Me, Myself, and... Oh, and My Husband
The second in the series of When the Designer Becomes the Client #TheStoneleigh23
Working on a project with my clients, I can “see the solution” like a cartoon flowing in my head as I am in their space. I try to tell them, “Now, don’t worry, I have an idea and will talk you through it!” Ha! That’s when their panic sets in, I’m sure.
Design is much more to me than just the pretty things that can be moved with a truck. Design is about the experience of the space and the moods that are brought to all the users of the space. This is good design. Do you feel confined, vulnerable, or not inspired by your space?
This house is all about me and I can’t get outside my own head in order to make objective opinions. I keep talking to myself on one side of my brain on the practical aspects of the design and the most cost-effective options; then the other side chimes in and says, “but if you just…” And that’s most likely at least another $10K change. Ohhhhh who’s going to tell the client about that change order???
The Stoneleigh has an amazing flow. It is a classic center Dutch Colonial that was originally built in 1899! You are welcomed with a wide, generous porch and an amazing front door with leaded sidelights. The scale is grand yet not overwhelming. And from the minute you enter the porch, you know it’s something special.
My husband and I were completely enchanted the minute we entered this house. Yep just like in the movies, with smells of baked cookies, and children laughing as they run around in the halls; OOPS let’s get back to the story.
I know I have a lot to do here, and I’m sure it will be spectacular. We just have to move a few walls, modernize every bathroom, make a new kitchen, upgrade the HVAC, repair the 120-year-old heart pine floors, paint EVERYTHING. Oh, and did I say the hubby wants to add a pool with landscaping and did I say all in 10 weeks?
This story is a peek inside the journey that a designer faces when tackling a project as the Client. So follow along to see the ups and downs of the process.
“Old homes have their own personalities, and as you renovate them they unfold a charm that is endearing. ” -Anastasia
