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For decorators, the proof
is in the "wow" factor
I love my job. What could be more fun than decorating
clients' homes? One of the most enjoyable parts of
my job is designing the room and putting all of the
pieces together. However, at the end of a project,
the best part is seeing the clients so happy with the
final results.
I was invited last week to see the home of a client
who had implemented many of my design recommendations.
The "wow" factor hit me as soon as they opened
the front door. Two of the living room walls were painted
in a striking rusty red, with the other walls in a
complementary tan color. The large window was covered
with a woven wood shade, bringing in a lot of texture
and color. The new colors truly enhanced their collection
of nature-themed art and travel photos.
As I turned the corner to their kitchen, the rich
colors and beautiful materials took my breath away.
Interior decorators and designers are good at visualizing,
but there is nothing like seeing it finished and in
person. The granite counters, subtle green walls, butter-colored
marble tile backsplash and warm wood tones all worked
together very well. Rusty flecks in the granite picked
up the paint color from the living room, and the earthy
green kitchen walls related to the green tones in the
new slate tiles on the entry floor. The entire space
was well coordinated, and I loved the look. But more
importantly, they loved it.
Another finished room I helped with recently was completely
different, yet just as striking. My client's master
bedroom now has a very glamorous feeling. The focal
point of the room is the beautifully dressed bed, with
its luxurious satin bedding in silver, taupe and blue.
We selected a cool, blue paint color for the walls
and complementary fabrics for the chairs in the room's
sitting area. The mostly monochromatic color scheme
keeps the room restful and peaceful. Again, while I
am delighted with the way the room came out, what is
most important is that the clients love it.
I am currently working on another design project,
transforming a house from its former blue and mauve
Southwest decor to a rich gold and burgundy Italian
look. We have selected golden granite tiles to enhance
the fireplace, wall covering resembling Venetian plaster,
and beautiful upholstery fabric in luxurious burgundy
velvet. Four chairs grouped around a round ottoman
will create a cozy sitting area in front of the fireplace.
It is gratifying to see the pieces all start coming
together, and I look forward to seeing the final results.
Every client is different. The challenge for interior
decorators and designers is to listen to what they
want and help them achieve it. We offer ideas, make
suggestions, and share our resources and expertise.
Sometimes it is straightforward and comes together
easily; other times it takes longer to find just the
right thing. But in the end, when the clients are happy,
it is always worth it.
This article first appeared in Alameda Newspaper
Group papers on April 1, 2006.
Go
back to the list of decorating columns.
All articles copyright 2003-2008 Anna
Jacoby.
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