{surrounding} Interior Design

 I haven't posted much (if any) on here about my little design business, so I thought I'd share some work with y'all before I shut it down and hopefully {praying hard} return to working with a firm once we are in Fort Worth.  Being on on my own has been interesting and definitely a learning experience, but I miss the day to day of going to work in a studio with other designers and having that great creative outlet and community.  Designing in a small town can feel a little isolating...and has definitely been a challenge.  I have a few great local sources (especially Thyme - if you're ever here - you MUST go!) but most of my specifying and shopping for clients is done online.  I've had to adjust how I work with clients quite a bit from my days in Nashville, and one of the ways I have found is easiest to work with clients is through digital presentation boards.  So many of my clients here are accustomed to online shopping and handling most if not all of the ordering coordination themselves, and they prefer to continue doing that while working with me as well.  Hence the creation of my "e*design" services (I'm still trying to come up with a catchy name to replace e*design - but it hasn't hit me yet).

In this approach, I meet with the clients and discuss their project goals including functionality and aesthetics along with budget, measure the spaces and inventory existing furniture to be reused, and then put together a design package for them including drawings, concept boards, and specifications for furniture, fixtures, and accessories, that allows them to execute the plan on their own, at their own pace.  So far it's worked pretty well.

I thought I'd share the digital boards for one of these projects.  The kitchen above is part of this project and is almost complete.  The walls and beams are waiting for paint, and a few trim pieces here and there on the cabinetry are missing, and the stairs need to be stained, but it's close enough to be an "after".  Through the e*design process I provided a plan for their very open-concept living and dining areas, as well as the Master bedroom.  In addition to these boards, I also provided the client with a complete "shopping list" which detailed where each item on the boards can be purchased.  

In the living area, each concept board is keyed back to a drawing to clarify the location of each item:

And here is the Master Bedroom...

Are you still there?:)  

The client wanted a very modern, mostly neutral palette with accessories in the accent colors she liked.  The house itself is very rustic, with some industrial touches, so I wanted to incorporate some accessories that have those sensibilities to make everything feel connected by acknowledging the architecture and style of the house.  Even small accessories make a big impact.

The hardest part for me about the e*design approach is that I don't always get to see the finished product like I would with a more traditional approach.  I love the design above, but I'm not sure I'll get to see it finished (especially since I'm moving away...but that's a whole other complication).  E*design does seem to be becoming more and more popular though, and I can definitely understand why.

As of now, I'm going to continue offering e*design...so if you know anyone who wants a little road map for a room or their whole house...I'd love to hear about it!  I'm developing set pricing for these services rather than charging by the hour like I do typically, and can also provide e*design services from a distance.

To see more of my project work you can click the link on the left sidebar to go to my portfolio site.

So, now you know a little bit more about how I've been spending my days over the past year :).