The Sit Test

By Christina Winter, Allied Member ASID
Here at LiLu we get that purchasing furniture, fabrics, and lighting can be an intimidating and somewhat scary experience.  Where should you go to purchase a long lasting, good quality sofa?  What is a good price point for me?  What are spring down wrapped in foam cushions?  Do all of these fabrics go well together?  How can I bring in texture, color, scale?  I could create a long list of questions that we are asked all of the time but here are some ways that we ask you what you are looking for and based on this information help define what you are looking for so that you can be 100% confident in your design, in us and what you are putting into your space.
Once you are officially ready to begin  the design process with us we send you a client questionnaire.  This is a combination of questions, scenarios, and statements that we ask you to help us get a little deeper look into what drives you.  If there are two decision makers or even more, we ask that each of you take the questionnaire and write your responses out.  We have both a verbal conversation as well as a written process to help guide you through and fully understand you, your wants and needs.
One of my favorite questions on the questionnaire that we ask you is how you purchase a new outfit:

1. Go to a store you have been satisfied with in the past and select from what they have in stock
2. Go to several stores and compare style, price, fit and value and purchase the best value
3. Go to several stores and compare style, price, fit and value and purchase the one that best balances your needs
4. Review all the suits that are available on the market and purchase the best one

I believe this gives us so much insight on how we can make the experience of working with us a satisfying, rewarding experience.  We want you to have 100% confidence that you are getting exactly what you want.
Another way that we do this is to have a sit test with clients.  Located right here in Minneapolis is the International Market Square. We have showrooms here that have all types of furniture frames, cushions, finishes etc. to help you, our client, test out what you is the best for you.  Now of course the experience can be overwhelming, walking into this building and not knowing where to turn, what showroom to go in, or even if you can go in the showrooms?  Well, that is where we come in.  We help you navigate, selecting only the best options for you.  We always say...we would never show you a wrong choice.  There are just different ways to do things successfully.