Lime Green, the New Spring Accent Color

If you have spent any time in Home Decor magazines lately, you have seen it. Lime Green is the new "greening" of interiors. The freshness of it is nice after opening windows and doors into spring. But we are not there yet. I am seeing alot of lime green jolting neutral environments with a fun twist. I am enjoying this, as it is not an easy color to live with and I am very curious to see it pulled off.

My predication is that Americans are tired of worrying, about anything. They are looking for a fun new interior color that says that, and says it with accessories, fun punches, and a jolt of just fun color. I am seeing it in bolder finsih statements to wake up neutral pallettes. I have not embraced it yet for any clients here in mid Ohio. It may be a bit trendy and funky for this area. I am looking forward to using it for accents with cool blues, and tangerines. To tone it down and take some edge off. For linens and table top accents, it is a great expression. For bed linens and flowers, ditto.

So when you see it in your magazines take note of how this funky punch is used and compare notes with me. I am anxiously waiting a client to request it, and to embrace it for their own fresh expression.

Details, and then Maybe a Breather

I know that I have neglected you. Sorry. This holiday season has just kept me hopping. Thanksgiving is a bigger holiday than Christmas for residential interior designers. The whole "hearth" thing is a whole bunch of pressure to have all the details just right. I have had a very busy few months, and finally feel like my little family will get a breather and just have time to spend together. This is really really good.

My youngest son is driving and dropping off friends on his way back to Ohio from Vermont. I am his designated "bring him home " companion and have been talking him in. He is now less than two hours away from Sweet Ole Columbus. I am relieved and very excited.

Okay... back to design. This has been a holiday season of getting vintage trees, cozy plaid embellished trees, RED GLITZ trees, Fabulous copper/bronze and gold trees, and then playing with new lighting techniques with our own exterior. Celine and I have decided where we want our Christmas trees, where Santa will come and how much to Deck our own Halls. We have alot to do. But for now, the focus on hearth and home translates to a very homey preparation for all of Christy Collection clients. We have been successful in bringing everything in on time with no damage, and no loss. Except for 6 missing chairs, that should be here on Monday morning for delivery with split second timing. We just have a manufacturer that kind of dropped the ball, and we tried to catch it, but could not. (from this vantage point) We believe that it is all under control now, and the chairs will arrive. But with the processing of over 65 orders in the last three months with complicated COM's, trims, complex custom draperies, lighting plans, and custom finished furniture, we have done pretty well. The credit really goes to perfect execution of orders, really fine manufacturers that we work with, and close ties to customer service.

After Monday, our season may slow down a little to let us actually enjoy Christmas with our families. That is the greatest blessing of this holiday season. With only four new project starts in the last two weeks, the calm is coming. We can see it and we will welcome just a little break. Never in the history of this firm have we had so many projects with phases programmed to begin on January 1st 2010. That is good for the traditionally quieter months, and good for maintaining business levels that have been established. I am so proud of our accomplishments and look forward to a rewarding and challenging 2010. Thanks to all of you that have entrusted us with your work.

Blogging Blogging Blogging. Is anyone out there?

I guess it is very common to not have comments from those that read your blog. It begs the question, is anyone out there? I have been practicing interior design for a very long time. I have only been blogging for two months, so it is a bit of a mystery to me, how it really works?
I know that many people read that do not follow officially, and I hear that it is common for it to be this way. I usually reply to blogs because the ones I follow, I am extremely interested in, and I tend to offer up opinion or comment, but in truth, many people do not.

What a rich day today in Columbus. I accomplished most of the items on my Saturday clean up list, so that is a huge thing for me. Celine is having a great day. Baxter got his care package. Chelsea got her care package. Everything seems to be going smoothly.

Sunday is a going to be a very full day. I have a new client that I am starting a complete design concept for. That is a loving task that will take me most of the day. I love this part of the process. Getting started. So fresh and new. I have spent many hours programming and gathering information about this client, which is normal. Now the fun begins. That is why it was so important that today was full of accomplishments. I need to hit the ground running tomorrow. Because I am working at least 8 or 10 hours tomorrow, this is only a three day week. I have alot to accomplish this week, and think I must go get started on a few things right now. Thanks for tuning in.

New Moon Debut

Being the Mom with the least need for sleep, I was drafted to accompany four darling twelve year olds to New Moon tonight for its first showing. (even though I know every girl will see it six times in the next two weeks, I still agreed to do this)
And I have not even read the book.

They are gathered at the house. I am insisting on a four hour nap before we leave. So it is the time to put the hammer down and assign kids to bedrooms so that it can actually get quiet here. If you are going to be there, you will see me juggling popcorn for multitudes, and grabbing seats.

Just one of lifes moments, meant to be shared. Being a part of my daughters life is very important to me. Always.

Peace in the Valley

Okay all of you amazing people out there. I am a designer. The ones that people write about that are harried, manic, running crazy and frazzled most of the time, right? Add to that single motherhood, and the picture is pretty ... well... awful. Not so. I want to set the record straight right now. My thankfulness today is all about balance.

I keep a pretty well run ship here. No, my floors are not immaculate. No, my recycling piles up.
But the important things are done pretty well. My orders are placed immediately. My projects are met with focus, and drive to do the best for my client. My studio is pretty clean. My old samples are purged. But the really important thing of putting my client first. That is done with bravado and verve. My clients tell me that they feel it. They feel loved and respected and listened too.

Now comes the single mom part. I am supposed to miserable, right? Hot tea, or glass of red, perched on a big fluffy sofa, channel surfing and dozing through the evening. I guess that just does not describe the life that my children and I enjoy. Our house is always full. Our pantry is full and stocked. The kids and friends of friends are comfortable here, because they are totally welcome, accepted, and enjoyed. We may not have the cleanest house on the block, but the lights are always on, and the door is usually unlocked.

As a designer my life is full of events, installations, parties, fundraisers, CEU classes, and gatherings of people that I love. My clients become dear friends. My projects become love expressions of my life. It is self fulfilling. I am in the perfect place for my family and myself.

When life hands you lemons and you can continually make lemonade, it is truly a gift. I have dealt with some large changes in my life. I have faced the worst possible scenario and somehow gotten through it with grace and poise. We kind of all have to be able to do that and not shed tears. So the balance part comes in. When this little subset of my family first regrouped the most important single focus that I kept was balance. I began to balance how much I worked and how much I just spent time with my kids. I searched for ways to combine the two and just be around a bit more. In the balance, I found myself. She was there, under all the meetings, and the planned schedule and the travel. She was waiting for me to get real, and I actually did. After coming to Columbus from the recession/depression plagued Michigan I took stock of who I was and who I wanted to be. The person that I found waiting was being very patient. And she/I was ready to have a little more fun mixed in with the work that I love. So balance makes work play. Balance makes the kids laugh it off if Mac & Cheese tends to be a homecooked meal. Balance makes my kids, well, .... er... balanced too. I am grateful for balance finding me, and I was still there suviving upheaval and broken promise. Discovering the joy in my life is a wonderful thing to be thankful for.

Clients Become Such Lovely Friends

The nicest thing about residential interior design is the amazing friendships that are a result of it.
It is true. Don't laugh. Those that have survived the design and construction of a new home are laughing right now. Thinking of the countless hours of decisions, pouring over samples, deciding the least of evils, and finally, absolutely claiming the house as your own. It is wonderful how strong friendships evolve out of the sheer terror of building your own home. The designer (your guide to the new galaxy that you have entered) is your trusted liasion, your best friend and your endless supporter in this process. If you ever needed a friend, this is the time.

So today, in my quest of being ever grateful all this month, I want to salute you. My appreciation runs deep for the client that is brave, in the face of uncertainty. Strong when your whole family is freaking out. Humble when new products are introduced at market and the search begins again. And most of all laughs at herself, when maybe just one or two details are misinterpreted and the too large light fixture is installed, or the too intense of paint color is painted. Don't freak out, it is all the process.

The integrity of a designer is measured in the number of clients/friends that are intact AFTER the project is done. That is what we live for.

Christmas Rush

Most of my manufacturers cut off orders for pre Christmas arrival last week. I am rushing and pushing to get just a last few clients orders in to satisfy their holiday needs.
Begging, cajoling, reworking orders, meeting with installers, remeasuring and calculating to affirm custom orders when you are pushing everyone is essential. Too often a designer can make mistakes by not double checking when under the gun.

I accomplished alot today in this gorgeous sunlight of Columbus. Driving around, meeting quickly to wrap up client needs, and then spending the rest of the day on the phone and on email assuring quality. What a rush when the answer ends up being yes. Or the negotiation takes over and we try to find another way. Victory on many fields today. This should make everyone happy, and get us into the rush of our last Holiday Decor job installation tomorrow morning.

The Christmas Rush is on.

Design has to Live with you

I get asked to design beautiful spaces everyday. The truth is that beautiful only lasts if you can live with it, clean it, and it is a space that truly functions for you, your family and friends.

In the 1900's Sullivan said "Form follows Function". Those are words that good designers live by. The most rewarding interiors are those that work for the person who will live there or work there. If it does not actually function for the tasks that are done in the space, it is not a success.

I have done lectures at the Elementary and Middle School level about Bauhaus Design for years. I always start by talking about the chairs that they sit in. I measure the size of the chair, and ask the children why the chair is 17" tall at seat height? They never thought about it. When you start to define why the parts that make up the classroom are the size and shapes that they are, the children start to relate to what furniture design and interior design are all about. When they understand the components and the active ingredients in an interior, they begin to be creative.

I knew when I was 12 years old that I wanted to be an interior designer. I designed and redesigned my bedroom so many times that it was getting a bit strange. I remember going through a phase when I wanted everything in my room to hang from the ceiling. Luckily I never even got that one started. My Mom said no. I wanted to experiment and explore what was creative and fun in environments. The desire never leaves you as a designer. When you have clients with real life demands on their spaces, you end up with programming that challenges you, and the desire to make the spaces fit the client, be within budget and then they also are beautiful is a very good thing.

I remember the first few interiors that I did. I was very very young. A recent graduate of interior design school, and so excited as each piece came in to the warehouse. I would personally inspect each piece. Then have the warehouseman carefully rewrap it so that it would not get dirty before it was delivered. I still do that to this day. The really great thing, is that I am still really excited. I envision the interior while it is being planned. I can see it in the space. My imagination is so strong, that when parts or pieces are delayed because of budget, I still see it complete. It must be an unusual skill, as I have never heard of anyone else doing this. It tends to make me very patient with a client that has to postpone projects. I know that it will be beautiful, and I have it all in my head. I can wait. Usually it is more difficult for the client to be so patient.

This is a hectic time of year. I have 8 projects that are due to land at the warehouse in the next few weeks. Each one has the details handled. Each one has delivery scheduled. Each one has it's own set of demands, creative push, and deadlines to meet. Each one is another creation that is being realized.

My clients are getting ready to welcome friends and familes into their homes. They are excited to have new pieces for them to sit on, eat at, view from afar, or be in the midst of. It is really fun to be a part of all of this creative thinking. It almost feels like I will be at all of their parties, and their gatherings. I feel very much a part of it all.

Fun Productive Day

Okay, so I get accused of never taking a break. Well at least not in "high season". But today I did just that. Well I did work for four or five hours, but that sure seemed easy compared to the last four months.

I saw a really fun movie tonight with a darling friend. It was full of great music, great spirit, and more than a few memories. "Pirate Radio" is a really good movie. The music just kept taking everyone back to a time or place that was unforgettable. The spirit of the movie is that music and how important it was then (the late 60's) and now. Phillip Hoffman Seymour is an amazing actor. But in this film he kind of gets it. I kept thinking of my children and how much rock and roll means to each one of them in different ways. They will all enjoy this moive, but mostly Baxter. The energy of it is quite good.

So tomorrow I hit it hard again. I have deadlines to meet, and projects to finish. But tonight it sure was fun to sit back and be entertained. And I heard that the OSU Bucks won in overtime. Now everyone in Columbus is happy.

Fall Weather Fall Color

The warm spectrum of colors is extremely inviting. Who does not look at coppers, bronzes, deep browns, and soft maples and not feel that the colors invite them into a space? This time of year we are bombarded in retail settings with ensembles that are full of warmth and richness that carry us into them, and we don't even know why. The leaves change outside, and all the greens go dramatic on us. As they do we marvel at the combinations on the horizon, or take train trips to see "fall color". Or we go to ski resorts and go up mountains on gondolas to look at "fall color". We are starting to pull out the wool sweaters, the plaid skirts, the leather jackets and getting cozy in our homes by starting a fire in the fireplace, and enjoying longer nights. This time of year is very short. Soon Christmas over rides the color pallette with much livlier displays of wrap and tinsel. So now we kind of bask in just getting ready for a family dinner around a turkey with lots of pies. I kind of like this bit of pause. I feel it every year. I prepare the house for larger gatherings of people and I am full of expectation for a family experience of just being together again.

So today as I focus on my gratefulness, I want to stop and enjoy the family hearth. The memories of lots of Thanksgivings and fall days full of cider mills, apple picking, and baking Grandma Wards apple dumplings for expectant children. I pause and think about these things and remember to make memories for all the little people that are in my life that are counting on me to give them this training. It really is the responsibility of the Mom figure to do this for the kids. We build this hearth. When things get rocky or tough, we rebuild it with different stones, or bricks or whatever material we can pull together. But we never waiver in the goal of creating a place for family to gather, even as family changes, regroups, and becomes a different group. It is all part of the growth of life. So I would like to be grateful for being able to celebrate it all.

Design Fridays

Fridays in a design practice are catch up days. All of your paperwork piles up and you file, date stamp, enter figures into logs, pay all unpaid invoices, freight bills, and verify shipping. Wire transferring money is also a Friday thing. It always feels so good to have this day to get all the loose ends pulled tight so that you enter the weekend with a clean desk and bins ready for weekend meetings.

Then life happens. The turn off guys for the sprinkler system show up. The mail delivery dude has a certified letter of new terms (better) for one of your manufacturers. The dog annoys a neighbor. The filing pile is unusually high. Faxes need to be sent remotely. A few invoices need to be paid directly and in person to avoid losing early discounting. Samples have to be returned. Checks need to be picked up to wire transfer funds to Indonesia for a pending order. Freight forwarders call from Beijing just as you are starting a phone conversation with a snag in an order.

The day kind of gets away from you, and the piles are still there. That is when you realize that you never ate your yogurt this morning, and your sugar is probably dropping too. So in my state of grace, and taking advice from one of my oldest and dearest friends, Dan Warmels, I slow down the process. I begin by finishing the frantic phone call. I put one foot in front of the other and focus on what I need to get done, and what I must get done. Remembering that sacrificing quality is never an option.

And then I realize that Friday goes until midnight, and my breathing gets slower. I actually can accomplish all of this wonderful work, without missing a beat. And the miracle happens and the work gets done.

Being Grateful Every Day in November

This concept was presented to me by one of my 500 friends on Facebook. Practicing being grateful every day of November. This focus is a good one. I have been aware of being grateful for a few years now. Being grateful for the good in bad situations. Being grateful for progress, maybe not always perfect, but progress is something to celebrate for it's own sake.

So now that November is almost half over, I wanted to reach out to my fellow bloggers and talk about the state of Grace or Gratefulness. Sounds easy, and it really is. Recently when driving with a dear friend, a car careened across 270 towards us, almost going sideways. As she slammed on the brakes and started screaming, the car passed behind us and hit the guardrail behind us. I spoke softly " Thank you for keeping us safe. Thank you for protecting us." My
friend started laughing. To be grateful when your life flashes in front of your eyes was a new concept for her. Of course, my attitudes about life have always amazed her. Being fearless. Never waivering in my pursuit of design excellence, no matter what. Living a full, joy filled life continually without regret, or sadness. Those are all steadfast goals and ones that I hold dear.

So when we got to the restaurant or the store or whatever our destination was, I took a moment and whispered a small prayer of thanks again for the beautiful moment of - SURVIVAL and HOPE. And I also said a small prayer of thanks for my dear friend and her strong skills at life
and embracing the moment. Just help her find inner peace, I prayed. And next time, let me drive.


'

Busy Week

I have to apologize to my dedicated bloggers for being way too busy this week. Busy is good, but in the world of design, not missing details, following through, and absolute design excellence is so important that one must use ones time wisely.

I have to share with you the joys of a week in Columbus knee deep in excellence in design. Christy Collection Inc. has the pleasure of progressing on 10 current projects that have graced our door. From creating a fitness center in an expansive New Albany home, to the delight of creating Zen space and a luscious oasis of a Master Suite in an inspiring new clients home, we have moved into the realm of total creativity this week. There is nothing more satisfying than getting people genuinely excited about their own environment. Exploring possibilites, and creating these ideas into reality. I have the pleasure of working with excellence in peers with common direction and dedication to excellence.

We are nearing occupancy of a dramatic and beautiful Arts and Crafts / adapted to urban living condo in the Short North. Seeing a custom designed spiral staircase, custom tile work, expansive views of downtown Columbus framed by gorgeous highly figured Hickory floors, and lofty ceilings, just about connects all the dots for me personally. I am so proud to be involved in the creation of this amazing space. The best is yet to come. Furniture will arrive within a few weeks and the stage is set for a dynamic couple to take center stage in this fabulous home. I also hear that I get the first Martini mixed in this space. What more can an aspiring designer ask for?

Christy Collection is almost wrapping up their Holiday Decor for the season. I have been forced to slim down my clients served this year, due to a crazy, busy and full schedule. The 10,000 + square foot home completed today celebrates four years of creating holiday for one of the more darling couples in New Albany. Two level mantels, sweeping staircases with bridges and cathedral ceilings all adorned with 14" diameter garlands, embellished with fruit, berries and gorgeous satin bows. 15' Trees popping with reds, golds, and lime green are framed with two and one half story windows looking on the back pool complex. German Stein Nutcrackers are placed in groupings of historical signifigance. Waterford crystal egg collections twinkle in the cascade of white lights, boughs of evergreen, boxwood, winter red roses, and bittersweet. It does not get better than this in the world of Holiday Decor. This home is not only a masterpiece in itself, but when the Halls are Decked and the candles are lit, it can honestly take your breath away. We are so proud to serve this family and prepare them for holiday entertaining.

Next week Holiday Decor installations will conclude with the creation of one of my favorite client's in New Albany's magnificent home. Again, it is our fourth year of completing special holiday spaces for this generous and full spirited family and their friends and family. Beautiful family hearth trees, sweeping garlands of winter flowers, vines, and ribbons adorn a brass railed staircase with marble foyer. The Entry tree is vintage, with antigue mercury bulbs and vintage drops of pearl and crystal. The site is amazing. Peach, pale green, pearl, watery mercury silver, and washed gold create a shimmer that is difficult to describe. All spaces in their home are family spaces. Down cushions and snuggly spaces give this close family room to just be together and enjoy the season.

It is with extreme pleasure that we continue to serve the Columbus area with fine design, competitive product pricing, and integrity of service. I am honored to be here and be a part of all of the good that is happening all around me.

Thanks for letting us into your life.

Exploring Design Options

As designers, often we get challenged to think outside our own skin and feel the design in a different way. Sometimes the client is just right. One always likes to think that they are so thorough and complete in their research that we cannot be second guessed into another decision. And sometimes we are wrong. I get remined everyday that the process of design and good decision making lies in our process, but also in the process that our client can grasp and accept. Sometimes it just takes longer. Sometimes it keeps getting better.

I think that some clients "see" their space better than we ever will. We can lead them, but they have to move at their own pace, and reach their decisions with a comfort zone that they understand. I once had a client that told me that he "wanted to see every option". We spent two months choosing textiles, and color schemes for a very important floor of his building. At the time, I felt frustration, an overwhelming sense that time was being wasted, and an enormous amount of money was being spent on a riduculous exercise. Later, as the building came together, I realized that even though he did go back to all of my suggestions, he was just going through his own process of acceptance. He seemed to be a scientist eliminating combinations that could not work. He had to do this. He was happy to spend design dollars doing it, and who was I to judge? So when a client inserts their own form of decision making into a project and slows it down to a crawl, now I smile. The results do not usually change much. But the satisfaction of a client of this type, is amazing. They are suddenly comfortable with your approach and much more reasonable through the rest of the project. They kind of have a slow buy in and need to be involved with details to develope a trust for our talents and our perspective.

Later, it has always been worth it.

Bali Style

I was lent a beautiful coffee table book by a brand new client. She and I have so much in common, it is a little uncanny. She loves travel, feels that living with the natives is much more fun, and wants to give something back for all the riches that we experience in this country.

When she lent me the book, I instantly started tearing through it for ideas for the orphanage and school that I am building and designing in Bali Indonesia. The detail in the book is amazing. The overwhelming theme in the book is tropical dream houses. Could not be more fitting. From a large polished teak platform with translucent draperies surrounding the sleep space, and batiked pillows piled high it is easy to see gazing out from these soft surroundings with morning eyes and feeling refreshed and new. There just happens to be a lot of lounging in this cultural environ. The temperatures are warm during the day, and it is easier to take a mid day siesta and wake refreshed to enjoy the trade winds of night. Woven thatch lets out the heat, and shades you from the sun. Ceiling fans rotate continuously to a lazy drone. The foilage is lush and wet from a
recent downpour that lasted ten minutes and the sun is attempting to dry the droplets from all the broadleaf trees around you. Carvings are found everywhere into teak, or local soft wood.
The moisture of the tropical climate make it easy to carve the teak in to complicated flowers, foilage and decorative relief. When painted with traditional Indoesian paints of bright colors, the carved surfaces take on a lighthearted quality that only adds the cheerfulness of the whole culture.

The use of water in Indonesian structures reminds us that the rains, and the flow of water are part of the culture. Brief showers, pools of water, waterfalls, rushing streams and trickles of water are incorporated into most architecture. With the water comes the flowers. Orchids, any tropical flower that you have ever seen, they are all here. Nature blends into man made buildings with the softness of woven thatch supported by coconut columns, and framed with teak carvings. When it rains the water drips off the individual frons of the thatch and dripples quietly to the ground. It is quickly absorbed and leaves only green carpeting of moss, and fine tiny leaves in its place. Oftentimes lighting plays with the natural architecture of the Indonesian structure. It enflames the water, accentuates the weaving of the thatch and the detail of the carvings. Pathways are typically lit with small votive type solar lighting that can go anywhere and illuminate anything in the night. The sun is everywhere. It is powerful in this climate and bakes the natural elements to a soft patina.

Man made handicrafts separate this tropical environment from other islands. Carved stone, bamboo furniture, printed textiles, woven Ata Grass baskets, and other storage vessels are everywhere with thier architectural take on basket weaving. The Ata Grass is strong and waterproof, making it perfect for use for office storage, and architectural baskets in kitchens, and baths. Where the Ata Grass comes from is at the tip of the island of Bali. It is a strange campfire based little culture where chickens dyed bright yellow, hot pink and cerulean blue are normal pets. The campfire is central to life in this village. All the baskets are woven around these fires and carry the scent of the fire with them. When visiting the village, one must pause and pay respect to the original craft that lives here. The pace is slow, and the village is quiet. It is truly one of my favorite places on the island.

As I leaf through this book, devouring the beautiful pages and taking endless notes, I am reminded just how vast this endeavor really is. To create an expression of a culture in that culture with so many artisans nearby, I am challenged to let the artists become involved and help in this creation for the Children of Bali. Now I need to figure out how to do this in an expeditious way. The tasks laid out before me of hiring an Indonesian Architect, working with in
the framework of the needs of the school and the orphanage, and creating a place of peace and beauty sounds like a wonderful thing to do with the next chapter of my life. I am very excited about this personal challenge. Stay tuned.

The Compliment of the Referral

If I forget to say thank you enough for all the wonderful referrals that I constantly receive, let me say it now. Thank you to all that entrust me with the responsibility of doing it right again. And for those you love.

This has been an amazing season of new clients, referred clients and clients continuing with their homes with more and more areas. We are having so much fun. And doing great work.

I just want to make sure that I recognize those that have the faith in us to recommend us to friends and family. What a blessing you are in our lives.

Thanks again.

Connie Lane Christy, ASID

Elegant Holiday Entertaining starts NOW

So it is really that time of year. Whether you want to believe it or not the holidays are descending upon us, and we have to prepare, as busy execs, to be able to do all of this seamlessly and flawlessly.

Setting the holiday itinerary is always the most difficult for most families. Herding older children home for some semblance of celebration together, with work schedules, vacation schedules and committments to spouse or partner family functions. If you can carve out a day or two during the Thanksgiving/Christmas/New Years rush, consider yourself thankful and lucky. I have had it happend only successfully once in the past seven years. Of course, in my case, divorce has caused some extenuating circumstances that don't seem to go away. Every family has it's story and mine is no different than half of the population with step parenting, non custodial parenting, and shared parenting, it has become a difficult balancing act of respect and a sense of fairness. So sit down with those calendars, negotiate with everyone and try to come up with "family time" whatever structure your family may have.

Once you have that calendar set, you can begin to decide what you will do with those precious hours or days. What family favorites to cook. Which family traditions to keep and which ones to forget about with limited time. If cooking something extremely complicated takes you away from the action, and out of reach, opt for something simpler. Your presence is much more important than anything someone would like to eat. I have learned that one the hard way. Being the "dream maker" for a family of seven made me miss out on the simple moments, and now I just don't do it anymore. Valuable time with my family is just too darn.... valuable.

Getting your holiday decor up and in place early really helps the season fall into place. With Thanksgiving so late this year, alot of families are getting really organized and installing holiday decor next week. (that is when my season hits the speeding zone) There is just too much to do as the holidays get closer to worry about Decking the Halls. Now that there are so many life like options available, there is no real reason to wait and put up the tree on Christmas Eve like our forefathers did. (they were worried about a dry tree because they had candles on it) We also see people remove their holiday decor the first week of January. It is over and they have enjoyed it, and it is done. We have a take down calendar that is much more aggressive than our installation calendar. When it is done, it is done. And we remove it, quickly.

I have simplified the Holidays for my sake, and the sake of not missing a moment with my kids. I have always done nine trees, every mantle, lit candles every night and enjoyed every room of my house by having a view of a tree from every vantage point. It is glorious, it is beautiful and it will have to wait for next year. This year my business has grown to a point that we will probably only enjoy two or three trees. We also plan to visit family out of state during the season and will enjoy their houses and their decor. I have a real need for family this year. Even if part of it is adopted just like family friends that have enriched my life beyond reason. They will get lots of my attention this year. And next year when we are in a little less crazy growing time, maybe we will be in that larger house, with nine trees again, and everyone will come to visit us. That will be a nice thing to think about.

Buttercream Walls

In creating overall background colors for large residential pallettes, the whole picture must be established. Analyze furniture wood tones, textile colors, accents established. If none of those have been determined, then look to client taste, clothing worn, areas of the home that are most used, and why, lifestyle influences (does the client only use this home at certain times of the year? Are the formal spaces left vacant and unused? Is the whole house used everyday, for multiple types of users? (children, pets, those working at home?) As this profile of interaction takes shape, you begin to see a color scheme emerge.

I am using Buttercream as a basis for a very active family. Their textiles are mostly woven patterns (hide soil, impervious to daily wear and tear). The use of leather is optimal. (highest wear areas like barstools, family room lounge furniture, ottomans) The warm and mellow yellow give a warm basis for a color scheme of action, and comfort for this busy family. In using an eggshell finish, we offer a washability factor with out a sheen in the walls. Add to that semi gloss trim in a warm off white neutral. Deeper tones are chosen for true family spaces. Using faux finishes under chair rails for drama (with 10' and 11' ceiling height, make sure the faux does not get too dark, or the effect is unsettling - too weighted down) The color pallette takes shape in the warmer butter tones with warm undertones of caramel and warmer dark beige.

The color scheme is shaping up. Textiles begin to be pulled. Woven patterns are inter connected with large, med and small patterns mixed to create interest and increase wearability. All fabrics are selected with many factors considered. Cleaning codes, fiber content, wear rating (double rubs testing), and inherent hand or feelability. These are the critical selections of the house. Without the right fabrics, rooms cannot function. Without wearability the fabrics fail and replacement is necessary very quickly.

As the textiles pull the house together, area rugs are chosen, and furniture styles are inputed. There is such a wide range of period specific furniture available today at good pricing levels. Look for detail in American made pieces, and interesting faux finishes from imported pieces (easier to get consistency from supplier to supplier if faux finishes are used with imported pieces - that is why manufacturers do it.) If you do not see detail photos of pieces that you are buying, ask your designer if it is American made or imported. What you will find is that carving and wood details on imported pieces tend to be simpler and larger. We still do our best carving and forming of cabriole legs, amimal footed pieces and decorative details with carvers here in the United States. I am not saying that this part of the industry will not change quickly, it will. Right now we have the edge, as we have been doing it longer and the standards are accepted easier here, for now.

Follow American furniture manufacturers and the product lines that they carry that are made here. Century Furniture has a huge offering. So does Hickory White, Harden, Baker, and McGuire. All of the product lines above use some imported pieces to round out their product offering. But if you seek them out, the beautiful details in American carved pieces can still be found.

Columbus Business is Rocking

For all of those that would say that Ohio is in a down economy and everyone is suffering, I have to say that the Design World is healthy and strong. I have never seen this much movement in new projects, new interest in real estate, and the remodeling of existing structures. We are in a very comfortable situation with new projects and continuation of existing client work.

I have seen several sectors of the economy speeding up in the last thirty days. From the retail clerks who service us, to the manufacturers that cater to our industry, everyone seems to feel that the economy is doing much better.

The linking of all lead sources on line have also helped. This Blog, Linked In, our website and our Facebook page all hold hands to reinforce what we are accomplishing with our client base.
We are very excited to see all of these lead sources working together for us to get our story out there and help clients discern between the differences of firms.

We are certainly having fun in mid Ohio. Moving full swing into the holidays.

Design is BOOMING

I am oftentimes reminded that in a tough economy, those that are busy are the ones that tend to have a really good business model, receive good referrals, and continually raise the bar on the quality of their own work. While living, working, and breathing the Michigan economy for over 20 years, I was reminded that my luck, was not really luck, but all the things above.

Residential Design is a frontier that seems to be a mystery to many people. The Designers tend to be a "smoke and mirrors" kind of group. They are extemely talented, have protected sources, have very faithful suppliers, installers and craftspeople at their fingertips. As these designers practice their craft, they continually dazzle people with their approach to vanilla boxes. I always felt that my design sense was more logic than magic, but lately the magic seems to be revealing itself. I have a growing loyal and logical clientele that are experiencing magic at the hands of Christy Collection Inc. We are having so much fun delivering very creative environments that solve problems, create family spaces, and are fun to entertain in. I keep focus on good discounting from suppliers, good pricing to clients, on time and accurate delivery, meeting deadlines, and never letting anyone down. The creative side can be taken for granted, until a big "WHOOSSHHH" occurs and an interior is installed. It all comes together with ease, perfection, no nonsense install and quality at every step. I get to step back, enjoy the view for a moment, while the next phase is planned, ordered, received, detailed instructions are given, and "WHOOSSHHH" it happens again. Continually surprising myself, and the juices keep flowing.

I always tend to reach out to my client and thank them for letting us into their lives. Without them the joy of accomplishment would not be as keen. To solve problems, create beauty and meet budgets and timing deadlines, is truly a thing of joy. Thank you to those of you that let us in. We are continually growing, stretching our limits and reaching higher goals. I am very proud of all that has happened to us since our arrival on the Columbus Design Scene. It is a thrill to be here.