Waldron Designs is very fortunate to have a talented paint crew. We have three members of our paint crew, as well as three professional painters who do carpentry as well. Basically, the majority of our crew is skilled at painting.

Here are a few key things to keep in mind when hiring Waldron Designs for a paint project.

I have to admit, the first time I walked through this home, I saw the potential, but also was a little intimidated by the amount of work that was needed to get this space where it deserved to be. Thank goodness we all hung in there, despite it taking MUCH longer than initially anticipated. The homeowners were such troopers, and we’re thrilled to say that we made some amazing friends through this process.

I’ve seen a disconnect for years between the designer and the general contractor. Most homeowners would get a partial design, then run off with the general contractor and I would never see how things came together. I would hear stories about how things were changed on-site and sometimes return later to see changes that destroyed the integrity of the design. These changes had been made in haste or misunderstanding.

I am learning what expectations homeowners should have when working with a general contractor, and often learning the hard way. As I learn more, this post will be updated, so I highly recommend bookmarking this one now!

My mom sent me a story this morning that is every homeowner’s nightmare: https://www.kiro7.com/news/jesse-jones/tonight-11-suspended-contractors-wife-starts-her-own-contracting-business-gets-suspended-too/HFESSJQKZBE4JM2FV2T62EHIZY/ Contractor is suspended, so he starts a business under his wife’s name to keep going.

Unfortunately, this is much too easy to get away with and homeowners enter unknowingly into contractor relationships without doing sufficient research. So, how does one protect themselves from shady situations?

We started design where most designs start, some inspiration photos. At the time, they had a contractor who also specialized in cabinetry that they were eager to use. The photos we had shared held much of the farmhouse aesthetic, but the cabinet design style was more midcentury modern in styling.

Our next challenge was size. We had a tight space, possibly one of the smallest kitchens I have yet to work on, with no ability for structural change. This meant that we had to somehow create an illusion of space, and provide the necessity of storage.

Display is important to this family, with young blooming artists, but not so much display that it becomes a cluster of tchotchkes.

The last challenge was to provide flexibility for a dining space where a built in dining nook was desired, as well as the flexibility to move the table and extend with leaves for larger family gatherings.

2020 has been a rough year. Politics, riots, murders, anger, frustration, recession, COVID, an unstable bridge, a collapsing pier, and I’m pretty sure locusts happened at some point. It’s funny, I find my self-descriptions of being a pessimist, but I also know that I am and always have been an optimist.

Oh my goodness… I suppose it is time to tell my big secret. Some of you, who receive my newsletter know the big news, but for the most part, we’ve kept things on the down-low.

Three months ago, Waldron Designs was a two-person firm. A designer and a designer-in-training. Today, Waldron Designs totes a crew of six, and we anticipate adding 2-3 more in the short term.

Honestly, when COVID hit, I thought color consultations were out of the question. I knew that I had done several projects in the past with color, finishes, fixtures, and more all virtually, but chalked it up to my amateur times and assumed I had made horrible mistakes.

Then, I pulled out my old photos, and… they all looked fabulous! What had I done?

At first, I was easily upset when people misunderstood what I did and quick to correct anyone who referred to me as an "interior decorator". Over the years, I've gotten less defensive and frustrated by it, and began to look at it from another point of view.

Phase 2 of the “Safe Start” plan is looming ahead of us, with many counting the days until June 1st. I am not counting at this point, because I realize that it will likely be extended again. Extended or not, that phase will come soon enough.

When it does come, Waldron Designs has a plan and will be ready.

As we near phase 2 for a more comprehensive reopening, we are reviewing the expectations of construction during this time and doing our part to ensure that we are being safe. As of today, we have developed a written protocol for site visits during this time of concern, and are sharing this protocol here.