Q: Unusual Leads

Annie Block, Mark McMenamin, and Meghan Edwards -- Interior Design, 10/1/2009 12:00:00 AM

With conventional leads scarce these days, we asked designers, "What's been your most unusual source for a project?"

"A woman in front of me in line while I was waiting to have my aura read. We had an amazing conversation, and she became not only a client but also a good friend." —Rene Gonzalez of Rene Gonzalez Architect

"A wedding in Brazil, where the date of a friend hired me on the spot, at the reception. I went on to work on two projects for him." —Tana Graves of Tana Graves Design

"Two of the client's friends. One, who happened to be my cousin, recommended me. The other recommended my wife and partner, Karen Stonely." —Peter Pelsinski of Stonely Pelsinski Architects Neukomm

"Posting a Jack Spade messenger bag to sell on Craigslist. The buyer turned out to be a residential contractor who later submitted my name for a project—an opportunity he encountered at the gym, thanks to the woman on the next treadmill." —Thomas Alta mirano of Studio Alta

"Cocktail parties, of course!" —Adam Arzate of Victor Arzate Design International

Next Q: With 2010 looming, tell us, "What do you consider the design highlight of the past decade—yours or someone else's?" E-mail us at q@interiordesign.net.