Tim Dumatrait was raised on design. \u201cMy father is a carpenter and a furniture maker, so I grew up making things,\u201d he says. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
That passion for good design pushed him to train as an architect, and after working on residential and commercial projects, he moved into consultancy, using his experience and affinity for design technology to advise on building projects and renovations. He\u2019s now head of construction technology at WeWork, where his primary goal is to help the company\u2019s architects, interior designers, and construction managers use technology as they build, renovate, and redesign WeWork spaces around the world. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
As WeWork expands into new markets (and multiplies within existing ones), part of Dumatrait\u2019s job is understanding how one project might differ from the next. \u201cConsider, for instance, the Japanese culture around building and craft,\u201d he says, as opposed to markets like California, where the focus is on \u201centhusiasm about technology and using software and tools for delivery.\u201d <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Dumatrait\u2014who\u2019s adept at keeping stakeholders invested in and excited about building and renovation projects\u2014frames design as \u201ca creative act that is best collaborative.\u201d That means coming to the table ready and willing to be a good client often results in the best work. Dumatrait offers pointers on how you can be ready for your next project, big or small.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Know your style<\/strong>. \u201cPut together Pinterest boards of just designs you love, and don\u2019t limit it to just picking examples of architecture or interiors,\u201d Dumatrait says, noting that even pinning fabric or pieces of furniture that speak to you can give your designer a sense of your overall aesthetic. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Play with design technology<\/strong>. More than ever, Dumatrait says, furniture retailers are encouraging consumers to use tools that architects and interior designers have been working with for years. Take advantage of websites and in-store tech that allow you to see how a sofa might look in your own living room, or how paint colors might appear on your walls. Learning to speak the language of design can be helpful. \u201cWhen you’re dealing with a design professional that is a very experienced spatial thinker,\u201d says Dumatrait, using the kinds of tools they<\/em> use \u201cbrings you five steps in their direction.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Plan, plan, and plan some more<\/strong>: \u201cIn a perfect world,\u201d Dumatrait says, \u201cyou’re actually spending more time doing the planning than you are actually doing the construction.\u201d Waiting to confirm final prices of labor and materials until after construction has begun is a common mistake\u2014one Dumatrait calls \u201ca recipe for surprises\u2014unhappy ones.\u201d These things are rarely if ever less<\/em> expensive than you imagined. <\/p>\n\n\n\n Be open to new ideas.<\/strong> That\u2019s what you\u2019re paying for, after all. Dumatrait uses the New York real estate market as an example. \u201cMaybe you\u2019ve made up your mind that because you want your living room and your bedroom to be separate, your ideal configuration is a one-bedroom apartment,\u201d he says. But a good designer can come up with solutions that might surprise\u2014and delight. Suddenly \u201ca studio, through carefully thought-out furniture configuration, actually becomes a more attractive option. And that comes from engaging with a designer and being open-minded.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Everyone has a sense of their own design style\u2014and WeWork\u2019s Tim Dumatrait is about to help you find yours<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1706,"featured_media":4903,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[43902,43908],"tags":[513],"class_list":["post-4882","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-professional-development","category-creativity-culture","tag-innovation"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\n