Bonham Group

Describe your studio's background, core mission, and typical project timelines. Include current projects on Programa.

Our interior design studio, established by our founder Jason Bonham in 2009, builds upon extensive international experience from Europe and the United States. Our core mission is to uphold quality as the ultimate measure of value, ensuring that each project is as unique as our client. We prioritise a collaborative approach, deeply engaging with clients to understand and reflect their needs, desires, and aspirations in the work.

Project timelines can vary, with many of our projects, whether renovations or new builds, extending beyond two years from concept to completion. To manage these timelines effectively and maintain transparency, we use Programa. Programa allows us to provide live updates and manage changing project parameters efficiently, which is particularly useful when working across multiple time zones. For instance, we currently have a project underway in Miami, where time zone differences impact our communication with the client. Programa helps mitigate this by allowing our Miami client to view the status of items—whether they are awaiting approval, in production, in transit or to check the ETA’s—on a timeline that suits our clients.

This real-time access ensures that clients can stay informed and involved throughout the process, even when we are in different time zones.

Summarise your studio's culture, collaboration approach, and design philosophy.

Our studio is a full-service boutique firm with a strong emphasis on collaboration, both within our team and with our clients. We believe in a deeply interactive process where we guide clients through discovering and articulating their tastes and preferences. Understanding both their likes and dislikes is crucial to us, as it helps in creating a space that truly reflects their personality and lifestyle. We view the design process as an enjoyable and enriching journey, aiming to make the creation of their environment a seamless extension of who they are.

Our design philosophy centres on crafting spaces that are not only functional and ergonomic but also deeply personal, ensuring that each environment supports and enhances our clients' expectations.

Discuss your project selection criteria and a unique method or technique characteristic of your studio.

Our clients typically have a deep appreciation for art and design. They often come to us through referrals, trusting that we will create an interior space that is uniquely tailored to their tastes.

Our studio begins with an in-depth consultation process where we not only understand the client's functional needs and project parameters but also delve into their personal style and artistic inclinations. We then meticulously curate elements that harmonise with a contemporary aesthetic while reflecting the individuality of the client. This ensures that every project is not just a design solution but a personalised expression of the client's identity and values.

How were you practising before Programa? What were the struggles?

Before Programa, our workflow between departments had room for improvement. The process of transferring information from client sign-off through to invoicing, product ordering, procurement, and logistics was slower than it could have been. Additionally, our interior designers faced time constraints with manual data entry, often spending periods cross-checking for duplicate entries. This was challenging on larger projects with multiple designers involved.

Describe the impact of Programa on project management, workflow, and client relationships. Provide specific examples.

Before adopting Programa, our practice used multiple platforms, creating inefficiencies and complicated workflows. Programa has become our preferred software within our business, by consolidating these separate tools into a single, integrated platform.

Designed specifically for us, as interior designers, Programa aligns perfectly with our business operations and client needs. For instance, the Web Clipper tool significantly reduces the time required to import product options from various websites, streamlining our specification and scheduling process. Additionally, Programa's ability to flag duplicate product codes helps prevent errors and ensures that larger projects with multiple designers working on it can avoid overlapping information, thereby enhancing overall project accuracy and efficiency.

The impact on client relationships has been particularly notable. Programa's features enable clients to view specification and drawing updates, mood boards, and the overall project vision in real-time. This direct access to the project documentation fosters a stronger client relationship and ensures our clients are integral throughout the entire design process.­­­