FAQ
What makes good decorating?
The one ingredient necessary to good decorating is taste. Taste defined as suitability. Suitability starts with the people who live in the rooms that are to be put together. Suitability is often just common sense. If you have a family of growing children, choosing frail furniture covered in expensive fabrics is just asking for trouble. A good decorating rule is: Never try to live with anything that makes you uneasy. Knowing what you like and dislike is the surest way to achieve your ideal room.
What is the difference between interior design and interior decorating?
Designing starts with the development of an idea and sees it through to its completion. Decorating starts when the design concept is established. Decorating includes assembling the objects that bring a room to life. The purpose of a decorator is to interpret what a client wants and to execute the order to the best of his ability. A good decorator never imposes his own tastes on the project.
Why should I hire you as a designer?
As a professional interior designer I have access to many closed-to-the-public showrooms available only to design professionals. I also have an extensive library and knowledge of additional sources and access to many talented and creative tradespeople. My analytical, organizational and problem-solving skills benefit a client by taking the worry and anxiety out of any design project. I will save them time and money making the project less stressful and more enjoyable. I work very closely with the client and keep them fully aware of what is happening and do my best to meet deadlines. I always have the client's best interest in mind when working on a project.
What is the Access Plus Service?
Access Plus is a service provided to help the client gain access to the closed-to-the-public showrooms at the San Francisco Design Center. Whether you need to select one item, design a room or an entire project this service is perfect if you cannot find what you are looking for in the retail market and don't need the full services of an interior designer. Since the showrooms are not retail stores, business is conducted very differently. Access Plus service simplifies the process and helps you maximize the purchasing power and enjoyment of your design investment. Many showrooms display a great variety of floor samples that are readily available. Most product, however, is uniquely selected to suit your needs and lifestyle specifications. The showrooms sell components. The right chair for your needs might be found in one showroom; the right fabric to upholster it may be found in any one of the showrooms that feature fabrics.
I am going to sell my house. How can I make it more marketable?
Many sellers think that it is necessary to completely empty the space before it goes on the market for sale. A more effective way to make the property more desirable is to "stage" it. It should be made to look cozy and inviting with a look that will make it stand out from the rest of the other properties on the market. You need to maximize the use of space by rearranging furniture and eliminating clutter. Remove all personal items such as family photos and present the space in a more universally appealing way. You can make a space more "homey" by adding fresh flowers or candles and using lighting.
How can I gain more storage and space in a small apartment?
There are a number of useful ways to gain more space in a small apartment.
Utilizing the space over doorways for storage and bookshelves.
Do things with the door itself. Rehang the door to open in a different direction; change a swinging door to a space-saving one, to a sliding, pocket, or even a folding door. Remove the door entirely to add a feeling of movement through space, and close off a door altogether to gain more wall space.
Use multifunctional furniture such as storage ottomans, trunks and chests.
Create a storage space under a skirted table.
Use multipurpose folding movable furniture, but not so much that everything has to be set up to eat or entertain.
Cut out unimportant items. Instead of heavy draperies, use mini-slatted blinds, shades, or shutters or leave windows bare; instead of table lamps, use wall hung or ceiling-hung chandeliers, sconces or track lights.
Try a monotone color scheme and simple furniture. Use fewer freestanding, ill-fitting pieces of furniture and more furniture that merges with the space. Instead of several storage units, install one, wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling, or two, floor to ceiling with a sofa or other large piece of furniture in the alcove between them. This is a cleaner look.
Get rid of everything extraneous.
What is the biggest mistake a client can make?
The biggest mistake a client can make is to buy the wrong size piece of furniture. So often a piece of furniture will appear smaller than it actually is especially in a showroom setting. That is why it is very important for the client to know the amount of space available to accommodate a particular piece . Another crucial consideration is whether or not a large piece purchased or custom designed is going to fit through the door when it is delivered and if it can be delivered to it's final destination spot easily.
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