Today we’d like to introduce you to Leslie Saul.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Leslie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I started Leslie Saul & Associates on December 21, 1992, almost 25 years ago! I had been a principal in a large architecture firm, where I led the interiors/interior architecture group. I felt as if my job was to keep the senior folks happy and I missed the direct connection to the everyday work of design.
It may be a gift or a curse, but I can walk into space and see the possibilities. I can visualize the completed project. Once I listen to the clients talk about their wants, needs, challenges and look at images of things they like and don’t like, this vision of the space comes into sharper focus. When we do large projects, we are usually doing these listening sessions with big groups of people, but the motivation is the same, and the results reflect who the client is and what they need and want.
How can we improve the space aesthetically, but more importantly, how can we make space “work” better for the people who work, play, age, live and learn in those spaces? People are not alike, visually, physically, emotionally, and intellectually. People have differing dreams, politics, cultures, religions, styles, and budgets, so WHY DO SO MANY PROJECTS IN THE DESIGN MAGAZINES LOOK ALIKE??!! I want to help create space that is customized for its use, its occupants, its purpose and its limitations. I want to make it fit like it’s tailor- made…and, maybe because my dad was a CPA, be within an appropriate budget.
I started out as an artist, a painter, and drawer, but after spending a year between high school and college working and studying abroad, I realized that I’m a people person and that I probably wouldn’t be happy working alone in my garret studio. When I returned to Rhode Island School of Design I became an architecture major.
When I started this firm, I knew that I needed to find really good people – people who have more than design skills, and who want to do the right thing for the client, community, and for future generations. I also knew that I needed people who would fill in for my weaknesses. I had no interest in being a sole practitioner because I wanted to do the best work possible, and that means teamwork.
Suma Greenwald was my first employee in January of 1993. She was good at so many things, including how to deal with people and vendors. She is genuinely interested in people and is dedicated to pursuing the right thing for every project. She has impeccable taste. Suma is our Senior Interior Designer and furniture specialist.
Monique Jankowski joined us in 1998. She is gifted on both sides of the brain – she has both design and organizational skills. Monique is the master list maker – and she works with steam coming out of her ears: efficiently and effectively. Monique is our Senior Project Manager and architectural designer.
The firm has grown and contracted over the years, and we call these alumni of LS&A our friends and family. Together, for almost 25 years, we have designed projects large and small for clients large and small. The slogan of one of my granddaughter’s favorite TV shows, Paw Patrol, fits us (excuse the slight modification): “No job is too big, no design firm is too small. LS&A to the rescue!” Please call us whether your project is big or small.
Check out our weekly blog entries, http://www.lesliesaul.com/blog.html,
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
Twenty-five years has not been a straight line of success financially, nor has it been easy to keep a consistent workload (it ain’t easy being a female owner of a small architecture firm). But in hindsight, the quality of the work and the quality of the clients has been consistently good, even improving over time. We feel very lucky that our portfolio includes so many outstanding projects, some of which we did as the sole architect, some of which were done in collaboration with other architectural firms.
We have learned from every challenge. There is no substitute for experience, especially when it comes to design and construction. After twenty-five years, our commitment to design, to detail, to client service, to do the right thing and to curiosity and life-long learning has never faltered.
Alright – so let’s talk business. Tell us about Leslie Saul & Associates – what should we know?
When I first started doing interiors as an architect, people didn’t really use the term “interior architecture.” It was a competitive advantage to be an architect when I interviewed with other architectural firms for the interior design of their projects, since they didn’t worry that I would “decorate” their spaces.
When I started working in Miami a dozen years ago, my business development
person described me as a “triple threat”: architecture, interiors, and sustainable designer, since I was a registered architect, licensed interior designer, and LEED Accredited Professional in Building Design and Construction. Now all of these credentials are more common.
I think our practice is unusual, especially for a small firm like ours, since our areas of specialty are quite broad: corporate, retail, senior centers, private homes, universities, and religious institutions. We want to make the world a better place for people who work, play, age, live, and learn.
Pricing: Every project has its own fee based on the requirements of the project. We don’t charge a percentage of the costs, so that our motivation is to do the right thing, even if it costs less.
- For a residential project, we start with an initial consultation that lasts 2 – 3 hours, some last much longer based on the scope of work. Assuming a typical 3 hour consult, the fee would be $550. After this initial consultation, the client can determine if they would like to continue to work with LS&A and a project proposal will be drafted up that reflects the actual scope of the project.
Contact Info:
- Address: 1972 Massachusetts Avenue
Cambridge, MA 02140 - Website: http://www.lesliesaul.com/
- Phone: 617-234-5300
- Email: koko@lesliesaul.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lesliesaulassoc/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LeslieSaulandAssociates/
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/lesliesaul
- Other: https://www.houzz.com/pro/lesliesaul/leslie-saul-and-associates
Image Credit:
Image 1: Monique Jankowski (LS&A), Image 2: Peter Vanderwarker Photography, Image 3: Roche Bobois, Image 4: Matthew Delphenich, Image 5: Trent Bell Photography, Image 6: Chuck Choi Architectural Photography, Image 7: Bohlin Cywinski Jackson, Image 8: Greg Premru Photography
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