Ms. Jones' design challenges might be daunting to some, but she uses her own time-tested techniques to get the job done. When dealing with a client, she chats comfortably but with direction. Her goal is to learn as much as she can about clients so she can incorporate their personality, not hers, into the home. She likes to meet at the home so her clients can point out what they like and don't like. She also uses magazines or photographs as tools.
Pictures speak a thousand more words and are often a lot easier to understand.
It doesn't take long before Ms. Jones gets a very clear idea of the expectations. She then works with her clients to make sure the needs of the room are fulfilled. If I make a suggestion and they hate it, I move on. If you tell me you absolutely hate drapes, I'm going to listen. When she was asked to do a showcase house, Ms. Jones approached the project in a more playful way than she normally would.