Duelle

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and position.

I am the Co-founder of Beyond Words Studio

Describe what your company does in a single sentence.

We are a design studio that makes complex things easy to understand with data visualization, information design and storytelling.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What specific goals or objectives did you hire Duelle to accomplish?

• To create a meeting room that is beautiful and contemporary while still being in keeping with its surrounding 18th century building.
• To advise on other contemporary interior design touches we could bring to the rest of the studio space.

SOLUTION

How did you find Duelle?

Referral

Why did you select Duelle over others?

• Close to my geographic location
• Great culture fit
• Referred to me

What was the size of Duelle’s team?

2-5 Employees

Describe the scope of work in detail. Please include a summary of key deliverables.

• Sourcing and installation of a new meeting room with timber and glass partition
• Consultancy on paint and fabric selection, soft furnishings and lighting choices for the meeting room
• Sourcing of suppliers for the build of the meeting room and for the timber and glass partition
• Project management of the meeting room installation and build
• Consultancy on select vintage furniture for the open studio space

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What were the measurable outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

• Project was completed on time and on budget

Describe their project management. Did they deliver items on time? How did they respond to your needs?

• They delivered everything on time
• They provided options and alternatives when needed
• They were very responsive to any questions
• They were a pleasure to deal with

What was your primary form of communication with Duelle?

• In-Person Meeting
• Email
• Messaging App

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

They were extremely reliable and, above all, had great taste and were a perfect fit for the look and feel of what we were trying to achieve.

Are there any areas for improvement or something Duelle could have done differently?

No, nothing comes to mind.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I'm the Founder & CEO of COAT Paints, an online company for sustainable paint.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Duelle, and what were your goals?

We hired Duelle to design and deliver for our new HQ. An old printing press in Clerkenwell, the industrial space was a complete 'white box', and Duelle were tasked with the interior design, layout, and complete sourcing for the space. It was important to us that the space reflecting it's industrial character for us as a paint company, but was also softened to create a beautiful work environment for 20 people. Sustainability was critical, and we asked Duelle to source only vintage or up-cycled pieces where possible, to keep the carbon impact of the project to a minimum and reflect COAT's "zero waste, re-use and recycle" ethos.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

We spoke with 5 companies, and took 3 proposals. The deciding factor was Duelle's ability and willingness to source sustainably. Most companies in the space had ready-made contracts with office fit-out companies - but Duelle shared our values in the space, and although more difficult in places they really wanted to buy vintage and up-cycle throughout.

Describe the engagement and overall scope of work in detail, including the stages of the partnership.

It was relatively straightforward, starting with a meeting in the space to explore. We discussed the brief, and Duelle took measurements and pictures. We then reviewed initial design proposals over a few Zoom calls before agreeing the direction. Once agreed, the floorplans were worked up by Duelle based on spatial layout plans with several iterations. Lastly, we agreed ad-hoc the sourcing of pieces - given we didn't want to buy new.

What were the terms and the value of the lease, and what percentage did Duelle take in commission?

We didn't work in this way. Duelle agreed costings for each stage of the project from Design Concepts, Spatial Design and Layout, and finally Procurement and Delivery.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked directly with Melanie and Micaela, the studio founders. It was great to keep contact points minimal, and Melanie and Micaela took on all communications with contracts and sourcing partners.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the engagement or general feedback about the services?

The service was impeccable. We got a totally transformed office and collaborative spaces, using almost entirely up cycled materials. The costs were managed to a tee and the original quote was delivered.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

We mainly used email and whatsapp for communications, reviewing shared documents where needed. Duelle kept us entirely to the original timescales.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their ability to listen to what's important, and really lean into it. For us, that was sustainability and cost. We're not a huge company so budgets were fixed, and sourcing vintage or up-cycled can be difficult vs. simply contracting out the whole furniture package. Their ability to find niche suppliers whilst maintaining an unwavering design eye and cost control was impressive.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

No.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I work in Operations and Customer Experience at a coffee roastery in London.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Duelle?

We needed help with a new look for the cafe and our office. We didn't know quite what we wanted which is why we gave them free rein.

SOLUTION

How did you select Duelle and what were the deciding factors?

We really enjoyed the previous work they had done with cafes and restaurant and wanted a similar mood/tone/feel to both our cafe and office.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

Our cafe needed a revamp after years of service - Duelle provided a clear project plan with cost and gave us options to choose from in terms of aesthetic and feel and also options to be flexible with budget if we wanted second hand or used furniture.

We also wanted someone to look at our office space to make the most out of the space and they helped us with giving us a really clear picture of what we could do and then broke it down into stages so we could gradually work our way through them and again was just super flexible and helpful at every stage.

How many resources from the Duelle team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked mainly with Melanie.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

They designed us custom tables for the office which are really great and sturdy and look sleek and beautiful and the team loves them.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

They were easy to work with and a joy to communicate with

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

We loved working with a smaller company as we got to work with the founders.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

N/A

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am the business owner of a medium sized construction company. We have been in business for 26 years. We specialized in work primarily in the railway industry undertaking numerous civil ( primarily ) and architectural works for the various rail and rail related businesses.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Duelle, and what were your goals?

I secured Duelles services to prepare existing drawings and provide conceptual layouts for reconstruction of two residential properties that I am arranging design, construction and project management services for. The intent is to take the existing and conceptual drawings and use them to secure building permits.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

I have known one of the principles of Duelle for many years personally and have followed her career development and was pleasantly surprised that she could assist me in these two projects.

Describe the engagement and overall scope of work in detail, including the stages of the partnership.

At the onset of these projects, I had a preliminary zoom call with Melanie Liaw, the principal, to discuss the goals and my involvement in the two projects. Working with Melanie, the initial scope of involvement was to prepare existing drawings based on information provided by me. Once these were complete the next step was to interact with the clients via zoom and discuss individual goals and proposed outcomes of the renovations.

The drawings are then to be reviewed from an architectural and structural perspective to finalize a drawing submission for permit purposes. Duelle has recommended an outside firm who they deal with to undertake this phase of the project. I have met with the principal of that company and terms have been set to take the project to permit submission.

What were the terms and the value of the lease, and what percentage did Duelle take in commission?

Our current arrangement is on a time and material basis for hours worked on at an agreed rate. These terms apply as well with the architect and structural engineer who Duelle recommended and who will be participating in the project to permit submission and approval.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked directly with the principal of the company.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any measurable outcomes of the engagement or general feedback about the services?

Duelle has provided prompt, accurate and cost effective services that have met our scheduling and budget constraints.

Describe their project management style, including communication tools and timeliness.

Any changes requested by myself or by my clients were handled expeditiously and effectively. Project Management will be handled in house.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their conceptual drawings were very much in line with current design standards while providing some unique ideas on space optimization.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

The services provided thus far leave little room for improvement. We are extremely satisfied with their services and would not hesitate to recommend them to others or use their services again.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the head of marketing for COAT Paints, a new brand entering the paint market in the UK.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Duelle?

We were opening our first pop-up shop, and we needed someone to design its interior.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

We hired Duelle to design the interior of the retail space we rented. Once we had an internal idea of what we wanted to do, we met with Melanie (Co-Founder & Interior Designer) and told her what we wanted to achieve. We talked about the brand aesthetic and how it needed to have a visual representation of our paint product.

We also needed a lounge space that needed to have a retail counter where we could sell our products. Once we finalized our requirements, they handed over what they designed to our production team to build and install. 

What is the team composition?

Melanie was our main point of contact.

How did you come to work with Duelle?

Duelle was recommended to us by a mutual friend.

How much have you invested with them?

We invested less than $10,000 for the quick project.

What is the status of this engagement?

We worked together from August–September 2021.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

From a testimonial perspective, we were incredibly happy and proud of what Duelle created for us. It was the perfect expression of our business in a physical space.

How did Duelle perform from a project management standpoint?

They were brilliant when it came to budgeting and adhering to timelines — they made project management easy and effortless. We typically communicated through WhatsApp and email.

What did you find most impressive about them?

We were impressed by how Melanie made the project seamless and excellent. She was totally in control of something we weren’t experienced with. Duelle brought their expertise and accomplished their tasks effortlessly.

Are there any areas they could improve?

Nothing from what we wanted and how it worked. We didn’t need them to improve on anything else.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

I would say to be prepared with the brief as possible and be clear with what you’re trying to achieve.

BACKGROUND

Introduce your business and what you do there.

I’m the co-founder of Benk and Bo, a shared-space art organization. We have a rotating six-month gallery displayed on all of our walls, and we welcome people of whom we appreciate their work to curate wall art pieces for us or hang their own work.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

What challenge were you trying to address with Duelle?

We recently put together a Norwegian gallery that was curated along all of the artwork that we also hung up on the wall. That was when Duelle came on board. When COVID-19 hit, we stopped working for a full year, so we spent that year thinking about inviting companies like them to collaborate with us.

SOLUTION

What was the scope of their involvement?

Duelle brought in more art and design into our business, which was important for us. I told them that I wanted to keep our identity for this exhibit, but I wanted it to be a little bit more interesting in terms of design.

This was a very collaborative process, during which I gave them very specific requirements. For example, we needed to have 30 people seated for lunch at a certain time of the day.

We even collaborated with them to define the paint. They brought color samples that we stuck up on the wall and looked at in different daylights to make our choice. It was a very hands-on approach.

Duelle also helped us figure out a way to include furniture on this display that we could sell and replace with new pieces as we progressed. For this, they made suggestions of what type of furniture we could have.

They understood all of the elements that I asked for. They then took everything I said and started making floor plans to put together this exhibit. Overall, it was a very streamlined process.

Currently, Duelle helps us with two other design projects, where they’re doing the whole design and set up for a cocktail bar and a coffee shop.

What is the team composition?

I’ve worked the closest with Melanie (Co-Founder & Interior Designer) and another person.

How did you come to work with Duelle?

I’m a photographer, so I had worked with Melanie on previous projects.

What is the status of this engagement?

We started working together in December 2020, and our engagement is ongoing.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

What evidence can you share that demonstrates the impact of the engagement?

Duelle has done a really good job. One of the reasons I wanted it to be a furniture gallery and a show space for antique dealers was that I couldn’t afford to spend money buying new furniture or art. Duelle helped us take a very creative approach, where we didn’t buy any of the furniture or the artwork; we only got insurance to cover the artwork and furniture that we got displayed in case something went wrong.

How did Duelle perform from a project management standpoint?

We use WhatsApp and email to communicate. Melanie sends us presentations for us to review, and we get back to her via email. For this exhibit, she also came to our building to show us what she had done. I was quite impressed with their organizational skills throughout the whole process.

What did you find most impressive about them?

Duelle has great taste. They manage to keep their aesthetic style while, at the same time, they listen to what the client wants. Additionally, they’re really good at facing challenges. Our challenge was a tight budget, but they found solutions for it.

Are there any areas they could improve?

I don’t feel that Duelle lacks anything. I’m very happy with their work.

Do you have any advice for potential customers?

You can trust them to make the right choices for your business. Explain what you like because they will listen.

I have very strong ideas about design, and I sometimes struggle to let my projects on others' hands because I have a good aesthetic sense as well. For me, working with Duelle was liberating because I realized that they were someone I could trust.

BACKGROUND

Please describe your company and your position there.

I am a Project Manager at Constructive Space, a London-based commercial office fit out company.

OPPORTUNITY / CHALLENGE

For what projects/services did your company hire Duelle?

To design a new boardroom to replace existing.

SOLUTION

How did you select this vendor and what were the deciding factors?

Duelle provided a number of options to choose from, providing exceptional detail.

Describe the project in detail and walk through the stages of the project.

Duelle were instructed to design a new boardroom to replace the existing. The boardroom had to have a good acoustic performance for video conferencing requirements, and had to be on-brand with the rest of the workspace.

How many resources from the vendor's team worked with you, and what were their positions?

We worked solely with Melanie, the interior designer.

RESULTS & FEEDBACK

Can you share any outcomes from the project that demonstrate progress or success?

Delighted with the final product - with the boardroom not only looking exactly as described, but with fantastic sound quality for meetings.

How effective was the workflow between your team and theirs?

The workflow was great, emails and phone calls were answered very quickly, and made time to for in-person site visits whenever needed.

What did you find most impressive or unique about this company?

Their attention to detail throughout the entire process was impressive. Nothing was ever too much trouble.

Are there any areas for improvement or something they could have done differently?

Truly, there was nothing I could suggest to improve.