(Hint: It involves having an expert on your side)
Hello, friends! Anybody feeling a teeny bit stir crazy lately? My guess is 'um, yeah', for many of you, and I wanted to share with you some encouraging thoughts.
Our homes have come to matter more to us lately; they have become our 'everything'. And many people are looking to improve their quality of day-to-day living by upping the quality of their now round-the-clock environment.
Often, however, a great big wall called OVERWHELM blocks them from even getting started.
(Cue scary music)
The guy in this painting is suffering from classic OVERWHELM:
Now you know what it looks like. Here's how OVERWHELM feels:
'Where do I even start?'
'What should I prioritize? What order do I need to do everything in? Who are the tradespeople I can trust?'
'This is not an inexpensive investment--what if I make mistakes?'
'Where can I find all the 'stuff'? Never mind that, where can I even find the time to find all the stuff? and make sure it's the right stuff?'
It's no wonder so many people who really want a better living space just keep putting it off.
I know I would if I didn't already know the answer to all those questions (which I do--haha!)
Well, the good news is that there is one short and easy step that eliminates all the questions of the OVERWHELM.
It's called hiring an interior designer or decorator.
Many people feel that this investment is out of their reach, but this is not so; it is actually a smart move, financially. Here's why:
Your home is important, and it's definitely an substantial investment of both time and money to make it your haven. An interior designer will usually cost under ten percent of the total budget, and your final results will be 1000% better. Talk about a return on your investment!
And just as important as the financial returns, having an expert on your side will alleviate a great deal of stress for you. With the investment in an interior designer comes a sense of confidence in the decisions being made and a sense of excitement about the beautiful results as they come together.
Plus, that ten percent investment will save you about ninety percent of the time you personally would otherwise need to put into the project. So, do the math! ; )
When I work with clients to recreate their homes, I always have three priorities for their spaces: function, comfort and beauty, and all my decisions are guided by the goal of making sure that they get all three.
Imagine you've made the leap, and you've hired an interior designer or decorator.
(Now cue wavy-dream-sequence-special-effects)
Here's a very short version of how it will look:
Function
Listen, listen, listen. That's the interior designer's mantra when talking with you. We want know exactly how you live, how you use your space now, and what functions are missing from your spaces (probably even ones that you didn't even realize were missing until shown the possibilities--sometimes familiarity and routine make it hard to step back and see the potential). Then the designer brings together a complete plan for your home, one that improves the flow of your daily activities, and brings new and improved function to your existing spaces. Those re-imagined spaces will make every day of your life easier. That's priceless, I'd say : )
Above: A cozy place to curl up in the sun and a new breakfast bar area enhanced how the homeowners use this space every day
Comfort
Comfort means feeling at ease, soothed and supported. In your home it means making sure your spaces are arranged for easy access to the things that make you happy: enjoying your morning cup of coffee, curling up with a book or your favourite show, having a quiet chat over dinner with your partner, playing a game with your kids, entertaining friends.
Furniture will be selected for you in just the right size, in the right materials and arranged in the right fashion to create the spaces for you to easily do the things you love.
Quality furniture is comfortable furniture, and an interior designer will source upholstered furniture for you that not only will stand the test of time, but feels like heaven to sink down into at the end of the day (or take a Zoom call on your laptop for that matter). Quality custom upholstery can be sourced to fit a variety of budget levels, and you will be guided to the best that your budget allows in this area.
Creating spaces with quality materials that stand up to the wear and tear of everyday life makes sure that your investment will be rewarding you for years to come. This same quality allows you to be able to truly relax and just 'live' in your rooms, without worrying about anything being too fragile or untouchable.
Above: Comfortable bench-made sofas in stain-resistant material, durable jute carpeting, cozy bouclé and better-with-age leather made this a very comfy and relaxed basement gathering spot for a family with soon-to-be-teenage sons
Beauty
This is the fun part!
Listen, listen listen--yup, that again! Talking with you to get a clear idea on the look and feel that you want in your home, the type of spaces you're drawn to happens early in the designer-client relationship. Our job is to pull together all the elements: new pieces, alongside
any existing pieces that you loves or that have special meaning to you, details small and large that reflect your pat, your interests and personality. An interior designer or decorator considers style, proportion, form, balance, materials, colour, pattern, texture (lots and lots of things, you get the picture) to create a beautiful plan for your spaces.
That's a lot, and having someone who can guide you through this changes the whole experience, and of course gives you an amazing end result: a home for you that is all the things: stylish and current, welcoming and authentic, a place that makes you happy.
Above: A mix of new pieces and cherished antiques, light walls warmed up with lots of warm colours and textures made this a new happy place for the homeowners
What I wish for all of you, friends, is the experience of living in a home that truly maximizes your quality of life, that gives you much joy in the small things of every day, that is truly your haven.
I really encourage you to look into hiring a designer or decorator to help you create new surroundings for yourself and your family. Find someone you feel totally comfortable with; it is an extended and special relationship as you work together on that most personal of things, your home. If you're local to the GTA and would like to discuss possibilities with me, feel free to reach out to me on my website; I'd love to chat with you about your project!
Take care, and hang in there,
