My sister always says, “Opinions are like a-holes. Everyone’s got one.” In my wise old age I am finding that sometimes expressing my opinion is not always appropriate. But unfortunately in this heated election season, not everyone is acting with such restraint. Today I witnessed someone using/abusing their status to pontificate. Not cool.
On the other hand, in my business, I EXPECT to hear my clients opinions about design. This is crucial to the decision making process. Sometimes I encounter people who don’t want to be wrong for the decorator. So I have to stress THERE IS NO RIGHT AND WRONG in the world of design, only appropriate choices.
In these cases, I have to act like a sleuth. Pointed questions, keen observation and open discussion are the tools I have to utilize to make a connection to the real wants and needs of the client. Because in my opinion, a design plan that is not a reflection of the desires of the client is simply a failure.
Friday I visited a client who is planning to move to another state. A first glance, it may seem a bit strange that a person preparing to move would hire a decorator before the move takes place.
Actually, our time together has allowed her to have one less thing to worry about. Moving is expensive no matter how you do it and deciding to sell some items on the front side will result in lower freight charges.
Carol’s first order of business in preparation of this transition was to hire Kristen Hart of Toss ‘n Tidy. Together they cleared out unnecessary accumulation. Next came Donna Bolton, an appraiser, who has helped Carol determine the value of her possessions. Finally, my job is solidify those choices and determine where her furniture will be placed using a supplied floor plan as a guide.
Arranging furniture virtually is a great idea when moving. Wouldn’t you rather set something down once and move on to unpacking boxes? Fancy software isn’t necessary to get a rudimentary idea of furniture placement. There are many websites where you can do this for free.
I scanned this page from October’s Edition of Martha Stewart Living. The color is phenomenal. The monochromatic palette of teal, which is my personal favorite, sings of Autumn so unconventionally. I wish I had the time and energy to make such a display.
I love Living because the photos inside ARE so outrageous. Martha Stewart is so extreme in her domestication that she is a bit of a cultural caricature. But the magazine is still a visual joy.
I also have subscriptions to Food and Wine, Wine Spectator (which I never read), and Domino. Am I missing something good? I used to get House Beautiful and Dwell, but I let them run out. What do you read?
More doom and gloom in the news.
In fact, I heard a long piece on NPR today about how the media cannot even cover all the events occurring right now.
This is the time to cocoon. To create a haven where the world can be left at bay, if even for a few moments. The national end of my business organization is pushing buttons with the slogan, “I refuse to participate in a recession.” I have got to be honest–and I can, since this IS my blog–I think this is silly. What I mean is, a recession isn’t something you choose. It’s not a choice for us regular people. It’s an economic reality. The same people who are drinking the koolaid and regurgitating this stupid phrase are the same ones who have had to downsize their businesses.
Facing the world can be tough. But having a little corner to settle into for rejuvenation can make it easier. It is not escapism, it’s a coping mechanism. Spend the couple minutes it takes each day to make a portion of your space perfect for you. Neat, clean and filled with what you need to relax. The whole world will be better for it.
Tell me about your corner.
Monday was the autumnal equinox. From this point forward we lose 3 minutes of sunlight every day.
There is only one way I can combat the urge to pitch it all and move to the equator. I decorate for fall. Now is the time to transition from impatiens to pansies. It’s not too early to buy a pumpkin. Last weekend I made a spontaneous purchase of a mum at Trader Joe’s because it looked more like summer daisies than that dreaded representation of Fall.
Macintosh apples. Concord grapes. The riot of color on the trees. Warm days and cool nights. Well, I guess I can deal, as long as I don’t think about Old Man Winter lurking in the corner…
Inspiration can come from anywhere.
When starting a project, big or small, inspiration is the launchpad to the plan. But inspiration is fickle. The formation of an idea can be difficult when it seems to have nowhere to come from but thin air. Here are some ways to grab at the wind and capture a Muse.
Start with the basics: What motivated the change at the very beginning? Was it the prospect of moving? A life change? Or was it simpler? Did your favorite chair finally give way to bare springs? Perhaps a movie or television show inspired you. Or an article from a magazine or blog. Are there elements in the planned change that can be incorporated or copied?
Find something–anything– that appeals to you DEEPLY. This can be a tiny, rather mundane object, like a stone or a leaf. It may also be a work of art. In either case, breathe deeply, and try to listen to what it is about the object that speaks to you. It may be the color, or perhaps the texture. It may be the memory associated with it. Begin to associate these feelings with words.
Look for other rooms that reflect the feelings/words associated with the object. Keep your eyes open. Scrutinize public, private and printed spaces. This will be difficult at first. Eventually, however, the vision will become clearer and it will become easy to recognize what is “just right.”
A home that pleases YOU can change your life.
I met with a holistic health professional to discuss our businesses today. She noticed that simple changes in her clients’ environments help facilitate their healing. This is no surprise to me. I am under the firm belief that beautiful spaces change lives. With one caveat. Beauty is most certainly in the eye of the beholder. This is why creating spaces that please the individual is so important to me.
When we view something we perceive as beautiful our brains get quiet. We relax and calm down. We enter the more creative and intuitive alpha mode.
Here in a metropolitan area with all its hustle bustle and its lack of green space, this is exactly what we need to return to at the end of the day.