OUR BLOG
How Travel Impacts Interior Design
When I come home, I am not looking to replicate a Japanese bathroom or a Belizean shower. I am, however, considering these approaches when I hear my clients’ needs and frustrations. I am remembering solutions that I may not find in a local showroom.
More than anything, travel changes perspective. And, what better way to create and be creative than to have the ability to change perspective?
Floor Finish Plans: What they Communicate
Floor plans are commonly used drawings and we hear a lot about them. Interior elevations aren't too far behind- but a floor finish plan??
Quirky Interior Design
Take a minute to look around the space you are in. Maybe it’s an office, your home, or maybe you are outside right now. Does the space reflect its purpose? It’s user? If you are at a park, what is the personality of the park? Is it a Japanese garden? If so, is it authentic, or is it a random garden with a pond and a bonsai just to use the name? If at home, do you look around and see a space that represents who you are? Does it capture all your fun quirks? One of the biggest challenges of an interior designer is to capture our client’s personalities. We work to get to know you, and your personality, but we do this on a limited amount of time. So, how does your home develop its own special quirk?
Is Interior Design Expensive?
“Affordable Interior Design”. We see this everywhere today- retail stores offer free design services, designers do free consultations, and e-design is available for very low rates. On the other hand, we look at Architectural Digest and see homes designed for the elite. There is a definite range and it ultimately comes down to the designer you choose, your expectations, and a good old fashioned reality check.
I spoke with someone recently, letting them know that a good rule of thumb for budgeting their design fee was to set aside 15-20% of their overall budget. The response, “other designers told me 10%” was not seen as a lie or an attempt to get me to drop my rates at all. Instead, it is simply the reaity of variation in pricing based on professional training, experience, and demand.
The Cluttered Home
When working on a renovation project and clearing clutter, we suggest scheduling a home organizer initial consult to coincide with your interior design in-home consultation.
I cannot emphasize enough how beneficial it is for multiple professionals to work together on home improvement projects. We love coordinating with home organizers by meeting with you on the same day. Once the organizer has had some time to purge and understand the needs of the space, we request a follow up meeting with the organizer to coordinate a plan. The design is developed with your lifestyle and organization needs in mind, and the home is clutter free!
To schedule an appointment with Waldron Designs and a Home Organizer, contact us. We will connect you with our recommended organizers and coordinate that first meeting!
Vegan Interior Design
What does veganism have to do with design? Well, leather sofas, leather wall panels, fur rugs, wool carpet, silk drapes, the list goes on and on. Designing vegan is not only a great way to prevent animal cruelty, it helps our environment! As a vegan designer, I understand that not all my clients are vegan and if they want a leather sofa, a leather sofa they will get. I will absolutely share the pros of vegan substitutes that are NOT plastic based! Sure, we can all throw vinyl on the sofa and call it leather, but vinyl emits harmful toxins and when the time comes for the sofa to be reupholstered or tossed, the plastic will stay…. and stay… and stay.
Permit Documents vs. Construction Documents
Permit documents are technical drawings that give a general idea of what will happen to the building. They will include minimal architectural details and focus more on the structural drawings provided by the engineer. …
Permitting: Who is Responsible?
It’s time to remodel your home, and you’ve locked in your designer and your contractor. You’ve done your homework and provided them with everything you need. Now, who does the permitting and what does this look like?
Electrical and Plumbing permits are typically handled by the Electrician and the Plumber. Phew, that’s off your plate. Additional permits are technically the responsibility of… you. Woah, wait, what? It seems silly to put this in the hands of the owner, but in the end, the home and what happens to it is the liability of the owner. If permits aren’t pulled, the owner is the one held responsible. Let’s add some really good twists to this because after several of my go-to contractors let me know that they are washing their hands of the permit application process, I decided to do some research…
Improve Indoor Air Quality with Design
Who would think that their child’s lack of focus could be improved with interior design? Or that those ongoing sinus problems are due to the overwhelming amount of plastic products and VOC’s offgassing into our homes? We spend 90% of our time indoors, that time should be spent free of toxins and lack of ventilation.
One-Time Interior Design Consultations
One-Time Design Consultations are very flexible and can serve a myriad of purposes. Read on about some of the ways this meeting can be used!
"Can I Use Quartz on My Fireplace Surround?"
During the schematic design phase of each project, I develop preliminary selections. I then confer with the product rep and contractor to broaden my awareness of that particular product and verify that my application is suitable.
Tokyo, Part II: A Design Study
There was ONE building I didn’t talk about in the last post, because I felt it deserving of its own post. You see, I finally stepped foot in my favorite architect’s work! Not only did I experience the work of the great Charles-Édouard Jeanneret-Gris (AKA Les Corbusier), I visited a museum he designed which housed a significant exhibit of his work. It felt amazing to look at models built by him (or his office), and see his sketches and planning drawings of Villa Savoye among others. To see models of his ideas for urban planning- the start to what today’s cities are, felt almost surreal, magical. Photos cannot possibly do this building justice, and there were many areas where photos were not permitted, so I’ll do my best to find references images.