Seeing Ghosts

Seeing ghosts is not simply a nod to the 'may or may not be' haunting of the historic properties we feel grateful to design.

Although, the stories that we have been told do give us pause: from real footprints suddenly appearing at the Historic Boswell Mansion, to hearing footsteps upstairs when no one else is in the house, to Labradors on beds one minute

and disappearing the next.

And, seeing that it is the season for ghost stories, since we are well into October and quickly approaching All Hallow’s Eve! The focus on ghosts seemed especially appropriate for this month.

However, as interesting as those stories can be, today we are examining the very real phenomenon of clients suddenly not returning calls or emails.

It seems to be the way of things that, at some point, a person may decide to ghost you. In a world connected all the time and from everywhere, if this happens it can be, well, for lack of a better phrase: majorly disturbing. When a client decides to do this, it is still a great mystery. But even more, it is a puzzle.

Why did they decide to ghost their designers? It can become a time for self-reflection: “What caused this?” becomes a question floating around your thoughts as you move onward to other projects and other clients.

Of course, we are referring to the cut and run clients, the ones who have their plans and suddenly, poof. Vanished. 'Ghost clients' is how we choose to refer to these creatures that disappear swiftly in the night.

No warning in the form of a cordial email or even a preplanned “I just need my plans, and I’ll take it from there” speech during the design phase is given by these strange creatures. Just a day comes when they don’t call, and they don’t write. Like a house that suddenly stops creaking, it is an uncanny feeling and leaves so many questions.