When I first met this young family they were preparing to relocate from the Greater Toronto Area to Barrie where they had purchased a newly renovated home. The home was the perfect blank slate as it had just been freshly painted and the kitchen had been completely renovated. The one area of difficulty for this couple was in selecting furniture and decor. With their move just two months away they reached out to inquire about my Decor To Go service.
During our initial consultation I learned that this family would be making the move with only the furniture for the primary bedroom and the childrens’ bedrooms. While this definitely made their move easy, it meant sourcing new furniture, decor, artwork and rugs for the rest of the home.
We began the consultation by discussing the furniture style they felt most reflected their personal and design style. We reviewed the ideal size and colours that would work best for the large furniture pieces. Armed with this new information the clients moved ahead with sourcing the larger furniture pieces on their own.
After the family had settled into their new home I returned for another meeting where we discussed how I could bring life and personality to their space through decor.
HOW DECOR TO GO REALLY WORKS
Since we had already tackled the initial consultation we were ready to dive into the process. Here’s what we covered during that second meeting. Keep in mind that this project required two home visits rather than the typical one in-home consultation that is part of the Decor to Go service.
1/ Space & Needs Analysis
During this analysis I like to learn more about what the clients want their home to feel like. I always try to focus on the feeling you want to create in your space because those feelings give me the information about your vision for your home. It can be difficult and daunting for clients to describe specific pieces they’d like to own but we can all describe how we want our homes to feel.
It’s important for me to also learn about preferences when it comes to colours, textures, materials, etc. In order for the Decor to Go process to work I have to gather all the pertinent information so that there are no question marks when I’m shopping.
When there are kids and pets in the home as there were in this project I like to be mindful about the decor pieces I select. They’re going to have to withstand the occasional bump and fall and can’t be too delicate or frail. If you want to learn more about decorating with little ones including pets, read this post.
2/ Budget
Just like with any interior design project it’s imperative that I have as much information as possible regarding the budget. Decorating a home requires so many decor pieces and most of us dramatically underestimate the number of pieces required. If you have shelving in your home you can count the pieces it took to fill the space and then imagine styling that as well as every other space in the room. It adds up quickly.
During this meeting the homeowners were open and honest about what they could afford to spend. This helps me decide what shops to source from as well as the quality of materials we’ll be able to use.
3/ Creating a Plan
Aside from budget and preferences I also like to understand your intentions for the space. Will you be staying here long term or just for the short term? Are you a collector or do you prefer trendy pieces? This information is important because I won’t spend as much on each piece if you prefer trends because you'll likely have to replace these pieces as the next trend catches on. Conversely, if you love classic, timeless pieces I’ll look for investment items that won’t become outdated or obsolete.
Once I have a clear understanding it’s time to shop!
UNDERSTANDING THE PRICING GUIDE
Every Decor to Go client receives a Pricing Guide after the consultation. My clients were eager to understand more about decor pricing and this gave them a sense of what they can expect to pay. The Guide is broken down into low, mid-priced and high costs and outlines the pricing for each type of decor item.
I firmly believe that information is power and I love to help clients like this to really understand what kind of investment they’re making in their home. Here’s an example of what the Pricing Guide looks like.
THE SHOPPING PROCESS BEGINS
Now that I was equipped with all the crucial information I began the shopping process. I like to utilize a combination of online and in-person sources. There are so many factors that go into the time spent sourcing - size of space, number of flat surfaces to be styled, client’s design style, client’s lifestyle and budget.
This family prefers a neutral colour palette with injections of bold colour from artwork, soft accessories like pillows and florals. There’s an exciting project planned for the future that includes incorporating a large fish tank into the living room. The long wall running behind the round chair will hold a variety of colourful fish and will become a focal point as well as a piece of living artwork.
When the shopping was complete we arranged a date for the delivery and installation of all the newly acquired items.
DELIVERY & INSTALLATION
When the day arrived I was feeling just as excited as the clients to see the final reveal. The amount of time required can be several hours or a full day, depending on the size of the project.
One of the questions I get asked often is whether it’s me that does the final styling or whether it’s a team member. I always show up on site for the installation. Not only do I love to see the reveal but I truly love the process of styling and decorating.
These clients had not brought any decor items to this home so we were truly starting from scratch. There was a lot of styling but after several hours it was time for the reveal.
THE FINAL REVEAL
I personally couldn’t be happier with the new space. I think the decor items finish off the home and make it feel cozy and warm. I love all the personality, warmth and visual interest we brought into the home through the use of decor.
My clients are equally enamoured with how the decor has warmed up the space while remaining neutral. Just a few short months after they purchased this home it truly looks like a family home that will be the base of good and lasting memories.
If you’re interested in learning more about Decor to Go or any service, contact me. I’d love to speak to you about your upcoming project.
