Why DINZ?

The Studio of Tableware started a dedicated projects division (The Studio Projects) in October 2009. Since January 2010 they have been a Gold Sponsor of DINZ. The question (Why DINZ?) has been asked on countless occasions since.

It can be summed up in one word PROFESSIONALISM and if you analyze the process it’s all very obvious.

The Studio has been involved in projects of one form or another for the past twenty odd years. In that time a reasonable amount of project business has walked through the front door. This business was treated simply as bigger portions of OTC (over the counter) trade. However each year it became a more significant part of the operation to the point that the decision to have a division of the business dedicated to what was regarded as projects business was taken.

Our research and recollection of the projects we had been involved with over the years showed us quite clearly that the most successful jobs, be they residential, commercial, marine or corporate were those where we had worked in tandem with a professional Design Consultant.
Why should this be? Surely after so much experience in this area you can put together a procurement schedule without too much trouble? Wouldn’t it be more cost effective to just work directly with the owner?

Let’s look at the last question first:

Owners, bless their soles, are a mixed bag. Some just don’t want to be involved in the ‘putting together’, they’re really only interested in the finished product. Others want to get totally embroiled but when push comes to shove they don’t really know what they want until they see it insitue and this can lead to weeks of frustrating trial and error. The client/consultant relationship involves an enormous amount of faith and trust. It pivots on the consultant’s ability to see the big picture and to draw the various components together in harmony.

How does Studio Projects fit in? Without wanting to generalize, there are aspects of a project where a design consultant will use a specialist to resolve special problems or features. i.e. The service of a lighting consultant to design and spec the lighting requirements, plumbing specialists’ for bathroom, kitchen and laundry issues, specialists for audio and video solutions and so on. We also are specialists in our particular field. If you get involved in dinnerware, cutlery, glassware, cookware and the literally hundreds of complimentary ‘gizzmo’s’ the job can become quite messy and time consuming. It can become a lot of trial and error with several visits to countless suppliers in an effort to source the product that is going to fit the job and for this reason the consultant often does not want to go there.

The compilation of the procurement schedule is all in a day’s work for us, we’ve done hundreds of them. Let us make it easy! Brief us on the client’s requirements for the project talk to us about design style and we will put together a procurement schedule to meet the functionality of the dining areas the kitchens and various entertainment areas. We then format a quote for approval and source and deliver the goods as required. The consultant has no need to go to fifty odd different suppliers negotiating on behalf of the client.

The missing link though is ‘Style and Design’ and it is on this aspect that the consultant can be most helpful. In our experience the consultant has the professional expertise that enables them to see the whole picture. They have the confidence of the client and they can rapidly assist us to marry up product in a style that will enhance the finished project and put a happy smile on the clients face and that is the object of the exercise.

Introduce us to your project and you then make the decision as to just how much of your time you put in to this segment of the project.

Contact us now for a complimentary one hour consultation or to discuss your next project.