Tag: painted mahogany

Our lives are a bit like road maps, but we can’t see the map until we arrive. Rather, you can only see the map of where you have been and in many ways, it can be so overwhelming with feelings of excitement, tragedy, awe, anticipation and more. In an industry such as interior design, you recognize the difficulties, angst, frustration and the day-to-day grind, but when you see something come to fruition such as a decorative ceiling after the scaffolding comes down….well, sometimes you gasp and can enjoy the moment of wonder, pride and the swelling of joy….these moments are priceless.

All of our experiences can’t be wonderful, but the wonderful ones endure and add enough of those together and it binds me to this career.

For the Client

Put yourselves into the hands of an experienced designer and allow them to take you on a journey through your likes and preferences; yet listen to their version because most likely they see further than you. Always follow your heart and your gut, but if you clearly listen to the talent you hired, they will show you options to improve and make your wishes timeless.

For the Designer

You will have thousands of opportunities to create wonderful spaces, but do not allow your ego to sidetrack your client’s beliefs and dreams to suit your own taste. Delve into your clients “arena” and teach them how to “swim” in their own pond.

Recently a prospective client approached me on helping them save a spectacular property they found. They love the property, but the house interior is so dark, yet rich in mahogany paneling – walls, ceilings and corridors — it is way too heavy. I suggested painting all the paneling off-white and they thought that was sacrilegious! I explained it was only a minor expense relative to the overall cost of the property, and all the paneling is still there…only now it will be white instead of extremely dark brown, and will enhance the overall finished interiors. They lose nothing…..it is all still there, only it is now light!