Why Accept Professional Advice?- Part I

When looking through "design" magazines, I can't help but notice that some interiors look more professional than others. I recently picked up a publication called "Elegant Homes. " I was impressed by the number of projects in this magazine which were created by professional designers. Every one of these homes is WOW! Classic traditional, transitional and contemporary- there's something for everyone in this collection. There's no comparison to projects published in magazines like Better Homes and Gardens. The do-it-yourselfer most likely has a spouse who says "this looks great". A professional looks at your home with an objective eye and gives you an unbiased diagnosis. It's a difficult thing to teach and most of the shows on TV make it look easy because they need to appeal to the lowest common denominator. In my opinion, you're either an artist or you're not. It's not a science, it's an art.

To give you an analogy- I used to try and dress myself and thought I was doing a great job until I met Nanci Glendenning at Ann Taylor in Kenwood. She's a professional like me who gives polite advice with an objective eye because she can and because she's good at it. She has a nice way of saying "that's a great jacket on someone else- now, take it off and hang it up." She doesn't charge for this service- she's paid by Ann Taylor to make sure clients make wise choices because work clothes are an investment. If her clients are happy with the results, they will return for more. The designers at Ethan Allen provide the same service. If my clients receive compliments on their home, which they do, they return for more and sometimes for Phase 2 which involves adjacent rooms. (Yes, I have to keep reminding them to pass my name along because this is how I make a living!) Here's a quick sketch I recently made for clients who wanted to envision their new space as "dressy casual." Sometimes a floor plan only tells part of the story, so I sketch in 3-D to help people see the possibilities. I love what I do and hopefully the work conveys this passion.