Lauren Coburn: Architectural Interior Designer

Apr 18, 2021

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Lauren herself has been recognized internationally and has been accepted into top design groups, including Leaders Of Design Council and the International Design Society (IDS).

Listen in as Lauren discusses why she prefers referred clients over all others, how she was able to scale her business relatively quickly in the mid-2000s by embracing transparency in how she presented her services, and why she charges a high fixed fee upfront rather than relying on markups.

She explains how she vets clients and how her approach to tackling residential projects has evolved due to the increased emotional connection that people now have with their homes thanks to the pandemic.

Finally, Lauren shares her architectural and design styles and how she collaborates with clients, builders, and architects.

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Topics Discussed:

[01:52] How Lauren finds her clients and how prospects find her
[03:19] Has being published led to greater lead generation for Lauren?
[05:28] Getting clear on your fees and pricing structure
[08:23] Negotiating with a client who is deciding between you and a “cheaper” option
[11:13] Why Lauren charges a premium upfront instead of relying on markups
[17:11] Lauren breaks down her typical budget for a project
[20:33] How Lauren vets clients
[30:09] Why Lauren prizes collaboration
[34:14] How Lauren helps her clients manage their expectations from the very beginning
[39:23] What it was like to be formally trained by Tigerman McCurry Architects
[43:46] Why Lauren was inspired to dive into architecture alongside design
[46:41] How Lauren works with builders and architects to set her budget
[49:50] What makes a good architect or builder in Lauren’s eyes
[54:04] Lauren’s favorite styles and how she helps clients settle on a design
[57:37] How Lauren has adapted as design trends have changed over the years
[58:58] Lauren’s favorite room to design
[1:00:04] What’s next for Lauren?

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Key Quotes from Episode:

The best clients are always referrals because they generally come from great people that you’d want to work with.
The beauty of referrals is that anybody you’ve worked with is telling somebody they know how nice the experience was.
I don’t want to charge for fixing problems for my clients.
I’m always very cognizant of the fact that many clients are wary of designers who give them what the designer wants and not what they, the client, wants.
I’m on a mission to make people love their space.
Aside from being the designer, I try to be my clients’ advocate.