I’m one of those freaks that actually does a digital dance (meaning I share online) when I find great design. 

Great design inspires me.

It also motivates me to do better work.

And as a NEOCON addict, KBIS presenter and judge for the Top Shelf Design Awards as well as blogger-extraordinaire, I get to experience a lot of great design (thank heaven!).

So what does it take to create award winning designs?

Three Things:

1. Passion. Michael Jordan didn’t title his book “For the Love of the Game” just for fun. And he didn’t win five national championships “just for fun” either. A passion for the game you’re playing (in this case - design) is a key factor. If you just enjoy selling closets or cabinets you will do well, but you’re not likely to carry the title of “award winning designer.”

2. Space Planning. You need to have (and continue to learn) space planning expertise. Whether that space is in the kitchen, the home office or the bedroom closet, the better you are at planning that space for functionality and beauty, the better the results. (And in case you’d like to learn more about space planning for closets - http://mindmeldcreative.com/butchko-closetdesign101/)

3. Cooperative Clients. Stop moaning. They’re out there. And they’ve been waiting for you to show up with your creative genius to translate their drab space into dream space. If you communicate clearly from the beginning, you can determine which clients fall into the “cooperative” category and take their project to new heights.

What I mean by this is not just that your client is polite and answers your questions and pays you on time. What I mean by this version of “cooperative” is that they’re open to designing beyond the box. They’re open to accessories, color, embellishments and add-ons that make their space not only more functional, but more beautiful.

As a design consultant who has won awards, and teaches closet design, I work with companies in the design/build industries to leverage their brand and marketing efforts. If you’d like a free sampling of some tips and insights, register here:

https://butchkoandcompany.leadpages.net/houzzanalyticsrecording/