So, on a break from the norm I wanted to post something personal today and share the before and after shots of my new living room! You might not think it’s a very personal thing, but rest assured that by sharing with you how sad and pathetic my living room was before the makeover I am TOTALLY bearing my soul!
We moved into this house almost two years ago on the day of our 10th wedding anniversary. Our kids were 2, 5 and 6. The day of the move I was literally (think Rob Lowe if you love Parks and Rec) packing the kitchen while Dana was loading the moving truck. We were just moving 15 miles but it doesn’t really matter how far you have to go when transporting your belongings I-Dream-of-Jeannie-style is just not an option. We were unprepared to say the least. Thanks to the help of good friends we made it through that day, but we couldn’t even sleep in our new house for a few days because we had been so disorganized in our approach and had hardly enough space on the floors to put a mattress down! Dana and I were both working full time (I had also just moved into the new studio and had projects going on there as well) so it took at least a month to get things livable. I took a trip to Ohio while the house was still full of boxes because my niece was born and I wanted to get newborn shots done. I remember Dana calling me and asking if I knew where we had put the cups since the paper ones had run out. Needless to say, we will not move again without movers and I still have some boxes that I never unpacked!
So, decor took a major backseat. The house is on the beach, has a great pool and is right around the corner from my parents; we love it but it’s super outdated. I can live with that for now and for a while I thought I could live without decorating. I just had no time to worry about it. I finally put a few things up on the walls but eventually grew very tired of the frumpy-ness. We needed paint. We needed to replace old furniture. We needed to make this place a home. I’ve always had help from friends when it comes to decorating because I get super intimidated by all the options and it’s simply not my gift. With the added task of purchasing furniture ahead of me I really wanted to be sure that the investment would last a long time, be a style I love and be practical for my family. I’ve made mistakes in the past purchasing things one piece at a time, having no consistency and hating it a year later. I thought I was saving money but in reality it doesn’t pay to make purchases over and over when something doesn’t last or you don’t like it anymore. I give advice to people all the time about how important it is to use a professional photographer. I explain that you don’t save money when you have to do something over (or especially when you can’t do it over.) Plus, don’t we all know that you get what you pay for in terms of quality, experience, service and reliability? We had been saving so I decided I would get some help with this.
One of my clients mentioned to me around the same time that she was in the process of obtaining her interior decorating license and currently working as an apprentice. I told her my story:
How I knew I needed some help with this project because I stink at home decorating.
How I wanted to make better choices this time, and love everything and have everything last for a long time.
How I feared I wasn’t a good client for an interior designer because my budget is probably not as much as most people and my house isn’t a big amazing house.
She reassured me that it would be a good decision and that using an interior designer can actually save money when you consider the expense of doing it yourself and replacing items more frequently. Plus, they are able to find awesome furniture at better rates not just because they can purchase wholesale but also because they know where to look.
Jacqui and Alicia met at my house to measure everything and go over all my preferences. When they came back they showed me lots of options and plans. They had paid such close attention to what I like, the ages of our kids and the practicality we needed in the room while ALSO waiving their magic wand of decorating skills to create something fabulous and functional! They chose paint colors that would work with the flooring (which we weren’t ready to replace) and suddenly the blue carpet didn’t look as bad to me. I picked the big items from what they showed me, then they did all the shopping and scheduled the install. When they brought everything in, it felt like Christmas! For all the smaller items like end tables, fabrics, pillows, drapes, etc. they brought a few options so that I could choose. If I wasn’t sure, they could return with new options. There were lots of small details they took care of that I would never have even thought of. Things they could have skipped and I wouldn’t have known. Fabric tape for the rug so it wouldn’t turn up on the edges, running all of our cords through the back of the new entertainment cabinet (having holes drilled so everything fit neatly,) even re-purposing items we already had but weren’t getting rid of. I am thrilled with the result, we ALL love it. I know for sure that I couldn’t have come close to this on my own. I know for sure I would have wasted tons of time and money. I know for sure I will be using their services again!
Without further hesitation… My living room BEFORE
I know you wish you had a mirrored wall too.
drumroll………..MY LIVING ROOM AFTER!!!!!
Below, some of my favorite details… Every piece has a story.
Same view left to right, before and afters….
The new space makes me happy, feels cozy to sit in, and offers everything we need for everyday life as well as having friends over. Thank you Jacqui and Alicia!
Share a link to this post on your Facebook status and/or twitter (or just click share from the AGP Facebook page) and Jacqui has generously offered a free space plan and color consultation – what an awesome deal!
(save a screen shot to show you posted.)
Read on for more about the experts!
From Jacqui:
Decorating is for events… Design is for your life!
I believe that elements of rooms affect how people feel and behave in the space. It is essential that a room be not only aesthetically pleasing, but also meet the client’s functional needs.
After obtaining my degree in Interior Design Technology, I gained a wealth of knowledge in the corporate design field and met a true leader in this business – Alicia Phillips of Phillips Development and Design. Alicia has over 20 years experience and specializes in turn key homes. She is a licensed designer and contractor whose work has been featured in many publications and home tours all over the state of FL. Kitchens, bathrooms, remodels, additions and living spaces… she does it all! Part of obtaining my own license requires that I work as an apprentice and I have been blessed to have such a successful mentor! We both have the same design philosophy, “Good design makes life easy and should be attainable for every budget!”
Let us give you an environment that exceeds your expectations, a signature space that you will be proud to show off!
Jacqui Patton
patton.jacqui@gmail.com | 321-482-0287 | 321-452-1627