I CAN DO THIS MYSELF... OR CAN I?


 I love my work as an Interior Decorator! It's a priviledge which has provided more than 27 years of inspiration, learning, obstacles, frustrations, beauty and creativity beyond the possible! I'm a catalyst for change, joy and beautiful outcomes.

Since birth, I've experienced life through a finely focused "inner camera" that's constantly capturing details and images "photogenically" storing them in my mind. I am a "visual" learner that was never told "visual" learning is different than just "learning" and assumed that everyone meticulously studied every inch, down to the absolute smallest detail of their assigned "subject" or work. This has proven to be both a valuable skill and unwanted onus! 

My inner camera leaves me with a personal claim to a room after days and hours of selecting, adjusting, starting over, selecting again and getting it right! Although some see this as stupidity, torture and complete waste of valuable time, it's also extremely important in making their house a home!

Perhaps it's what enables me to remember, over the span of 27 years, with meticulous detail client names, number of family members, how many places they've lived, preferences in color and style, fabrics, personal accents, furniture, flooring and scope of their project.  Let me not forget, as well, the number of counseling sessions I led which somehow miraculously resulted in choices both mates could live with and in fact, LOVE!

Enter Case #1:  Working with sister, Kim. She happens to be one of the most respected, knowledgable and successful business owners in her industry! Handling entire corporate travel programs involving hundreds of people and details that only a magician could manage.... is just a normal day! However, when it comes to decorating her home, she looks to me for assistance (of which I'm thrilled!). I begin by chatting with her inwhich most answers to most inquiries are " I don't care. I just want you to pick it and handle it all". Wow, a Decorator's dream!  ... And so it begins!

Initially, I require my sister to accompany me to a paint or wallpaper store explaining that we all see color and pattern differently. It's important that I get an accurate idea of how she perceives those elements. No two sets of eyes see exactly the same color tint or shade. Well, we begin. I bring her a few books to peruse and I do the same. Sounds of huffing and puffing start to emerge. She shows me a few pages which she inquires "would this work"? Then, usually about 15 minutes in at the most... the statement that is signature Kim. "I hate this! I don't want to do this, that's why I hired you" ! Why would I want to do this all the time? How do you have the patience to spend valuable time opening and closing books for hours with no guarantee you'll find what you're looking for! My answer, " I .....don't really know!"

Did you know the average person will spend less than 30 minutes at a time on the tasks of searching, finding, selecting and agreeing on the right choices for their project. I believe that each and every person knows what they like and what they don't. Their need is selecting the best option for them and putting it all together for awesome results.

Sadly, the vast majority of our population have never utilized the services of a Design Professional. In fact, the Design Professional industry often get's a "bad rap" because of a few generally "unfounded" beliefs. "They're too expensive, will use up all our money with nothing to show for it, are only good at the decorating style for which they're known, use a huge markup and recommend items based on their own profit margin". 
Can you relate?

As an experienced, credible, customer oriented Decorator, I find those presumptions tragic and very disheartening! I will ask "how did your last experience in making difficult choices amongst numerous options work for you"? If not a fruitful endeavor then... "I guess you like being insane"? LOL Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over expecting a different result. The task of knowing when you need help and then asking for it can be a surprisingly difficult action which usually leads to a wonderful experience. Why did I wait so long?  Answer: Well, you did because you were insane and now you're not, congratulations!  LOL

The top 2 reasons why a person will seek out & hire a Design Professional are:

#1 Choosing Paint Colors -You've invested hours and hours spending a fortune on numerous quarts of paint while wasting a full tank of gas traveling back and forthjust to simply get the right color! Excuse me.... did you say "simply"?
#2 Selecting Kitchen, Bathroom and Light finishes/fixtures-You've searched and searched through options to no avail. You're significant other who loathed the idea of participating in this task from the beginning has now declared release of any responsibility... to you!

What is the moral of my "eloquent" writings ?
Decorating & Design can be a wonderfully magical, fulfilling and difficult experience!  Be an educate consumer, familiarize yourself with options for seeking assistance (as there are many), interview professionals, Request a tour of 2 or 3 of their most recent projects, obtain a reference list of their continued clientele (you'll be surprised at customer's willingness to give honest feedback)!  Ask yourself do I find them credible, creative, personable and affordable with the budget I have? Is this someone I can be "married" to for a period of time?

I'm confident the answers you find, will be exactly the ones you need!  Give it a try, you'll be astounded :-)

Blessings,
Karla

My Story...




 It seems I've always been fascinated with even the smallest of broken or useless things that others might view as "dumpster-worthy".  I have a passion for searching, discovering, rescuing and repurposing these treasures... giving them "new life" and finding them a new home! 

  I enjoy sharing my knowledge, ideas and inspirations in Decorating, which are largely basedon my 20 years of experiences as an Interior Decorator.

   Join me on this wonderful journey full of imagination, endless possibilities and all things beautiful! 

Blessings,
Karla


A Sister's Love...

Heal the Wound but leave the Scar... as written by my "little sister" Robyn.

Back in the 90's & early 2000's I listened to "Point of Grace" nearly every day of my life.
Their song Heal the Wound always touched something deep inside of me...the tension between wanting to deny the scars that exist in my life and accepting them as gifts from God.

The chorus of that song paints such a vivid picture of God's mercy:
Heal the wound but leave the scar
A reminder of how merciful You are
I am broken, torn apart
Take the pieces of this heart
And heal the wound but leave the scar.

Jump ahead to 2012 and the words penetrate even deeper...
My sister, Karla, endured open heart surgery last August and has been adjusting to her new "normal" ever since.

In April we celebrated her 50th birthday, or more precisely we celebrated 18,264 days of life.
I captured her and her beautiful kids that weekend. A lovely family celebrating all that God has done.

In the midst of our shoot, she said "Robb, get a picture of my scar." We giggled about how weird it might be, but it is a significant marker of her life. So I did. And now the image of my sister's scar makes the lyrics of Heal the Wound so deeply personal.

I pray every time she sees the image she'll be reminded of just how merciful God has been to her. He alone takes 18,264 days of brokeness, heals the wound and leaves the scar!

Creating a Focal Point

One of the most common questions I'm often asked is, "How do I go about creating a room that will "wow" people"?

Well, to most everyone's delight... the answer is actually quite simple!
Making a statement in a room.... giving it the "wow" factor... is possible by creating a Focal Point.

Focal Points are areas of a room which draw our attention the minute we enter them. Below, I've given a few ideas of how to create those important areas.

However you decide to create your focal point, make sure the statement that it makes is a personal one, uniquely your own!!!


Blessings, Karla

Perfecting Imperfection

I recently had the wonderful opportunity to open the doors of my home to Columbia Home magazine. The article is beautifully and graciously written and I'd love to share it with you.



One of the most popular questions I am asked continually is.... "tell me what your decorating style is?

What does your home look like?"


Check out the wonderful article online at:
http://www.columbiahl.com/2011/08/perfecting-imperfection/

Blessings,
Karla