by Mary | Sep 26, 2014 | Home Design, Interior Design, Project Management
“Awwh… do we have to talk about the budget?”
Probably the most difficult thing for a recently graduated design student entering the workforce is the perceived limitation that a budget has on their design. And it isn’t always just the young professional, sometimes the customer is deflated that initial planning has to start with a discussion on budgets. “We don’t want to limit your creativity” is the cry, “Can’t we just let you design and then price it all out?”
The answer is “of course”, but we caution that redesign also creates more design fees and in some cases an extended schedule. And always some disappointment.
So what is the r.o.i. Design solution to managing budget and creative expectations? We focus on the customer:
- Overall, we are open and flexible about product selections, knowing that the budget isn’t completely known on start and change will be needed.
- No design should be dependent on any one element; everything is replaceable.
- We also remind ourselves continually that the perception of quality is a standard the customer sets, not the designer.
- We are happy when our customer is happy.
Then we practice at least six budget disciplines when designing. They are: (more…)
by Ryan | Sep 26, 2014 | Design News
Last year’s ArtPrize installation, Benjamin Moore paint sample mosaic.
Well, it is that time of the year again. Leaves are changing colors, the air is getting crisp, and for the city of Grand Rapids, time for ArtPrize! The international art competition kicked off this week and the excitement in the community is evident. As everyone seems to be getting into the spirit of the arts, our team at r.o.i. Design is no exception.
Last year we got our creative juices flowing and created an installation in our lobby, creating a mosaic image out of 2” x 2” Benjamin Moore paint samples. This year we are doing another installation in the lobby of our building at 1451 Front Ave. NW.
Old sheet music, rolled into rings and fastened together.
Our new design assistant, Ian McRae, has been diligently cutting, rolling and taping together pieces of old sheet music to create a unique art installation he calls “Solo”. Ian is a graduate of Kendall College of Art and Design, with a major in Sculpture and Functional Art. The sheet music comes from the personal collection of r.o.i. Design owner Mary Witte, and pieces date back to the early 1900’s.
Detail of installation. Click for larger view.
With over 500 individual paper rings, taped together and carefully arranged together along the walls in our building’s entry, the installation makes quite an impact. While the piece is not an official ArtPrize entry (we are located just North of the event’s boundaries) we feel it is a fitting attempt to participate in this celebration of the arts.
ArtPrize 2014 installation in our building’s entry at 1451 Front Ave. NW. Click for larger view.
If you are in the area, stop by during normal business hours and check it out. We would love to see you and hear what you think about the installation.
