Last winter I featured some beautiful counter stools sold through Darby Road Home in Waltham, MA (See my blog from 30 November 2018 – “Darby Road Home Delights with Counter Stools and Holiday Cheer”) and remarked that it is hard to find just the right counter stool at just the right height.  Well, that challenge still continues; despite a growing number of on-line retailers who offer stools.  The purpose of today’s post is to highlight to my wonderful readers that you can’t rely on the name “counter stool” to magically fit your new kitchen island, because there is great variability in the height of stools - much more so than with chairs, in my opinion. So, you must pay attention while shopping!  Especially when using catalogs or shopping on-line.  

Before you start looking for stools the #1 thing you need to do is to first figure out the optimal seat height that fits for you and your family.  The graphic below (from Williams Sonoma) illustrates this point since it shows the variability they have for seat heights where a counter stool seat could be between 23” and 28” tall.

​So where have I been shopping for stools for clients recently to solve their design problems? Well, everywhere – and with good success. Here’s the Gage counter stool from Arhaus, a stylish and practical stool that is incredibly comfortable.  I love that Arhaus tells you the dimensions (including seat height and overall height); Gage Counter Stool - Dimensions: 19.5" W X 19.5" D X 36.5" H (SEAT 25" H).  Here's the link to the Arhaus website's page about the Gage stool:
                https://www.arhaus.com/furniture/dining-room-furniture/bar-and-counter-stools/gage-counter-stool/

​Arhaus also has an adjustable stool, the Kensington, which is a good solution if you have children who will grow (well, that’s a given, right?) and family members of different heights.  But these adjustable stools are somewhat casual and industrial in nature, and won’t fit every situation.  Of course, adjustable has its perks.  Here's the link to that page:
  https://www.arhaus.com/furniture/dining-room-furniture/bar-and-counter-stools/kensington-adjustable-barstool/

Frontgate is my #1 catalog/on-line source for stools, and I just saw that they have a new guide related to  the subject of choosing just the right stool; their “Bar Stool Guide”: 
      https://www.frontgate.com/whats-new/guides/bar-stool

In addition, here’s another great resource from Frontgate to help you find the perfect stool for your situation and style; “Seat Yourself: Which Types of Bar Stools Work Where”.
​      https://www.frontgate.com/homeplusstyle/entertaining/seat-types-bar-stools-work/

You might not think that getting the counter stools “just right” is that hard, or that important. But Fall is just around the corner, kids are going back to school, and I would venture to say that there are many students out there who do their homework at the kitchen island or peninsula.  So perhaps you should think about purchasing new counter stools or barstools for your hard-working kitchen as another “back to school” shopping expedition. ​

We’ve all been there. We have ideas for a great new decorating scheme for a room in our house – but don’t have the time to look for all the pieces of the puzzle; paint colors, fabrics, rugs, chairs, tables, light fixtures, art, wallpaper, accessories and all of the other odds and ends. Well I can help.
 
Since many of my clients are too busy to spend the time required to track everything down, or don’t have the trade resources to locate the furniture that they need to transform their decorating visions into finished rooms, one of the services that I often provide is shopping for them to find what they are looking for, or to narrow down the options, then shopping with them to make the final selections.
 
Here’s how it works. I meet with my client and review what their decorating issues and style are. We then decide on the priority of the items needed and the budget targets. With that information I start looking at my preferred vendor stores and websites for the desired items. When I’ve found some interesting pieces, and narrowed the choices down to a manageable number, I either send my client photos and the details about the item (or a link to the website if it’s online) or we go shopping together to evaluate what would best meet their vision. From a pricing point of view I can either work based on a commission tied to purchases, on an hourly fee basis, or a hybrid of the two.
 
Where do we look? Well if it’s an item that my client physically wants to see we go to the stores that best fit their design vision in the Boston Metro area. Stores like: Mitchell Gold, Arhaus, Stickley Audi & Co, Darby Road Home, the Boston Design Center (BDC), Ballard Designs, Ethan Allen, Crate and Barrel, Needham Decorative Hardware, and Carpet Carousel. If it’s something that can be purchased online, we use the vendors that I’ve found over the years that have quality products and good delivery track records. Vendors like Uttermost for accessories, Surya for rugs and Philip Jeffries for Wallpaper. You can see a complete list of my preferred vendors on my website’s “Vendors & Resources” page.

Here are some photos from my recent shopping expeditions:

​Over the years I’ve found that this holistic approach allows my clients to see the big picture and then choose specific items that fit into their desired design esthetic. It’s an approach that saves my clients both time and money since I know which stores/vendors have what they might be looking for and my trade accounts normally allow my clients to purchase what they find at a discount.
 
So, if you want to redo a room, or start an entire new project, but don’t know where to begin, I can help! Call me and we’ll figure out what approach works best for you.

So, you've set up an appointment with an Interior Designer to get the ball rolling on your newest​ project, and now you’re starting to wonder what to do next.  Rest assured that everyone has this question.  Since I see things from the other side (e.g. the Designer’s side), here are some suggestions for you to effectively prepare for a discussion about your ideas and needs during your initial appointment.

​If you follow these tips then you and your Designer will have a much more productive initial meeting – and that will allow you to get rolling on your project even faster. During your initial meeting your Designer will be happy to discuss all your preferences and needs, and your preparation ahead of time can make it a truly enjoyable and productive session!

​Deadline Driven Design (DDD).  Does that describe an interior home project you are deciding on right now?  One where you have an important fixed deadline for a specific purpose - perhaps Christmas, your child’s wedding, Bar-Mitzvah, baby shower, or in-laws visiting for the first time in your new home. Anything where you have less than 2 months to make some significant décor changes and you just haven’t found a designer who can respond that quickly?

Well, I can respond and deliver on your fast-track project. I know because I’ve delivered big projects on tight deadlines over and over during my 18 year career as an interior designer. The reason that I can do this is simple - my company is not just me.  It’s my team of trusted vendors and sales consultants I can go to in a pinch for furniture that’s stylish, comfortable, and available in 2-3 weeks instead of the regular custom timetable of 8-12 weeks.  Quality furniture manufacturers like Mitchell Gold + Bob Williams, Arhaus, and Curated Kravet who have carved out a niche for fast track projects with designer wow-factor.  

​Perhaps even more important, I have a team of quality professionals and trades that I can count on to execute the trickiest of projects and who also respond brilliantly to a deadline - painters, paperhangers, electricians, TV/audio, window treatments and shades (hey, that would be me), re-upholstery, carpentry, installers, carpet, movers, organizers, closet systems - well just about everything on your list.   Here are a few of the folks on my team that completed a recent fast-track project:

​So, what’s our recipe for mutual success on a fast-track project?  Three things: 
 
(1) Organization on my part (got that down, check!)
(2) Communication between us (clear, responsive, documented, and solution-oriented)
(3) A client that is flexible, available for real time consultations, ready to make decisions and move fast - just as my team and I will.
 
Do you have a project that needs to be completed ASAP? Are you ready?  Call me! Let’s go! 

During the 17 years that I’ve been helping clients transform their houses into homes I’ve noticed that there are several critical steps that need to be undertaken to successfully decorate a new home, or significantly remodel an existing home. In my experience, missing any of these key steps can cause issues and delays in the decorating effort.
 
It all starts with assessing your home inside and out. Does the interior design go with the exterior design? If not, do you want it to? What are the “givens” of your situation – e.g. the things that will be harder to change? Are you ok with these or are you willing to spend the time, effort and money to change them?
 
Next, what’s your personal decorating style? Do you have a single design point of view that you want carried throughout the house – or do you like a variety of styles?
 
What do you need to do to plan for your living needs? Do you entertain frequently? Inside? Outside? Do you need a place for the kids to play or designated homework area?
 
Have you spent any time figuring out your budget? Decide your priorities. Start with the basics, like what you will sit on and function with initially, then move on to the smaller items and design accents.
 
               and …………..
 
I know that this is a little bit of a teaser since I’m not going to give the internet all of the steps and details that I’ve sorted out over the years. So, if you want to receive the detailed 4-page approach that I’ve written to cover this topic, please email me on the "Contact" page and I’ll send it to you.
 
Until next time, I hope that your Summer was great and that as Fall arrives you have time to enjoy the splendor of the changing colors; especially here in New England!

Overnight guests -- Yay!!   However, some folks might say “well…truthfully…nay…we’re not ready…”  

​Whether you love to entertain guests and provide them with accommodations that mimic a 5-star resort, or just “get through it” to provide a reasonable bed for the night, one thing is for sure: having a nice guest room at the ready goes hand-in-hand with summer. You really do want your guests to have a great night’s rest.  Invite them, they will surely come!
 
Here’s some guest room inspiration for you…our hotel room in Lisbon, Portugal from 2 summers ago.   This suite was a delight, and so generously appointed, especially the bath.  

​You might not have as much space as this hotel room to dedicate to your guest room, but it’s always nice to envision a heavenly place that you have stayed at when you embark on designing a special retreat for your guests. 
 
There were several elements which I really enjoyed in this hotel room. First, the draperies were sumptuous silk, and the many layers of drapery, sheers, and shades made for maximum privacy and light control, including blackout for sleep. Second, the room felt special, very European, and while the color scheme was not my most favorite, it had a cohesive design “point of view.”  When you examine your own guest room and recognize that it’s furnished in non-coordinated cast-offs, maybe it’s time to actually think about improving both the style and functionality of the room. Making these kinds of changes will certainly put smiling faces at your breakfast table each morning when guests stay over.
 
For the ultimate in packing in luxurious function for your guests’ every need in a small space, cruise ship cabins are just the ticket for inspiration.  Here is a photo of our cabin on the Crystal Serenity on our latest European cruise.  I particularly liked the sleek and neutral color scheme and tactile touches…and functional amenities everywhere.    And having a cabin steward was pretty nice, too! 

To help you out with your planning here are 15 Tips for a Terrific Guest Room Experience:

1. Room for guest clothes in the closet and hangers of all types.    It’s nice if your guest can actually unpack and hang up their clothes.  We all know living out of a suitcase is less than ideal, and some prefer to hang their clothes up from the git-go.  If you have room in the closet, also stow a folding luggage rack (just like the hotels) and also a portable clothes drying rack.  Your guests might want to dry their bathing suits or things they hand-wash, and it’s awkward for them to hang those things in the hallway bath. Of course, if your guest suite has its own bath, then put the drying rack in the bathroom.
2. Bedside lighting for reading, and a clock on the nightstand.   Please provide at least one nightstand for your guests, even in a small space.  No one likes to have to stow their phone or glasses on the floor.  In addition to tissues, place a small tray on the nightstand to corral earrings, rings, and other small items that could be easily lost. 
3. Easy-to-access outlet for recharging the phone, laptop, and camera.   Have you noticed that nowadays all the hotels are using lamps outfitted with outlets?  If you need to purchase a new reading lamp for your guest room, this would be a feature to look for. Otherwise, perhaps you could put a power strip on the nightstand or on the desk for charging phones and cameras.  You can never have too many outlets in a guest bedroom.   And thinking through electrical access for your guests is a gracious thing…do you really want them hunting behind the bed on their hands and knees?
4. Wifi name and password.  For those homes with Wifi, it’s a kind thing to post the name and password somewhere in the room. Maybe on a piece of artwork with a label affixed to the glass in a lower corner, or a special “welcome” sign you make up in a small standing photo frame on the desk. 
5. Set of towels for each guest and verbal guidance.   If your guests won’t have a dedicated bathroom, then it’s probably best to provide lots of towels and washcloths in a basket in the guest bedroom so they know they are theirs to use.  And, please, kindly tell your guests where you would like them to place their wet items after they take a shower—towel rack, washer, elsewhere? Case in point…I recall early in my marriage we moved to a new house and I didn’t have that conversation with my in-laws who were visiting…three days after their arrival I finally went into our laundry room two floors below and found a heap of once-wet towels that were on their way to being a science experiment…  In hindsight and many, many guests later, I realize I should have communicated better at the start, paid better attention to their needs, and not just relied on the situation I created with having plenty of towels in the guest bath linen closet.  Now I pay more attention (discreetly), say more upfront to my guests, provide better racks and hooks, and wash all towels in the house every afternoon when we have guests.
6. Good mattress, blanket(s), assorted pillows of varying firmness, and nice sheets.  Of course these elements are the standard requirements for a good sleep, and accommodating guests’ individual preferences is the goal.  You should always have an extra blanket in the closet.  I particularly like the Velux blankets which are lightweight but warm, and I also provide a heavier quilted blanket which can be washed.  I would also recommend putting an extra set of sheets in a drawer or closet in the room.  Messes do happen sometimes, and guests appreciate the option of taking care of situations themselves.  Then there’s always the guest who wants to strip the bed and change sheets at the end of a stay, so if there are already sheets in the room, they can do their thing despite your protests. 
7. A place to set a suitcase.  With kids and younger folks, setting suitcases on the floor is okay, I guess.  But anyone college-age and older will appreciate a suitcase rack, bench, trunk, or some other surface to put their suitcase on.  Furthermore, most guests are leery of putting dirty suitcases (from air travel) on a clean duvet or bedspread, so think this scenario through if your guest room has very light colored upholstery and linens.
8. Handy desk items.  An ideal situation is having enough space in the guest bedroom for a desk where you can have a chair, lamp, power strip, and a basket with paper, pens, sticky notes, calendar, envelopes, stamps, tape, and scissors.  Having these things out in plain view makes a guest feel that those items are theirs to use. In situations where you normally employ the guest bedroom as a home office, pay particular attention to your guests not wanting to invade your privacy by rifling through your desk to find a pen…just saying….  Also note that some guest rooms are outfitted with two twin beds with a desk in between, and this desk serves as a nightstand.  This is a nice solution to a small room, provided your guests are okay with twin beds.
9. Nightlights.  Plug a nightlight (that has an actual switch, not just a sensor) into an outlet near the door of the guest bedroom.  Guests can decide if they need the nightlight or not. 
10. TV in the Guest Bedroom.  Not a requirement, but a nice-to-have. Same with providing flowers, bottled water, a coffee maker and snacks and treats. These are all lovely amenities, and you know your regular guests well enough to decide if these items should be incorporated into the design of your guest bedroom.  I personally would stop at installing a fridge and mini-bar, however!   
11. Dresser or desk with drawers.  For visits of longer than 2 days, it’s nice for guests to have at least two drawers to unpack into.  The less cluttered the surfaces are in the room, the more serene they will feel.  Living out of a suitcase is sometimes hard on the senses, and clearing the clutter is necessary for some to truly unwind (and actually feel like they are on vacation).  Line the drawers with fresh white paper for each new guest.
12. Mirror.  A full-length mirror on the inside of a closet is an easy addition that will be appreciated.
13. Books (fiction and non-fiction), current magazines, and local area guidebooks and maps.  A small selection of reading material is delightful for guests. I also like to put a basket of local area guidebooks, maps (yes! the old fashioned kind) and attraction brochures in my guest room - it’s sometimes helpful for a guest to be able to do some research on their own rather than the host bearing all the work of determining the amusement options and itinerary.
14. Chair for reading and relaxing, with a reading lamp nearby.  There’s a reason why an idyllic vacation spot is often called a “retreat.”  Let your guests be able to “retreat” from the hustle and bustle of your house and relax in their room for a bit.  And if there is nowhere to sit other than the bed, that would be hard to do. 
15. Good blackout shades for light control and privacy.  Last, but certainly not least, it’s ideal to provide room-darkening shades, just like a hotel.  In Massachusetts, the sun rises at 5am in June, and I surely don’t want the sun waking up my guests before they are ready. The best bet for no-fuss operation for guests are cordless cellular room darkening shades, like the Lafayette Parasol cellular shades shown in the photo below. These are “Top Down/Bottom Up” or TDBU shades, so when they are down providing privacy, you can still get some light in at the top to peek at the weather or get some ambient light. Cordless operation is the easiest for guests to work…and you can tuck these shades under pretty cornices, valances, sheers, or drapery panels.  

​Of course most of these suggestions are really common sense and adhere to a golden rule of sorts, “Provide for your guests as you would like to be treated as a guest.”  In fact, I often recommend to my clients who are embarking on a guest bedroom renovation that they sleep in their guest bedroom for a night and solely use the guest bath.  There is nothing like walking in your guests’ shoes (or bedroom slippers) to clearly assess your guest accommodations and plan ways to improve their experience in your home. I hope this blog has given you some food-for-thought and impetus to make your home more friendly for your guests.
 
It’s summer, and I know lots of you are headed out on vacation.  Safe and happy travels to you all!  And if you are home and doing the “staycation” thing, I wish you fair weather and a minimum of road construction delays for all your outings and get-togethers.   See you next week on the Center Stage blog! 

In today’s Interior Design landscape, there’s a great deal of free advice out there. My blog (and hundreds of other blogs) is free.  Pinterest is free.  Houzz is free.  Asking questions of Houzz designers is free.  Major furniture chains (like Ethan Allen) have designer services that are free.  All free and available at your fingertips on your computer with a few simple search terms - ready to help you redesign your home’s interior.
 
So you need to ask yourself three critical questions:

1. With all this free advice available online, why would I pay an Interior Designer a design fee?
2. Can I really trust all the free advice I can get from the internet?
3. Is all the free advice going to be enough to actually turn my ideas into a physical reality?

Well, it’s a bit of a consumer nightmare out there, sorting out the free wheat from the free chaff….and the sorting requires lots of time and energy spent by you!  Which brings me to the following list about design fees:

Why paying a design fee for a specific project is good for you:

1. The focus is on You!  Not the “average client” of the hundreds or thousands of followers of a blogger, but you!  Wonderful and unique you and your individual home.
2. Cements in your mind that you are ready to move forward with the project, and that you are invested in it. Like the Nike commercials say, it’s time to “Just do it.”
3. Gives your project a necessary and helpful structure. With all my clients, I ask about your priorities, phases, immediate needs, and what you want to accomplish.  Then I document that, share it with you, and we jointly decide on a plan that is best achievable.
4. Provides you an initial set of pricing estimates so you can make a budget, a schedule and realistic tradeoffs. 
5. Gains you access to 95% of the fabric, wall covering, furniture, lighting and accessory resources that you don’t even know exist, but are in your price range and will make your home stand out from all the chain store offerings. Let’s face it, you don’t know what you don’t know. But a professional Interior Designer does!

 
For all these reasons, I have developed a design process that has served my clients extremely well over the past 17 years (see the “Client Journey: How We Work Together” page).  And that process includes having my clients pay a design fee up front based on a clear understanding between the client (you) and the designer (me) on the scope of the project and what the client will get for that design fee (e.g. photographic renderings, fabric swatches, wallcovering samples, paint selections, pricing, time estimates, etc.,).  As a client of any service, don’t you want to know what you are going to get, how it’s going to look and what it’s going to cost?  Of course you do!

I can think of many instances in my own personal life where I’ve paid an up-front “design fee” to start a project out on the right footing.  For example, when we were first married we moved to Colorado, purchased a new home and paid a landscape architect to draw up a detailed landscaping design. Frankly, we had no clue on the trees and shrubs that grew in Colorado’s climate, and it would have been way too laborious and inefficient for us to research it ourselves. That’s what you hire any professional for, right?   With the landscaping plans we paid for we could make informed decisions on what we were going to do and when. We ended up using that architect’s landscaping company for the major initial work and did many of the smaller jobs ourselves on a time phased approach. We were happy that we had the structure of the architect’s design plan to guide us on the overall project, the costs and the time phasing. Similarly, years ago we paid an investment advisor to perform a comprehensive financial review and design a retirement plan, with no risk of him selling us specific investment products that were more financially rewarding for him than they were for us.  We were seeking a high-quality, objective and informed professional opinion. To get that we paid a design fee to the investment advisor, and therefore spent time specifying our needs and paid attention to, and placed value on the plan that he developed.  And it’s no different with a professional Interior Designer (except Interior Design projects are way more fun!)
 
So now I’m going to make a statement that will probably make you wince:  “Nobody values decorating advice they don’t pay for.”  Yes, it’s true.  Free decorating advice from the internet is valued as much as asking your mother-in-law, sister, best friend, or pet.  Harsh words, but it’s true!  We value what we pay for…….maybe it’s because we have to invest our time in doing the research to find the right person to pay for advice. Think about it! When was the last time you took professional advice that came for free from a Doctor, Lawyer or Plumber?
 
In my opinion, if you have a significant decorating project you need interior design help and advice, and you probably know it. The good news is that this help can be extremely beneficial in terms of money and time spent, and in the happiness that comes from getting it right the first time!  As a designer who charges a design fee I can assure you that doing this aligns us and makes sure that I have your unique goals and interests at heart. I can help, and you will be amazed at what we can accomplish together! Call me at 978-440-7264 so that we can get started on the project that you keep putting off.

This week I thought that I would share with you my Top 11, all-time favorite, Interior Design books from my own personal library.  I am a huge fan of the printed word, and when I say printed, I mean actually printed out on paper. Cyberspace is indeed incredible for communicating the written word and gorgeous photos, but I just adore books in book form, especially ones I can curl up with. 
​
So, here are the interior design books that I reference all the time, from inspirational design to fabrication methods to architectural classification.  I’ll review each book, clockwise, starting in the lower left corner.  These are presented in no particular order in terms of how much I adore the books…it’s just too hard to choose anyway.  It was hard enough for me to pare it down to only 11!

8 and 9) Sarah Style (2014)  and At Home Sarah Style (2015) by Sarah Richardson
My all-time favorite designer, Sarah Richardson, has written two books that I recommend to anyone redecorating a residence.  She’s Canadian, and you have undoubtedly seen her on HGTV.   I love the fabrics she has designed and her overall sense of vitality, freshness, and use of textural materials in her residential interiors.  The looks she favors are particularly relevant in New England with our millwork, architecture and size and layout of rooms. 

So, that’s it for my Top 11 Interior Design books.  If you are in the Sudbury MA area, you are more than welcome to borrow any of these books…just call.

​Happy reading to you, whatever the format!  

In today’s hectic world it’s not uncommon that getting around to decorating sometimes falls to the bottom of the “to do” list. Decorating takes time and energy. Sometimes it feels like just too much work to take on. Help might be the answer. So, if you’re struggling with defining and executing your interior design vision, here are 9 indicators that it may be time for you to ask an Interior Designer to assist you. 
 
1. When you moved in, you accepted the previous owner’s paint colors that don’t quite go with your things, yet you’re reluctant to make a decision on new paint colors.  

• Perhaps you don’t want to expend the energy required, or you’re afraid of making a bad color decision…so you think it’s good enough. A designer can help you make it your own and make it worlds better than good enough.

2. The rooms in your home don’t flow…the living room is red and Tuscan. The library is 1920’s Craftsman in navy and green. The kitchen all white and slick modern. The family room is mid-century modern with teak wood.  Oh my!  It’s like you’re at a museum and each room is from a different decorating era.   

• Even though each room may be picture perfect, the whole ensemble doesn’t have continuity.  Sometimes a curated eclectic look can be terrific, but it needs to blend disparate things in the same room, and it all must flow together so that moving from room to room becomes an experience, a hunt for treasure, not a jarring set of transitions. You don’t want your guests to wonder as they go through the rooms, “Where are we now, Toto?”  A designer can help bring order and flow throughout your space.

 
3. There is no artwork on your walls because….you just don’t own any! 

• If you haven’t dedicated any time to buying art, or you don’t have a confident point-of-view on art style, or you are afraid to commit to liking something well enough to hang it on your wall - perhaps you need assistance. An interior designer can help you out of your art shell by taking you to an art museum to see what moves you, introducing you to galleries and artists, and generally help you find your inspiration.  Artwork is extremely important to interior design, but it’s personal, so you have to give your designer some clues.

4. You’re 35 and you don’t have a proper bed and headboard.   Your mattresses are on the floor, and frankly, it’s getting harder and harder on your knees to get out of bed.  

• This might indicate that you put your kids and/or job first and think of yourself last.  Your friends have beds, right?  A designer can help you create a bedroom retreat complete with an actual bedframe and headboard and it will enhance your life - better rest and better mindset!

5. You have totally bare windows in every room of your house…and/or your neighbors are making snarky remarks at the neighborhood holiday party about the “wink, wink” need for shades.  

• Perhaps you have put off window treatments to the last, because you perceive them as only functional.  Well, not every window needs a window treatment, but about half do, especially in rooms that feel cold, have a lot of hard surfaces, and need light control.  A designer can help show you how window treatments can enhance the décor, make it feel finished and fresh, introduce pattern and color, protect the wood and furniture, let you sleep at any time of the day, and make the neighbors talk about somebody else!

6. The pillows on your sofa all came with the sofa…years ago.  

• Maybe you haven’t felt bold enough to change out the pillows because you still think of the pillows and sofa as a “matched set.”  Please be bold!  It’s probably time to get new pillow inserts too, and you should probably get larger pillows than the itty bitty ones sofas usually come with.  At the risk of sounding like a stereotypical designer, pillows do pack a lot of design punch for a small price, so let your designer use this not-so-secret weapon!

7. You have a few “costly mistakes” around your house, probably ordered from a catalog company, and they are likely too big, too small, or too tall for your space.  

• Lots of people find that envisioning furniture from a showroom or catalog in their space is just plain old HARD. A designer can help set you on a path that avoids costly purchases that just don’t fit.

8. You and your partner can’t agree on anything, decorating-wise.  

• Perhaps you need a mediator…a designer who can be part magician and part psychologist.  Let’s face it, most couples don’t agree on everything to do with decorating.  A designer can listen and recommend options that reveal the common ground.   A designer wants both of you to love the space!

9. You need a wider reach than the same old stores and catalogs like Pottery Barn, Frontgate, West Elm, Serena and Lily, Crate and Barrel, Wisteria, Ballard, CB2, Rejuvenation, and Restoration Hardware.  

• You’ve searched well and deep on your own, but you’re not finding what you are looking for.  Yep, I get all those catalogs too. In fact I often order pieces from these mainstream sources because they are generally well made and reasonable in price. My clients like and know the brands, and the vendors frequently introduce new things.  Despite the fact that your browsing sessions on these furniture websites generate pop up ads that indicate you have searched literally everywhere, there are in fact OTHER furniture, lighting, and accessory sources out there that only your designer can get you access to.  Yes, your designer has lots of other “to-the-trade” vendors that you would never know about.  And some of these vendors have terrific websites that let everyone browse around (that’s the norm these days), so you can see what’s out there – even if you need a designer to actually purchase it for you.

​Next, some Art Deco rooms at the Musee D’Orsay in Paris France:

​And some period French interiors (from the Louis XVI period) at the Louvre in Paris, France:

​And finally, a dining room from the summer palace of Catherine the Great outside Saint Petersburg, Russia.

We’ve completed our quick review of the 9 telltale signs that it’s time for you think about calling an Interior Designer and put your decorating project onto the front burner (with a little inspiration thrown in to keep you motivated).  

​So let me ask you, isn’t it time for you to get that decorating project that’s been on your list for a while done and get it done right?  If you are struggling with any of these issues, give me a call. I can help!

​Today let’s discuss using the often overlooked stripe fabric for upholstered pieces.  Why don’t stripes get more attention in the fabric selection process?  Well, one reason is that it is exceedingly hard for most people to envision a stripe on a piece of furniture when just looking at the swatch or a bolt of fabric.  All that verticality...you start to get a bit wonky thinking the stripe will dominate and close in…jail cell mental image perhaps?  But in smaller furniture pieces, like ottomans, stools, occasional chairs (not skirted), and pillows (especially!), stripes really add zip and tailored crispness. Especially paired with a bold wallpaper, like in this Thibaut photo I just received in my email. These striped stools really finish this beautiful entry space!

​As another example, below is a fresh and inviting family room sporting several stripes, created by designer Garrison Hullinger in Portland, Oregon. 

Stripes in a coastal décor is a classic look, but note how pretty and interesting the slender stripe looks on the wing chair…I love the way your eye goes to the mitered effect on the curve of the back of the chair (which has to be perfectly matched, naturally).  The rug is a subtle and interesting stripe, with a different scale than the chair.  This is such a calming interior that really could be anywhere, mountain cabin, coastal, suburban family room.  For more inspiring interiors and stripes, here is a link to Garrison Hullinger’s Houzz site:  ​https://www.houzz.com/pro/ghid/garrison-hullinger-interior-design-inc

Below is a fan-back chair from Chairish (https://www.chairish.com/) that demonstrates a very effective way of finding the exact two colors for a striped fabric in the exact dimension you seek…make it with two different fabrics.  By the way, Chairish is a cool site that pairs sellers and buyers of vintage furniture and décor.  This center-stripe technique is perfect for updating a cherished family chair to harmonize with a casual or transitional décor.  I would caution you, though, about making the center stripe too narrow, less than 6”.  I personally am not a fan of the look where at first glance, you think it’s an actual narrow ribbon running down the chair similar to at a museum that indicates “don’t you dare sit here!”  Just saying…make the width of that center stripe scream “Yes, please do sit yourself down right here and stay awhile!” This chair from Chairish looks super inviting, like a big hug; and note that it is paired with a red and white Oriental carpet…nice!

​As a designer and fabricator, I love to use stripes in creative ways on pillows.  This summer I fashioned lots of pillows from remnants, experimenting with stripes on the diagonal and mitered effects. 

Stripes on window treatments are a natural…whether in children’s rooms, coastal settings, or more formal spaces. Below is a drapery panel treatment I did in a home office, with the subtle striped silk “pleated to pattern” (see Blog post “Pleating to Pattern”, 6/25/2017). Below that photo is a closeup of the pleat which I stitched down to further emphasize the stripe colors.   

​So, when you decorate your home I encourage you to consider using the “simple stripe” in your next décor project. Used creatively and thoughtfully, a simple stripe becomes sublime.  (Note to my readers…I don’t actually think I have ever used the term sublime in a blog before…more coffee on this cold fall morning, please!)  Happy day to you all as you prepare for Thanksgiving next week.