Sunday, April 4, 2010
Easter = Interior Resurrection
It is Easter Sunday and as I lazily get started today, I am contemplating a bit more purging in my own condo. First thing this morning I called my mother to wish her a Happy Easter and she brought up, for the 2nd time in less than a week, the timing might be right for her to move to a nursing home. Those are words I didn't really want to hear, but once she brought up the subject, I have to admit it was a lot less painful than I thought it would be. How lucky am I that she is in such a positive state of mind about eliminating everything in her apt. and making the move and looking at the entire experience as a positive and a new adventure. For those of you who might not know, she has been on oxygen full-time for the past few months and she cannot do any of her own household chores, which she really loved doing.
When we moved her to this apartment I pulled together a whole new look for her, using some of Kravet's Mark Hampton fabrics, etc., as well as new upholstery from Kravet and the infamous Motioncraft small scaled remote control recliner. I use the word infamous, because just after I gifted this chair to my mother for Mother's Day a few years ago, the wiring had gotten caught between the metal frame work within the reclining mechanism and as the plastic coating was worn away and live wires were exposed the chair actually began smoking one day with my mother sitting in it. Fortunately, she thought quickly and unplugged the chair, so no major damage was caused, but I am sure it was a bit scary for her, even though she jokes about it still! What a trooper my mother has always been and now it is my responsibility to see her wishes are granted once again. Life's evolution is something none of us can do anything about, so let's face it in a positive light, like my mother, Charlotte does! Now if I can just get my own house in order....... and what a better day to do it! For those of you who celebrate Easter..... Happy Easter and maybe toss or recycle something on this day of Resurrection!
When we moved her to this apartment I pulled together a whole new look for her, using some of Kravet's Mark Hampton fabrics, etc., as well as new upholstery from Kravet and the infamous Motioncraft small scaled remote control recliner. I use the word infamous, because just after I gifted this chair to my mother for Mother's Day a few years ago, the wiring had gotten caught between the metal frame work within the reclining mechanism and as the plastic coating was worn away and live wires were exposed the chair actually began smoking one day with my mother sitting in it. Fortunately, she thought quickly and unplugged the chair, so no major damage was caused, but I am sure it was a bit scary for her, even though she jokes about it still! What a trooper my mother has always been and now it is my responsibility to see her wishes are granted once again. Life's evolution is something none of us can do anything about, so let's face it in a positive light, like my mother, Charlotte does! Now if I can just get my own house in order....... and what a better day to do it! For those of you who celebrate Easter..... Happy Easter and maybe toss or recycle something on this day of Resurrection!
Saturday, March 13, 2010
How Lucky am I?
Each day I wake up and one of my first thoughts is how lucky I am to be in an industry that is creative and allows me to assist others to create or to design living environments for those who may not be as creative.
This past week was a good one at the Washington DC Design Center. I manage the Kravet/Lee Jofa showroom and we were fortunate to have Beth Greene, VP of Marketing and Communication for Kravet and Lee Jofa, conduct a panel discussion on Social Media and How It Works for Interior Designers. I was aksed by Beth to be one of the panelist along with Blogger Jennifer Sergent (DC by Design) and Interior Designer and Blogger, Liz Levin (Nesting). The turnout was wonderful, standing room only and what wonderful questions and feedback. It is such an exciting time for designers and the wonderful world of Interior Design has become truly "global" via the internet and blogging, tweeting and of course, facebook! Now a designer can get their websites and their personalities out there for all the world to see and as we all know, the concept of 6 degrees of separation is so evident and so easy in the fabulous cyber world!
So if you have not jumped on board, do it now or become history!!!
Enjoy the rain and remember, in a month or so, it will bring us glorious bouquets of spring flowers!
This past week was a good one at the Washington DC Design Center. I manage the Kravet/Lee Jofa showroom and we were fortunate to have Beth Greene, VP of Marketing and Communication for Kravet and Lee Jofa, conduct a panel discussion on Social Media and How It Works for Interior Designers. I was aksed by Beth to be one of the panelist along with Blogger Jennifer Sergent (DC by Design) and Interior Designer and Blogger, Liz Levin (Nesting). The turnout was wonderful, standing room only and what wonderful questions and feedback. It is such an exciting time for designers and the wonderful world of Interior Design has become truly "global" via the internet and blogging, tweeting and of course, facebook! Now a designer can get their websites and their personalities out there for all the world to see and as we all know, the concept of 6 degrees of separation is so evident and so easy in the fabulous cyber world!
So if you have not jumped on board, do it now or become history!!!
Enjoy the rain and remember, in a month or so, it will bring us glorious bouquets of spring flowers!
Sunday, January 10, 2010
New Attitude for a New Decade - "Your Own Interior Designer"
Finally, my mother is out of the hospital and pretty comfortable and happy back in her own apartment and I am finally getting over something I came down with while visiting her in the hospital. ( an incubation tube for illnesses) While ill, I began cleaning closets, when I had some energy, and I have to admit it is freeing, even though I must admit I have trouble letting go of some custom tailored jackets that, let's face it, just do not fit properly anymore. I'm sure they must have been shrunk by the dry cleaners, it is amazing how that happens, huh?
I also have decided to begin promoting my business idea of becoming "Your Own Interior Designer" and assisting you on making the purchases you see in design magazines or while visiting a show house, etc. Yes, I will still have my full service interior design business, but this satellite business will enable those of us on smaller budgets who would like to purchase a piece or two at a time; or just want to have new window treatments or new paint colors the ability to acquire these at a minimal mark-up because basically the research part of the purchase will be your responsibility. I will act as a Purchasing Agent for you and guide you toward the proper drapery and upholstery workrooms and not let you make a mistake. For instance, if you email digitally a photo of your room with the items you are working around and if possible, can either identify or send a swatch of the fabrics used in the room, we will be happy to pull fabric selections for upholstery and drapery treatments and also, suggest the type of window treatment you should use, etc. I know there are a lot of us out there who would love to have the beautiful things we see in magazines, but just do not how to acquire them if you are not working with a designer or architect on the entire project.
"Your Own Interior Designer" now offers consumers, not currently using an interior design professional, an exclusive insider purchasing opportunity. Through this new buying service, you can now access a unique courtesy purchasing service that allows you to procure a limited number of to-the-trade items from our unlimited resources.
With "Your Own Interior Designer", you will receive a free, one-hour, no-obligation designer consultation with one of us. You can use this one hour in any way you choose: review floor plans, ask color questions, discuss solutions for your design problems and make your purchases. It will benefit you to have as much of your homework done, as possible.
If you are looking for an exact to-the-trade item to purchase at a nominal mark-up (designer net + 25%), and not a room renovation or home redesign, then "Your Own Interior Designer" service is just what you need.
To schedule an appointment, please complete the following questions.
What space are you purchasing for?
What type of product are you looking for?
Which best describes your decorating style?
Item Number or Pattern Name or Number, if you know it:
Name :
Phone:
Email:
You can email the above informtion to wayne@yourowninteriordesigner.com
Please let me know your thoughts and suggestions on how you would like this type of business to work for you.
Until next time, surround yourself with people and things you love and SMILE!
Hope 2010 is the best year ever for all of us!
I also have decided to begin promoting my business idea of becoming "Your Own Interior Designer" and assisting you on making the purchases you see in design magazines or while visiting a show house, etc. Yes, I will still have my full service interior design business, but this satellite business will enable those of us on smaller budgets who would like to purchase a piece or two at a time; or just want to have new window treatments or new paint colors the ability to acquire these at a minimal mark-up because basically the research part of the purchase will be your responsibility. I will act as a Purchasing Agent for you and guide you toward the proper drapery and upholstery workrooms and not let you make a mistake. For instance, if you email digitally a photo of your room with the items you are working around and if possible, can either identify or send a swatch of the fabrics used in the room, we will be happy to pull fabric selections for upholstery and drapery treatments and also, suggest the type of window treatment you should use, etc. I know there are a lot of us out there who would love to have the beautiful things we see in magazines, but just do not how to acquire them if you are not working with a designer or architect on the entire project.
"Your Own Interior Designer" now offers consumers, not currently using an interior design professional, an exclusive insider purchasing opportunity. Through this new buying service, you can now access a unique courtesy purchasing service that allows you to procure a limited number of to-the-trade items from our unlimited resources.
With "Your Own Interior Designer", you will receive a free, one-hour, no-obligation designer consultation with one of us. You can use this one hour in any way you choose: review floor plans, ask color questions, discuss solutions for your design problems and make your purchases. It will benefit you to have as much of your homework done, as possible.
If you are looking for an exact to-the-trade item to purchase at a nominal mark-up (designer net + 25%), and not a room renovation or home redesign, then "Your Own Interior Designer" service is just what you need.
To schedule an appointment, please complete the following questions.
What space are you purchasing for?
What type of product are you looking for?
Which best describes your decorating style?
Item Number or Pattern Name or Number, if you know it:
Name :
Phone:
Email:
You can email the above informtion to wayne@yourowninteriordesigner.com
Please let me know your thoughts and suggestions on how you would like this type of business to work for you.
Until next time, surround yourself with people and things you love and SMILE!
Hope 2010 is the best year ever for all of us!
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Expecting the unexpected
I was moving along pretty well with getting the "excess" moved from my apartment into storage when I received a call letting me know my mother had been taken to the hospital. So let's just say my focus has been else where for a bit. Happy to report she is out of the hospital and doing some rehabilitation in a nearby nursing facility for a few weeks and if all goes well she should be back in her home before Christmas.
Now it is time to re-focus and "enjoy", yes, I said, enjoy the process of purging the past! After going back and forth on whether to let go of everything from my past and begin all brand new or to hold on to some of my items... I've chosen to hold on to certain pieces and work around them. Most of the pieces I have purchased through the years, whether they were traditional or modern itmes, are classics and as we all know, "Classic is forever......Trendy is a thing of the past, tomorrow!" I urge my clients to make their purchases based on this philosophy, as well. There is nothing more repulsive than to walk into someone's home and see all of those "Post-modern" design elements that were so BIG a few years ago! Remember when every new home being built had badly proportioned columns everywhere? What in the world were builders thinking?
Now it is time to re-focus and "enjoy", yes, I said, enjoy the process of purging the past! After going back and forth on whether to let go of everything from my past and begin all brand new or to hold on to some of my items... I've chosen to hold on to certain pieces and work around them. Most of the pieces I have purchased through the years, whether they were traditional or modern itmes, are classics and as we all know, "Classic is forever......Trendy is a thing of the past, tomorrow!" I urge my clients to make their purchases based on this philosophy, as well. There is nothing more repulsive than to walk into someone's home and see all of those "Post-modern" design elements that were so BIG a few years ago! Remember when every new home being built had badly proportioned columns everywhere? What in the world were builders thinking?
Saturday, November 7, 2009
Trip to the Storage Unit
It's Saturday morning and the back of my car has become a moving van! I have packed as much into it as physically possible and still be able to get the doors shut! A lot of my accessories, etc. I have no place for at the present time are going into storage. Maybe I will test the suggestions from so many "organize yourself" books and "rotate" my accessories...... Between you and me, I tend to be the type, "out of sight, out of mind" and have been known to buy a duplicate item, only to find the original in the back of a closet when I "rotate my accessories"! :-)
I've decided to try to add photographs of my experiences and hopefully, soon to be accomplishements as I journey through my new down-sized lifestyle and maybe, just maybe you might feel like sharing your own experiences and accomplishments during a move from one home to another. Believe me, I am in the business and I can totally understand why it is always suggested to hire a professional to help you with your interior design challenges!!!!
Got to hit the road for now and journey to my storage unit..... it has been quite awhile since I have been there; wonder what treasures I will find behind that door? STOP!!!!!! What am I thinking, I am putting things into storage today, not taking things out! I guess for a minute there, I must have thought I was on a "rotate my accessories" mission!
Have a good Saturday and try "rotating" those accessories!
I've decided to try to add photographs of my experiences and hopefully, soon to be accomplishements as I journey through my new down-sized lifestyle and maybe, just maybe you might feel like sharing your own experiences and accomplishments during a move from one home to another. Believe me, I am in the business and I can totally understand why it is always suggested to hire a professional to help you with your interior design challenges!!!!
Got to hit the road for now and journey to my storage unit..... it has been quite awhile since I have been there; wonder what treasures I will find behind that door? STOP!!!!!! What am I thinking, I am putting things into storage today, not taking things out! I guess for a minute there, I must have thought I was on a "rotate my accessories" mission!
Have a good Saturday and try "rotating" those accessories!
Friday, November 6, 2009
Good things come in small packages. I have to apologize to my followers for not updating my blog in more of a timely fashion. The truth being is my partner and I recently parted ways and it came as a complete shock to me and I must admit, I haven't bounced back as quickly as I thought I would! Now that some months have gone by I have accepted my life is heading in new directions and for now it is just Isabelle, Jake and me! (Isabelle and Jake are my two wirehair fox terriers and without them and my friends and family this journey would have been so much more difficult)
A new direction is not a bad thing at all; it's quite exciting and certainly makes a person realize what truly is important....... as Blanche so profoundly put it, "I've always depended on the kindness of strangers"! And initially when I meet new clients, we are "strangers", but very quickly become wonderful friends and eventually after working with them over long periods of time on their homes some of them become extended family!
I've moved back into a rather small (approx. 1000 sq. ft.) apt and am beginning to re-think what possessions I have collected along the years are really important to me. Who would have thought at this point and time in my life I would be starting over? Certainly, I didn't! Now that this portion of my life's journey has begun I have been amazed how many of my peers have gone through or are going through similar changes....... do you think the stress of the economy has caused more of us to become single? Remember the good old days, when stress and hardship brought couples closer together and made them stronger as a unit..... I guess those days must have been before therapy became so chic and people actually worked through whatever the obstacle might be and grew stronger together because of it, instead of walking away. Of course, all of these separations and divorces might be helping to stimulate the economy..... think of it; with more separations and divorces there comes more of a need for interior design. OMG there is a bright spot in relationships ending.........
I must say one thing I have realized is: I really do not need as much space or grandeur as I thought I did! Moving from a 3 floor, rather large townhouse, here in DC back to my small intimate abode has been not only humbling, but I can tell I am going to have to be extremely creative and make myself edit, edit, edit!
Well, time to get to work and I promise I will update "Your Own Interior Designer" on a much more regular basis. Out of my own separation I have also begun developing a new business, which I will reveal more about later!!!! I will tell you this, it will be called, "Your Own Interior Designer" and will enable everyone access to good quality design, no matter how large or small their project might be........stay tuned!
A new direction is not a bad thing at all; it's quite exciting and certainly makes a person realize what truly is important....... as Blanche so profoundly put it, "I've always depended on the kindness of strangers"! And initially when I meet new clients, we are "strangers", but very quickly become wonderful friends and eventually after working with them over long periods of time on their homes some of them become extended family!
I've moved back into a rather small (approx. 1000 sq. ft.) apt and am beginning to re-think what possessions I have collected along the years are really important to me. Who would have thought at this point and time in my life I would be starting over? Certainly, I didn't! Now that this portion of my life's journey has begun I have been amazed how many of my peers have gone through or are going through similar changes....... do you think the stress of the economy has caused more of us to become single? Remember the good old days, when stress and hardship brought couples closer together and made them stronger as a unit..... I guess those days must have been before therapy became so chic and people actually worked through whatever the obstacle might be and grew stronger together because of it, instead of walking away. Of course, all of these separations and divorces might be helping to stimulate the economy..... think of it; with more separations and divorces there comes more of a need for interior design. OMG there is a bright spot in relationships ending.........
I must say one thing I have realized is: I really do not need as much space or grandeur as I thought I did! Moving from a 3 floor, rather large townhouse, here in DC back to my small intimate abode has been not only humbling, but I can tell I am going to have to be extremely creative and make myself edit, edit, edit!
Well, time to get to work and I promise I will update "Your Own Interior Designer" on a much more regular basis. Out of my own separation I have also begun developing a new business, which I will reveal more about later!!!! I will tell you this, it will be called, "Your Own Interior Designer" and will enable everyone access to good quality design, no matter how large or small their project might be........stay tuned!
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