Home Shopping

Believe it or not you don't have to spend a lot of money to make a big impact in your home, and sometimes you don't have to spend a penny! Today I helped a friend fluff two rooms in her home. I attacked the living room first (in fact, before the front door closed, I grabbed a gorgeous quilt I saw on her sofa and hung it on the wall with thumb tacks, so my before photo isn't totally accurate). I didn't spend a penny in the rooms you will see today and tomorrow. Even the paint I used to highlight a wall in the living room and family room were found in her garage, paint brushes I found in her toolbox and all the other goodies I spotted throughout her house. Because my process is often scattered and a bit haphazard, I asked her to leave for a few hours so I could "do my thing." What she said upon her return is what makes my job so great, "what is so great about how you work is you really get in touch with the owner. Using my stuff makes it so much like my home, a home I wasn't really able to create." Oftentimes we are so used to our space we forget some of the great things in and around it, which makes shopping in a clients home a blast for someone like me. For example, when I saw the quilt I first asked if it would be okay for me to hang it, and after hearing the story (her incredibly artistic daughter made it as a gift for her) I loved it even more. This room, everywhere you look, tells the stories of the people who live in it. On one wall I moved a large, closed armoire into the dining room and replaced it with open shelving, so I could highlight some of the families collections, photos, etc. I found the fabulous antique rocking horse hidden in a corner of the den, so I decided to make the LIVING room about how this family has lived. They've traveled the world, they love history, art, culture, color and now the room speaks to that. The two high back red chairs were crowded in a small dining room, but find new life in the large, open living room. So before you head out to buy something for that nook or cranny, look around your home because there might be something lurking in the corner from granny!
TIME TO COMPLETE TASK: Three hours
COST: ZERO
STRESS LEVEL: Making someone happy in their home: LOW