New year, new reveal! I have honestly almost forgotten how to post on my blog. It has been so long! Today I want to share a reveal as well as some tidbits about your expectations if you are hiring a decorator. This past summer we met with a new client who was looking to revamp her living room, dining room, and playroom. I often work with clients who are model clients, meaning they do all of the things that make them ideal clients for us. I have become aware over the years of the different types of clients we run into, and although I am thankful for any and all business that comes our way, I do see attributes that make the process run more smoothly.
For starters, this client knew her budget up front. This is always a hard subject to broach because budgets are not the fun part to think about. I also understand that from a client’s standpoint it is kind of hard to determine what a realistic budget may be so we try to help people with their expectations and give them tools to calculate a budget for their specific project. When you give us a concrete number we can save you money by not wasting time sourcing things that will not be affordable. It can also help us prioritize the elements that will be most important to you/your family. She knew her total number and that’s a great place to start!
Next up, this client put her trust in us from day 1. Once we met and were able to establish good communication and a general compatibility she entrusted this project to us fully! She had moments here and there of not being sure or unable to see the end product, but each time she circled back to…“I hired you because this is your speciality, and not mine, so I am going to get out of the way.” This kind of trust is exactly what makes the process flow. We feel your confidence in us and are not being sidetracked by doubt. Thats when the best and most focused designs come to life. And I have to believe that it makes the process more fun and less stressful for the client!
And lastly, but certainly not any less important- this client was decisive. As a major waffler in my own home decisions I feel, like reeeally feel, the angst that comes with making decisions, BUT if you overthink every item you will paralyze yourself. There will always be the possibility of something a little better/different/cheaper but the goal is to have a finished space that you/your family can enjoy. As long as you have expressed all of your main desires to the decorator and have placed trust in them you can rest assured that YOUR design will turn out great!
Ok, so now that we all are on the same page about what makes an ideal client lets get to the good stuff…
BEFORE
There were some obvious things not working in this room…large shapeless sofa, wrong scale art, mismatched tables, and a monotone color palette. The room is large so we wanted to make the most of the space so that this family could comfortably hang out and entertain friends. Enter new paint, overhead lighting, a more tailored sectional, and additional seating…
AFTER
Transformations like this make me literally sigh. I feel like the room just breathes.
The pillows were almost the hardest part of this room at one point because we wanted a mix that felt eclectic but intentional. Patterned but not busy. And warm. I think this group of textiles does all of that!
And speaking of warm, we gave these built ins a coat of Dorian Gray SW 7017. I love how this warm neutral gives them contrast from the walls but they still feel soft. We accessorized with a mix of books, plants, and knick knacks that have the same color palette as the room.
For you eagle eyed readers you can see a peek of the fireplace makeover as well. We got rid of the beige granite surround and went with a really pretty 3d basketweave marble. It was hard to get a straight on view of this, but you can see a small corner.
And the best part is the view that people have when they enter the foyer. These swivel chairs in ivory bring the room shape and create a perfect conversational layout.
We are really proud of how this room came together. We made the space not only pretty, but functional for their family and within their budget. Did we mention we carefully allocated the budget so that we could tackle this room AS WELL AS their dinging room and playroom! We joked that we had more check ins about the budget than we did about design, but in the end I am so happy we could make it all work! We will share the other rooms in the upcoming weeks!
Photography by Laura Sumrak