Combining Interiors and Construction Knowledge
Le started working with AT6 as an interior designer, but has always had an interest in issues such as structure and safety that are often left to architects, engineers, and contractors. Her dad is a contractor, so Le grew up watching him build, fix, tinker, and adjust things around the house.
“I’ve always admired how my dad could look at something and know what materials he’d need to use and how long it might take. I wanted to learn that part of construction for myself to enhance my background in interior design.”
She succeeded.
She loves to offer tips and ideas to clients that can make remodeling life easier for them.
Embracing Her New Role
Her uncommon combination of design talent, working well with clients, understanding the contracting world, and the ability to handle complex project details made her a natural to transition to project manager.
In her new role, she is the primary client contact on the construction team, helping clients realize their vision while offering real-world advice on cost and feasibility. Her creativity now runs in a different vein: finessing as much as possible for clients within their budget and haggling with vendors if need be.
Experimenting in Her Own Home
Having done remodels on her own dwellings, Le has a third bucket to draw from besides her design and construction knowledge – empathy for her clients going through the experience. She loves to offer tips and ideas to clients that can make remodeling life easier for them. Anyone who has been through a remodel can appreciate the value of that type of information!
Admired by Her Colleagues
One of Le’s coworkers describes her this way: “Le’s consistent effort and hard work inspire me on a daily basis. As a project manager, Le is endlessly following up with vendors and subs to keep the project on track. She goes the extra mile to look out for the client’s best interest and save them money where possible. We know her as someone who values the design intent and won’t compromise it for the bottom line, but will work to find a solution that is within budget.”
“Coming together and solving problems as a team is really rewarding.”
LE KLEIN, PROJECT MANAGER
Decidedly a team player, Le says about working at AT6, “There are always challenges in construction, but our team is good at breaking them down, figuring them out, and deciding how to fix them. Coming together and solving problems as a team is really rewarding.”
Le is a proud Canadian who happily brings classic Canadian snacks to the office (and why some of these amazing foods are not available in the US is beyond us).
An inveterate vintage-furniture shopper, she admits to being a foster mother for orphan chairs and side tables, the former of which allow her to practice her reupholstering skills. She also loves cooking, particularly Vietnamese home cooking, and will happily feed a crowd. Once a creative, always a creative.
