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Friday, December 22, 2017

Communicating With Your Designer - Part 1

You're a homeowner with a room or more that needs updating, freshening up, or a complete remodel.  You have a vision, but you're overwhelmed with the choices and don't want to spend a lot of money making mistakes.  You also don't want your project to extend indefinitely.

Oh Captain my Captain by Denisstiel


An interior designer can save the day!  Yes, we are super heroes.  We fight lines at home decor stores, protect your lifestyle and vision, and battle the never ending media ads that tell you their product is the best.  All kidding aside, we can help.







In order to help, your designer needs a lot of information from you.  That information is somewhat personal in order for someone you may have just met (your designer) to 'get you'.  Don't let that prevent you from picking up the phone or sending an email to several designers letting them know you want a consultation.  A free consultation is often offered.  Not only are you looking for someone you can trust, designers need to get a feeling about how your relationship can work.  If either of you decide for any reason that your project will not be successful doing it together, you have only used up perhaps an hour of your time.  Often that time will help you formulate and focus your thoughts about what you want, so that time is still valuable.

Okay, now you have the designer's attention and an appointment is scheduled.  How can you prepare for your meeting? This won't be hard if you have already collected numerous magazine clippings, Pinterest boards, Houzz ideabooks, or just kept in mind all the public places you've been that have design elements that you would love to incorporate in some way into your home. Show/discuss these with your designer at the consultation.  Their keen, educated eye will find the thread that binds the chaos into the story that makes up your unique style.  If you haven't done any of this, just be prepared for many questions around what you like to do or wear, what you like in general, and more.


The consultation was informative and fun. You get the feeling the designer now knows you and others that will live in the space you want to makeover.  You decide to go forward with hiring your designer.  This is usually where budget is discussed at a high level.  Be open and honest with your designer about budget.  You should share your dreams for the outcome of the project, but be realistic with how much you can afford to invest in the end result.  If you have no idea what the remodel will cost, your designer will have models from which to work and can give you a dollar range to start the discussion.  You will discuss where it makes sense to spend and where costs can be cut without sacrificing the end result.

There are many ways to build up to your dream room.  A few ways include starting with the basics (room layout, paint, existing furnishings re-purposed), or spending less on furnishings now knowing you can spend more later, or add a few items on your wish list that will make an impact, yet go well with current items you own.  If you invest in completing the project all at once, you'll be able to relax and enjoy your home likely sooner, than later.  No way is wrong.  You and your designer will work out the best approach together.

Hiring a designer to come up with a design for you will typically involve a non-refundable retainer fee.  You are paying for their creative abilities as well as the time it physically takes a design team to come up with the best layout and color scheme and to research and shop around for products that support the vision and budgetary needs for your space.  You will likely sign a contract for this design phase which outlines how many design versions are included, when the design will be available for review, and some basic agreement on how and when the designer can have access to your space for taking pictures and measurements.  If you come up with other ideas or changes in your plans in any way, contact your designer immediately.  Changes early in the design phase are always the easiest to accommodate.  It is their job to provide you with options or explanations if your changes cannot be included, or given their expert opinion your changes are not recommended to be included.

Be patient.  You hired them for their knowledge, experience, and creativity.  You trusted them in the beginning, so keep that trust going.  Be prepared for the exciting next step...seeing your personalized design in a form that gives you hope and anticipation that you will have a space in which you can be proud.

Check back for part 2 of Communicating With Your Designer
in early 2018 where I will show you the
various forms a design presentation can take.



For your next project, contact Brenda Szarek
AutumnLightInteriors@gmail.com
or view my website www.AutumnLightInteriors.weebly.com


Sunday, December 17, 2017

Whose opinion counts?

I've been known to squeal with delight when my new copy of Elle Decor arrives in the mail.  I know that within its covers there will be beautiful pictures of rooms, all the latest (and historic) pieces of art, furnishings, and products designed to inspire anyone who has an interest in turning our dreams into reality within the spaces we live and work.

The Jan/Feb 2018 issue did not fail to impress me.  I have to admit I don't usually read all (or many) of the articles.  The pictures alone are wonderful.  This time I did read a bit about a few iconic designers and their opinions about desks and chairs.  I loved some remarks made by Susan Ferrier, especially her comment about a Secretello Desk by Michele De Lucchi for Molteni&C.  She said "It's interesting.  It would look really good if you caught fireflies in it at night."


Why am I bringing you down this path?  Stay with me as I continue a bit more down my armchair journey.  As I got further into the magazine, I began to ask questions like who would want to live in a room with concrete walls and uncomfortable looking chair?  Yes, I said the singular 'chair' as there was barely any furnishings in the room.  I turned the page and found the opposite.  Why would someone want to live with so much clutter in furnishings and pattern in every room of the home?  Then there was a glorious picture of the Metropolitan Opera interior with so much red, I felt the fire referenced by Robert Rufino, Elle Decor's interiors editor as he stated "The madness of all that red.  Its like burning in hell."



I started asking myself, "Who am I to have such strong reactions to someone else's designs?" Then I realized these are (of course) designs for someone who wanted to achieve a look that pleased them, not me!  What I'm getting at is this: We all have our opinions as individuals and as designers.  When we design we are influenced by so many before us and by the visions we can imagine.  HOWEVER, if we are designing for someone other than ourselves, as designers, we must get into our clients mindset and provide them with what they want, not what we want.  We might push a boundary or two and provide advice when we feel that something a client says they want will end up ruining the very look we know they want to achieve, but that's okay.  That is why you hire a designer.  They have the experience, education, and resources to provide the result that will delight you in the end.

You will need to trust that your designer has your vision in mind while going through a remodel or redecorating project.  There are so  many layers that make up a style - color, textures, patterns, furnishings, fixtures, lighting, etc.  In the end, it is you and your style that will shine in the space your designer creates.  Don't be afraid to show pictures, mention interiors of well known buildings, or express that you want your room to feel like the last trip you took abroad.  Your designer will know how to interpret your input and provide you with a space in which you can live comfortably and proudly while knowing it reflects you in the best light.

Finding your style with a designer is a process that should be fun and rewarding, so along with a big Happy Holidays to you, I also wish you Happy Decorating throughout  the years to come.

YOUR opinion counts!
Here are a few holiday fireplaces for your opinion.





For your next project, contact Brenda Szarek
AutumnLightInteriors@gmail.com
or view my website www.AutumnLightInteriors.weebly.com

Saturday, December 9, 2017

Why hire a Color Consultant?



You have finally decided it is time to paint.  It is obvious that you have to pick a color if you are going to paint, even if you are just trying to match the current color to clean up a wall or other surface, you need to know the color name or code, manufacturer, and sheen.  There are plenty of paint estimation calculators out there to help you determine quantities, so that's easy enough.  The sheen will depend on your use of the room, the quality of the walls, and to some extent the style you want to achieve.

Do you know what color you want?  "Blue", you say.  Oh my we have a long way to go!  There are so many shades and tints of blue, it will make your head spin around that color wheel.  Do you know your color scheme?  Does your room and/or home look cohesive or do you prefer that each room stands on its own with no connectivity between rooms?  Zero connectivity is not my recommendation, but I know there are exuberant personalities out there who want their home to reflect their creative, outgoing personas, and it should.


Does your current color scheme make you feel overwhelmed, tired, and ready for a change. There are psychological effects each one of us has to color.  For example, red can promote a feeling of hunger or danger or romanticism.  The application of the right red is obviously important given we don't want to feel danger in any room, hungry if you're dieting or romantic when we prefer studious.


Color choices go beyond paint.  Your window and floor treatments as well as furnishings will play a big role in what you choose. Are you exhausted with all the details that go into choosing a color scheme, yet?

Color consultants such as myself have been trained and have tools to pull together a color scheme that uniquely suits each client.  A color consultant can save you time and money by providing you with a specification sheet that will communicate to painters which paint product, color, sheen, etc goes on each surface.  If you are painting yourself, you can use the specification when purchasing paint, again saving you time and eliminating errors when ordering paint.  Inspiration can come from so many places. You should be able to have fun with the process.  A color consultant can make that happen. 

Here's a great article by Becky Harris that speaks to the process of hiring a consultant and your participation:
https://www.houzz.com/ideabooks/6697384/list/17-things-color-consultants-want-you-to-know



For your next project, contact Brenda Szarek
AutumnLightInteriors@gmail.com
or view my website www.AutumnLightInteriors.weebly.com

Monday, December 4, 2017



Chances are you arrived at this blog because you love DIY... Or you want to try it out, or you are a good friend of mine who has been a faithful follower from the beginning. I hope you can forgive me for taking such a long time to get back. Welcome, everyone!

Since my original self inflicted challenge, I've been working to build up my design skills and learn more about managing and operating my own interior design company, Autumn Light Interiors. Blogging had taken a back seat and as a result I realized how much I missed sharing my projects with you.

I would like to take a slightly different approach at this time. Rather than blog on a long project, I plan to provide design tips and ideas in more frequent short posts. Of course I welcome your feedback always. Tell me what you like, what you want to see, and what kind of projects interest you.

For this post, I want to introduce you to my new Facebook page and website.  Come back in a few days for my next post - Why would you want to hire a color consultant?

Yours truly, Brenda Szarek