Seeing a Specialist

Do I really need a decorator?

What’s the point in hiring a decorator? It’s not hard to pick out a table. It’s not difficult to paint a wall. Most people can furnish a room: a bed for the bedroom, a couch for the family room, a table for the dining room. It’s like painting your own nails—it’s not impossible to do yourself.

But does your home manicure look as good as what you’d get from a manicurist? I think of it like filing taxes. We have all the necessary information to do it ourselves, and if we get stumped, we always have Google, right? But are we ever as confident in our results as we are in the results of a professional CPA? I know mine saves me a serious headache and some money too!

It’s the same reason we get our hair done at a salon instead of doing it ourselves—we hire specialists because they know more than we do and that knowledge has value.  Anyone who has ever had a bad haircut will attest to this.

A Decorator is a specialist. We have knowledge and resources that can benefit you in designing your home. Think about what your house feels and looks like, and ask, is that how you want it to feel and look? If not, what needs to change? That’s where a specialist comes in.

Aren’t decorators just for rich people with expensive homes?

No. (To answer the question most people think but never ask!) ALL homes are decorated, some thoughtfully and some haphazardly, think college dorm room. Good design is where function meets beauty. It’s getting things right the first time that’s important. Yes, you will have to pay a Decorator for her time but if she keeps you from making costly mistakes, you will come out ahead.

For instance, most of us, at one time or another, have chosen a color to paint our walls. We’ve stood in the paint store looking at a patchwork of colors, or stared at a room covered in paint samples. You may know what colors you like, but are you sure you’ll like that same color on the walls? Will it match your floor? How does it look with your couch? If you pick the wrong color, one of three things will happen: you decide to 'just live with it' (not the optimal outcome), you repaint and double the cost of the job, or you realize the paint color really looks awful with the rug or couch or drapes, etc. and you have to replace something you hadn't budgeted for.

Decorating takes time.  Think about the last item you needed for your home and how long it took to find it.  Do you really want to spend your weekend going from furniture store to furniture store?  What is your time worth?  We all have a limited supply of time, how do you want to spend yours?

Turning a rough idea into a reality takes time, effort, and resources. Avoiding costly mistakes means we have more money to go even further with our design plan and for you to be even happier with the result.  I have the knowledge and experience to help you avoid costly mistakes and maximize your decorating dollar.  Through me, you have access to trade only products in addition to retail items. I have a team of trusted trades people that are reliable, honest and that charge competitive rates. I know where to shop to get the best value and price for what you’re buying.

A (good) decorator* will help you get it right the first time. We are specialists.

* I will tell you how to tell the difference between a good decorator and a bad decorator in an upcoming blog.


 A LITTLE FLUFF. . .

I feel the need to confess something to you. My name is Gail and I am a Lampaholic. I LOVE vintage lamps.  I have a stash. It is hidden away in my attic. I buy lamps even though I don’t need them and have no place to put them. I find them irresistible. An Aladdin lamp with its original finial can make me swoon.

Here is an example of how out of control my addiction is. When my daughter first went off to college she had what was probably the only professionally decorated dorm room on campus. Her roommate (and best childhood friend and my sort-of adopted daughter) were both on board to let me have my way with the ugly but functional dorm room they were assigned. I decided on an orange and soft brown color scheme (don’t worry I will be getting back to the lamp thing in a minute). We bought blankets, duvets, monogrammed towels, a little artwork and even a huge orange shag rug that I found on clearance for a steal. They loved the room and so did their friends. Sophomore year they had a new dorm room and a new layout. They needed a lamp for the bedside table in the bedroom. Here’s where my addiction comes in. I had a large, orange, vintage 60’s lamp in my stash that was just the thing. Now really, how many moms could produce an orange lamp at a moment's notice?  Sick right? A new shade and a little rewiring and it was good to go. 

I really have tried to curb my addiction. I really don’t need one more lamp. I try to stay out of antique stores and thrift shops so I won’t be tempted. I haven’t bought any lamps in a while but I am working on some projects that really do need some new lighting.......

One day at a time.

Hob-nail Cranberry Glass

Early 20th Century Cast Iron

Turquoise McCoy