Interior Design Services ~ Work With Me
Design is a beautiful, detailed, inspiring process of layering color, texture, and pattern. I tailor and fashion my custom design work to the uniqueness of each and every client. I believe “home” is your safe haven, your sanctuary, your escape from the fast pace of life. It’s a place for calm, serenity and peace amidst a busy day. It’s a place for fun, entertainment and festivities when filled with family and friends. It’s important to mirror the reflection of your life in your home and design it as the space and place you always dreamed it could be. A well designed home delivers function, comfort, beauty and always, a little luxury.
Interior design is a lovely layering of colors, patterns and textures to create a masterful composition.
Photo, Rebecca Charamut Cass
So how do we begin and what is the process?
Integral in the design process is the initial discovery call. This allows me to learn a little about you, to review, discuss and understand the scale and scope of your project, and to relay my design philosophy. The designer/client relationship is an important one and the more I understand you, your lifestyle, your individual or family needs, and what you hope to achieve in the design process, the better I can assist you. The stepping stones to achieving our goals are outlined here in the following four step process. Design fees are computed at the time of service; please call for details. The following is a sampling of design services that are offered.
INTERIOR DESIGN SERVICES OFFERED
Art and Custom Art Creation
Carpeting, Area & Broadloom
Design in a Day - Restyle Your Room
Fabric Exploration and Selection
Fashion Color Analysis & Assistance
Floral Arrangements
Furniture and Case Goods
Lighting
New Build and Home Assistance
Paint, Surface Pattern and Wallpaper
Patio Design
Slipcovers
Soft Goods, Bedding, Shams, Pillows, & Cushions
Spatial Evaluation & Floor Layout
Tablescapes
Tile Selections
Upholstery ~ Custom Furniture
Window Treatments, Sheers, Blinds and Shades
Are you ready to work with an interior designer?
1. The Discovery
Design unfolds. Like all things, it starts at the beginning where I uncover, through a discovery call your “reasons why.” Why did you reach out to a designer in the first place? Why would you want to work with me? What are things you are struggling with in your home? I find when I talk to a potential client for the first time, that there is often a misunderstanding of what a designer is, and does, but, more importantly what they can do for you. At the core of any successful relationship is the mutual feeling of working together. After you and I (and my team) have had a conversation, have met and done an initial consultation and are in agreement that we will be a great fit, only then can I begin to consider your unique design concept. This is an essential starting point for design success. It will be necessary to answer key questions like what is the scope of the work involved, who are they key players in the decision making, will the designer be totally responsible or do you want to get involved? It will evolve further into the other all important questions like what is your timeline, and what is your budget? My team and I will assist you in a complete understanding of the process.
2. The Consultation
My initial impressions will be the result of this meeting as I will look at your home differently than you will. However, it is you the client and your history that will be at the core of every decision made. Beyond the discovery and our collaborative efforts, lies a world of opportunity as we begin to explore your design sense. I will want to know about you, your family, your lifestyle and your dreams. I will explore your home’s functionality, the activities in it and any concerns you have. I will have you complete a questionnaire, I may ask you to collect materials, research websites, clip magazines, collect color schemes, and look at things differently. In time, I will present ideas, and assist you in understanding the process, and how it will effectively work for you.
3. The Formulation
Developing a design concept is the most thrilling aspect of my work apart from the final reveal. It is essentially the exact reason you hire a designer. As the head of my design team, my education and experience have provide me with unique talents, and skills which make me different ~not better ~ but different from other designers. I approach design from three perspectives.
One is from my background as a fashion designer where I follow the sequence of development from a single design idea which eventually becomes a collection. In design we will analyze a layout, and fully develop a concept that is then literally put into production. In that experience, I have extensively studied silhouettes, fabrics, construction details, and sewing and fabrication a skill that many designers do not have. Textiles, such an integral aspect of design, is particularly important in understanding the hand, which is the feel, the drapeability which dictates if it is a drapery or upholstery fabric, and most importantly durablity which specifies the wear.
Secondly, my early career began in product development. From inception through to completion, interior design follows the exact same process. It is an understanding of a sequence, it is being able to work with the necessary team of players to bring it to fruition, it is utilizing resources available and it is accountability. Timelines matter, budgets matters and just in time delivery matters. I will personally execute your concept as your own project manager, establish a series of steps to keep you informed, and bring it all to fruition. As the bulk of my work is “custom design” which means every detail of the concept is made-to-order, it essentially means I don’t generally source from retail. This type of design may generate a slightly longer lead time but, it is made to your specifications in style, in fabrication and in detail.
Thirdly, I have travelled the world and have worked with past clients on five continents and in over 33 cities. I have experienced design from around the globe and the four corners of the world. The influences from my travel often influence a design concept, especially if it is relatable to my client. I draw strong emphasis of where you too have been in your own life journey, where you are now, and what you are planning for the future, which will be the foundation for our work. I strive for a timeless aesthetic which can move through life as you do.
4. The Execution:
The integrity of every job is at the forefront of my mind ~ it’s an authentic approach to making your unique design dreams a reality. To that end, I take great pains to protect the integrity of your project and your design, and do not repeat client work as it truly is designed for you. My industry connections comprise a network of collaborators, trade professionals, artisans and fabricators. I have design affiliations from Boston to New York to North Carolina and around the world. I have worked with hundreds of clients from the simplest of projects to more extensive and complex projects such as new home construction and patio layout and design. I rely on contractors that I have worked with to provide the details necessary to execute each project. I will keep you updated, informed and aware of the process, the project and the execution.
My clients tell me the story of their lives. I listen. Together with a vision, a demonstrated process and most importantly, your life journey, we will unfold your design story. I look forward to the opportunity to work with you.
