Yesterday was Valentine’s Day.  A lot of the bloggers I read recognized it by posting pictures of their honeys.  Food or Flowers shaped up into hearts were also popular this year– not sure why. 

Never one to succumb, I spent time thinking about an HGTV show I watched many years ago called Designing for the Sexes.  At that time, I would have never guessed that in a few short years I would be LIVING that show. 

Just an hour ago, I was on the phone with a client who is reluctantly going to purchase a double recliner.  Her husband really wants it.  It is, after all, a souped up Man Chair.  And I have had a few cases where the husband said some version of, “Dear, I don’t care what you do to the house, just give me my comfortable chair.”  My client feels she owes it to him, and who am I to judge?

When I’m conducting an initial phone interview with a new client, I ask about the living arrangements.  If a significant other lives in the home, I request he/she be present for my first visit.  I have learned long ago not to make the assumption that the wife makes the decorating decisions.  It’s just not true.  Nearly half the time, a male makes the call because he is the one that has more established opinions.  And not just about the chair he will crash in front of the TV in. 

Some couples have similar taste.  I am lucky in that regard.  You would think being married to a professional would be enough for my husband.  But no, he always has to argue with me about our decorating decisions, even if our preferences are the same.  Thankfully, I always win. But more times than not, we have a Plate Incident on our hands.  In these situations, Michael, from the aforementioned show, makes it look so hazardous.  But really, my job becomes maintaining the balance on the score card.