Since starting this business two years ago, I have often thought back on my journey up to this point and wondered where it will take me in the future. There’s one thing that is a constant…I love to design! I love space and color and painting. I’ve felt like it is my destiny, and now I have a responsibility to something great with it.
(photo via Public Domain Pictures)
What that “great” is, I have yet to find out. I’ve been blessed to have small projects to get me started, and I have loved every one of them. Each project has taught me something, and I’m sure the learning will continue. My biggest success, however, has been a simple experience I had when I did a little “redesign” for my parents.
My parent’s home has a family room, where the t.v. is and Mom likes the “rough” stuff to be contained. Then she has a more formal living room, where she likes her beautiful things. The living room had been the same for many years, and she wanted a change. I was over visiting, so I enlisted my husband and younger brother to move furniture around while I did a redesign. I situated the sofa in the middle of the room (it has always been against a wall), found an old chest in the basement which I turned into the coffee table, arranged a few new seating areas, and hung some art where I thought it was attractive. Mom loved the new arrangement. However, the greatest compliment I received was a few weeks later, when I asked Mom how the new design was working out.
“I love it,” she said. What else do moms say, right? But then she said, “Your dad won’t stay in the family room anymore. He goes and lays on the sofa in the living room after he’s done with the chores (they still work a small ranch and dairy farm) because the sun streams through that window, and he loves to feel it while he relaxes. He naps and reads in there. Yep, he doesn’t go in the family room anymore.”
When I heard that, I thought, “That is the greatest compliment I could have from anyone….that they love to live in their new space.” And it’s true. It is why designers are around. We love beautiful spaces…yes. But what is more important is that the client elevates how they want to live. They find a new sense of peace and joy in their home. If that is the result, we decorators and designers have accomplished something great!
Have a wonderful Monday…we have some fun things coming up this week that I’m excited to share with you!
cally says
We LOVE our living room also! I have had so many people come in and say it feels so good in here and they wnat to know the color on my walls. You are awesome! Thank You SOOOOOOOO much! Love you!
shyjo says
i am so impressed by your post its so nice to hear that the passion for designing you have been carrying all your life and how u succeeded in fulfilling your dream , this is very inspiring and motivational to any one who what to be a great designer and i am myself an interior designer and struggling my way to be a good designer , here in india we choose our profession by decisions taken by the parents, its very difficult to take decisions all alone by our self and my story the same i did all wrong turn in my career and now i am where i wanna to be an interior designer, I am still learning by myself through trial and errors , i was doing some research over the net and happened to visit your site and i really liked it your blog and i just mailed to you .
Deana says
u are awesome!