Yes, I just made a Game of Thrones reference… and I am talking about winter just a few days after the first day of fall. But, that’s what fall means to me. It means that winter is coming. It means that it is time for me to refocus on my strategies for beating the winter blues, and help my clients push through the darkness as well.

The short of it? If you need a rough starting number, check out Homewyse and slide everything to the highest possible quality, cost, etc. That will be your STARTING number.

"Affordable design" is all over the internet these days and while designers want to help people with all budgets, sometimes it just isn't realistic or a good idea to work with a designer.

I came into my business with strong values and morals, but as a new business owner, I did not have the authority yet to be adamant about the way I worked. It was more important that the client be happy, regardless of how that was done. Of course, it is still the most important thing that our clients are happy, but today we understand that education is a huge part of what we do, and allowing people to unknowingly enter dangerous territory is simply disregarding a part of our job.

I often get texts and emails from clients asking if I have any clients who could use a piece of furniture they are selling. The truth is, that pretty much never ever happens. My clients are typically looking for extremely high quality, new products. On the rare occasion they are looking for a used item, they'll hit up our local thrift stores or estate sales. It is not a part of the search that I am typically involved in. 

However, because it means so much to me that we reduce waste, and there is a right place for everything... well, let's talk about what the options are for that old side table or beat up sofa.

Early on in the design process, particularly in projects where space planning is required, we start wtih something that we call conceptual or programming diagrams. It's so fun to think that designers look at a space, then sit down and sketch exactly what we want it to look like when it's finished. That is very rarely the case.

Many designers are under the impression that formal training, education, and certification is either unnecessary or should not be necessary. In reality, there are huge risks an owner takes when employing a designer who hasn't taken these paths

I remember submitting projects for an award, but well... I generally do this thinking winning isn't really an option. Let's face it, there are hundreds of designers who enter the Seattle competitions. This submission was national, and it wasn't just interior designers. It was all of those in the building design industry- architects, engineers, interior designers, etc. How could I possibly be selected?

When you hire a designer, what answers are you looking for?

What results do you want that you can’t get on your own?

Interior design work is magical. Designers are dream makers, creative seekers, and guardians of the beautiful.

We are also servants, psychologists, executors, fund managers, and problem solvers.

Beyond that, we are fathers, mothers, siblings, and caretakers.

We are human.

Just like you.

I learned a lesson recently, and not for the first time (fool me twice, shame on me). I have taken multiple approaches to resolving this ongoing problem, but never the one that was truly needed. Vague-much? I would like to tell you a story about what happened so that it doesn't happen to you because when I accept a project, it is because I like you. I feel that we have a connection and that our project can be fun.

Interior elevations are a vital part of any complete design set. A home can be permitted without the interior elevations, but there are so many unknowns that it makes it quite difficult to build with your needs in mind. How high are the counters in the bathroom? Are there drawers or does the cabinet have doors with fixed shelves? What is the height between the counter and the upper cabinets? What finish is on the wall, and where exactly on the wall?

I had the very rare opportunity in college of being a part of an interdisciplinary program, which allowed me to do studio courses and projects with students of architecture, landscape architecture, construction management, and of course other interior designers. Learning how to collaborate with the different fields gave me a unique viewpoint that often results in people in these fields saying that it's a "breath of fresh air" to work with me. I do not demand control of a project but work as a team player, gleaning knowledge from these different perspectives. I am proud of how well I work with others in the field and look forward to opportunities to have fun collaborating together.