I just finished a 2 year contract as an art designer, here are my best tips

I’ve done many small jobs for clients, but not one as big as this one. At Wedgewood Lodge in Breckenridge, 53 units doesn’t seem like a lot, but when you break it down into how much space they actually occupy, it turns into a whole different beast. The client wanted a specific historical touch to their place; they care about preserving and showing people how Breckenridge came to be instead of just looking at how it is. Breckenridge did, in fact, have humble beginnings. I read a journal entry early in my research process by one of the first women to settle in the mining town in the 19th century, and it went something like… “This place sucks, it’s cold, there’s snow, no access to mail and supplies sometimes, and I don’t wish this wretched place on my worst enemy.”

Its ironic how now Breck has become a playground for tourists and a fun place to ski.

Long story short, the project looked like this:

Each unit was slightly different with nooks and crannies that needed love. The living room got it’s own unique historic gallery, it’s own theme, if you will. The rest of the unit was filled up with colorful, modern photographs from my own collection. In the end, there were 680 pieces of artwork going into these units, some of them having two to three bedrooms, plus all this other living space. I also had to take into account the furniture, layout, and where people would try to lean their skis against the wall and how I could prevent them from doing that. Something no one considered on this project on any level was the funky electrical work. But anyhow, here is what I learned:

Research takes a load of time.

As a researcher, I already knew this. If you’re taking a project like this on, be sure to include loads of time in your contract for research and set realistic goals for yourself. This portion of the project by far took the most time. Of course, your client will have a budget, so you have to make it clear to them that a lot of money will be going into research, not curating an actual product. Some clients may not like or understand that.

Work with the interior designers.

This may be obvious too but the dynamic totally depends on your client. Some clients totally see that the whole vision is supposed to be working together, but some might not think that way. Ask to listen in on the meetings with the interior designers and architects so you can see the greater vision. The last thing you want is to add the cherry on top of the sundae and it completely misses the vibe of the place.

Ask for the manufacturing spec sheet their way. Ask again.

Don’t waste time creating lists in excel if you don’t know what the manufacturers actually need. Before you make the spec sheet, ask for an example of exactly what they need so you don’t have to do twice the work. And typing out measurements is exceptionally painful work. If you need a jump off point, I have my example on my website as a free download.

Always keep the installers in mind.

Especially if you’re working with a manufacturer that is making things custom, always keep the installation process in mind. This means making the SKU’s obvious, making a layout or map for them to follow easily, and through your own design almost forcing the manufacturers to pack things together. The installation on this project was painfully slow because of how many unique pieces there were, and I completely expected that. I had many SKU’s that made complete sense that helped the installers put everything in the correct unit without my help. But for the repeated artwork, I had repeated SKU’s because I was told that each unit would be packaged separately. I, and everyone, was wrong. It was not packaged by unit. If I had to do it again, I would give everything its own SKU even if it was a repeat of something else to make it more streamlined for the installer. This wasn’t something that we thought would be a problem earlier in the process, but became apparent when the pallets showed up.

Ask for samples. Ask again.

This may seem obvious but depending on the companies you are working with and how tight the timeline is during contracting, others may brush past the samples deeming it as unnecessary. You owe it to yourself and your client to make sure that what you are getting is of good quality. This means the material, the printing, the hardware, etc. Those samples need to be in your hands, because it will be terrible if you order a 1000 pieces and it’s not what you wanted.

Skip the MDF (Medium Density Fiberboard).

This is a personal opinion but if your client can afford solid materials, take it. MDF to me is one of the weakest materials and looks terrible when slightly dinged against the dresser. It seriously needs to be kept in a bubble until it gets hung on the wall if you don’t want it to look damaged. If you do go with MDF, keep it in it’s packaging until the last second. I realize that it’s cost friendly and considered environmentally friendly, but if the goal is longevity, go with solid wood. You can always choose bamboo if you’re try to go for something conscious which I am absolutely here for.

Take the security hardware.

If your client isn’t sure, take the security hardware. The amount of things that people try to mess with or steal from hotels is more than you could initially imagine. It will be worth the cost in the long run.

Always order (some) extras.

Even if your client doesn’t want to deal with extra inventory, convince them to order some extra artwork that will work everywhere. I always have clients say that they don’t want to waste money on extra stuff but things will arrive broken. The furniture movers might break something. The installers might drop something. Then you’re shit out of luck. Save yourself the headache and order a few extras.

Take pictures of everything thats going wrong (and well!) during the install.

You need proof when something is broken. Make a list. Take pictures. Send an email. It’s nothing personal, you’re just covering all of your bases.

Be present for the install and plan it into the budget.

Being at your client’s business during the install to help direct and make sure everything is going smoothly makes everyone’s lives easier. You should see your project through, and that is personally how I like to do business. This is a hands on profession, so you have to be into it to do a good job.

Bonus: Don’t let your client choose a heavy coffee table if there is a pullout couch in the unit.

Completely unrelated, but relevant. It will tear that carpet up when people try to move it.