Kitchen Remodel

Like so many of my clients, I am having a hard time with some of the details of my kitchen remodel.  My husband says "honey, just get what you want", but since this is my project and I am on a tight budget it means that I can't have everything I want.  I have to make choices.

This is a good exercise for me, as it reminds me that patience is a very big part of a designers skill set.  Trying to present options, and explaining what they involve in terms of cost of time and money.  We all have wants, needs and desires.  However, I have always known that the most successful projects have been when I have delivered a final project that fulfills the needs first, and then hopefully most of the wants and desires, exceeding my clients expectations.

Now, I am my own client!  We will be doing the demo next week.  I have already taken down all of the wall accessories and most of the tabletop and small pieces have been removed.  They certainly do make a difference in making a house a home.

But, as you can see, I have made an inspiration board, collected pictures, and am narrowing my options.  My must haves are being priced.

I will keep you posted!

Do you let fear hold you back?

 

Life is full of challenges and new opportunnites.

Have you ever declined a new position because you did not think you were fully qualified?

Have you ever avoided a situation because you felt you might look foolish to your peers?

What might your life look like if you had taken a different path?

Life does not offer very many "do-overs".
Consider some of the choices you made in the past and use that experience in the new opportunities you take on in your future.

If you would like to start a new career and feel you are missing some skills, take a few classes, or volunteer in the field for the practical experience.  You will probably realize that you really had the ability to perform the function, but had never done it before.
Inexperience can be scary.   But if you don't take the step forward and trust in yourself, you will be where you are now forever.  That is a very long time!

The fear of looking foolish or wrong can keep you from achieving greatness.  All of the inventors and great thinkers in all time have failed, sometimes many times. But they had the gumption to stick to it.  They did not listen to the naysayers, but kept trying to achieve their goal.

The only person with any real ability to hold you back is yourself. 

• Tell yourself you can do it
• Tell yourself you are worth it
• Tell yourself you are going for it

Good for you, you are on your way to greatness!

Loving what you do to make a living

      I am passionate about being a designer.  The thing that brings me the greatest joy, is having my client tell me that their room looks even better than they had imagined it would.

      The things I feel make me so happy with what I do, should really translate to any kind of occupation.  If you are not ready to go out the door in the morning, maybe you should reconsider how you make a living.

• Do you feel a sense of satisfaction at the end of the day, or are you watching the clock waiting for it to be time to go?

What about the people you work with?  It has always been my goal to associate with people I can learn from and respect their work ethic.

I truly feel like I make a difference in the lives of the clients I work with..they appreciate what I do for them, because I care about them.

Being an interior designer has so many aspects to it.  I enjoy the fact that I have to use all the skills in my toolbox....space planning, color selections and flow from space to space, the use of scale and proportion in the furnishings to the environment.


Life is short, and how we make a living is a big part of it.  Think about what you want to achieve in your life, and what kind of legacy you want to leave behind.  Will you be thought of as someone who has made a difference to others around you?  Do you try to uplift them, and are they happy to see you?  Is their day made better because you were a part of it?

Winter..the joys of snowy days.

Winter is certainly here.  Cold winds, icy roads, lots of snow to shovel.   But oh my...it can be such a wonderful time.

Once I am home,  I love to start a 'real' fire in the fireplace and just seem to relax with the aroma of the burning oak, watching the flames.  It is somehow transfixing.  A great time to share with family.  Play a game of cards, read a book, watch old movies.  Be brave and toast some marshmallows!  Have hot chocolate and just be...

And then there are the outdoor activities.

• have a snowman building contest..who can be the most creative
• cross-country ski
• take a walk and look at the snow and small icicles on the branches with the sun shining through them...they look like jewelry
• have a snowball fight

I hope you take the opportunity to enjoy this season.
I certainly know it can be rough...I am from Wisconsin, so I know winter!

But always keep this in mind...
live every day as if it is your last, because you don't know what tomorrow will bring.