Approaching the end of a year of wonderful clients

I cannot help but look back on this past year with wonder.
I have so many great memories of achievments made with the best clientele in the world.

My clients speak. My clients share.
I am lucky enough to be there to help them realize dreams and make their homes or their
offices special and productive for them.

I continue to marvel at how amazing this market this is for great design and great changes in
lives. The accomplishments are many. The gratification is immense. Thank you for sharing
your lives with me.

2010 is almost over, and it was landmark for Christy Collection

Sorry for the hiatus from this blog! I have been so busy with fabulous design work in Columbus that I honestly did not feel I could take the time for this ten minutes a day.

Not a great reason. What prompted me to get back on it, was the explosion of quotes and sections borrowed from my blog for National publications because of my words!! I had no idea that I would reach so many people because of constant, and painstaking writing of my own ideas and my own creations. I am so pleased, so flabbergasted by this response!

So here starts 2011 with a BANG! So much more to say to the world about what I do for others! I am so excited, that my words are becoming jumbled at the thought of it all!

This past year has been landmark for Christy Collection Inc. The next year is looking amazing now, before it has even started!

First of course is the launch of our new studio in the Short North. I have vowed to be a slave to my clients not to a space, so it will be by appointment only! Not a great committment, you may think! But it is just the opposite. As I add employees they too will be with clients, or serving clients and will not be manning a studio, or waiting for a walk - in. Our focus is YOU, and will always be YOU! I say that with every true intention and focus of service and perfection.

Thank you my dear dear clients that have become dear dear friends! This year is on the record books as a true breakthrough for me personally and professionally. And it is all because of you.

My thanks can never be enough. But my service will be there. I will always serve you with my whole being. My committment to you, always!

This Glorious City Rocks for Interior Design!

While I work nonstop and create beautiful interiors I am reminded every moment how easy it is to do business in Columbus Ohio. Designers are well respected. Resources consider us central and upscale. Designers have a chance to make a difference in the lives of everyday people that need help navigating the aspects of building a new home, renovating instead of moving, and making their living environment beautiful for thier family.

Our contract work is growing. Our residential work is off the charts!

I am grateful everyday for the chance to work with wonderful people, and change their lives.

The school year is almost upon us, and we are trying to finish up projects that will ease the back to school burden of less time with our kids.

Enjoy the waning days of summer, and make that project at home a reality. Call on Christy Collection Inc. to help you through the decisions that scare you. Use our expertise to create beauty where you work and live.

Summer Design Time, Summer creative time.

I have always loved the beginning of August. Kids are still knee deep in summer vacation, but the end is near. Conversations start about "back to school" and parents start to visualize having more schedules to keep with their kids. Practices start. Home becomes an active beehive again.

Christy Collection Inc. has been extremely busy for the last three months. I keep thinking things will slow down, but referrals are very strong. And the heat of summer gets people either socked in to air conditioned rooms where they realize that there is work to do. Or into pool complexes in back yards that remind them that outdoor living also needs to be beautiful!

Either way, we are staying busy with change and creativity at the family level. Either way, we are needed to direct and supply the creativity to implement change. Either way, design leads and we are there!

Interior Design With Christy Collection in Columbus

We are knee deep in some amazing design projects. We are sorting through notes, checking figures, finalizing custom quotes and generating proposals for amazing clients. This spring to summer season is more manic than most. We cannot help but believe that our lovely clients have woken from a short nap of worry and discontent. Now they see that indoor spaces and outdoor spaces must be joined. Now they are sharing the open windows, or hot day air conditioned rooms with children enjoying every inch of the house during summer.

We love almost summer in Columbus. We put tops down on our convertibles, pull out the patio umbrellas, and water our planters, every day. Our children watch dinner emerge from the grill and the refrigerator, trying not to turn on the oven. Our families gather around platters of corn on the cob and large bowls of potatoe salad. We all marvel at wet bathing suits hung over the backs of chairs, and children with more energy than we ever remember possessing. We soak up the last remnants of sun in a day, save time for weeding, and remember how truly short summer is. Ninety days of summer vacation goes by so quickly that before we know it 4th of July is over and and we are knee deep in August. We all long to stretch this out. We all long to just hang out with our babies, and bask in their summer spirit.

Design is all about living. Design supports our attitudes, our dreams and our play time.
Design is not about fussy and worrying about ruining fragile items. Design is about living in a space and not stopping to tell someone to take their shoes off, or stop drinking their lemonade in that area. Good design works with the space. It supports all the functions that take place and does not make us make adjustments.

There is nothing more luscious than entertaining with seamless ease. There is nothing more relaxing than just enjoying family and friends with laughter and a light heart. Design supports the best in life.

Design is a Vehicle for Change

Very few things in life are permanent. I know that large purchases seem like it, but in reality, we all have changes in our lives that necessitate making changes in our environment.

We all remember adding a first child (big changes!). Then multiple children, and more changes. Then other things happen. Parents get older and need help. Spouses get older and need help. The world revolves around us and helps us to see that change is good, and most importantly we can do it.

As a designer, I embrace the change of others. I adjust interiors to support life changes. I help with Universal design when physical abilities change. I make beautiful interiors that are kid friendly spaces that work for the whole population of your life. When we change and address it with form following function, everyone can live in peace.

It is when we do not embrace change that the tough stuff starts. Furniture that is too fragile. Finishes that do not hold up to abuse. Flooring that is not slip resistant enough, or washable enough. Textiles that do not hold up to wearability needs, waterproof needs, or wipeability needs. Being a problem solver in design is necessary and just a part of the job. There are no problems that problem solvers cannot tackle. There are so many beautiful choices that are not secondary at all, but can lead decisions.

And then there is the green movement. The biggest problem in our environment can be traced back to yards and yards of non recylceable carpeting that lays in landfills and will never go away. We are smarter now. We address issues and make it all a part of the process.

I applaud problem solving designers. Lets prove that good design makes sense and makes lives easier. Lets embrace solving problems from the specification phase, not the installation phase. It is the only design attitude that really works in a life full of change.

When Design is Not Enough

Good interior designers face a huge question every day. How do I tell a client that the existing furniture in their space is counter productive to their goals? How do I tell them Great Aunt Jean's Dining Table is just not going to work? How do I tell them that updating does not mean new throw pillows, but actual replacement of some expensive pieces?

We have all faced it. Not insulting our client, but telling them the truth. Not hurting their feelings, but not spending money to fix something that is not really fixable.

I believe that the "smoke and mirrors" that some designers play with all comes apart when honesty and integrity are part of your practice. No one deserves to be lied too. No one deserves to think that something will happen, that you know will not and cannot. YOU are the keeper of your code. YOU are the end of the line for design decisions, and you must tell the truth.

I have faced this more than once with clients getting ready to spend serious money to make an antique work. I have faced it continually when a client is attached to an out of scale, or out of sync wood piece, or upholstered piece. We have to be the gate keepers of our own integrity. Telling the truth and reacting with truth early on is easier than later.

Later is expensive. Later is a lie.

I approach every discussion with a client as a potential moment of truth. I approach every discussion as a potential learning experience for everyone, and would not want a client to miss the chance to grow. So lets embrace it, lets get to it, and lets do the right thing. Even if it means that the job is not ours. Telling the truth will always win in the end.

Connie Lane Christy Recieves Award for Chapter of ASID

Monday in Chicago, during Neocon, a Chapter Community Service Award was announced to the National Board of ASID. Columbus has never won a National Award before. This is big stuff.

Our faithful team of volunteers gave endless hours and dollars to do a transitional Housing Unit for New Horizons (of Southeast Inc.) on Mound Street in Columbus.

For ASID, excellence is expected and routinely what we do. For Columbus, we felt it was about time to bring one home for the city.

If you want to see the project, let us know. We are so very proud. This kind of design work changes lives. If we cannot do that, we have no business being in this industry.

Thanks for the recognition National Board of ASID. Chicago is a great place to give awards for work in a city that is ripe for the blessing.

Victorian Village Home Tour 2010

We are being honored once again with the selection of one of our interiors for a featured home on the Victorian Village Home Tour in September. We were informed that Columbus Monthly will be writing an article about this particular special home, and publishing it in July or August of 2010. We are humbled by the recognition.

The project is actually a new build by Richard Bruggeman as the developer.
Richard brought over 40 years of expertise, gregarious creation, and his own brand of Urban Chic to play in the three cluster condos on Brickel.

We were lucky as a design firm to get involved early enough to impact design details in the spaces, and extremely fortunate to be involved to the final details in one of them.

Our Art Deco meets Arts & Crafts condo that is being featured is lovingly owned by two gentlemen that absolutely get it. Design is a way of life for them. I had the distinct pleasure to work with them on all aspects of the environment. They are an ideal client. Educated, empowered to experience interior spaces with humor and play.

Hopefully you will all read the article as it comes out. Please visit us on the tour. I am trying to be in the house to answer questions.

Pick up, Sort Out and Clear Cobwebs from Spaces

Ever wonder why people have yard sales? I have never understood it. I am a big donater, and prefer to use unwanted articles to help those that might benefit from them. But recently I started to understand this "yard sale" mentality as a process of letting go.

By putting a price tag on our old things, our memories and our discards, we reinforce to ourselves and to others that they are worthy of considering, and of value to purchase. When I donate the same articles that others might sell, I never see the joy of someone getting them. I never see the face of discovery as they "come onto them". Maybe that helps the giver to let go of it, and think that it is part of someone elses life. That might just be easier for them to do.

I have never been a pack rat. When I am in the early stages of design and my programming phase is in full speed ahead momentum, there usually comes a time when the discussion of purging and cleaning out is brought up. This might be when I bring in a professional organizer, or a Closet Designer to help with the letting go. Image/Wardrobe consultants are also very helpful in this concern. Alot of clients have a difficult time letting their possessions go. Pretty soon the closets are well designed, and bursting at the seams again. There must be a process that we always adhere too where we just let go, over and over again. When you donate items that still have tags on them, it is a sure sign that something is out of kilter. When pack rat sees that they instantly put it back in the closet and treasure more.

So professional organizers, Closet Consultants, and Image Consultants thank you for stepping in and making this process less painful. I do not know what I would have done without you during my tenure as an interior designer. We tend to like to keep collections, clutter and prize possessions displayed tastefully and not in an overwhelming sort of way. You make us look good.

Columus Ohio Interior Design that Works for YOU

As summer goes full tilt, I keep reminding my clients how design is a balancing act.

Design to enjoy these beautiful summer days. Design to enjoy your family outside, and inside. We know that this weather is precious. We know that doing outdoor rooms, and outdoor spaces to dovetail with our interiors makes the inside and outside speak the same language. That is not only fun (yes that matters with design!) but also easy to do.

The outdoor room, with outdoor art, plantings and COLOR can change your outlook, give you a breather, and recharge those winter batteries. Take the time to enjoy the outdoor space that we create together. Plan outdoor entertaining. Plan outdoor down time (put it on your schedule) and take a moment every morning to eat your oatmeal outside, drink your coffee outside,
or read the paper. (the Kindle has pretty good resolution in direct sunlight, but I hear that Sony's equivalent also has good bright direct sun reading quality!)

I believe that one reason that mid westerners have such great attitudes is our seasonal weather changes. We see beginnings and endings and accept them, and make the most of them! That is not only an attitude, but a way of life! Seasons ebbing and flowing. Life moving on.

Design is an important aspect of how you live. Design is a part of all of it, and a HUGE part of living well!

Making a Difference, One Goal at a Time

When ASID Columbus Chapter won the National Award for Community Outreach 2009, just last week. I think we were all kind of stunned. In the actual analysis of it all, the whole project, though consuming was really not difficult. It was just 100 volunteers coming together to change the circumstances of 4 women in Columbus at a time. Not such a huge endeavor. But when you stop to think about it, the residents change every 6 months. So our little project influences 8 women a year in Columbus Ohio. Add the other two townhouses that ASID did in previous years and that multiplies to 24 women a year that we help EVERY year, forever. Now the numbers start to get more interesting.

I have recently begun a pilgrimage to convince HGTV to let us do this Nationally and have a show that focuses on our giving back through ASID. I am emailing them continuously and asking for the chance to make a difference. So far, I do not have a contact person, but do not intend to give up this idea, or this chance to make the multipliers soar!! Just focus for a moment on helping 24 women a year in every major city in the United States. Just us. Just ASID. That is no longer "a drop in the ocean", but a strong trickle of giving back.

Interior Design in Columbus Ohio is EXCITING

Interior Design and it's influence is amazingly important in Columbus Ohio. Recently rated in the top ten of the best big cities to live in, Columbus is home to many noteworthy interior design projects and firms.

A city of it's size is usually dominated by large architectural firms with subsets of interior design. That is not really the case here in Columbus. Interior Designers that are members of ASID are clearly the most influencial and educated. They make up the majority of larger firms all star cast. Small single firms are populated by designers that have hung out a shingle with a particular interest or craft. This happens routinely in a state with no licensing in it's legislature for interior design. It can become a problem if the public sees all designers as equal, in spite of education, experience, and vitae. CEU's have alot to do with keeping designers current in their industry. ASID offers many CEU courses all throughout the year. It was mentioned at the first meeting for ASID in January, that you could obtain all of your required CEU credits within the first four months of 2010 by just attending our regular meetings. A nice part of belonging and qualifying as a professional member, is the high standard that you are held too as a professional.

I enjoy the ying and yang of living in Columbus Ohio as a designer. Typically a larger city will house many reps that travel the area to other firms. This is particularly true of Columbus. Most of the major reps live here and travel to Cincinnati, Cleveland, Dayton, Toledo and all the surrounding areas. Since they nest here, we get supported by them routinely, which is really nice.

Interior Design Projects of Spring

Spring has created a glut of creativing in Christy Collection Inc. We are having fun approaching new projects with a clear sense of fresh new "green" color schemes.

Our latest projects are new and different. We have some younger clients coming on board. The tech side of what we do has been very interesting. Some clients are more tied in to having access to wireless in every aspect of thier lives. We see the blackberries, ipads, iphones, and laptops being carried on the jobsite to record every aspect of construction. Document the photo collections to family members and friends. We see our photos everywhere.

Interior Design just keeps getting better in Columbus.

Interior Design in Columbus Ohio is AMAZING

Today has been one of those days where I have not hit the office until right now. That is a great thing. Meetings with new clients, research on projects, meeting people on site to look at progress from builders and contractors.

I did have an amazing Strategic Business Introductions event with 8 new members of eWomen Network. It went amazingly well. We all have so much to learn about each other. I am enjoying the connections.

Tonight is going to be totally social. So my work is going to have to wait.

In the middle of another whole house project. Interesting client. Great communication. I am enjoying the color scheme (aqua and buttercream) almost sounds edible. I think it is a very liveable combination. Existing furniture is being reupholstered (always fun to get a chance to introduce change to loved pieces) and new trims and details are being added to accentuate all the right lines. This is one of those projects that seems to haunt me when I put it down. The colors kind of stay in my head and I can see new combinations that just say SPRING.

My clients are the best in Columbus. I have fun with them every day.

Christy Collection Interior Design in Columbus Ohio

So this so called recession is past us and we can all feel better about being successful and not feeling it, right? Somehow it missed this little berg of Columbus Ohio.

Christy Collection Inc. is thrilled to be a growing vibrant force in the Interior Design Community that we share. Our projects are always our expression about ourselves, our vision, and our extreme talent.

Join us on our website www.christycollectioninc.com, and watch us grow.

Columbus Ohio is a wonderful place to live and work. We are having such a great time here.

Design Just Keeps Getting Better

The office has been working on the most amazing project for the last few days. It is overwhelming to dive into this business, you must wade in. The waves come and crash and we are still standing. We have a deadline of tomorrow evening for a huge undertaking and we are going to make it. Somehow. Someway. It may take all night. Have not done that since college and believe it or not, they were few and far between. I always chalked it up to being so organized. But this business ends up dolling out surprises, and price increases, and discontinued product, so we just keep on moving. And then poof! It just seems to all come together and be .....
Magic.

Wow it is GREAT to be HOME

Easter Sunday is the most amazing day of the year. A day of birth and freshness. A day of family and connecting my dots. I love the adventures that my children are experiencing. This spring finds them all doing very well in business and in school.

I have the joy of two brand new projects starting officially tomorrow. Wonderful spring energy surrounds me. I am doing a fun project in Blacklick for a darling gentleman. He is entrepreneurial and full of enthusiasm for a new house and a new adventure. I have the pleasure of making this house his home. He entertains, and is constantly surrounded by friends and his faithful new dog. The house has great bones and a good start. I am thrilled to be doing my overall color scheme tomorrow and getting started on spaceplanning and structure. Our first client meeting is Thursday for presenting basic design elements. I am very excited to get underway.

My second client is a Short North Condo that is full of energy and fun. I have the best work in the world. I get to enjoy the passions of clients and live through them as I interpret their lives and have their environment support them and surround them. We need color, art, and the coordination of elements that are not in sync. I have pulled this project together before going on vacation, but this week gives me the timeframe to finish the vision. The major furniture pieces that are missing are very important statement pieces. The finishing touches will determine the total direction of this space. We need to be cognicent of all the textures, and design criteria that has been mixed together and separate the dots before we can group them. If you don't understand this language, I would love to show it to you. This project will be one of my favorites of 2010. A very high energy and dynamic client. A true labor of love.

Pulling together elements of design to speak in one voice. That is what I do.

Visiting a Tropical Climate and Always the Designer

It is funny for us designers. There is never really a break. No matter where we are:
a local restaurant, a hotel, a beach bungalow, a large hotel complex with many many venues,
we are always working. Gathering ideas. Seeing how other designers have interpretted architectural detail, and color within spaces. Our senses are so tuned to our work that every moment we absorb it. We can remember how the white washed walls and white washed rooftops contrast with aqua walls and pink porticos. I gaze out the window of the airplane as it lands and see a world of color. I gaze out the bus window and see the details of bright tropical tones playing against each other, encouraging us to open up our hearts and let the sun in.

We let the sun in and sit under bamboo thatched roofs that are woven and detailed in flowers and vines. We sit under a stone gazebo and we see how the stone was honed smooth with the signs of handmade tools. We look at steps and see tiles set in local grout and local shells are used for decoration at edges. We feel the coolness of this choice on bare feet. We see the sun peek through bamboo and palm and revel in the artistry of every detail that the designer saw long before we got here.

Good design never stops. Our admiration for it does not stop either. When on vacation and tuning out. I am still tuned in to every tiny detail. Every relationship of color, texture, natural materials and their unique uses. The crowd sinks in and just lets go. I take furious notes, committing not only photos to my files, but images to my memory. How do I replicate the feeling of a tropical breeze in Central Ohio on a portico that is one season of four without coming off insincere? I interpret the feeling, not the way it was communicated here. I catch the essence and celebrate it for a season with sincerity. I gather details and think of current projects. I set my brain to feel rather than see. What a delight this world is to designers like me. I am so lucky to be in this profession.

You Can Just Feel Spring Today

We all kind of wade through March grasping warm days and dreaming of short sleeves and tops down on convertibles. We get some winter mixed in with some spring and we savor the sun, which brings it all together. Today is a cloudy day after two days of rain. But the week is supposed to be gorgeous. I find that the season of spring and rebirth influences everything I design. The rebirth of nature and it's possibilities cannot help but rub off on all that we do. To bring in the optimism of spring one can easily embrace the "greening" of design. Natural materials, recycled products, and reclaimed accent pieces are good design elements, but especially for spring. Bamboo is clean, clear and fresh looking in an interior. Smooth bamboo floors can be softened with season area rugs that can be light and airy or cuddly and warm. Bamboo reacts to both very well. Using faux finishes to create a wall detail to enhance bamboo is simple too. We are using alot of real lime infused Ventian Plaster lately. We love the look. Burnished, it is clear and bright. Textured it is olde world and imagination brings history to the design forefront. I love combining faux finishes in green ways. It is non toxic, if the right products are used. It even kills bacteria if original formulas are used. (those Europeans knew what they were doing in using faux to create interior and exterior drama)

Recycling from your own home is also a great design trick. The fussy end table inherited from Aunt Helen can be painted in a matte color paint and is instantly tranformed to a funky new design element. Don't just go safe with white or black. Choose lime green, or lemon yellow. Aunt Helen may be watching, and I bet she is pleased. Digging through a client attic is more fun that a thrift shop. These things actually meant something to a dear client and deserve some thought going into them. Pull it out, dust it off and consider the possibilities of using it in a new way. Old radios, children toys, large baskets, large porcelain pans, old ceramic tureens and bowls, and of course old textiles. Reusing these elements in a new way can insure an interesting environment that actually tells time.

So reach out for spring. Find it in your interior with a fresh approach. Feel the suns warmth in how you approach a space. But most of all get outside and breath it in.

Design is One Element of Successful Living

Yesterday I got to spend an entire day with one of my favorite clients. We were doing some sourcing and just had to slog through details to make it all come together. We ended up laughing most of the day, truly enjoying the bonding that comes from making such decisions on a time frame. Our total expenditure came in below budget, and that made everyone happy.

It is rare that I get to spend one whole day on a given project. I am usually multi tasking, and rolling with a work load that is full of diverse spaces, and great combinations of fun. Yesterday it was all about a play room full of fun, and full of energy. We dove in to storage, bins, play mats, childrens desks and task chairs, lounge furniture to snuggle in and great growable colors. So often the primary colors that are executed in play rooms are outgrown before the youngest is out of diapers. We did not want that to happen. We ended up doing "playful elegance" and using wood tones that were deeper than we expected, and a great use of materials to "grow up" the space for us. We introduced color playfully and gave some surprise punches of bright colors to remember that we are dealing with three children 7 and under. We made choices that will grow with these darling wee ones and give them some organization to work with.

We had alot of fun doing it together.

Following a Dream

Columbus is a wonderful reality, based on a dream that started when I was in 11th grade.
Sounds silly, but it is true. I was in class and new to a school. I felt exhilerated by the possibilites of a new school, and a move to a city that was so much larger and alive than the little berg I came from in Michigan. In reality I was in Worthington. Really a tiny town. But it was newer and brighter than what I had ever known. The possibility is even more real today.

As we enter our fifth year of design service in a market that energizes us, Christy Collection pauses and remembers the dream of being here. A long road. But one full of great design, and most of all learning. We discover new things about Columbus with every project. We have met so many wonderful people. Entrepreneurs with ideas that are big. Corporate people that serve a real need in our community. And the ones that are the most special, our neighbors here in New Albany.

We love it here. We are enjoying the possibilities of growing in a city that seems to be growing along with us. Prospering and creating design that will hopefully make a difference in the lives of others. We are very happy to be here.

Giving Back in Columbus Ohio

February flew by. March is certainly starting as a month of firsts for this little interior design company in New Albany Ohio.

We have welcomed back clients for 4th and 5th phases on their homes.
We have completed areas in hosptitals that have never been designed with such sensitivity and caring for the patient and their experience.
We have grown by leaps and bounds, and still stayed humble, and true to our goal of delivering the best interiors, at the right price, and reached goals for our clients.

Spring is always the month that expresses our design direction more than any other. It is bright, and airy, and full of rebirth and new opportunities. This spring is starting out with
great clients coming to us for direction, and design expertise. We are very fortunate to be in
a city where design is treasured and appreciated.

Christy Collection Inc. is in its fourth year here in this little beautiful berg. We are knee deep in making a difference in everything that we do. Giving back our time and our energy to a community that nurtures our children, and feeds our soul. We are looking for a project for this spring / summer season. We would like one that involves children and working parents. We would like to help. Give us a comment if you have a worthy cause that you believe in. We are always open to ideas from our freinds. Enjoy this beautiful spring weekend.

Favorite Days

Designing soft goods for large projects is probably one of my favorite tasks. When you are also doing period design, double happiness (as they would say in China). I am becoming somewhat of a Georgian expert in the design of windows and their layers. There is nothing like a combination of swags, jabots, tails, draperies, under draperies and tied back sheers to make you a believer. I love the combination of fabrics, trims and treatments. I love the tone on tone expressions, the lux textiles and the installation meetings to strategize attachments, fullness, and puddling.

I have a wonderful task in front of me this week in the design and technical detailing of two large homes in New Albany. The soft goods are coming together in sync with the project. Large pieces are becoming established, layouts are becoming a reality and now the soft goods are pulling these rooms together with aplumb. I am enjoying my little berg more and more everyday.

This labor of love will live as long as I do. Draperies lasting 20 -30 years is not uncommon. New Albany homes typically are redone every 7 years (when the wood has to be replaced on the exterior, typically draperies are redone, as well. But the quality of what I am doing is beyond those short life spans. This is textile design art.

I truly love my work.

February in New Albany

Folks say that this is the wildest winter on record in Ohio. We have enjoyed over 38" of snow in the last three weeks. As people have fussed and fumed, I have watched a different reaction emerge. The snow melts a little now everyday. Sun on brick pavers tends to do that no matter what the temperatures. My driveway is going from a picturesque series of 5' trenches and piles to a manageable 3' of snow piled on the sides. I honestly feel that I will miss it. It had a nice cuddle and glow feeling about it, that kind of protected my little family and the joy that takes place in this little house.

The weather gurus are promising snow again this week. We can all hardly wait. I doubt if it will reach the epic proportions of what we have experienced, but if we can hit 40" of snow in one month in Ohio, I am pretty impressed. Makes me kind of hope that spring holds off just a bit longer. I want to enjoy every historical moment of this.

New Albany - The Design Mecca

I am so pleased to be working and living in New Albany Ohio. The client base that I have established in New Albany, and many diverse areas of Columbus affords me an extremely diverse list of suppliers and manufacturers that are critical for the success of my interior design practice.

I have been so fortunate in the wonderful people that have sought me out, and hired me to do design work in their homes, offices, and places of work. My design practice continues to grow, and succeed, in spite of national crisis and international trauma.

We are in a magical little berg that is created for maximum impact of quality of life. It is a joy to be here and be practicing good design with amazing clients. Thanks for letting us into your lives.

Moving in New Albany

The act of moving in New Albany has become second nature to me now. I have been somewhat of a nomad since moving out of the "marital house" in East Lansing, five short years ago. It was huge. It was perfect. It was a creation for a life that was lived with gusto and no regrets.

I now get to experience many different Georgian houses in New Albany with typically one year leases and new neighbors and adventure. I actually do not mind moving. I am not a pack rat and use it as an opportunity to clean out the old and donate it, find uses for it, and reconsider whether it is worth moving at all. Up until 50 years ago, people sold their homes furnished, and I think I understand why. Moving wears most people out. There is something about moving my art, china, casegoods and crystal that inspires me. It can make any of these Georgian homes look great. I always take it on as a personal challenge to inspire myself with how to effectively lay out the house with a different flair, or approach than is typical. I love the creative aspect of moving. I love finding recognizable places for everything. I love the adventure of setting up rooms with layouts that are different each time.

My friends tell me that I must have been from a Nomadic tribe in a former life. No, I am part of one now. Celine, Baxter and I are enjoying this. We scope out the houses, and make joint decisions about how to use which areas. We entertain constantly, and know we must support that with our choices. Poker parties on one floor, while twelve year olds cook and watch movies on another floor. We love being the destination of choice. We love inviting everyone in.

I am famous for "third day parties". Throwing a part on the third night that we are living in a house. This forces art to be hung, books to be shelved, and the kitchen organized. It always seems to be Cinco de Mayo. Sounds like we might do that again this year.

Getting on With It

Seems like most people that we meet in business are pretty clear about their initial intentions. It is later, when we meet obstacles that people become unsure and unsteadfast in their approach to problems. Design is one of those areas that proving oneself is a necessary part of the relationship. Often we must have successes in the early stages of a relationship to gain the momentum to be respected and eventually revered. I am quite used to this set of rules.

In my past life, in practice in Michigan, my reputation was better established and my voice had more impact. Today, I find that joyfully I am starting some of that over. No fear. I enjoy the proving of my talent, as much as the design process itself. I am a natural speaker and enjoy the communication aspect of design. Watching the lights come on with a client is a joy forever.

As we earn the confidence of our clients, and begin the real work on their home, their office, their hosptial or their church, we get to enjoy the fruits of our labors over and over again.

Design for the masses is of great influence. It encourages people to live better, move better through their environment and be able to keep it clean and well maintained. There is always a method to our madness of specifications, details and placement. Clients typically understand this after one small installation. The stage becomes set to do good things. Getting on with it.

Brave and True

We must be brave to be an entrepreneur in a creative field. Our talent must always come through and speak the truth. If we try to do something that we do not believe in, it shows. This sounds like an easy thing to do and say. In a wonderful place like Columbus Ohio it is much less stressful than other places that I have practiced. I have the lucky position of doing work that I love, and being able to share it with people that believe in me and are willing to pay me to do it. I have had so much fun getting started in this thriving market. I brought a vast experience with me and honed it until it all fit together and is flourishing. I am very happy and fortunate to be here.

When designers are challenged sometimes they run away. It is easy to run away from confrontation if it intimidates you. Many people that lead with their art have a difficult time sticking to it when the client is a bit tough or the design challenge is beyond them. I find it intriguing with times get a bit more challenging. I like to find compromise and a happy client underneath it all. I like to dig through it and make it work. Most people think that designers do not compromise. Most people think that to work with a designer means that they are in charge and they must give up their own ideas to adapt to the creative side of someone that they hire. This is true to a point. But to us that thrive on client satisfaction, this is just not our style. I am true to my art. I will not do something that will not ultimately look great. But oftentimes listening is the most difficult task. We all have different ways that we communicate. Taking the time or the step back to really listen and understand someone else is crucial in the process. When we do listen we usually find common ground. We usually find a truth that we can live with.

SNOW and Design Influence

When you have over 30" of snow on the ground and it just seems to keep falling everyday, you end up being drawn to cozy, warm spaces, with light flooding the corners, and accents of deeper metal and suptle textiles touching your skin.

I keep thinking that I am having a cocooning stage, but it is definitely influenced by the survival of the fittest and the weather surrounding us. We shovel daily. We come in and wrap ourselves in fleece blankets, drink hot tea, and cuddle alot more!

I think when this is all said and done, we will miss the closeness of this February. The fresh baked cookies, the nonstop working on projects and the focus that a snowy, cloistered day offers. It is a very productive winter, and will prove to be a great season for business.

Spring is just around the corner and we will all come out and stretch and start planting to get some green in our lives to replace all this stark cold white. But for now I will celebrate the SNOW and enjoy the sparkle and the blustery influences.

Four seasons are the best!!

Design is a Responsibillity

Today I had the pleasure of munching lunch with an interior designer who is not only totally respected and reveered by many, but also a dear friend. We talked about how to make a difference in our profession. We talked about licensing, testing, certification, and furthering Interior Design education. We talked about responsibility!

I was taught while still in school how important all this is. It was drummed into the heads of the Kendall College of Art & Design student body by the ASID Student Chapter Liasion that after five years in the field, you studied for the NCIDQ and just took it. We needed to "further the profession" and it was our professional responsibility to do just that. I studied on my own, took the two day, 16 hour test and passed it with flying colors. I did not think it was any big deal. I just thought it was what you did to practice in this wonderful field.

I have learned since being in Columbus Ohio and practicing Interior Design that it is not as common as we were taught in Michigan. In Ohio it is more rare to graduate from a FIDER accredited college, pass the NCIDQ exam, become certifed and licensed in the profession and call yourself an interior designer. I have learned that there are shortcuts that people take. I have learned that some folks sneek through.

I was taught that it is a professional responsibility to create a "top the profession" attitude about life learning and continuing to be at the top of the heap with your peers. I learned early that if you are not current, you are dangerous. Life, health and safety was always stressed more than any aesthetic in training. Electrical loads, plumbing stacks, barrier free / universal design, ample aisles for spacing of traffic patterns, and fabrics and finishes that stand the test of time.
I have designed for such demanding populations as Alzheimers Care Units/ Memory Care Units in nursing homes, long term care facilities, and hospitals. I have designed many churches that have congregations of over 3000 people. Layout, and exit traffic patterns are not only nice, they are life safety code relevant. I have designed every nook and cranny of hospitals, schools, hotels, and retail spaces. This affords me respect for the whole process of interior design.

The other side of education, testing, certification, and licensing is the value that it brings the client. If anyone can call themselves an interior designer, and practice parts of design, then we are all dilluted. We all suffer as a profession. Honestly how do people know who is and who isn't? An informed client is a joy forever, and they do know. But for every one of those delights, there are ten more that have neither the time or interest to sort it all out. For those people I offer up simplicity from us design professionals.

If a designer uses the letters ASID after their name with no additional words or phrases, they are a professional interior designer, educated and tested, with CEU requirements and certification. (we are talking minimums here, not a real big deal) If they say something else, you need to just ask good questions and see if their level of training, education and professionalism is what you are needing. It may be. But we are all pretty much the same per hour. So the educated designer is actually a bargain. We must educate continually. We must not be afraid to blow our own horn. We must practice honesty and communication that explains differences and let the client make their own decisions.

It is a big complicated world out there with everyone trying to make a living, and sometimes labels matter. So do your homework, ask the right questions and get references.

Life is difficult enough!!

Linking all Social Networks

This is a huge task to undertake. I am moving all my recommendations from Linked In to my website and to my Facebook page this weekend. It is a huge endeavor, but one must remember that the website is still the "mother ship" of online research. Technology and the acceptance of social netorking sites to research history and backgrounds of people that you might hire is a new advancement that has many people over 25 boggled. The "I don't know how to do this" response is always first. If we could be more childlike in our approach, we would find that it is truly more like play, than work. Think video game simplified. And it really is alot of fun.

I just had a friend tell me that they were totally against Facebook, and spent no time at it, until they started reconnecting with middle school, and high school friends and really had a good time doing it. It became the social part of the social networking that most people really enjoy.

So as I link my sites, and start on two new projects, I will be thankful for a respite from more snow for a couple of days.

Chasing the Dream

Interior Design is not just a spectator sport. Sometimes you have to get your hands dirty. Whether it is an installation, a mock up presentation, or just supervision of contractors, you have to be there to make sure it is right.

The worst situation happens when things move along without your involvement and there is no backing up. This has happened in stuations where younger less experienced designers were at the helm and did not have the face time with the client, or understand it's importance. That does not happen within the ranks of our company now. We get it. Face time = success. Client satisfaction comes with compliance to specifications and staying in budget. Client satisfaction is paramount in our day to day operation as a design firm. It is what we strive for and guarantee to our clients.

We Are Adding More Product LInes

This is a huge announcement. We already have the most aggressive and amazing product lines out there. To be able to bring more products to market at net/net pricing is a dream come true. We will be making an announcement soon of introductory specials and market focus.

Stay tuned. Come grow with us. Join the team of designers in Columbus that enjoy putting the design focus on it's edge. We like pushing the envelope with manufacturers, suppliers, trades, and ourselves. We can all be better. We can all make a design difference by not following the status quo and not settling for mediocre anything.

Freezing Rain is Coming - Time to sock in to Do Great Things

I was warned by a client this afternoon that we are getting a major winter storm. (It is February, after all.) So in running around today and gathering last minute details for a couple of installations tomorrow, I have a renewed sense of urgency. There is nothing like a winter storm to get folks to gather around the hearth to enjoy each other and have some quiet winter time. I really enjoy them. The possibility of the kids not having school tomorrow is also a joyous thing. We have a house full of noise and twelve year olds that is celebratory of anything that has potential of fun.

We have some wonderful projects in house right now. We are redesigning the interior of a twelve year old church that has such great potential. We have several phases of residential projects that we are working on that have some beautiful elements being addressed. We are doing accessories for several projects, including art and window treatments. And we are just starting two whole house projects that have unlimited potential.

I am once again stating publicly how thrilled we are to be in Columbus in such a thriving and heathly interior design market. We are grateful everyday of the faith and trust that our clients put in us. Everyday we attempt to earn it all over again.

Sneeking in Some Spring Into your Day

What a glorious day in Columbus Ohio. We have mid forties, and some sun is creeping in. It is shaking out any personal cobwebs and giving us hope that warm weather and daffodils are coming soon. Fall and spring are wonderful in mid Ohio. We live for those days and dream of the warm sun coming inside and warming our winter interiors.

We had an installation this morning for one of our favorite clients. There is nothing more gratifying than seeing an interior come together that has been planned and staged. It make me
feel like there is hope in the world. Even the housekeeper was thrilled. It is absolutely beautiful to have such a lovely expression on this pre spring day in February.

So as I run out in the "small car" to pick up kids from school in less than an hour, I will stretch the legs of this little machine and enjoy the day. We are so lucky to live here, and experience the wonder of a great market, gracious clients, and opportunity to express ourselves.

A Little February Thaw with Sunshine

What a gorgeous Columbus day. I am in the middle of so many projects and so many deadlines that a sunny day was a really nice distraction. As I rushed around to meet trucks, and inspect shipments, it was nice to have some sun on my face.

Business in Columbus is booming. So much for a so called recession. We are now receiving orders that were placed in early to mid December and my patient clients are finally seeing some relief. With industry shut downs, and holiday delays, this is as good as it gets in this industry.

If you close your eyes, and just absorb the sun, you can feel that spring is just around the corner. I know my clients can feel it too. That is why new projects are stacking up and we are hitting another wave of work. How exciting. 2010 is going to be a wild ride.

The BOOK

Those that know me know that I am writing a book. Probably just a little book like "Tuesdays with Morie" or "The Five People You'll Meet in Heaven". Of course if I added really BIG pictures it could be a great coffee table book. But instead I think I will stay with my original topic of adult life and trauma and the transitory life of marriage today.

It is a topic that I have almost forgot all the details of. Luckily I wrote them all down. I spent my weekend reading it from front to back. It brought back a flood of thoughts. It brought back memories that are all dusty and stacked on very high shelves. It brought back my old life.

Life has a funny way of using what you have learned. It has a way of helping you with the current stuff, by giving you understanding of the older stuff. It is a gift. I continue to want to embrace it, and learn from it. It is my history. It is really gone, especially since I left Michigan and closed the door on so much. But it supports me, soothes me and helps me get to where I need to be.

So writing this little book, and having it published is a huge accomplishment that I only dreamed of four years ago. Then I was up to my nostrils in grief. I was swimming against a current of sadness, loss, and longing. Now I have learned to float to the surface and just gaze at a blue clear sky and feel good things all around me. I am creating a life around me that just keeps smiling on me and gathering up current and soft winds. It is so lovely up here.

As the book becomes its own thing. As I step away and let others read it, and see that it stands on it's own. I get a little tingle up my spine. It is like giving birth again, but alone. There is nothing wrong with that, but you sure better appreciate all that it took to get here. Celebrating a huge accomplishment in life is so rich and firm. It makes your heart soar and you see such air all around you. It is such a great way to express what is in your spirit and embrace living in the here and now.

Linked In - BIG Impact in Columbus

I joined Linked In about a two years ago. I was urged by a very organized friend that does workshops on social networking and how to use it in your business. She is a major member of Linked In. She is my hero.

In the past few months I vowed to increase my exposure on Linked In and expand my connections and thier impact on my life. I decided to invite my whole list of email addresses to become my connections. Every day one of them accepts and my list is growing and growing. Then I got the bright idea that I would recommend them for the work we have done together to thank them for being there for me, somehow and someway. Then they all reciprocated by recommending me. So my dream came true. The list of people that are helping me with my business is growing. My life and accomplishments in Michigan ARE actually following me here to
New Albany.

Life is good.

Friends in the Industry

I always seem to have a little project or two going at my house. So what if for the last few years they have been rentals. Us designers cannot just sit and accept status quo. We must create, we must change where we are so that it is comfy, cozy or dramatic.

So I pulled a bunch of my friends in the industry and we are putting it all back. Must do it as this lease comes to an end. I chalk it up to playing around with a color pallette, or a technique.
It is time to make it vanilla again, and move on to hopefully one day own my own walls to play on. I can see it. The time is almost here. It may actually end up being in Indonesia, and then Greece, but the time is coming....and I can almost see it.

National Coverage about Community Outreach 2009

We just received a national magazing from ASID today and our little Community Outreach Project was showcased. It certainly made me proud to read a page of quotes, and spin on a project that was certainly near to my heart for a year.

I continue to be proud of the 100 volunteers that came together with 180,000 dollars worth of donations for a worthy cause. To make a difference with peers that I truly respect and admire, is a wonderful feeling.

I am so lucky to be in a community where giving back is common, and doing it with gusto and flair is appreciated.

Thanks to all of ASID, and thanks to my core group of volunteers that made this look so easy.

Design Divas 2010

Okay okay okay... I know I seem to be ignoring all of you. I really am not. All of you that have written me, and sent me the HGTV Design Divas application, I have them. I have actually even read them. I have thought about a unique approach for the application for HGTV, and have some of this worked out. It is daunting. Your grasp of the techie part of this is paramount so I am asking for help. It is a tiny goal for 2010. And to do this, just like any production project, we must get started.

So gathering photos of all of my projects and looking at their photo quality is a first step. Then doing a small write up of the design intent, the issues, and the finished product. These are very important parts that take time, and PERMISSION. So that is what I need to focus on in 2010.
When doing this, it becomes a wheel rolling down a track, like my book has become.

I simply must finish. A true verbal and written labor of love, on both counts. Thanks for your encouragement.

Friday

Aren't Fridays great? I got to spend this day doing what I love the most. Handling client installs, figuring out problems and negotiating with truck drivers to please please drop one more load before they head back to North Carolina.

Doesn't sound like much fun? To me it is heaven. Without great work, creative clients and challenges, I would still be drowsy and sleeping. Instead, I am engaged in a fabulous day of pleasing most of my clients and getting permission to move on to the next phase.

But ahhhh. Friday is the best. The end of a crazy week. The pause in the weekend that says, it is all ahead of us. Friday nights have always given me so much joy. My kids are always excited to start the weekend. My twelve year old is in rapture just thinking about her fabulous weekend. My son who is his first year of college openly told me that the party was starting. I just warned him not to drive and to be sensible. I trust them, and I trust myself to engage in fun but not too much. To let go but not forget that Saturday morning still has to be productive.

Spousal Abuse and Interior Design

I have intervened in my share of domestic disturbances brought on by a textile decision for dining chairs. I have had husbands and wives actually bring up embarrassing details not worthy of my ears, and I have had to leave the room. Drama, emotion and decisions about details in your home are everyday occurrances to a residential interior designer. It is the one thing that takes me back to my decision when graduating from Kendall that my focus would be contract design. It was then. Now, things and I have changed.

I take the time to listen to the husband and why he does not like choice A for dining chair upholstery. Not that I am a pychologist, and not that I would say anything to sway anyone's ultimate decision. But I do say the idea behind every selection. Some decisions are family land mines. Some decisions go to personal power struggles or absent spouses, and torture that ensues once they do finally get home. I understand all that.

Bloodshed has never been in front of me. I know that there are some heated arguments about keeping grandmas curio cabinet in the dining room (wrong scale, wrong finish, and three handles are missing). Or the reuse of ten dining chairs from mother in law, that perhaps she just wanted to get rid of?

I don't mean to step in and solve marital problems... but I can add levity and that is what I usually do. Defuse the situation. Make a small joke. Get everyone to lighten up a little. But some fights just never die.

Recycling and Interior Design

Okay, I admit it. Thursdays are always my favorite days in New Albany. It is the day that all of my sorted, piled and organized recycling gets thrown into one huge bin on the Rumpke truck. I know, I know... Columbus does not separate their recycling. But I came from a community in Michigan that is so dogmatic about separating their recyclables, that if ONE thing in 8 bins is in the wrong category, they leave it all. With a HUGE embarrassing note. It does not take many of those to make you pretty into it. And beyond that, you can go to recycling centers to take everything else that they do not pick up, from car batteries, to green wine bottles. (lots of trips, let me tell you)

In a design practice there is alot to recycle. From plasic wrappers on samples, to paper paper paper, to ink cartridges, we challenge ourselves everyday to be good keepers of this planet. My youngest son is in Environmental Science, and his constant reminders of how I am recycling wrong, and how my sort could be better, and how one contaminent makes my eight bins utterly land fill fodder, gets my heart pounding and makes me almost want to drive back to Michigan on Thursdays so that I know that each kind of plastic goes in the right bin, and each piece of aluminum foil gets processed with the cans. There is just so much certainty in having it go in the right slot and you know it and your little corner of the planet is just okay. I have my doubts as my bins all get dumped by Rumpke. Not that they won't try. But it is my stuff. I feel responsible for getting it right.

Winter Doldrums? Not here.

I am getting this low energy vibe from everyone around me. What gives? So it is the midwest in the dead of winter, and robins, worms and spring rains are a couple of months away. I get that. But winter is such a great rejuvenation time for all of us. Take it from the bears. They sleep and wake up, a bit dazzed, but absolutely refreshed. We need to be like that. Sleep, bake cookies, play solitare, but get up early, move your buns in a good workout, and eat well. We are fueling for spring, and we have alot to do.

This is a huge busy time for interior designers. We all have projects that have been cut loose since the holidays and everyone is anticipating spring. (it takes about 8 weeks of anticipation, easily, to deal with delivery dates, shipping and receipt.) My clients are excited to have their homes ready for spring. We are planning a few outdoor rooms to test our creativity. We are planning a spring influence on the inside as well. Ready to throw open those doors and let the spring air in as soon as it arrives.

We are ignoring snow here. It does not last. I would much rather focus on buds on trees, flowers popping up in flower beds, and birds returning. Ahhh. I can picture all of this. I need the manufacturing time anyway, so I am willing to wait.

You Have to Live Somewhere

When emailing a client of mine in Michigan today we were discussing a cottage that he owns in a laked area south of Lansing. He was talking about the redo that they just went through. He focused on the gorgeous back patio / outdoor kitchen addition, and how they are so far over spent to value on the property that they will never recoup their funds. I laughed inside. We all tend to do this. A house or any kind of property has always been the largest part of our wealth, our portfolio and that has all changed. Now we live somewhere because we want too. Now we redo a house or change a house to live in it, not sell it. It's value may never really exceed any of it, but we do have to live somewhere.

I read an article today about divorcing couples fighting over who gets the house, because neither of them want it. A huge change from five years ago. It is now a liability, like credit card debt, or student loans. But we have to live somewhere.

It has been suggested that we should all be leasing, not owning in today's market. It probably is true. We all should be saving our money and not wasting it on living where we want and how we want. But we do have to live somewhere.

I tend to invest in houses. I do it for the pure joy of living in them. Not with an eye for resale or profit. I have always been that way. I cannot add up all the profit that I have made on the dozen or so of houses that I have owned, but I know it was there. It helped me buy the next larger one, and the next and so on. Now that seems a little trite as times have changed.
I love owning a home so that I can paint rooms strange colors, and do faux treatments that a buyer may not like, but the years that I live there are spent in happy enjoyment of it. It all seems worth it some how.

I Keep Forgetting that it is Winter

Stepping outside today in the winter white was this little cruel joke that yes, it is January in Ohio. I keep forgetting. My life is so warm and precious that the cold just does not fit.

Christy Collection Inc. is enjoying tremendous growth and success. The winter continues to blow outside, but inside the studio we are creating interiors that reflect the peace, and calm that our clients so deserve and need with their hectic lives.

I was reminded today by gusts of wind. Gorgeous white on everything. But most of all by the day just demanding that we slow down a little and respect the fury of weather that we encountered. It is lovely to have the change of seasons and the bluster and then the calm.

I appreciate the mental ticking of the clock reminding me to enjoy it all. Wind, snow, and tough driving weather. Summer will be here before we know it. Winter is the one that wraps us up and holds her to her chest. Breathes a wake up call into our faces and says. Cherish all that you have, all that you aspire to be. Warm weather and the highs of your life can be fleeting. Winter is good for all of us.

This is Our 65th Anniversary

Okay, not 65 years, but our 65th post. That is something to celebrate.

I have encouraged every one of my friends and clients to blog. It is a new way to communicate that is beyond words, or emails. It is a moment in time in your life to take stock of how you are making a difference, how you are telling your clients how you are doing that, and rambling just enough that it is conversational. And sometimes it is just funny. How do you express frustration without being a madman? How do you express joy without being giddy? How do you thank your clients without sounding sappy, or tedious?

I have a strange approach. My goal is to work on an idea for ten minutes. If I don't have the internal resources to talk about something and spend only ten minutes on it, I have no business writing about it. Of course that comes from years of experience and many many examples of situations in our industry that just need to be told. It is a fun experience, and probably bores more than it dazzles. I will continue to do this, and enjoy it myself, until I hear a groundswell of comments that says.... stop, please stop.

So please comment if something hits you, or angers you, or pleases you. My goal is to inspire just enough that people want a part of this in their lives. Christy Collection Inc. has had amazing success in the Midwest market and has spread it's wings in great ways in the past few years. I am proud of what we are doing, but always want to grow and change to be better.
So if you have a way to make that happen, I am thankful.

Life Becomes Art

Creating art where we live or work is the best part of what I do. Art can be the arrangement of a grouping of related art pieces. It can also be paint colors that change an environment to embrace existing pieces, architectural detail, or create drama just by their relationship to other elements.

I have had a blessed life of creation and creativity. I have been fortunate to be in an industry that changes daily and creation is the basis for it. I get to play while I work. I get to imagine the possibilities of daily expression and whimsey. If I get a very creative crazy moment, I use it to do something that is for a client that enjoys that edge. If it is beyond that, it becomes my writing, my studio project that stays with me. I want to be continually creating new approaches to old problems. (it is the sign of a truly creative mind) I focus on giving more to my work with every project that I tackle. I focus on seeing a view outside the envelope that usually holds it. I aim to please beyond normal expectations and dazzle with newness and fresh eyes. If a project is just a simple redo of something that exists or a small change, that too can be creative and new. Doing the same ole thing day after day is just not what interior design is all about.

Staging the View

It is often discussed how to stage an installation for the client to have maximum impact.
My first preference is to have the client not present as the project comes together. It is best if they are doing a favorite activity, engaged elsewhere, with the intention of coming into the space when completion is done, art is hung, accessories are in place and all packaging is removed. This is not always possible for a multitude of reasons. Often there are straggler pieces that just take longer to produce or acquire. International shipping often hampers this process. As does custom work. With the best laid scheduling and the most meticulous attention to detail, we still have delays in our work. As the trucks roll in to the site, and the details are pulled together, the client should see it first when everything is in it's place. This is optimum. Real life is something altogether different.

I have had installers of special items demand hours and hours for install (fussy draperies, custom cut rods for those draperies, the mounting or hanging of large supported items like large mirrors, art, or sculpture that is mounted or set on very high ledges or bridges) When the installer just needs more time, and the client needs to be in the space, I attempt to insulate the client from the business of install, because it is the most stressful time on a project. Even when all issues are addressed. Even when all attachments, supports and hardware are discussed, acquired and planned for, things go wrong, and improvising takes place.

I have some very very busy clients. When security is an issue and access to some spaces is not possible without security personnel or the client themselves, it poses an interesting problem. First: They don't have the impact of walking into the space and having it complete. They see the unloading, the uncrating, the unpacking and the placement adjustments.
Second: They don't feel the magic of the creation of the space.
Third: They are bothered by details that are coming together long before there are problems or issues, and get involved in things that really don't matter in the big picture. (where did the recycling get stacked in the truck, how much bubble wrap was on that textile piece that is undamaged, and in perfect condition. Who carried what into the space and with what assistance.) Part of the magic and not things that matter.
Fourth: They don't typically need to see details that are not complete. It is not necessary and can cause stress.

I love having the delivery personnel, installers, and support team have a space to work without sweating the client reaction within the project. I love having the support team have a wide enough berth that they can actually give suggestions about minutia that others don't care about. I always feel as if I can learn from these folks. They are the masters of knowing just how things should be attached, shipped, protected from an unforseen situation. They deal with rainy, windy, or snowy days. They make sure that nothing gets damaged during the process. Their input to me is invaluable. I cherish their interaction on a job site and ask for it. Learning is a huge part of what I do for the client.

As clients in larger markets are put up at the Four Seasons while thier project is installed, I will just deal with a suggestion of a quiet dinner out at a favorite restaurant, or a cocktail at a favorite place. Then the drama of coming in to a space that is complete, their expression executed by the masters, is just all the more fun.

Followers and Social Networking

I have never had so much fun - as what I have following certain blogs. It is a great way to learn about something that you love, follow someone that you love, or just dabble in topics that interest you.

I find myself pontificating too much and I back up, start over and realize that talking by yourself does that. I am begging for interaction from my followers. Please let me know what topics interest you. I am yearning for feedback.

Business in Columbus Ohio in the design world is just rolling along. Usually in January it is slow and tedious waiting for the snow to go away and spring to bring a sense of waking up again. Not this year. In addition to the ongoing residential work that I am doing, I am now doing work on a hospital project and a church. Both are labors of love. My old loves returning to roost within my design subconscious. I love making a difference for all kinds of healing, and these two projects address that part of my design muse. I am really having fun with this. Reaching large groups of people and helping to express something much larger than my design expertise, and beyond my talents, but embracing the expression of others. Heaven.

The Honored Client

Taking care of a client to make them a long term part of your practice and your life sounds very
easy. It really is if approached with all the things we learned in kindergarten. Honesty, integrity, sincere concern, politeness, consideration, and a talent beyond limits.

The biggest compliment that I receive from a client is the referral to a friend or family member. It happens often, and I am always in awe of the trust and confidence that our relationship has fostered. I am eternally grateful for this gift.

I recently had lunch with a peer in this little berg of Columbus. She is a talented designer and a kindred spirit. We both enjoy quality in life, family focus and tender times with friends. She was talking about design in Columbus and talked about design being handled as a "business". I understand from her comments that it is unusual here to have the actual business of design recognized that way. We have a long way to go, then. I think the way to do that is with the characteristics mentioned above.

The financial part of business is usually where designers are left in the dust. Paying their bills on time, taking care of their sub contractors and following through with paperwork and filing of taxes, and paying of taxes can sabotage even the most creative mind. You really do need to take care of all of it to be a success in the truest sense of the word. That is the thing that separates the dabbling self proclaimed designer type, from the real educated, respected and long term professional in our field. I am proud to be a new rising tide in Columbus Ohio, and will take this very seriously, as I always have in Michigan. I am pleased to be here.

International Design Sourcing

Having multi level relationships and connections in multiple foreign countries is a blessing and a curse. When there is a toxic jewelry recall from Wal Mart/Claires/and the Disney Store the phone does get a little busy. But the reality is that the everyday involvement with international sourcing is rewarding, challenging and life changing. My friends are all over the world. Their perspective is always different and enlightening. Their everyday challenges make me grateful for my little piece of heaven here in central Ohio.

I source many items for clients. From flooring, furniture, and artefacts, to printing, upholstery and custom cushions, pillows and other soft goods. I have designed lines of sinks, furniture, handicrafts, lighting, sculpture and outdoor freestanding buildings. I am currently involved in intellectual property work with logos from Universities, another great accomplishment of knowledge that enhances my life and my work.

I am thrilled to be connected to Asia and it's markets, it's industrious people and it's natural resources. The world keeps getting smaller for me, and my experience base just keeps growing in the international arena.

A Soft Winter's Night

Some clients are just a dream come true.
I have been fortunate in my little corner of this universe to experience some of the
nicest clients that become my dear friends. You can always tell how successful a project
is by how much time I WANT to spend with my client. When we start hanging out, or
traveling together, you know that the muse is clearly directed and we are creating lovely
interiors together.

I can go way back in my repetoire and remember so many great times with clients.
When the installation is going so smoothly that the 12 year old scotch comes out of the
bottom desk drawer. Or sitting in an auditorium in Southern China with our kids in tow and "Hotel California" comes on the speakers and we all sing at the top of our lungs. And then let the
kids go clubbing in Beijing by themselves while we ate a really really great dinner and truly let
go of any fears that we thought we had.

My life has been blessed with so much goodness, so much joy and the best is yet to come. This is a year of many firsts already, and we are just getting started.

Thanks for hanging in there and designing together through thick and thin, and lots of love.

Cold Where it is Usually Warm

I kind of think it is good for them. A little Four Seasons Therapy for the masses.

I know the oranges are in danger, and the tropical animals in the zoo are all cuddled up.
But it is lovely to think about the whole world baking chocolate chip cookies and dozing in front of
a fire with a really good book. Therapy for the world just after a new decade began.

I just got a FB email from a friend that says it is warmer in Antartica than in Houston! Now that is a thought. I wonder how a cold snap like this affects design. We know how it affects the birth rate, but what about design?

More warm pallettes. No turquoise or aqua schemes. More wood, less white. More wood, wool sculpted carpeting and less granite floors. More radiant heat and less worries about outdoor rooms. I am enjoying a day of organization. Designing working spaces always does that to me. Offices, pantries, kitchens, and childrens play zones. I love to sock in and make a difference when the weather outside is frightful. Or here is a thought: Warm summer days will be here in less than 100 days. And until then, the cold will abate, and our anticipation of spring will grow and grow. Back to lime green, sprouting plants, and patio designs.
I never ever get discouraged when it is cold outside. The Michigan early years prepared me for anything by approaching it with snow pants, and boots, and then polar fleece and Uggs. We can take anything and make the most of it if we all have the right attitudes, and stay in the sun.

Social Lives Working and Breathing the Cold

I am dreaming of a white January. Snow days, and apple pies. I still have my youngest son successfully home from his first semester in Environmental Science at Green Mountain College in Vermont. He is snoozing (that is not so surprising) and the crock pot is creating dinner. My clients are all reasonably happy with holiday delays and schedules for January, February and March.

I really enjoyed the snowfalls of yesterday. The continuous Columbus white that never really made the roads all that bad, but sure made the day beautiful. I love the plows pushing the snow into piles in every parking lot. Not the 15foot piles in Michigan, and no I don't miss that at all. It does seem to slow people down a bit here, which is nice after the holidays. It makes the tires noisier, and the dog walking more amazing.

Pulling together a beautiful color scheme of toasts, tans, and coppers. Drawing an addition on a farm house that is going to be extremely family friendly. Specifying furniture for a total house redo for a darling couple with little tiny kids.

Life just keeps getting better.

Snow, Plows, Icey Roads and Plans for the Weekend

This is the time of year when January and February calendars come out looking, digging, and creating a desperate search for FUN things to do amid the sorting, packing and decluttering from the holiday season.

I love to fill my jammed client calendar with social dates, plays, ballets, music, foreign films, and quirky mid Ohio festivals. Lets just muddle through January and February and look forward to spring, shall we? Must be the Michigan girl coming out in me. We nested during those two months. We cleaned and sorted. We baked more, crock potted more, and played board games with our children. Now of course, living my resolutions for this new decade, I am reading like a maniac. Loving my new found world again of mystery, involved characters, and imagined endings to supposedly dead heroes.

I am making the most of any free time this winter. Seems like I have an exciting life taking off again, and I want to savor all of this ramp up time with true gusto. My life has been such a wonder. Such a happy accident around each hairpin turn. I am truly the luckiest person you will ever meet. So my calendar fills, my life keeps blossoming and I am truly grateful for all of the wonderful experiences left for me.

I am going to digress for a moment, because this fact deserves it. I saw all of my children over the holidays. Does not sound like a big deal to all of you normal American families. (I know you are out there) With the trauma of late for the little corner of the universe that I called mine, it is a BIG DEAL. My children were in my arms, smiling, enjoying a moment, or a meal, or a laugh with Grandma Mix. My children were happy to be together. My children were just being themselves and growing and changing and enjoying life. I am so individually proud of each one of them. I am so dazzled by their passion. I am so enamored of their accomplishments. I am so shocked by their independence, strength and their boldness. (why would those traits shock me?) Because I worried about them and savored every positive thing I could glean from this for the last ten years, and it all came to pass. My kids are amazing. Successful, determined and doing it all on their own terms. I am so lucky. To have these five souls in my life for this time together is a total miracle.

Back to icey roads and plans for the weekend. It is amazing how simple life becomes when those that you love are strong, directed and doing it all. It give me a little bit of freedom to maybe enjoy the fruits of my labors, and relish the success that my life has enjoyed. I am now going to go back out to weather the storm for another meeting. (us Michiganders do not mind driving in the snow at all) And as I drive, in between prayers for drivers sliding and grimacing at the wheel, I will think of all of you out there that make my life such a miracle. Thanks for sharing your life with me. The intersection is divine.

Design in a New Decade

Design changes very quickly, but the beginning of a new decade gives me pause and a reason to believe.

I am the positive one. The one that sees stars in the night, fun puddles on a rainy day, beautiful flakes during a snow storm, and independent strong children from sassiness and disrespect. Design is all about being positive and delivering a message with a positive attitude and the creativity of a positive life. I have always chosen to communicate through color, texture, balance and always being a bit left of center. This keeps the design muse in me alive through it all. And life is really what we are talking here.

As the last decade came to a close, there were so many negative references to war, terrorism, poverty, and decline. Instead, I want to share with you my perspective on the last decade and my favorite subject. Design.

The last decade was so much fun, I hardly know where to begin. We saw the end of endless pastel color schemes, stylized interiors for the sake of stylizing, and matchey matchey friendliness. We started to see clients open up beyond retail displays and stretch thier wings to see that YOUR life deserves to be expressed. We are not cut out of a mould of corporate design catalogs, but created from the inspiration of our past, present and future dreams. The most fun of any project in residential is the part where we visualize what will be. When I see it, speak it and visualize it some more, most clients come along to a point. They join in, and add small touches and their lives fitting in. Then we are on a never ending quest to create it with them in it, living, growing, breathing and evolving.

Another thing that design let go of was following a trendy designer down a road of ruin living their life, not ours. I just saw a silly video clip about a woman that followed all of Oprahs advice in the last year and had very iffey results. If you allow a television persona to dress you, make purchasing decisions, and alos lead your sex life, then I guess this was the experiment for you.

One of my grandest compliments from a client lately was when they said "You get us!"
Wow. That was worth waiting a decade for. Not that I have not heard equally lovely comments about design choices, but that one kind of hit home for me. When that happens, I have not only done my job, but executed it, delivered it, and finished within time frame and budget. That is a big deal to us over achiever types. And to us over achiever design types. The icing on the cake just landed at the beginning of an exciting decade of triumph, joy and sheer excitement.