Yesterday we’d met at the office, and she’d hired me on the spot. I’d given her several design books to take home, and several websites for her to look at as well. I asked her to send me any photos of aesthetics that spoke to her, and she’d done a great job with the task, sending me at least a dozen rooms she liked.
So she did have an aesthetic and style all her own; she just didn’t know it.
Today we were at their new home, and they’d finished tearing out all the flooring. It was time to get the design locked down. Materials could take weeks, depending on what she chose, and the smoothest renovations happened when things were ready to go, and you weren’t waiting around for materials. So it was time to get things locked in, and to choose items that were in stock and ready to go.
“I can imagine how stressful this is. I want to do everything I can to help you.” I glanced over at her as she scrolled through my online portfolio of the work I’d done over the last several years. “I wanted you to see these after looking at all the different options, so you could feel confident in my work. If any of these jump out at you, let me know. My assessment after you pointed out everything you like is that you are a mix of French country and traditional. Those two designs marry very well.”
“Oh, I didn’t even know I had a style.” She shook her head, and I could see the stress written on her face.
“Yes. It’s sort of a mix of classic, timeless, and comfort, while bringing in some history with vintage pieces. The colors are typically light and earthy, very neutral. We’d bring in texturewith fabrics like velvet and florals, mixed with some rustic linen touches.”
Her eyes widened. “Wow. I like the sound of that. I felt like I sent you so many pictures of different looks, so I was frustrated that I didn’t have one specific style that I liked.”
“It’s perfectly normal to mix aesthetics. It gives a home personality, and I like that you involved Billy as well. We want this home to represent your family.”
“Me too. I was surprised that Billy didn’t choose the super-modern photos I showed him,” she said, tucking her hair behind her ear.
“Yes, the ones you sent that he’d chosen were very traditional, where your top choices leaned toward French country, but you had a few rooms that were very traditional. The great news is that those are very easy to mesh.”
She blew out a breath. “Thank goodness you’re helping me. We’ve gone to the tile store multiple times to choose all the tile for the floors and walls, and I just walk around for hours, and then leave with nothing.”
Cutler had come to me because he thought she needed help, and he was right.
Shana Peterson was overwhelmed.
That happened often with renovations.
This was one of my favorite parts of my job. Helping clients create a home that they’d love. Not everyone could visualize the big picture, so being able to help someone bring it all to life was something I really enjoyed.
And I loved design as a whole. I could stare at paint colors and fabric samples for hours and never tire of it. I loved mixing and matching textures and designs and creating something fresh and unique.
This was why I was so excited about moving to New York. It would challenge me both personally and professionally. Movingto a new city would be a little intimidating, but I welcomed it. I wanted to push myself out of my comfort zone. The homes I’d be designing would be different in New York, as city living was very different from living out in the country or in a small town—and I was excited to grow as a designer.
“So what I like to do is make things as easy for you as possible.” I chuckled. “I have a great idea from what you’ve sent me about where to start. I typically go to the tile store and get three to four options for each bathroom, as far as flooring and counters and cabinets and backsplash. I do the same with the kitchen. I know you want wood flooring, so I’d bring a couple different finishes for the wood, and we’d lay it all out, eliminate what you don’t like, and start putting together what you do like.”
“Really? That sounds dreamy.” She let a loud sigh escape. “If I never have to go back to the tile store, I would be very happy.”
I smiled and gave her a nod. “We can absolutely make that happen. I will bring everything to you. And if I don’t hit the mark on certain rooms, I’ll just bring you back some more samples, and that’s how we’ll start putting the entire design together. Once we have the finishes all selected and ordered, then I’ll head over to your storage unit with you, and we’ll go through the furniture and décor that you have, and we’ll make a list of what you need. You’ll give me a budget, and I’ll get all the interior pieces, such as furniture, lighting, and artwork, taken care of for you.” I squeezed her hand when I noticed that her eyes were watering.
“Gracie, I can’t tell you how much this means to me. I just, I can’t seem to make a decision, and everyone from my parents to my husband to my kids is asking me a million things at once.” She swiped at the tear running down her face. “What color kitchen am I doing? What color bathroom tile did I pick? What kind of flooring am I doing? What am I making for dinner tonight? When can we go to the park? Did I sleep well?”
A laugh escaped her, and I leaned forward and wrapped my arms around her. Sometimes people just needed a hug and to be heard.
“I can’t answer the questions about dinner or the park or your sleep habits, but I can take everything else off your plate,” I said.
She pulled back. “Okay. I love the sound of this. You’ve got the budget that we agreed to with ROD Construction, and we’d like to stay as close to that as possible, as far as the flooring and appliances and all of those things. And then we can figure out a separate budget for furniture and décor, but it probably won’t be very large.”
“Don’t worry at all. I can work with any décor budget. I’m quite the deal finder,” I said as I pushed to stand.
There was a lot of hammering in the background, and Shana moved to stand beside me. “Sadly, this is the most peaceful place I’ve been all day.”
I laughed. “Yes, I can imagine three kids in a small space is not super peaceful.”
“No. But it’ll all be worth it, right?”
“It will. I promise.” I leaned forward to hug her one last time. “I’ll head to the tile store now and have options for you by Monday.”
“Wow.” Her eyes widened. “You don’t mess around.”
