Today, we are officially launching the “Designer Diaries”. For the next several months, we will be featuring monthly posts written by our own in-house designers, Jill Dick and Carla Porter. These lovely ladies will offer lots of useful advice and design tips, but more importantly, they’ll give you a sneak peek into the life of a professional designer. 

Enjoy today’s first post, “Meet Jill”.

So, you’re nervous about making decisions regarding the décor of your home?

Trust me; I share your anxiety!

Very recently, for reasons we are still questioning, my husband and I took advantage of that darn, incentive the government dangled and bought our first house.  Along with all the moving, unpacking, lawn mowing, weeding and everyday life events, we are anxious to turn this into “our home” as quickly as possible.  The previous owners made beautiful decisions.  But, you know, we want this to be a reflection of us.

Guess who gets the job of putting that together????

My husband tells me he doesn’t feel qualified to make these decisions.  Not because I’m female and he’s male.  Nope, he’s too much of a modern man for that sort of chauvinistic reasoning.  He tells me it’s because my job is assisting & advising people everyday on making choices for their homes.

Truth is, making decisions on decorating or remodeling a home is always easier when it’s not your own!

I have told my clients this for years.  Now I get to really live my own words!  (And it’s a little un-nerving, I can tell you!)

Until two months ago, we were happy renters playing the “If” game.  On a regular basis, he & I would discuss the many things we would change “if “ the townhouse had been ours.  I would grumble about the inefficient kitchen layout; rant & rave when a stain refused to come out of the cheap carpet; and the lack of efficient storage space just made me nuts!

Instead of making permanent changes to the property I made furniture choices, linen & artwork selections.  I placed accessories around and changed a room’s layout as the mood struck me.  I focused on planning our parties; created and cooked wonderful menus for all the dinners we threw; and juggled our social calendar.  Decisions were simple, life was good.

We loved it.

Today, we have a new challenge that is both exciting and gives me the heebie-jeebies all at the same time.  I now have a huge box filled with great bones but enormously creamy, bland rooms.  <Yea!!!> Big, blank, empty slates to work on.  But, <cringe> I have rooms that have no furniture in them at all.  I have an electronics system I can’t figure out how to house, let alone use! <Nausea is setting in> And don’t even get me started on the landscaping!  That’s a whole nother project all on it’s own!  <I don’t think I can breathe!!>  My head spins as I go from room-to-room or front porch to back patio with all the ideas I have rolling around my brain.  Where to start first???

Yikes!

 So, take a deep breath with me and rest assured.  I am certain we will be meeting in our travels to lighting stores and garden centers.  I’ll be right beside you picking out granite, new plumbing fixtures and fretting over paint colors for each and every room.  I’ll be racing you thru “Home Goods” and nudging you out of the way at antique stores and re-sale shops as we each look for that great find. 

And, certainly, you’ll be able to spot me at the furniture stores!  I’ll be the one making my husband lay down on each and every couch that could possibly go in front of our TV ~ wrapping his arms around me to make certain we can both fit comfortably without a body part going to sleep or hanging on for dear life!

Visit the Design Resources section of our website  for more design tips, or call us at 1.877.237.2317 and get some advice from one of our designers.