common threads – maybe it’s a color palette, maybe it’s a feeling, maybe it’s the style of the furniture or the pops of randomness. Ideas start forming from there, although nothing is really solid yet.
For clients, we don’t just find colors on the color wheel or even a paint fan deck, we find them in and on textures to help really explain how the color will play out (at least in our fantasy). So it’s not just ‘white’, it’s a shot of beautiful white linen sheets. Obviously if you are designing your office space and you haven’t designed anything before you don’t need to take this step, but I figured it would be fun to show you what we show clients and how we romance them a little bit.
After you have a general idea of where stylistically you are headed, then it’s time for step 2: Make the floorplan.
As a stylist, I NEVER made floorplans, mainly because it didn’t matter if things didn’t fit; you would just cheat the camera so they looked like they fit. But now we actually have to care about the right scale, because if the sofa is so big that you can’t open the door, then it’s an actual problem and we’ll look like hacks.
If you are new to this whole thing and don’t have or want to take the time to do some fancy renderings, then simply tape out your furniture shape and location on the floor. Standard sofas are 72″, 84″, or 96″ long with lots of different depths (typically around 30 – 40″). So when you are in the room, tape the approximate shape/size of the sofa on the floor and then you can play with the perfect size and location for that space.
We do our renderings in Vectorworks and Ginny normally does one of the ‘Existing floorplan’ and then we create what we think will be a better floorplan with the right amount, type and scale of furniture. Here is her existing floorplan:
Here is our proposed floorplan:
This is mainly for all the major pieces of furniture. You tend to not put lighting or accessories on the plan, but having this guides you and tells you what you actually need and what size you need it.
Now it’s time to start pulling the whole plan together.
This sounds kinda abstract, and I’m sure you’re thinking ‘aren’t your thoughts always organized?’ Nope. Up to this point we know the style, the color, the inspiration, and what major pieces we need, but it’s time for the two two tasks to merge. So we take the floorplan and basically list out everything we need and start to look for specific items in our styles/colors.
In the video, this step took about 22 seconds, but in real life this takes weeks. Just when you think you have found the right sofa, you find the perfect chairs that simply don’t work with that sofa because of height or scale issues. And right when you have picked the wall color, you finally find the most perfect antique Persian rug that takes everything in a different direction. Of course you don’t have to be so nuanced and if you don’t use vintage it is actually much easier.
But if you are simply doing 1 room, office, studio … etc the list shouldn’t be insane and it can be relatively manageable. Once we find things we like, we print them and start organizing them by laying them out so we can see all the options together. We do this digitally too, if we can find everything online, but it just depends on the project. It’s nice to have them printed so you can tack on the upholstery fabric and see the chair next to the wallpaper swatch, etc.
Once you know what you need off your list, you shop – either online or out on foot. Some design firms design from a computer, we don’t. We get inspiration from the internet, but we get out on foot to find most pieces. I need to see, touch and caress each piece before deciding that that it’s ‘the one’.
In our ‘One Day Challenge’ Ginny and I left and went shopping – I went to ShopClass and Ginny to House of Honey – two of our favorite stores in LA.
This is really one of my favorite parts, and the actual reason why I wake up every day. We take tons of photos and get inspired by one-of-a-kind pieces that may or may not be online. We rarely purchase that same day unless it’s a crazy deal and it’s the perfect piece. We typically take photos and get approval from the client and if we think it’s a possibility we put it on hold. Of course the flea market is a whole other situation and you have to pull the trigger immediately.
A huge part of our job is taking pictures, and we take A LOT of them. The Epson printer that we use allows us to take a photo anywhere and print it remotely back at the studio (while we are still at the store). It does everything that all good laser printers do – print, scan, copy, fax (although WHO IS STILL FAXING?) but it does it really fast and super easily. I know that it has a lot of fancy features but the whole ‘print from anywhere’ thing is pretty compelling. You can also do this with documents or anything else.
Not only do we print from stores, but also from the office and from every single device (all of our phones, Ipads, and computers). I’m not sure if other printers are doing this, but it’s pretty awesome, especially if you want to bypass the whole ‘uploading to your computer and then pressing print’ situation. You skip a whole step and that saves time, precious time. Time where we could be still shopping or finding ways to manipulate our client into buying the emerald green velvet Milo Baughman brass dining chairs.
While we were out shopping and pressing print, Brady was back at the office picking up all the photos and organizing them. That’s not his only job, I promise, but you guys, it was a one day design challenge, so we obviously had to divide and conquer.
Now that we have all of our elements – inspiration, floorplan, color story, pictures of the exact pieces we’ve shopped for, etc, we make a massive mood board. All that you need is a wall, but if you have a huge cork board or white board that’s useful, too.
We just use some tape (in our color palette so it doesn’t distract too much) and throw everything up on the board, in a way that hopefully makes it all start to come together. We organize it by room, and then make sure that every room has all the elements it needs.
Since you can’t bring 1 million photos and fabric swatches to a client’s house for the presentation, we create a digital mood board (just uploading from our phones or online) and put something together that will not only impress and romance them, but help them to make some initial decisions and get the ball rolling.
Here is what we come up with for our initial design plan:
For this client there were a few more pages and plans (and we did doctor it a bit for this post), but some things have to remain a secret for that final house reveal.
Then I was off to present, with hopes that everything just goes perfectly, they buy everything that we are selling, that we leave the meeting ready to start purchasing and begin the process of implementing our design. Of course, then comes the part of coordination, logistics, things being out of stock, selling before we could buy them, and potentially not fitting as planned. Designing any space can be tricky, but creating a design plan (fancy like ours, or just a list and a mood board) helps the process go so much smoother and keeps you organized the entire time.
Now just to be clear, NO ONE can put together a design plan in one day. We just did it for the sake of making the video more fun. It’s like how on HGTV they “renovate a house” in 6 weeks. Ahem. So I don’t want to set you up for disappointment, but with the right tools and by taking these steps you’ll be able to create a space that you love, that will inspire your employees and make you proud to have. I promise you, your life and company will benefit in so many ways.
*This post is in partnership with Epson, where we used the Epson Workforce WF-7610
*Video concept by Emily Henderson. Video production by Scrunch Media. Photography by Stephanie Todaro
This is such a great post! What a great example of a sponsored post. I hope they invite you to speak at ALT Summit or something on sponsored posts because they are always on point, and never random. I love this post because I will soon be moving from a rented home to my owned home we were renting out (ha. yeah.) and I need to figure out a whole plan for flooring, area rugs, minor reno, and bam. Move in. I’m going to check pinterest for your board for this clients house because I love the style of it.
And if I’m ever in L.A. I would so want to tour your offices. You, Ginny, and Brady (OMG Brady was great in this video) would be my dream design team.
Thanks Julia, that compliment made me feel VERY good. And good luck with your space. xx
Couldn’t agree more – you set the bar exceptionally high for sponsored posts, and lately I feel like you could run your own course on running a design business or simply “how to be a better interior designer in your own life”, I continue to feel like I really learn something every time I stop by! Keep up the amazing work!
xoxox Love from Canada
Kendall
Agree. Sponsored posts can feel so tacky. These never do! Sometimes it’s a bit pushing it – like the portable music player post a long time ago, or the ones with the snacks felt a bit forced – but since there’s always good, interesting content in there also, I’m more willing to get on board with the promotional stuff.
And top answer who still faxes: my contractor! I had to get HelloFax.com for a year, because he’d want to fax me stuff… Which I’d then email as PDF’s to other people. It was hilarious.
I’m really a huge fan of sponsored content done right. Limitations force creativity, right? Thanks for your response Emily, it made me smile.
I like how Brady is chilllin, eatin cupcakes while you guys are away!
Ha. I know. That’s all he does. xx
This video was SO much fun!! The segments with Brady… comic genius, love it!! This really was an excellent sponsored post. The best I’ve seen. Nice job! Keep em coming!
THANK YOU. You have no idea how much I appreciate hearing that. xx
I wanted to let you know that you made a customer out of me with this great post! I read this post earlier in the week and we need a new printer, so I took a look at this Epson model online and will be heading over to Office Depot to buy one tomorrow (Saturday). It is only $149 right now at Epson online and Office Depot – $100 off the regular price. Thanks!
Love this! So fun to give people a look into the everyday design life. Many people think we just shop all of the time… Not the case. That truly is the fun part!
So glad you included all of the “bad” things that can happen at the bottom of the post. Most clients don’t know about all of those evils!
Cheers!
Ok…I haven’t even read this yet cuz I’m going to drop my kids off at school and and get my coffee first! 🙂 it’s my BIG great!
But since you may be online, I hope you’ll tell me:
Is you’re next project at the Lorey’s their kitchen??
I ask cuz I have been a non-shame copy cat on their home and am doing my kitchen now….if my dream house is getting their kitchen done, I’ma gonna wait to see the perfection!
AH. I wish! I actually owe them an email, sorry nicole. 🙂 I’m doing their living room and entry, but not sure if they are ready to remodel their kitchen yet. xx
Agree – this was so solid and useful and readable and yes, I do in fact want to buy the printer. Because our printer is 8 years old. And printing from anywhere does, in fact, sound awesome. But I’m also trying to organize a plan for one of our rooms, and this was great. THANK YOU!
This is an awesome post. Echoing everyone else, you do sponsored posts in such a natural, not forced way. Obviously, we all love behind the scenes posts, too! It’s clear (or navy, or pink, or bronze) that you three love your jobs. Thanks for everything you do! Including cupcake eating.
OH you and your great content posts. Seriously-you’ve been so on point lately. I love all the posts, short or long, Kristin Bell mention or not, but this is so good.
I think it is genius to be able to print photos or anything while you’re away from the office. So tired of having to download and print all the photos I take while out and about.
Love the touch of whimsy in the video. You made a topic that could be dry and boring fun and appealing…
Really great post. That’s all.
Confession: I was a sponsored post negative Nancy when replying to your survey recently, but I have to agree with the other comments and say that this was a GREAT sponsored post. It’s an original idea, interesting, and was executed in your same relatable/hilarious manner…. As a fellow designer, it’s fun to see how our process aligns and how the creative mind works across the board. Thanks for this one and I take back what I said before about sponsored posts – you’ve made me a convert! 🙂
Thank you for all the information and fun you put into your posts. Enjoyed the video everyone looks like they love their work, especially Brady eating what I thought was an usual color frosted doughnut.
PS Can’t wait to see the finished project!
What a fun video! I feel like this is such a great example of a sponsored post that I can totally get behind. I really love that you found a way to incorporate it into your wheelhouse and the things you blog about. Sometimes I feel like the sponsored posts that relate to food aren’t woven in as well to your core content, ie. this isn’t a food blog, so as a reader it immediately says ‘sponsored’ to me. But i know blogs need sponsors, but if I’m being honest I usually wind skipping over the posts about food. But not this one! I really appreciate how well you guys found a way to relate it to the reader and design.
Also, totally love this behind the scenes look at a design process. One of the biggest things I took away from ALT summit a couple years ago was that sharing information is tantamount to success and building an industry (in this case blogging, but I think it relates to any business). As a one woman design team, I totally appreciate and love hearing about how others do business.
Wonderful post, thank you!!
One of my favourite posts ever (it even rivals my all time favourite – an anything-about-the-lake-house post). Am also DYING to see the reveal, even more than usual. Please don’t make us wait too long!
On a barely related note, is it common in American houses to have two full living rooms (one of them called a family room) and two full dining rooms?
EMILY!!! You are the best! I love this post and fun video. I am a soon to be Interior Design Grad from Texas Christian University, and you are one of my Designer Inspirations. I would totally move back to California just to be on your team and learn from you. I follow you on Instagram, and imagine what fun it would be to shop around the flea markets with you trying to find some hidden treasures. 🙂
Best,
Christina
this is MY FAVORITE of your posts ever!!!! so useful and interesting!!! love this as an example of a sponsored post. makes me want to buy that printer but only because it actually LOOKS USEFUL!!! Thank you for listening to your survey. I think you really listened to your readers and its appreciated. now i’m a #superfan.
xo megan
http://www.otomihome.com
This is my favorite post you’ve done yet! More please!
LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!!!!!! THIS is why I read your blog!!! And will be buying your book! YASSSSSSSS. Specific advice that I can apply to my life.
Great post! Very informative. Muchas Gracias!!!
Again, Emily I am blown away by the quality of your posts. They just keep getting better and better! Unique, helpful, informative, cute, readable – and what a great sponsored post! Thank you!!
REALLY love this opportunity to walk through the whole process with you and team. That’s what makes this blog special to me: I learn! That and the humor and gorgeous pics … must say I’m a bit awed about how you do it all as such a small team! It’s like that tiny French bistro with the micro-teeny kitchen where they turn out an unfathomable variety and volume of amazing dishes.
I hope my clients aren’t reading your blog bc we usually take a week (or two) to get to the first design presentation….you guys are speed demons! Cute video and thanks for the peak-behind-the-EH studio-curtain 🙂
Hi Emily, I love this post, Thanks so much! Your team certainly did work mighty fast. Would you be able to share what floor plan program you are working with? Thanks much, Mary Beth
Thank you!! We use Vector Works but I hear that google sketchup is really easy, too. xx
Helpful!! Just went down the sketchup rabbithole and am so excited about upgrading my process…thank you!
Fantastic post and video!!
Thank you Emily, You’re so personal even in your busy life, you’re just the best for sharing!
You guys are adorable in that video! This guide was extremely helpful…love these behind the biz posts. Thank you for letting us peak behind the veil!
Any chance you know the source for the blue velvet loveseat in “EpsonPrinter-EmHenderson-41”? Pretty please – my living room is begging you.
I just discovered your blog a few days ago and I’m loving it! My husband and I are about to remodel our home office and this post will definitely be our blueprint, although it will probably take us longer than one day 🙂
Also, the Epson video was so entertaining I emailed it to my husband. I nearly sprayed my laptop with coffee when Brody was eating the donut, lol.
What a great post to help you collect your thoughts on designing a space even if you’re not a professional and you need it for your own home!!
GREAT example of how to seamlessly include a sponsored post into this!! it doesn’t feel forced at all!! I shut down if I read a post that seem too forced of a sponsored post.
So fun! Like so many others, I am in awe of your blogging prowess. You are the absolute master at sponsored posts. I still miss your show, but great informative posts like this one almost make me think the tv forum can’t compete. That being said, I would love it if you came back to tv and would dvr the heck out of it – not to mention continue to bug everyone I know to watch!
Thanks for all you do!
AH, thank you! I hope to more makeover videos like the show. xx
BEST sponsored post I’ve read in a long time! I was so shocked to read at the bottom that it was sponsored and yet, I was totally wanting an Epson when you were talking about it. Excellent! You guys rock on all the levels.
EMILY, YOU ARE ON FIRE! This post is awesome and I love seeing how to take your ideas from mood board to reality. I have such a hard time with that!
I’m about to repeat what everyone else has already said right now but this post is probably the best of all time! You mentioned you were gonna have EPIC posts this week and you weren’t kidding. Loved taking a peek into your design process and seeing the undeniable chemistry of your amazing team 🙂
YEAH!! Thank you. xx
Wish this post had existed back in my design school days. Sure don’t miss the all-nighters pulled trying to get the boards done. Once we switched to digital boards in my last year the heavens erupted in hallelujahs. I’ll never slice another finger cutting out a picture of a sofa to mount to a rectangle of mat board for an imaginary family’s living room concept.
These boards are beautiful and the first one with the color palette is especially brilliant.
So needed a new printer… and you sold this one so well. Your sponsored posts are the best, Em!
This is so timely! I am in the process of designing my apartment (we’ve been here for almost a year, but I’ve been slowly “designing” it, vs. just using all my old stuff) and this will be sooo helpful.
P.S. I want to echo everyone else’s compliments on a job well done with the sponsored posts! I agree 100% — great fit with quality content in a way that actually makes me think about buying a printer. Win-win for you guys and a win for the reader, who gets something out of the post!
Can’t wait to see the finished space! Thanks for sharing with us the epic process and giving yet another fun video. Loved the Birdman-like tunes for the frenetic 1-day pace…and you guys are really flexing your acting muscles! Would love to nominate Brady for best supporting actor. 🙂
Any tips on the kind of paper to use whens printing color photos like that for a design board? Thanks!
Thank you for this! It’s so interesting to see how you compile design plans for clients – so inspiring and lots of great tips!!
The best part of your blog is that it continues to educate! Ok, maybe it’s not the best-best part, but I am so appreciative of all the knowledge you’re passing down to us newbies. Thanks so much!
Thanks so much Emily,this was so very helpful! Wow you are so GOOD! love your blog.
Thank you for this fabulous post!
I keep thinking you couldn’t get any better – and then there you go! I didn’t even realize this was a sponsored post until more than halfway through. Thank you, thank you. I feel like I’m taking an online course in design. (and I actually teach online – not in design – so I know…..) You are a generous brilliant practitioner and educator (If I may add that:)
Great post! My parents just got me that exact printer for my birthday because I’m starting my own design business. This is a nice confirmation that I chose wisely 🙂 I’m starting a exterior stylist type business, adding curb appeal and historic character to old houses and not so old houses. Right now I have to decide what business type to incorporate as-not so fun. How did you make that decision?
How many back-and-forths do you find yourself having with clients? Do you check in with them every time you change a piece or before you make a purchase?!
Love this post! Really helpful. We are about to buy a new house (if all goes well anyways) so this came at the perfect time!
i love this post!
I loved seeing your process! I love that you like to get out and look for things in person. The internet is great for so many things but for furniture? I need to sit in or on it to see if it feels good. Now, I’m looking for a chesterfield sofa exactly like the chairs on your board. I want a vintage one but I’m having zero luck and buying online without seeing it in person seems so risky!! Do you have a good source? Or can you keep your eye open for one! Lol! Love your work! I don’t think I’d ever get bored in one of your rooms.
I love, love, love your blog missy, and I am wondering how you go about budget stuff with your clients. Do you choose pieces specifically after knowing a clients price range? Or do you give a guesstimate on overall budget at your pitch meetings based on the pieces you chose? Or secret option three Im not thinking of. Thank you! I so appreciate you letting us newbies in to your method.
the Target sponsored posts are my favorite. You really teach as opposed to showing pretty pictures but this was really over my head. what I would like to see a post about is how I can virtually move my furniture and pictures around in my different rooms. I so totally do NOT want to do it manually as it will require making a big mess and making far too many holes in the Wall. And talk about time consuming. Ugh!
This post did not convince me to buy an Epson printer. It convinced me that this work is far too complicated for me and that Emily has an organized strategy and better to just hire her and let her buy the printer.
Wonderful post and fun project! I am curious to know what program you use for your concept pages? I have tried a few and still looking for the best fit. Thanks!!