Here are the before and after images of my kitchen in Montauk that so many of you have been asking for. As you can see both images were taken from the same angle.  I took out the bay window, created a platform outside,  and installed sliding doors. The sink is still in the same place but I extended the island and added a stove with a hood. I also changed the floors and painted the walls, basically transformed from ugly to beach casual.

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Comment:

Just started following your blog. I am curious to know how many collaborative hours it takes to pull a project together for presentation. Therefore, how do you get a deposit or retainer from your client up front before knowing the total cost of said project?

Vicente Responds:

Kathy, You don’t ascertain the budget, the client tells you the budget. You don’t design the project until you have the contract, which stipulates the budget. In this office, it can take off and on from two weeks to a month and a half, depending on the scale and how many items need to be estimated. I try to do each segment of the process in concentrated time, whether it’s to do construction, then furniture, then fabrics – with each of them, I sit and work on it, pull back, take some time to work on something else and then I go back to the next one. I do one segment at a time, take a couple of days, then I go back to do furniture design, take time, then I do fabrics and colors. Each time I go back I revisit and look at what i’ve done up to that point with fresh eyes. It’s like cooking – you cook, then you taste, you add a little more, cook some more, taste a little more, etc. The estimating – getting all the prices together – is something that needs a good amount of time as estimate sheets need to be written out and come back from suppliers. None of this happens until we have a signed contract and retainer and we’ve gone through a questionnaire with the client to find out likes and dislikes so I know what my perimeters are.

From:

Dear Vicente,

I have just finished the renovation of my parents’ beach house in Maine–my first major project to be completed since going out on my own after leaving the high-end residential design firm where I began my career four years ago–and now I’m tying up the second phase of this project: the interior decoration.  (I gave my presentation on Sunday, and we’re hoping to have an order placed by the end of the month.)

For the upholstery, I selected light-colored linen and cotton fabrics from Rogers & Goffigon in the hues of the landscape–watery blues, seagrass greens, and sandy taupes and creams.

My client/parents were thrilled with the design, but are concerned that the light-colored fabrics will be quickly ruined by wet, sandy dogs and people who flop down on the furniture right after a romp on the beach. I will have the upholstery stain-treated by a company who will come to remove any pesky stains whenever necessary and without an additional charge, but my clientparents envision their having to make weekly housecalls, which they consider a hassle and, thus, not a solution in and of itself.  I’ve been experimenting with using indoor/outdoor fabrics from Janus et Cie in place of the lightest-colored Rogers & Goffigon linens and cottons, but I feel like I’m sacrificing the nuances of color and texture . . .

So we’re thinking that slipcovering the all the upholstered furniture in a white fabric could be the ideal solution.  I actually have no experience slipcovering furniture, but I noticed that you slipcovered all the upholstered pieces in your Montauk house.  Would you mind telling me what fabric you used?  Do you wash your slipcovers at home, or do they require special laundering?  I have excellent workrooms that I use for custom upholstered pieces, drapery treatments and pillows, from whom I presume I could order the slipcovers–if not directly from O. Henry House, where I’ll be getting most of the upholstered pieces–so finding a trusted and experienced fabricator isn’t an issue . . . Do you recommend using a separate workroom for slipcovers or ordering them from the furniture company?  Are there any additional tips/instructions that I should know about when writing out the specifications for the slipcover order?

(Other upholstered pieces with rattan or woven wicker frames–like the WS-10 Umbria Lounge Chair and the A-56 Toscana Lounge Chair from McGuire–will require a different solution–any further advice on those?)

I really appreciate your taking the time out of your very-full schedule to read my email, and hopefully select it as one that you’ll answer on your blog–which, by the way, is such an inspiration.  I think I speak for all your loyal followers and fans when I thank you for your generosity of time, expertise, and spirit.

Cheers,
Katherine

PS: I’ve attached a photo of the house:  taken from the kitchen, looking out onto the dining room, living room and screen porch.  (All the existing furniture will be replaced.)

Vicente Responds:

I upholstered all the furniture in my Montauk house in a dark taupe color about eighteen years ago and then had slipcovers made for pretty much all the sofas and chairs. The thinking was that the dark taupe would be great for winters and the white ones for summer. After all that planning, I’ve never taken the covers off to expose the darker look. The white covers look great in winter and summer time. I also had stretch covers made for metal chairs – which you could consider for the wicker. (Or why not paint the wicker frames white?) Here’s a tip: make sure all the fabric is pre-shrunk before you have them sewn. We wash all the covers about twice a summer at home in the washing machine and then just put them back on when they’re almost dry.

Name:

Comment:

Dear Vincente,

In “simplicity” there is incredible sophistication and ease. Your photography and interiors are this. I have immense respect for your work and your artistry because it is so hard to capture these qualities! My design business is in both San Francisco and in Paris. In DEEP search of a Louis XV style cane daybed, would you be kind enough to share with me something about the one shown in “Style and Substance, The Best of ELLE DECOR”? This room is an oasis of calm.

With Kind Regards,
Paige Koch

Vicente Responds:
Paige, that room is one of my favorite spaces amongst all the rooms I’ve ever done. It was inspired by surrealist styles. Unfortunately the bed belonged to the client. It was reproduction which I had painted white and set in the canopy. So I really can’t help, but I suggest you try 1stdibs. They always have things there that fit that kind of feel. Good luck – let me know what you find.

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Comment:
Hi Vicente,

I’ve always been amazed to see designers make a piece of furniture go from sketches to elevations to production.
I have recently created some furniture designs that I would like to have made, and hopefully some day sell. They are not only wood pieces, some are modern and made from molded plastics. Do you have any suggestions for where to start the process? Do you recommend any manufacturers?

Have you learned anything the hard way that you would be willing to share?
Your blog has become a favorite of mine.

Thank you,
Whitney

Vicente Responds:
Whitney, there are a lot of pitfalls in having furniture produced for yourself. First is the cost. Unless you’re planning on order large quantities, creating prototypes is expensive. Second is distribution and how you expose it to the public. Are you planning to sell to designers or retail? It took me a long time to fully understand how construction and the shortcuts one can take or the ones to be avoided works. You should investigate furniture and cabinet makers and upholsterers in your area and walk through their shops and see how things are made. If you don’t understand the construction process you cannot really bring your concept to a finished product. Start from the inside out and have lots and lots of patience.

Perhaps some of the readers would like to share their experiences in manufacturing here as well?

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Comment:
Hi Vicente,

I wanted to send you a quick note to say thank you. For what…for simply being an inspiration to me. I began selling real estate 8 years ago and since then have fallen in love with design. After completely designing my own home and my country home I fell in love even more. From those experiences I realized that interior design is where my heart lies. With lots of soul searching I uncovered that I did not just want to help people find a home but to create a home, a sanctuary of their own. I love your work and have followed it over the years through the various publications, your books and now your blog. You are not only a talented designer but gifted writer too. Your interviews are always very entertaining. All this to say that you have inspired to me to step out on faith and leave a comfortable career in real estate. I have been accepted to the New York School of Interior Design and will be starting there in the fall. I am also hoping to work part time too. So at 32, I am moving from Houston, Texas and headed to New York City to follow my dreams. I am excited about the opportunity and look forward to my own successful career in interior design some day. Any suggestions/advice you may have for an aspiring designer I would greatly appreciate. Thanks again!

Vicente Responds:
Joshua, you’re coming to the most inspiring city in the world! Museums, shops, neighborhoods, architecture. Utilize them all as much as possible. Places like the Frick Collection where you can walk through a home and see how people lived in the 19th century, or walking through the traditional rooms from all periods and countries at the Met, seeing paintings, colors, textures, visiting the NY Public library, paging through books on design or just walking through the city and seeing what new trends, fashions, colors and points of view are happening…You are going to love it.

BUT, only if you keep your eyes open and learn to see what’s around you – instead of just walking through with eye-flaps on – will you truly gain from this experience. Have fun! And stop by VW Home when you are in the area.

Collection of skulls in my bedroom

I am interested in starting another collection of some type but haven’t been inspired by anything yet.  I collected Wedgwood Nautilus pieces for a while, but grew tired of them (I kept my two favorite pieces and sold the rest).  I recently saw a picture of someone’s Ouija board collection displayed in their home office and thought that was a very interesting collection!  I need something fun easy, affordable and interesting like that to collect!  Do you collect anything or have any suggestions for an interesting collection?

Karen Jenkins.
Dallas, TX.  USA

Vicente Responds:
What peaks your interest, Karen? You can collect anything – from bottle caps to impressionist paintings. Analyze what appeals to you and what is available for you to select from to start a collection. I collect photography, buddhas, seashells, pipes, (check the story on Lonny) and sculls and I also have collections at the beach house.There is no right or wrong here. Just have fun with it.

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Vicente Responds:
Lisa, I usually make them about two inches thick. They’re usually filled with Kapok – an organic tree product – or horse hair, never down as it will flatten out when you sit on it. Whatever you use to fill the cushion needs a dense consistency. Your seating area should be brought up to 18″ seat height if it’s for dining.

Comment:
This might sound off the wall, but… in your beautiful book, Learning to See, page 92 shows an 18th century French table with an oak storage cube under it at the side of a bed. Could you envision a much longer table in a family room to act as the stand for a flat screen tv with a wider chest or 2 chests underneath it to house the video components? Or the Tv could be on the wall above it. I love that look, but the room needs to be very utilitarian. Thanks for any input. Randi

Vicente Responds:
Randi, I think that what you’re seeing in that bedroom is a concept. One that can be translated into any space. The important thing is a balance of scale and a very exuberant traditional table with a very straight line contemporary piece. You need the ying and yang to make that statement. Whether it is an old Jacobean table with a very modern cube or a very slick modern table with something traditional tucked underneath it. it’s up to you how you want the elements to read in the space. Let me know what your choice is!

Comment:
Vicente,
I’m a designer from the Midwest and have always admired your work. I know in the past your blog has addressed clients and your working relationship with them, and I’d enjoy hearing your thoughts on the following:

My father started our firm over 30 years ago, and we’ve being lucky to live in a community where we have always operated on an honest handshake. However, we realize that in today’s business world clients are more savvy and not always loyal. As much as I hate to admit it, we have been burned recently as clients enjoy seeing our ideas and proposals, but when it comes to purchasing products, they feel no obligation. What has been obvious to you and possibly many others is now clear and necessary for us as well: we need a contract.

Without revealing private information, could you please give some insight into how your client contracts are designed? What are the key points in them? How do ensure your time is not wasted and your talents not stolen without scaring the client away?

Finally, are you speaking in the Midwest sometime soon? I’ve seen you twice in Minneapolis and always enjoy hearing your insights on the profession.

Thank you for your time.

Regards,
Mark

Vicente Responds:

Mark, it doesn’t matter how long you’ve been in business. Having a contract is the thing that sets the rules of engagement. It tells the client what to expect from you and what you expect from them. Without those things you’re winging it and especially now, at a time when businesses are suffering, maintaining a professional front gives the client the security – and you the protection – that you both need. Talk to legal representative to formulate a contract. You want to tell them what you bill, what you expect from them. You need an out if they don’t pay you, you have to list the areas you’re working on, what your budget is, how you’re going to bill the deposit and how you’re going to bill the balance. Nobody should be out there working without a contract because they can turn around and screw you over and you won’t have a leg to stand on.

I’m impressed that you’ve seen me talk twice! We’re embarking on a book tour in October – I’ll be sure to post a list of places we’re stopping by up here so you can know when I’ll be near where you are.