Love & Passion

In May, my husband and I went on a vacation to the Pacific northwest. We started in Seattle and drove the PCH (Pacific Coast Highway) all the way south to San Francisco! It was absolutely the best vacation we've ever taken, and mostly because of the beautiful Bed and Breakfasts we stayed in each night.

One, in particular, Abigail's Elegant Victoria Mansion in Eureka, California, stands out most in my mind. It wasn't just about the hospitality of the Innkeepers, it was the home they had created! It was like a "Night at the Museum". The furnishings and the decor was so perfectly done, you'd swear you'd gone back in time.

picture moldings/medallions

They have lived in the home for over twenty years and have spent all of that time restoring and recreating the High Victorian style; true to the period the house was built. They've put so much time, effort and finances into designing this house back to it's roots! Not a single detail has been left to chance nor ignored. The pictures all hang from beautiful cords and medallions from the picture moldings.

Upholstered Walls

 They have original lighting throughout the house  and the effect is stunning. They've even used beautiful imported tapestry fabrics to upholster the bedroom walls!

Original lighting

Tapestry fabric walls

Probably the most impressive thing, if there is just one, would be the use of wallpaper. They have had the most amazing and intricate wallpaper designs done on the walls and ceilings of the main floor. This would be so typical of the period and they are gorgeous.

Just to note, this wallpaper doesn't come in sheets, it is painstakingly cut from rolls, each little design, and applied in layers to create these beautiful patterns.

Peacock in the window

The draperies are also very detailed and layered. They not only dress the windows beautifully, they are used graciously between the rooms. In the Victorian era that would have been to keep smaller spaces warm, and in modern times with central heating, wouldn't be necessary. That's what I like about their design, they did it for the design's sake, not function.

You can see better (professional) photos on their website, but these I took in the wee hours of the morning as we were checking out of the B&B.

'chick'-a-dee in birdcage

One of the other things you might have noticed is that, even though they have taken their design seriously, they haven't taken the decor too seriously... check out the chicken in the bird cage! It's a stuffed chicken, a sort of "tongue-in-cheek" response to the beautiful taxidermy peacock in the front room window. I love it!

 

Drapery in doorway

Now, not everyone could live like this, I'd hate all of the dusting, but I can certainly appreciate the style for what it is and definitely enjoyed looking at the beautiful furnishings (most of which are antiques!) The lessons here, I think, are to design your interior according to the architecture or period of the home, and to be passionate about the things you bring into your space.

Doug and Lily love their home and consider themselves curators, not just innkeepers or homeowners. Their passions for the home and the Victorian period have made their home something so special, not only to them, but to all who are lucky enough to visit.

The Best Compliment:

I had a visit from a client yesterday. I started working with them in February and it was just going to be new floors, paint and a couple of pieces of new furniture. It turned out to be every room in the house got a makeover and almost all of the furnishings were replaced!

They ended up knocking down walls, adding built-ins in two rooms, replacing lighting, recovering furniture, making custom draperies and bedding and even refinishing the kitchen and hallway cabinets. They removed carpet from the stairs and put in wooden treads; I'm talking about a total overhaul!

Things didn't always go smoothly, we went through rounds of fabric selections only to find out that some of the key fabrics were discontinued, then back to the drawing board. We broke the budget on somethings and had to make concessions on others. It was trying on all of us , but they were living in a house where every single room was dismantled in some form or fashion! At one point there was not one room in the house that was fully functional. For weeks they had all of their furniture covered with plastic sheeting and even the kitchen had no cabinet doors or drawer fronts!

One day while I was at the house getting last minute sign-offs on fabrics and finishes, I had everything spread out on the dining room table (which we weren't replacing because it had sentimental value). He perched on the table while we were talking and the pedestal *snapped*! It was heartbreaking because I knew there was no money in the budget to replace it, and besides they WANTED to keep it! He was able to get it repaired, but can you imagine?

Somewhere along the way we became more than designer/client, we became friends. That's exactly why I wanted to do this job in the first place. I love people and I am happiest when they are excited about their homes/spaces!

The job is almost complete, the last of the furniture is going to be delivered soon (custom furniture takes so long to get here... something I never experienced being from NC) and their lives will go back to normal. The walls are all finished, the painters have finally all gone home and the dust has been cleaned out. Their beautiful draperies are all hung and the new floors are gleaming! What started out to be new floors and chairs for the living room took over their lives for over 1/2 a year.

One of the last thing he said to me at the end of our visit yesterday was that he appreciated the fact that when I suggested paint and he felt it was too dark and lightened it, I just designed around the change! Well, of course! Ultimately the client has to live in the space, so it's more important that they love and are comfortable in their home.

The sad fact is, however, that there are designers who put together a plan and expect the client to live with what they say, because they "are the professional and know better". I have to admit that there are times when I have known that something I suggested would look beautiful, and was a bit disappointed when a client has decided not to go with my suggestion. but, I'm  less disappointed when, in the end, they are happy with the outcome.

The best part of the experience for me is building the relationships and hopefully they feel the same way. When at the end of a 6-month long project, of not living in his home, but in a construction zone; and with all of the trials and frustrations that a remodel causes, comes to an end and what stands out is that his designer was flexible with paint color. I'm saying that was a successful remodel, and the best compliment I've ever been paid!

*stay tuned for photos to come!

Rugs!

I was contacted by justarearugs.com and asked to review their website and rugs and blog about what I found... well, I found a LOT of stuff!

from justarearugs.com

I was surprised at the selection. Great rug companies that I'm very familiar with like Surya, Capel, Colonial Mills and Trans Ocean (and more). I love that they have the option to search by brand, material, Country of origin, style, color and weave! It makes rug shopping so much easier than going from store to store or even website to website to find many different styles and brands.

I was so impressed with the page after page of customer reviews. They also have 30-day money-back guarantee, no restocking fees, pricematch and FREE SHIPPING in the US!

So... I can't give you a great story about their service from a personal point of view, but I can tell you that after visiting the website, I'll definitely be using this website to order rugs for myself and will be recommending it to all of my clients! For the selection and user friendly ease of the website combined with all of these other features... it's a no-brainer!

 Check them out... if you try them or have used them in the past, let me know... I love finding new resources and love passing them on to you!

Wow! It's been a while!

Well, it's been ages since I've had time to post anything here. I have been working as a designer for the Thomasville ~ Drexel Heritage store in Murray, Utah and it's amazing how much time it takes to have a job and how little I have energy to do after being out of the house all day!

As of July 2nd, I decided to leave my full-time, commission-only job to work on my own. When I started this blog and decided to start my own business, I had no idea where life would take me and it's been a crazy ride for the past... nearly a year! (wow, time flies!)

So, armed with the knowledge I gained from working in a retail situation, I've begun a new chapter for Regeneration Interiors. I love the name "Regeneration" because it reminds me that there are always times when we need to "start again". So here I go!

I've got a few clients I'm working with, who decided to carry over with me from the store. I have always believed that Furniture Brands has the best quality furniture for the price, and I still do, so I will continue to work and sell through the store.

The biggest thing about being on my own is that, even though I'm still only getting paid when I sell, I'm not spending my time working for someone else. I have more control over the clients I work with, the jobs I do and my free time. So far, it's been more hours put in, but I can put them in whenever I choose... wow, freedom! Having said that... not that many people have walked in and asked for assistance, so that's a con.

One very exciting change to my new chapter is that I've now aligned myself with Furniture Brands Contract furnishings and I'm a "servicing dealer". That means that I can sell any of the Furniture Brands (Thomasville, Drexel-Heritage, Broyhill) to commercial clients. I'm so thankful for the contacts I have within Thomasville, after all of these years!

While I've done design in the past and have worked with clients on staging and re-design, I've never had been able to sell directly to the client, so this is quite a bit different, and I think I'm going to love it! I've contacted a few other furniture brands and also accessory lines and am setting up accounts everywhere I can in order to have the broadest selection for my clients... now if I just had some more clients!

In addition to this new pathway, I've been doing some research in building businesses and branding. My husband recently learned about Zappos.com and their brand story at a SHRM conference, so we decided to visit their headquarters and read a book written by their CEO Tony Hsieh. This probably seems like I'm getting way off track, but it will make sense, I promise. (I definitely recommend you check out their story and read "Delivering Happiness")

So what did that have to do with Regeneration Interiors, or me? Well, it made me think about who I am and who this company is and where are we headed. Since I don't have a great success story, YET!, I have to tell you who I plan to be and who I want to be, so here goes...

Most everyone who knows me and has read my blog for a while, understands my philosophy on design and decor, but you may not understand my philosophy on 1) customer service, 2) community responsibility and 3) charity.

The three sort of go hand-in-hand, but to clarify...

1) I believe that if I provide the best customer service I can, take care of my clients' needs and show them that their happiness is more important than the bottom line, then the money will come, because ultimately people want to know that they are the priority. (by the way, this is exactly what I told the folks at the store when I was interviewed!)

2) I believe that we as individuals have a responsibility to be active and responsible members in our community, the same goes for businesses and sometimes that means doing something good for the community, even when it doesn't make you any money. That being said, I'm now looking for a shelter charity to work with where I can take my talents and assets to help others. My dream would be to provide furniture for a needy family. (let me know if you know of a local group who might benefit from this sort of service.) I'm committing to doing (for now) two projects per year, not necessarily with the same organization.

3) Last, but not least is charity, and there are so many, but for personal reasons, we've decided that 3% of all sales will go to the American Cancer Society. We've had several family members who have been taken from us by this terrible disease, and we want to do everything we can to aid in research and to assist those who are currently suffering.

Now that you know where I am, and where I'm headed, I hope you will become a follower of my blog, call me if you need help with a design or decorating project, and pass my name along to anyone you know who might use my services. I hope to be back on track with my regular blogs and see and hear more about what you all have going on!

A "Diamond in the Rough"

My friend Derya and I found this great little consignment shop called "Chic & Unique" here in the SLC. We have been there quite a few times and have brought home some pretty good finds! I already posted a picture of my coffee table I got there for $50 and which I LOVE! but, probably the best one is a cabinet that I got there for just $200 and it looked rough!

I went in the store every week for over a month drooling over the cabinet, the price went from $425 down, down, every week and I kept waiting until I moved in my house because I had no place for it, and was so afraid it would be gone before I could get it! I don't really know why but it just begged me to take it home.

before

the front of the drop leaf

One lady in the shop told me that she intended to paint it and I was heartbroken, really worried they'd paint it before I could get it. I'd talked about it so much that my husband finally agreed to go look at it with me. He, too, liked it and thought it had potential. So he agreed I could buy it and we were finally moving into a house and I knew just the place for it!

this gray stuff was all over it

The drop-leaf door was locked when the consignment shop got it at an estate sale, and so they drilled it out to open it, what you see above is the "patch job" they did on the hole (the reason they thought it needed painting). The gray matter that was all over it looked like someone had spilled paint and then wiped it with a dirty rag and just smeared it down the face and side of the cabinet. You can see in the shelf how it was sort of hazy. It all wiped off with just water on a sponge!

I was sure the folks in the shop had tried to get it off and failed, but apparently they hadn't even attempted it, because it was very simple to get off. I was thrilled!

Inside the cabinet was an old light with huge bulbs and the wiring looked a little sketchy to me, so I bought a strip light with LED bulbs to replace it. I also had two glass shelves cut to replace the big wooden one which obviously was not original to the cabinet. I put it in the corner of my living room and filled it with my wine glasses and other barware and VOILA!

The "gray matter" washed right off!

I LOVE the outcome!

I love the way it turned out! It is a great storage piece, plus display!  This is just proof that you can find great things at great prices if you are willing to gamble on a diamond in the rough!

it's not perfect, but it stays open all the time anyway

Rules NOT To Be Broken

The more I do this job, the more I realize there are a few rules that should never be broken when designing your space!

1) Always pick your fabrics before you choose your paint color! There are only limited colors and patterns in fabrics, but paint can be made in any shade!

2) Always plan your space before purchasing the largest piece of furniture! You can always go back and buy that piece after you've measured your space, but you can't always take it back when it doesn't quite fit! AND... you have to think about how the other furnishings in your room will work with that 10 foot long sectional!

3) Always know what style you are before you purchase! If you purchase something because it looks great in the showroom and it's not at all the style you are or want to be, then you are stuck with a random piece, or changing the style of the whole room to accommodate that one object!

4) Always use scale and proportion in every piece you buy! There is nothing wrong with having a huge wall unit, or a large sofa, as long as everything in the room follows the same scale... but having one large piece and then lots of little pieces just looks odd.

5) Always decide on your budget for the room before you start AND stick to it! Most people think of a budget as the starting point, but it needs to be the ending point. If you have a budget of $5000 for the room, you can't pull it off if you spend $2500 on that gorgeous sofa and you don't have tables, other seating, window treatments, accessories, etc... Planning is key!

6) Always get the advice or collaboration of a professional when you just aren't sure what you want or where to start! Most furniture stores offer free design advice when you purchase your furniture through them. You don't have to take their advice and you don't have to purchase more just because they suggest it, but it is amazing how much better the space can look with just a few tips from a professional! And you don't lose creative control, sometimes it just helps to have someone to keep you on track!

7) Always complete the room before you purchase the "extras"! That means, when you are doing your space, do the finishes first, i.e. walls, flooring, lighting, draperies... If you purchase that great sofa and tables and beautiful lamps and art, but you still have the ugly light that you don't like, then the room isn't going to be "done". You can always purchase the accessories, art, throw pillows later on, get that light or put down that carpet, then you will feel better in the space.

8) Always buy big ticket items first, then get the accessories, you can also save a lot of money on those things because they don't have to be functional, and you can change them easily for a new look, so spending a lot of money on small things can be a waste!

I hope you haven't already started and made these mistakes! And, if you are getting ready to start a big project, or small one... I'd be happy to give some tips and pointers on how to make your designing go smoothly!

Enjoy!

a "quick" update

we have leased a wonderful house in the Upper Avenues of Salt Lake City and we are enjoying it so much. you can probably tell by this picture that the view is one of the best features of the house! 

I will post much more about the house and more photos, but I wanted you all to see the only room that is completely decorated and looks pretty darn good I think! 

I have had the sofa for a while, I got it from Thomasville, but the chairs are from Ikea and the table is from a consignment store (and I paid $50 for it!) I love the way it all comes together. 

as I said before, I wanted the room to be warm and inviting, but I didn't want it to compete with the view and I think it is all of those things! I do not plan to add window treatments, unless the sun gets so hot we can't be in there... it has already fried the plant you see there, I had to move it!

I will try to post more photos and ideas this week... there is just sooooo much going on!

p.s. Derya's house is looking great too, we both moved in to our new places the same day!