Sarah Kuchar Of ‘Kuchar’ On Five Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career As A Commercial Designer
An Interview With Athalia Monae
Flexibility. Rarely is a project perfectly paced from start-to-finish. Often, the client’s needs and/or decisions will change course throughout the process. It’s important to remain flexible without getting too tied to your design or ideas. Staying nimble allows you to offer quick solutions once change occurs.
As a part of my series about the ‘Five Things You Need To Know To Create A Highly Successful Career As A Commercial Designer,’ I had the pleasure of interviewing Sarah Kuchar, Kuchar Studio Owner and Creative Director, IIDA
One of Interior Design magazine’s “20 Inspiring Female Designers to Know,” Sarah launched her namesake studio, Kuchar, in 2016 after spending 11 years working on innovative office design at Perkins&Will. Now, nearly a decade later, Kuchar’s diverse portfolio of projects spans across the world, each a unique expression of the client’s desire to live, work, and thrive.
From Codeverse (an award-winning afterschool academy for kids that teaches coding) and experiential brand showrooms in The Mart (think H.H.H. and Scandinavian Spaces) to trailblazing restaurants (e.g. Sushi Bar Miami) and highly customized, luxury homes that balance form and function, Kuchar believes that there are no set rules for great design and thinks beyond the built space to create lasting and impactful experiential spaces that take unconventional pathways to land on creative design solutions.
Thank you for joining us today! Can you share the story of what led you to pursue a career in commercial design?
I grew up with an artistic mother and was always working on art projects. In college, I took an interior design class out of curiosity and absolutely loved taking my appreciation for the arts into three-dimensional form. My teacher highly encouraged me to pursue interior design as a career and to transfer to a school that would support my journey.
What’s the most interesting or amusing experience you’ve had in your career so far, and what lesson did you learn from it?
Several years ago (at a previous employer) I designed for Brown Forman, who owns several liquors and spirits. At the time, they owned a Tequila called “Herradura,” and I was lucky enough to have the opportunity to design an office for them in Guadalajara, Mexico. As part of my design research, I visited the agave farms to witness the tequila-making process, meet the people, and explore Guadalajara’s makers to source interesting materials. It was my first opportunity to really dive into a different culture and learn about how the design could support the locale. It changed the way I viewed my projects, knowing there was so much more out there to learn.
Do you have a favorite life lesson quote? Can you share a story about how it has been relevant in your life?
As a business owner, “trust your gut” is what I tell all designers in leadership positions. It’s easy to let others influence your thinking, but your experience and context will tell you what is right. Follow that intuition.
As a successful business leader, which three character traits have been most crucial to your success? Can you share a story or example for each?
1. I’m unafraid to try new things (and usually jump right in)
New ideas come to me weekly and I love exploring them! We started a procurement service six years ago, diving right in and figuring out the process. Now, this branch is a large part of our studio and helps us to provide a full-service approach to our projects and clients.
2. I’m competitive
Failure is simply not an option for me. So, when the going gets tough, I do everything in my power to stay successful. The pandemic was the biggest test as a business owner so far. During this time, I brainstormed countless ways that we could market the studio, improve our processes and reach new audiences. It took several months, but we came back from the pandemic stronger due to the activities that took place while we were light on business.
3. I am focused on customer service (people pleaser)
I go out of my way to make sure clients are happy with our services. Kuchar is known for being nimble and changing our approach or process based on what any of our clients need.
Can you describe a recent project you completed and what your specific contributions were?
Kuchar recently completed a financial office in Amsterdam. After traveling to Amsterdam, I had several photos on my phone of architectural elements that inspired me in the city. I used them to inspire the design, including some of the key areas like the bathrooms and shower rooms.
We had worked with the client previously, and this was actually the seventh of their 12 offices that they brought us on to design — this time specifically for Amsterdam employees. Kuchar worked diligently to ensure that everything from personality type to desired work style was considered — including meeting rooms for introvert workers who thrive in quiet spaces with muted acoustics, to extrovert-types who want to be in the thick of the social scene of the main lounge space with brightly-colored chairs.
Working in conversation with the local terrain and culture, the design infused shapes and colors reminiscent of the bikes, canal homes, oversized windows and brickwork — including the archways in the entry and ceramic tile wall paneling and chair rail in the floors and bathrooms.
Art also drove the design narrative, including the known work “Girl With a Pearl Earring, which played a distinct role in the jewel-tone color palette, as the piece was on display at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam during the exploration design phase. The lighting fixtures were also meant to emulate pearls, and the meeting rooms feature floral carpeting. The office cafe was inspired by the color in Vincent van Gogh’s self-portrait.
How do you approach balancing aesthetics and functionality in your designs?
These two necessities yo-yo throughout the design process. Functionality is king, so we typically start with what our parameters are within a project and then push aesthetic within. At times, we may go beyond functionality with an outstanding design idea, then brainstorm how we can get the design idea to meet the functionality needs.
What is your design philosophy when it comes to commercial spaces?
No rules — the best ideas come from allowing us to let go!
Where do you draw your inspiration for your designs?
Mostly travel, however I’m constantly looking at the world around me to see color combinations and texture. I’ll often see colors in nature or in architecture and think “I’d love to see that in a new project.” When I travel, I observe how cultures design differently than I do and allow that to inform my work and future projects.
What strategies do you use to ensure your designs meet the needs of the end-users?
We employ initial brainstorming sessions and workshops as well as constant ongoing touch-bases with our client and design teams to ensure we’re always meeting the needs of the end-user. When required, we utilize mockups to test ideas in real scale.
How do you approach sustainability in your commercial projects?
At Kuchar, we focus more on supporting local makers and products. We often look for women-and-minority-owned businesses that we can support by using their services or products on our projects.
What impact do you think remote work and digital transformation will have on the design of commercial spaces?
Offices are getting smaller; the balance of meeting rooms to desks is changing and better design is being implemented to entice workers to come into the office.
What are the five things you believe are essential for creating a highly successful career in commercial design?
1. Flexibility
Rarely is a project perfectly paced from start-to-finish. Often, the client’s needs and/or decisions will change course throughout the process. It’s important to remain flexible without getting too tied to your design or ideas. Staying nimble allows you to offer quick solutions once change occurs.
2. Strong communication
It’s rare that clients can visualize and understand our design language. Successful designers are great at helping their clients understand the vision and goals, ultimately selling their design ideas.
3. Great people skills
We work with so many types of clients. Being able to adapt to different work and communication styles is critical to keep clients happy. Also, being able to work with all of our vendors, consultants and contractors requires a different skill set and is essential to project success.
4. Strategic thinking
Every project brings new challenges, both in design and in construction. Successful designers are able to problem solve onsite and for their clients to get the best outcome.
5. An absolute love of design
This career takes a lot of energy! We are constantly creating new ideas out of our own imagination and spending extra time to bring those visions to life. Those with long and successful design careers must possess a strong passion for design and love what they do.
What role do you think commercial design plays in community building and social interaction?
There’s a sense of pride in commercial design, which often leads to community. Seeing as there are many varieties of public spaces, the right design can link like-minded people together, which builds stronger rapport and relationships. Considering design aesthetic and what design elements (e.g. furniture and lighting) support that direction, can foster collaboration and connection.
Given your influence, if you could inspire a movement to bring the best results and solutions to the greatest number of people, what would it be? You never know what impact your idea might have!
I’d love to become known as a thought leader in color customization and how to consider color in a given space, as more often than not, we see the end-user interested in color but unsure how to weave it in. Rather than avoid it altogether, offering more education can encourage people to step outside of their comfort zone and make bolder decisions as it relates to color.
How can our readers follow your work online?
Website: www.kucharstudio.com
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kuchar_studio/
Thank you for your time and excellent insights! We wish you continued success.
Sarah Kuchar Of ‘Kuchar’ On Five Things You Need To Create A Highly Successful Career As A… was originally published in Authority Magazine on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.