Love the Space You’re In
The Interior Designer Myth
Growing up, I always assumed that the use of an Interior Designer was for the rich and famous. The rest of us made do with hand-me-downs, thrift store finds, a friend’s ‘good eye’ or maybe an idea from a magazine. I want to share with you how I came to understand the concept of ‘Love the Space You’re In.’
It wasn’t until I was well into my professional career, and the accompanying networking, that I learned more about what an Interior Designer can do. Furthermore, it wasn’t the hundreds of thousands of dollars that I had assumed it would cost.
About 10 years ago, I joined a business networking group where I got to know an Interior Designer. Our group met once a week, every week, and each of us had one minute to talk about our businesses. Over time, I began to learn about all the different things Interior Designers do, from big jobs to small projects. As it turns out, a couple of years later I was remodeling part of my house – the kitchen and living area. I made finish decisions simply on what I liked, individually. Unfortunately, I didn’t really take into account how all the new pieces would work together. As we approached the end of the remodel, it came to a point where I just got stuck. Nothing really seemed to jive and I wasn’t in love with this new area of my house the way I felt like I should be.
In this moment, I think, this is my home, my children’s home and I want it to feel unique to us! I want to have a true sense of ‘home’ and comfort and love – but I have no idea how to make that a reality – design-wise.
A Paradigm Shift
Cue in my new Interior Designer business colleague. She and I are chatting about my remodel one day and the point I am at with it. She offers to just come over and take a look. Within minutes, I mean, less than 15 minutes, she gives me a bunch of ideas that are so simple and inexpensive that I am truly shocked. So, I take it a step further and ask how much it would be to have her implement these ideas (I knew I would mess it up). That night, she sends me a proposal that was so incredibly reasonable that I jump at it.
My Home Re-Design
The next week, I came home to beautifully placed hooks and small shelving for my kids to hang their coats and backpacks. Then, a fun wall ‘shelf’ with clips for me to hang the kids art work, all new handles and drawer pulls for my kitchen cabinets. And then the pillows – oh my gosh the pillows were the icing on the cake! I had previously purchased a decent sized gray sectional couch which, you guessed it, came with gray pillows that I just didn’t love. She had removed the extra gray pillows and had added all new bright colored, fun-designed pillows. As a result, this completely changed the room! This all happened a few years ago but to this very day, every time I walk into my living room and see all these crazy, fun, bright-colored pillows, it makes me smile. It definitely makes our home unique.
Our Office Re-Design
Fast forward to today. I have an office in Norwell where myself and my staff of 7 work, Monday through Friday, 8:00AM to 5:00PM (sometimes more). To spend this much time out of my life in one place, well, I want to love it. And I want my staff to love it. There are so many things I want our space to bring us. For instance, I want to be inspired, creative, uplifted and I want to love the space I’m in. Moreover, I want it to make anyone who enters our office feel good.
Bringing in the Same Designer
I brought back the same Interior Designer to my office and I didn’t even have to say much. She already knew my aesthetic from my house. Additionally, she knows what I really like (fun, colorful, unique) and what I do not like (gray on gray) and set to work. She gave me a rough idea of her ideas, which were all great, and then she did her thing.
Upon arriving at our office after she spent about a day and a half there. My staff and I were floored! We love it! From the cool ‘library-style’ entrance, to the fun and kitschy sitting area, to our own little fun mail station. Even the wall-mounted purse hooks – we are in LOVE!
In addition, I probably should mention that we are all accountants and bookkeepers. Staring at numbers on a screen all day can get a little stale – but not in this office! It’s bright, colorful, fun, creative, warm, unique and just truly special. Similarly, it encapsulates all the fantastic women who work there!
In conclusion, do you have a home or office that doesn’t make you smile and feel good every single day? It may be time for a (small) investment in yourself and the space you’re in! If you are anything like me, you will not regret it!
Who We Used
We are lucky that here on the South Shore there are many talented Interior Designers. It is important to choose one that you really connect with. Personally, I connect with Alysha Siciliano of Alluring Concepts Interior Design. She can be found at https://www.facebook.com/alluringco/.
Happy Designing!
Lastly, For more look at what we offer or to inquire about our services, visit our Contact Page!
– The Spark Team
