Sarah Pierce, 25 

Designer

Lane Homes and Remodeling / Richmond, Va. 

 Going the Extra Mile in Material Selection: 

A few years ago, I worked more one on one with clients at a different company. When you’re selling things like tile, you always give a disclaimer that natural stone doesn’t all look the same.

We put a marble shower into a client’s house, and she said that she didn’t like how gray it ended up being. Instead of ripping out the tile and creating an extra cost, I met with her and reselected materials that she still loved to compliment the marble’s shade.

Tackling that and still coming out with a good relationship with the tile manufacturer, the store, and the client is definitely something I’m proud of.

Initially, she really liked the idea of bright white and brass metal. We chose a warm gray for our custom cabinet color instead to coordinate better with the tiles while still pulling in the warmth of the brass. I also personally went to the tile place to pick out the exact tiles that we wanted for the whole floor so that it would pull everything together. It was more time and effort, but at the end of the day that’s what matters, to go that extra mile.

Tackling that and still coming out with a good relationship with the tile manufacturer, the store, and the client is definitely something I’m proud of. In my current job, I work on drawing and estimating, so I communicate more with industry professionals. I make sure my communication is the best it can be between industry pros and our company while checking that the client understands as well.

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