What does it cost? A budget breakdown on a condo living room with before and after photos!
Determining a budget We get asked about budgets every day- and of course defining a budget for your design project is very important to the success of your project. But if you are like many people, you perhaps have not shopped lately for furnishings and this means you really may not be aware of costs […]
10 Truth Bombs- The Interior Design industry is not dying- unless you do not know how to keep up
Helloooooooo! “The retail apocalypse that everyone has been talking about really hasn’t happened.” Eric Rosenthal, Senior Director of Leveraged Finance at FR So what about the design industry? People might have you think the internet is holding us hostage or something far worse- we are just propping up a dying business model. But is it […]
Making bold color work- What you need to know and why
Why are so many people afraid of color? Is it about playing it safe? Or not understanding how to strike the right balance? These 4 elements: Color- Light- Texture- Pattern should work in harmony to achieve your ideal environment. When color is isolated from texture or pattern and the lighting- then often the color is […]
How to use vintage pottery to inspire color and pattern in your home
Who wants a sterile catalog home or worse, one that looks too perfect? Most of our clients surely do not. They want homes that reflect their style but also has a story to tell and vintage pieces can certainly ramp up the style points. But people struggle with how to mix the vintage with newer […]
How to get a job at an interior design firm-even if you have little experience
Getting any job can be tough- but in the interior design field most of us look for “some” sort of experience- there are specific skills that are important but we are willing to teach- if the right mind set and personality is present. But- you gotta be able to tell us how your existing experience […]
The Making of a Mudroom! How to make a hallway be a functional space.
This little foyer was an add on at some point at my client’s home. She wanted a pretty but functional place for shoes, to sit, to store items decoratively as well as a place to hide things. When a built in is not the answer Because of the configuration a built it was not the […]
10 key things to do your first 90 days in a new job- or new business
Super new at this? Some good advice for new business owners or new employees especially in a design firm! You know- it is not even really that hard to impress and be indispensable to a boss or to your client if just starting out in business- because so many people are flakes. They do not […]
What you need to know about choosing paint for your home- a must read!
Paint is Transformative- Choosing Paint for your Home I love making transformations with paint. It is the easy way to change your home’s attitude in a short period of time especially if you are handy! But if not, it can get expensive so please take a peek at our top tips for painting your home […]
Buying on the internet? Big box got your bucks? Read this first.
Everyone thinks buying on the internet is less expensive than buying local at a bricks and mortar store- But wait! Is it really? Wide spread belief is that this is the gospel but look at the comparisons I have made on various products we carry in our shop that blow this myth sky high. Even […]
“Charging what you are worth” is dangerous magical thinking
Whoa. I hope this does not upset half of the design community! But hold on a second before you kick me to the curb. Of course, anyone in any consulting field should charge what they are worth- My issue with this is determining “worth”. It is subjective. Too often the focus is on the kumbayah […]
SW COTY “Cavern Clay” – It is not about just the color!
What is all the ruckus about? Facebook is all abuzz about the new color of the year from Sherwin Williams. I hardly pay attention to these things ( well except that time I was invited to NYC for the launch of Ben Moore’s color of the year in 2016- now that was a PARTY) but […]
Just say NO to Catalog decorating!
But why? Design trends and style historically are heavily influenced by society as a whole and what is happening in the world-and a response to how people are “feeling” about their lives. But in today’s saturated media onslaught of what is currently “in” and what some “tastemakers” dictate is the look du jour- ( think […]
