According to one of our favorite furniture retailers, Joybird, Washingtonians love Eclectic design. My favorite part about this is that we are the ONLY state that preferred this design style above all others. Ready for this to get even better? Eclectic design is described as “a type of interior design that blends different styles and motifs together to create a unique aesthetic” (Master Class). We chose a unique aesthetic, and we were the only ones to choose this.

Influence from cultural exposure is an inherent part of design that undoubtedly helps to make any design more unique and interesting. Without exposure to different cultures in design, we wouldn’t have Chinoiserie, the gorgeous influence of Chinese art on French design. We find that travel encourages a designer to see the unique characteristics of other designer’s (creators) work that then allows us to look at our own work from different perspectives with fresh influence.

You’ve made the decision to relocate or purchase a beautiful summer home on Vashon Island!!! Super exciting! Once the excitement dies down, the logical side of our brains kick in and the questions start piling up. We are happy to answer these questions and provide insight as to how working long-distance can actually reduce stress and be a wonderfully fun process.

The burning question is often, “how long will it take”, and understandably so! A home renovation can mean displacement or incredible discomfort. Most of our clients come to us hoping the design will take a week or two and we can jump right into construction. What we forget is that it takes time to work through all those details and thoroughly consider each goal and need to tailor your home specifically to you!

One of the most common misconceptions I face is that a designer shops retail. While this is true for some designers, it is not at all true for others. We almost never shop retail. That is not to say that we will not utilize our local hardware store for products that are local and yes, retail.

This project is a perfect example of how what we see on TV and in the media is NOT how design truly happens. I think that many people jump into a design expecting the first presentation to be exactly what they’ll get, and the truth of it is that it is a process of molding the design to meet your tastes and needs. Not only that, we start with unknowns, and accommodations are made based on assumptions that eventually are updated to reflect the actuality.

We love this picture because it illustrates the relevance of factors on time. How long will it take before the snd runs through her fingers? It depends on whether she tightens her grasp, moves her fingers, or parts her hands. The design process is very similar with many factors influencing each design, and many of those factors are out of our hands. This is why, when we say that we have a waiting list and will be in touch, we cannot give a definitive time.

We hear it all the time, “gas cooks more evenly” and “gas offers the most flexibility”. But, did you know that your gas stove could be poisoning your home, generating unsafe levels of air pollution?

Belonging to several design groups over the years, I heard over and over “a designer should be involved in EVERY remodel”. I heard it so often that I believed it, and with all my heart.

It only occurred to me in recent years that a designer may not be necessary for every remodeling project.

In the past, we have had three clients ask if they could make their own selections, and for the most part, we have obliged. Unfortunately, we have also learned that these projects are not the cost-savers that were hoped for, and end up with frustrations on both sides.

We understand that your home is yours and you have a style you want to maintain. It is our hope that we can work together through this process, allowing you to feel that you have made the selections with our support and guidance.

Details have the ability to go far beyond the banal and provide a higher level of sophistication, playfulness, or joy - and that’s a big reason we get so excited when thinking of them.

If you are looking for a building permit (not an “over the counter” permit), you may be wondering how long this will take. There are several factors involved, which means that unfortunately, the answer is: it varies. However, this article should be able to give you a bit of insight as to what to expect.