Kimberly Grigg welcomes inventor Korri Wright to the show to talk about the products she invented to make life easier. Korri explains the genesis of both Blade Butler and Unlimiscent, how she brought her ideas from conception to market, and why she’s a fan of tasks made easy.

 

Kimberly digs into how Korri Wright came up with the idea for the Blade Butler - a unique invention that cleans ceiling fan blades without requiring a ladder or spreading dust onto the objects below - and Unlimiscent - a universal fragrance emitter. Korri admits she was simply frustrated with cleaning the fans in her own Atlanta home and searched for a product to make the job easier. When she didn’t find one, she created her own. With Unlimiscent, she took aim at solving the issue of too many different brand fragrance emitters and not being able to remember which one was at home when buying new scent inserts. 

 

Kimberly and Korri share how both their families - Kimberly has six kids and Korri has four - inspire and encourage their creative and professional growth. Korri says her kids have been involved with the whole process of her inventions, in one way or another, and says she hopes they are inspired to follow their own paths in turn. Korri also details how asking questions is the key component in getting a product to market, while the biggest obstacle is cost. Learn how Blade Butler and Unlimiscent came to be and how they can make your own home more beautiful with ease.

About Korri Wright:

 

Korri Wright is a CEO, inventor and busy mom of four. She needed a better, faster way to clean her dirty ceiling fans and hated the hassle of trying to remember what brand of fragrances she could buy to match the fragrance emitters she previously purchased. Together with her business partner, Karen Spencer, Korri realized there was a substantial market for both ideas. They worked together to develop an efficient ceiling fan cleaning product that’s easy to use and eco-friendly: the Blade Butler. Then they worked together to develop the efficient, hassle-free product universal fragrance emitter: Unlimiscent.

Resources discussed in this episode:

• Korri Wright on LinkedIn
• Blade Butler
• Unlimiscent

 

-- 

 

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You can find the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

 

Transcription

 

Kimberly Grigg  00:00

Watching a mom work teaches values in a way that you can't just spit out at them.

 

Kimberly Grigg  00:07

Welcome to Decorate Like A Design Boss, a podcast for design lovers who want to create beautiful spaces in their very own homes. My name is Kimberly Grigg, and I'm a professional interior designer who teaches design lovers like yourselves how to decorate. And when I say decorate, I mean decorate like a design boss. If you're ready to create a space that your family loves, and your neighbors can't stop raving about, well, buckle up honey, because it's time to design.

 

Kimberly Grigg  00:41

Well, hello design lovers and design enthusiasts. I have news! I am so excited to tell you that this is Episode 52. Which means this podcast is officially one year old. Hard for me to believe. And I have you, my dear listeners, to thank. This podcast, I'm told, is performing really well. And, well, I'm sort of proud of it. This was kind of just a labor of love, and no epidural. And to be fair, podcasts are not the easiest things to do. But for some reason, I really kind of love this medium. And I'm deep down in it now. So thank you for tuning in each week and I appreciate all the great reviews. And it always makes me feel good when you share this with someone who you think will benefit. So now I ask please leave me a comment, a review, or even an email and let me know what you might like to hear about in the upcoming year. Any topic that you would like to explore about design, or design products, or even other designers you'd like to hear from? I'd love to know so I can be bringing you what you might like to hear. And now let's dive in to Episode 52. And I have something really special. Today I'm talking to Korri Wright. And, well, I'm excited to learn about this gal, and about a couple of inventions that she has created that are perfect for the home. And, well, without further ado, let's just introduce Korri right now. Welcome, Korri.

 

Korri Wright  02:36

Thank you. Thank you so much. And congratulations on your one year success. Very exciting.

 

Kimberly Grigg  02:42

Hard to believe, hard to believe. So tell me, since we're talking about years, how long have these products been on the market before we even get into the products?

 

Korri Wright  02:51

We actually just launched them. So we got the Blade Butler, which is the ceiling fan blade cleaner. We started preselling that in November, and we actually received product in December. And then Unlimiscent, the fragrance holder, we actually didn't get that until end of January, February. So we're just starting to launch these products and getting them out and...

 

Kimberly Grigg  03:16

Wow, well congratulations. And I hope that my listeners will take advantage. I can't wait. Because, first of all, I guess let's just back up and share with the audience. What are these products?

 

Korri Wright  03:32

So the Blade Butler is a ceiling fan blade cleaner. It's on a pole that's 69 inches long, and it has a removable washable bag. So when the mouth, per se, of the Blade Butler opens, it closes down on the blade, and then as you pull that bag towards you, it seals and grabs all of the dust and debris into the bag. So it doesn't fall on your, you know, bed, floor, face, all of those things. Keeps the allergens contained. And then you just machine wash it when you're done. It's super quick, super easy. So that's the Blade Butler.

 

Kimberly Grigg  04:12

That is so incredible. Wow. Like, what a great idea for a, like, a need. So to me, I love it when function and form come together. But let's face it, we all live in our homes. And even though we don't want dust to be flying, it does. And, you know, you look up at  that ceiling fan and you're like, oh my god, and then you don't want to clean it because then the dust flies all over the sofa and everywhere else and it's, like, whoa, crazy. And I just gotta tell you, I hope you're marketing this to restaurants too, because there is nothing more of a bigger turn off than when I look around in restaurants and I see dust everywhere. And I know they're all focused on the kitchen and what the food tastes like, and all that stuff, and they forget these little areas like blinds or a ceiling fan. And like, ew, gross.

 

Korri Wright  05:15

Well, my biggest thing is, you know, living in Arizona, we have fans all over our houses. I, in my old house, I had them in my kitchen. And I would clean the entire kitchen and then I would look up and I would have forgotten to clean the fans. And it literally was a whole nother process of cleaning them again, or, you know, you change the sheets on your bed and you look up and go UGH, you know? So it just really eases the process and you just don't have a mess when you're done. So.

 

Kimberly Grigg  05:43

And this sounds like it's really easy to use.

 

Korri Wright  05:47

Super easy. Yeah, super easy. It just has, just a sliding mechanism that opens the mouth, you clamp it on, close it down, and pull it off. It's super fast, super easy. My dad loves it, keeps people off ladders. So, you know, it really just eases the process.

 

Kimberly Grigg  06:04

Wow. So Korri, how did you think of this?

 

Korri Wright  06:09

Well, you know what, I actually, like I said, a few years back had a house that had the ceiling fans in the kitchen and I had cleaned my entire kitchen and I just thought there's got to be a better way. You know, I would put sheets down, I would get all the cleaning supplies out, the ladder... and so I went on this mad hunt to find what I was envisioning. And it just didn't exist. So I went to Walmart and I got trash bag picker uppers and vacuum bags, and I zip tied them together. And I was like, this is what we need to have on the markets, it just traps it, makes it fast and easy. And it just didn't exist. So from that point forward, it kind of sat on the shelf table for a few years and then as my life, you know, progressed in another direction I was able to focus on it and work on it and get it to market along with my business partner, Karen Spencer. So we're super excited.

 

Kimberly Grigg  07:06

Yeah, so like, did you, like, as a kid think that you'd ever invent a product?

 

Korri Wright  07:12

No, no, I didn't. I didn't. But through the years, you know, I thought of things and then later, seeing them in magazines or, you know, things like that, and I thought oh that did exist. But now, you know, with the internet being so spiffy and being able to just look things up so quickly, if I have something that comes to mind, I'm able to, you know, move forward on it, which is what kind of brings us to Unlimiscent.

 

Kimberly Grigg  07:39

Yeah, tell me about Unlimiscent.

 

Korri Wright  07:41

So I was getting ready to sell my house and my boss had told me, go to the store and get this particular scent of a fragrance plugin. And I literally have bags, Ziploc bags, full of these, you know, the pocket holders, fragrance holders...

 

Kimberly Grigg  07:57

Me too! Me too.

 

Korri Wright  08:00

Every one. Multiple, for all over the house.

 

Kimberly Grigg  08:03

What, Glade and Air Wick? There's the one, what's the one - the fabric, where you spray the fabric?

 

Korri Wright  08:10

Febreze.

 

Kimberly Grigg  08:10

They all have one.

 

Korri Wright  08:13

Yeah, Air Wick, Bath and Body, and none of them are universal. So I went and I bought a bazillion of these, the fragrances, knowing that I had the holders and I came back and I had like one. And so, it was so frustrating. So of course I went straight to the internet and looked for a universal holder because I was so, just, annoyed with it. And again it didn't exist. So I went to my patent attorney that I had used for the Blade Butler and said can you do a quick search and see if there's anything like this on the market. He came back and said nope, feel free. So we moved forward and designed a universal fragrance holder, so you can just buy whatever you want now.

 

Kimberly Grigg  08:57

I so love this. Like, I was literally in... I have a condo that is my personal condo that we kind of use as a guest house, and I have a bunch of kids, and so my house has a lot of bedrooms but I never know which kid's going to be there or not be there. They're all grown now, but still, they they do boomerang back. And so I keep this little condo and I was renovating it and I have guests coming this weekend and I was at Walmart and I picked up Air Glade thinking I know - or Air Wick - I know that I have, like, Air Wick stuff, so I'll just get the fragrance for Air Wick. Well, guess what? I couldn't find an Air Wick and then now I've got the fragrance and I've got no holder, same story different day. And, like, when I started reading about your product, and I'm like, oh my gosh, like, I can buy any fragrance. Plus, there's certain fragrances within the different brands that I like more than others. And so I want to be able to just kind of not worry about what my holder is. And this solves that problem. It is ingenious.

 

Korri Wright  09:00

Thank you.

 

Kimberly Grigg  09:29

I love it.

 

Korri Wright  10:14

Thank you so much. It really just, you know, one little stress we can take out of our life.

 

Kimberly Grigg  10:21

I had a builder tell me one time, what did he call it? It was something like 'little bitty aggravators'. And, you know, and it's the truth, it's like they're just little bitty things that that aggravate you, and you don't even realize why until you're standing in that situation. Or until someone like you comes along and solves the problem for us. Both of these products are amazing, amazing. I can't say enough great things about them. So tell the listener. Like, how much does something like - each of these products - how much does it cost?

 

Korri Wright  11:02

To buy them currently, the Blade Butler is $69.95 and Unlimiscents are $9.95 each.

 

Kimberly Grigg  11:09

Wow, what a bargain. That is such a bargain. And when you think about how many uses you're going to get out of the 9.95 gadget, like, whoa. And when you think about what this is going to save you - your Blade Butler - is going to save you in time... like you, how many times have I made the bed, and everything is spick and span and clean, and then I looked at that ceiling fan and I'm like, no, not today, because I don't want to mess up my good work of everything else that's clean. But now I have an option, and I think is so important. So I have to know, because I have that curious brain, like, how do you get a product from conception to market? Like that must entail a lot.

 

Korri Wright  11:59

Yeah, it's a lot of asking a ton of questions. That's really what kind of got us through. Obviously, the Blade Butler is what we did first. And so I worked with the patent attorney, I had a friend who had another product he happened to be taking kind of to market, but was further along than me, so he directed me to an engineer. And then I asked questions with him, directed me to another engineer. So some of it was a little bit of trial and error. You know, we went to people that maybe didn't work with our sort of product. But were super kind. I think when you're in that sort of industry, you have, you know, knowledge of other people, you have a network base, you have people that I think this person might might work good for you. So we were so fortunate, we worked with a lot of great people that were eager to help, wanted to help, and just kind of steered us in the right direction. The Blade Butler did take years to bring to market. We ended up landing with a company called IVP. They're out of Irvine. They have helped us with the manufacturing, they have the connections, the products are made in China, for the manufacturing and the shipping, and have really helped us along there. We've worked with numerous companies along the way, pipelines and Phoenix, but it's just questions. It's just, once I kind of got the ball rolling, I asked a lot of questions. And, like I said, people were just so eager to help. I wouldn't be here today, if I wasn't fortunate enough to just work with really great, kind, willing people.

 

Kimberly Grigg  13:34

Yeah, there's knowledge out there for the curious mind.

 

Korri Wright  13:37

There is! There is and, you know, I did a ton of research. Karen and I both did. We're constantly on the internet seeking out resources, just information, you know, how do you move from A to B. And then once Blade Butler was going, Unlimiscent I started probably about two and a half years ago. So it was really quick to bring to market. But having done it once, we kind of had a great pipeline of people and resources and were able to get it here rather quickly. So, like I've told everybody that's ever asked me that, if you know of anybody that's trying to bring something to market or has an idea, I'm all about helping. Anything I can do to have anyone else, you know, bring their idea to fruition. It's amazing.

 

Kimberly Grigg  14:23

Which I think is the power now, of social media, the internet, like, you know, if you can keep it in perspective, and again, I have six kids and, of course you know, their phones are attached to, like, their fingers. And they will even occasionally say things like, you know, kind of slammed the use of the phone and I was very, like, not at the table and once we're home we're, like, a family, all those things. But if you use the internet and social media wisely, it can be your best friend in terms of gaining knowledge. And, again, you have to have a curious brain to make that happen. But if you do, then you can about teach yourself anything. And since I teach interior design, you know, I really studied that, because I thought, is it possible? And yes, it is - just like you're saying - it's possible to learn how to do these things, and one connection will lead to the next connection, typically. Which I think is so fabulous. So how is the supply chain for you? Like getting a product now, considering all this, like, in my industry, the supply chain is so clogged, it's a nightmare. But have you had issues with that?

 

Korri Wright  15:48

Our biggest issue really was getting them here. The cost of production went up, obviously, there were, you know, shortages with all sorts of materials. So the cost to make them went up, which was tough, you know, because we really had this budget of what we thought they were going to cost, and then ended up being, you know, quite a bit more. And then we got them shipped here, and then they sat in Long Beach, so it was like 'they're coming, they're coming, they're coming' with really no idea when they were gonna get unloaded. And, you know, and then just the cost to ship them here was, you know, three or four times what we had initially been quoted. So that was our biggest obstacle - or is, just trying to keep the price down, keep it reasonable for the consumer - but really, the cost, just the cost of getting it here and manufacturing it. So we didn't run into any shortages of actually building the product, maybe a little bit of delays, but it really is just the cost. So that's our biggest obstacle.

 

Kimberly Grigg  16:51

Do you have a business background? I mean, this is a business.

 

Korri Wright  16:55

Yes, it is. So, well, in my former life, as I call it, my ex-husband and I did have a business. I did the books and things like that, sales, you know, hit the ground running and try to get that going. And it did, you know, we did have a good business with that. Afterwards, I... well, even when I was married, I got my real estate license. So I sold real estate for many years. And then, again, worked it full time. So, yeah, I mean, I think I've always had that in me to want to push forward, you know, work hard. And, you know, my biggest thing, one of them, is my kids have known about this, and they've seen it, and so it's so inspirational for me for them to see that you really can accomplish it. You just keep  moving forward and work hard, and, you know, it's a great thing. It's been a really great process, I think, for all of us.

 

Kimberly Grigg  18:00

Sure. And, so how many kids do you have?

 

Korri Wright  18:02

I have four kids.

 

Kimberly Grigg  18:04

Whoa. What are the ages?

 

Korri Wright  18:07

Well, you win. You win.

 

Kimberly Grigg  18:10

Well, it's not for everybody to have this size family, but it works for me, busy brain. But what are the ages, Korri?

 

Korri Wright  18:19

So my oldest is a senior in high school. And then I have twins that are in eighth grade. And then my son is in third. So, yeah.

 

Kimberly Grigg  18:31

You run the gamut. Is anybody showing interest in the business?

 

Korri Wright  18:36

You know what, I think they all like it. It's funny, my oldest - she goes away to college next year - and she wants to be in kind of the green earth part of, you know, that sort of movement, which I think is exciting. And so she always says 'I'm gonna invent something, I'm gonna invent something for our future, and how we can keep, you know, the planet more clean'. And I'm just like, keep thinking keep thinking. You know.

 

Kimberly Grigg  19:01

I love it. Sounds like the apple doesn't fall far.

 

Korri Wright  19:05

So it's exciting to watch, you know, I hope that she does, she gets her brain going, and kind of goes off, you know, how I used to. And so yeah, so it's exciting. But with everything else, I mean, they've helped unload boxes and print labels and do all kinds of stuff. So it's definitely a family affair, for sure.

 

Kimberly Grigg  19:23

And it's so nice that you can... like, for me, with my children, I felt guilty a lot because I worked a lot when they were younger, mainly because my business takes a lot of effort and energy and it is also very hands on. And I just couldn't always get it done in a day. Each one of them, however, has either worked in the business, been in it, been involved in it in some way, even if it was observing what I was doing. And all of them, over time, have said 'mom I'm so proud of you, and I'm so happy that you showed us work ethic'. And versus, like, in my brain, I'm like, oh my god, am I being neglectful? Oh my gosh, am I doing everything I can possibly do? And you know, in the end, I was. I just wouldn't accept it necessarily until I got validation from them that watching a mom work teaches values in a way that you can't just spit out at them.

 

Korri Wright  20:28

Yeah, that's true.

 

Kimberly Grigg  20:29

They see it and I'm sure that your children are proud of you. It's a huge accomplishment. So hat's off and clap clap.

 

Korri Wright  20:39

Thank you!

 

Kimberly Grigg  20:40

I'm looking at your beautiful background behind you, and you have a gorgeous wooden beaded chandelier and beautiful, looks like piece of art, on one of the walls. And so obviously, when you create products for the home, beauty is important to you. Looks like you like to be surrounded by beautiful things and things that function. So why is beauty important, Korri?

 

Korri Wright  21:08

You know what, I think anything aesthetically pleasing and calming for me and my own personal home. In this house, I tried to make it comfortable. Clean. Cleanliness is a big thing for me, you know, I have the white counters and the - I just like everything to be comfortable. For Unlimitscent, that design is just, it's just a very basic, I didn't want anything to stand out too much, just kind of blends in nicely, you know, to any home. With Blade Butler, I just like everything to be clean. It's important to me, that when people come in my home, they feel that. You know, I hope that I have accomplished just that for other people, too. And made it easier! So.

 

Kimberly Grigg  21:52

So what is your - obviously, scent and how a home feels is important to you, so what's your favorite scent?

 

Korri Wright  22:01

So my favorite scent, interesting enough, is a eucalyptus-based scent. I think it feels, you know, calming and fresh. It kind of gives you a fresh, breath of fresh air. But my daughter, a few years back, my oldest, had to have a spinal tap. And when she did, she came home - and I happened to have that scent in the house - and so it makes her feel very queasy. So I can no longer.

 

Kimberly Grigg  22:26

Oh wow.

 

Korri Wright  22:26

Yeah, I can't have that scent. Every once in a while I try to sneak one in and she's like, no. Not doing it. Now I think we lean towards a lot of, like, lavenders. In the kitchen I like lemon. So I kind of just buy whatever I'm feeling, you know, around the holidays it's always cinnamon apple. You know, makes you feel warm and fuzzy. So now I just buy kind of whatever I'm feeling that day.

 

Kimberly Grigg  22:53

What is great is you can, because it will all work.

 

Korri Wright  22:57

It will all work. I take the kids and they buy whichever brand, whatever scent they want, and put them in their rooms. And they're all unique. You know? So the one room is super perfumey and girly, so yeah.

 

Kimberly Grigg  23:11

So how often do you use your Blade Butler? Is this a constant thing, or?

 

Korri Wright  23:17

I use it now that, you know, they're clean. They're super clean, obviously, you know, I'll send the kids out. I'll be like 'clean the fans' and they run and grab it. Because it only takes just a matter of minutes. So I use it probably one or two times a month, just as I normally dust and clean my house. I grab it, clean the blades, and wash it, and then put it away. So I think once you tackle the chore - because it is kind of a mind over matter thing with ceiling fans, you know, it's like, oh, just keep them on, then we don't have to look at the dust - but once you get them clean, it's super easy. Fast and simple, honestly. Yeah.

 

Kimberly Grigg  23:57

What does the future hold? Do you have some more ideas up your sleeve?

 

Korri Wright  24:01

You know what? I do have a little bit of other things kind of rocking around in there. But I think for right now I need to just hone in and focus on these. We have some exciting avenues that we're kind of looking at with them. We'll be on Amazon. We just got all of that process approved. So that's quite the feat getting on there. But we'll be on there, hopefully within the next couple of weeks we'll be up, running, and have everything live. So I'm not sure. I just, I'm liking the path that we're on. Everything is positive. Our whole team of people are amazing. We work well together. And I'm not sure but I'm excited. I mean, I think it's--

 

Kimberly Grigg  24:43

I'm excited for you. I mean, I love an idea. And I love to figure out things like, how do you market it? How do you distribute it? How do you get it from here to here? In fact, I'm also an artist and my daughter said - and I started selling my art pretty intensively - and my daughter said, Mom, why do you do this? You should be kicking back and like, just like, enjoying time away from business stuff. And I'm like, have you met me? I'm not gonna kick back, this is what I do, I have to figure out how to get it to market, how to make it work, how to process it, all those things. So I'm gonna be for sure keeping my eye on you, because I am pulling for you girls, I think this is an incredible, incredible product. And, both of them.

 

Korri Wright  25:32

Thank you.

 

Kimberly Grigg  25:33

And I see so many, like, needs for it. And I will throw in that I often have clients say to me, they're not wired to have a chandelier come down, so that you can clean it. But wow. Like, if you could figure out how to clean chandeliers, I get it all the time. And I think that there's some merit there. Because you've got to get up on a ladder, it's a pain, it's similar to your ceiling fan situation. And again, not everyone can afford, or has their house wired if they have a really tall ceiling, they don't have a way to get that chandelier down. Some people have cranks for them. And if we're building a house with somebody with tall, tall ceilings, we'll have a motor installed so that chandelier can go up and down. But again, that is not for the average bear. The average bear wants their chandelier cleaned, and they can't get it done. And, so, in any... I'm just putting that little bug in your ear.

 

Korri Wright  26:43

Interesting!

 

Kimberly Grigg  26:44

If you come up with something I want to hear about it.

 

Korri Wright  26:49

You know, that is interesting. And what I hear from the commercial side of it, and cleaning companies and things like that, is it's such a liability to have their employees up on these ladders and step stools, reaching out trying to clean these things. If they slip and fall and, you know, and everything else. So there's that element to it, too.

 

Kimberly Grigg  27:11

So anyway, I already see your wheels turning. I see it happening. You were born an inventor.

 

Korri Wright  27:21

You know what, it's just, it keeps me going. It's like you - it's constant movement and progression. And just, let's see, it's exciting. It's fun.

 

Kimberly Grigg  27:31

So I have a signature question that I love to ask. And it's, if you had a hashtag that really explained your legacy, what would it be?

 

Korri Wright  27:46

Oh, gosh. Hashtag: Make Life Easier.

 

Kimberly Grigg  27:51

Perfect! You know, I always throw people off with that question. Not intentionally. It's a hard question. I think I would answer it probably different every day. But I love what you said. Because that is what you're standing for. And you are doing it. And I think it's, you know, it's obviously important to you. And it's important to the world. Because if you can live easier, then you can, in the end, live more beautifully. And I think that the two go hand in hand.

 

Korri Wright  28:26

Yeah.

 

Kimberly Grigg  28:26

So as we wrap up today, tell us - I know you're going to be on Amazon - but are there other avenues? Or how do people buy your products? Where do, where did they go?

 

Korri Wright  28:37

So right now, it's BladeButler.com. You can buy it straight off the website. And then Unlimiscent.com. So just both websites is where they currently are. And then, like I said, look for us on Amazon, we should be there anytime.

 

Kimberly Grigg  28:53

I'm just so excited for you guys. And I'm so excited for this product. And I know my listeners are gonna want to take advantage of this. Like what a dream, two dream products for your home, that will make life easier. So Korri, thank you so much for being with me today and sharing all about these products. I really appreciate you. I appreciate what you and your partner are doing and what you're accomplishing. And so I say to the listener, check them out. And don't forget to take a look on Amazon coming up. And go to the websites, read all about this, because this really is unique and wonderful. And, you know what I like to say, today is a great day to decorate. I'll see you next week, everyone! Thank you for getting me to the 52 mark. I appreciate it. Love you and bye for now.

 

Kimberly Grigg  29:51

Thanks for listening to Decorate Like A Design Boss. If you want more info on how to decorate your space like a pro, visit KimberlyGriggDesigns.com. See you next week.

Kimberly Grigg talks about bathroom renovation and shares some key steps that will help you get started on your bathroom design. There are a lot of things to consider and Kimberly walks listeners through why it’s important to get an overall understanding of budget and how you want your space to feel in order to help with materials selections.

 

Kimberly is currently renovating her own master bathroom and she explains how she created her own dream wish list, or unicorn list, for the renos, including the right tub and damask wallpaper.. She explains why it’s important to dream big and then structure the finished unicorn list according to priority. This creates a framework for both design and budget decisions. Kimberly gives insight on what to splurge on according to what is most important to you.

 

Through her own renovation and years of experience renovating client bathrooms, Kimberly encourages listeners to really imagine the feel and mood of the finished space. She advises on key materials to consider, safety tips, how to bring “the pretty”, and what options can be more budget-friendly. And she answers common questions about bathroom renovations from grout, tile finish, and terminologies. This episode is the first stop for anyone considering a bathroom renovation.

 

Resources discussed in this episode:

• Damask 
• Glass Slipper paint color

 

-- 

 

Contact Me:

Email me at [email protected]

Visit my website: www.kimberlygriggdesigns.com

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest

Check out my Youtube channel

You can find the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

 

Transcription

Kimberly Grigg  00:00

Welcome to Decorate Like A Design Boss, a podcast for design lovers who want to create beautiful spaces in their very own homes. My name is Kimberly Grigg, and I'm a professional interior designer who teaches design lovers like yourselves how to decorate. And when I say decorate, I mean decorate like a design boss. If you're ready to create a space that your family loves, and your neighbors can't stop raving about, well buckle up, honey, because it's time to design.

 

Kimberly Grigg  00:34

Well, hello there design lovers. It is always nice to be here. And I am loving today's topic for a couple of reasons. First of all, because I am going through my own master bath renovation right now, and because I want to help you take the guesswork out of how to plan a bathroom reno without experiencing overwhelm. So needless to say, today's topic is bathroom renovations. Here we go. So I want to talk about five steps to a successful bathroom renovation. Before we dive deep, though, let me share with you just a couple of things that you might want to be aware of. First of all, did you know that I send out a newsletter each week. It is chock full of design tips and inspirations and you can access this by simply going to my website, which is KimberlyGriggDesigns.com, and sign up to join our mailing list. I promise not to overdo it or harass you, but instead to provide you with knowledge and information about my favorite subject: interior design. Also, do you know that you can enjoy a live show each and every week on Facebook and Instagram. It's called It's Time to Design and this happens every Thursday at four. And, of course, there's always the replay. We cover a lot of ground on this show and often reveal jobs that we're installing, which are called Live on Location. And, of course, you can also take a deep dive into the world of design by signing up for one of my courses. It's like a PhD in interior decorating for the design enthusiast. Alright, enough plugs. Now, let's get on with today's show.

 

Kimberly Grigg  02:39

This year, I've been involved with a lot of bathroom renovations. And I must say, this is going to be the topic for a whole new class. Bathroom renos can be challenging, but they also can be one of the top places that you can update and up-value and up-level your home that gets good results in resale value. Not to mention the pure enjoyment of a beautiful bath. There are things about bathroom renos that you need to know and I'm not going to be able to give you a full PhD in this short program. But I am going to share with you five things that will make a bathroom reno go a little bit smoother.

 

Kimberly Grigg  03:28

So, step one in the process is to first of all, assess what can stay and what needs to go. This is the deciding part of the project. And some of these decisions are going to be based on function, some aesthetics, and, of course, some will be budget oriented. I typically start with if you're dreaming, make a unicorn list - a list of all the things that you desire in this bathroom. Don't hold back, really dream. Let yourself go. Be brave. Take risk. We can always climb back down the mountain, but it's harder to climb up the mountain if you don't know what you truly desire. This is the time when you scour Pinterest, you scour magazines, you scour anything, any information that you can get your hands on about products that are available for a bathroom. For example, in my own master bath reno that is going on right now - another reason to tune into my live show because we are doing updates often - my unicorn list looks like this: comfortable tub. Listen, I'm a bath girl. I take a bath every single day and I want my tub to be comfortable. So many times I've gone to five star luxury hotels, only to climb in their bathtub, and I've practically drowned because the bathtub's so big, my feet don't touch to anchor me inside of the space. I would never buy a bathtub that I could not sit in. It's just important to me because I spend a ton of time in my tub. Another thing that I'd like to have are heated towel bars. I am a freezing girl. I'm cold all the time. And I love love heated towel bars. I have considered heated floors. But I don't think I'm going to that extent, I think I'm okay with rugs on my floor. And slippers. I wear slippers all the time. So chances are I wouldn't be feeling the heated floors anyway. Another thing that we're doing - this was my husband's big wish, big request, and in fact it was the first thing that we purchased because he wanted to make sure that I allowed for it - we're installing an infrared sauna. Yep, he's really all about this. He's done a lot of research and he's giving up room in his very own closet to be able to house this contraption. I don't personally know a whole lot about them. I guess I'll be learning, because in the end, I'll be the one responsible for the installation of this. But I hear that the health benefits related to an infrared sauna are incredible. So another thing that I wanted in this master reno, was clean looking tile that feels timeless. My home has a bit of a historical feel to it. And I want to respect that. I'm not trying to turn it into a modern contemporary, but I do love a little juxtaposition. I like to blend the historical with a little bit of the modern and, for me, it comes out looking dreamy. The bathroom is a relaxing place for me and I need calm and quiet. So I'm using some very beautiful natural stones mixed with some white glass which is sparkly, and then a tile that is the same white sparkly glass but it, instead of white, it's a bluish-gray, and it just punctuates the white glass. It all looks like a gorgeous waterfall to me. So I think it's pretty, I think it's restful, I'm not a great person and this particular tile leans more bluish than gray, but there is a little bit of a gray undertone, but it's that kind of gray that doesn't look dreary to me, but instead it has a little spark of - there used to be a color called Cinderella's glass slipper - and that's what it looks like to me. So to me, that's beautiful. I also want a timeless wallpaper in damask. Damasks are making a huge comeback. And I've always loved them. And, in fact, in my current master bath, there's a gorgeous shade of green damask, and I have never tired of it. In fact, if it were in good shape, I'd be leaving it, but instead I'm going to go with some sort of damask that is a little bit more neutral. And I'm going to be able to get my color - which is going to be soft lilacs and lavenders - in very small touches throughout the room in accessories. I also am redoing our closets, so our closet interiors are important to me and they will be getting new cabinets. This bathroom, just so you know, is 35 years old. So if it sounds like I'm being exorbitant, well, in a way I am. But I want this bathroom to last another 30-40 years. I am painting the existing cabinets, which were custom built, in the bathroom part. The closet interiors are getting new cabinets, they had the melamine stuff and it just looks dated, and it is dated, and some of it's falling down. So it's time, so that's getting a whole new, more custom fitted closet interior for both of our master closets. And then better lighting is important to me. And then I want a TV near the tub so that I can watch a show while soaking in the bathtub. So, now I'm going to rank the list in order of importance, and based on your budget, and based on my budget, I'm gonna have to make probably some different selections, but this is my unicorn wish list. And I may have to eliminate some of the items on the list. For example, in my own bath, I'm looking at this as if it's a 20 to 30 year decision. So if I'm splurging on the materials, even if it means that I might not get the inset cabinetry that I want inside my closet, I might have to go for standard doors, there's trade-offs in any budget. I can also live without the heated towel bars. But I rank these items by order of importance. So now you have a framework to begin to select your materials.

 

Kimberly Grigg  10:16

Now you're going to determine a budget number that you can live with. And, of course, this is not easy, because most people don't know what things in the design world cost. So this, my friends, is a reality. Let's just say that number one on your wish list is heated floors and towel bars, but your budget is limited. Well, this is when I would consider selecting tiles and materials that are super budget friendly, so that you get the things that are super important to you. That is where you want to spend your splurge money. And when you use a budget item for your splurge item, well, you're gonna have a range of that cost item versus one set number. Conversely, if beautiful tile and aesthetics are the most important thing to you, and budget is a concern, then you might prioritize the tile and other elements, such as those towel bars, heated towel bars, well, they become less important. And then you have to be the one to make some tough decisions. As a side note, sometimes you can use inexpensive tiles, but vary the patterns and shapes so that you can make the space unique, and avoid the cost of some of the more expensive tile options.

 

Kimberly Grigg  11:46

All right, we're on to number three. And now I want to talk about the pretty. I'll just say this is the time that enlisting the services of a designer could be important. We just understand the materials that are out there, and we understand them so well, and as professionals, we also know what is possible. We also know how to mix up those shapes and patterns of your tiles so that you get a look that is specific and unique to you. But if hiring a designer is not a part of your plan, I'm going to tell you how I approached the pretty part of the project in just a few steps. First, I give the client something that they cannot think of themselves, even if I'm using materials that are very common. Hence talking about varying those shapes, and directions, and grout joints of common materials. If you're resurfacing a countertop, then you can consider shopping for remnants. This can be a very big budget saver. Don't give up if you go once and they don't have anything, because these materials are cut on a daily basis. And this is a good way to obtain stone tops on a budget. Number three, consider what you're going to do to the walls from the onset. This will even help you know what selections are needing to be made. You know I'm a huge fan of wallpaper, and I just mentioned that I'm using a beautiful neutral damask - damask. So I might start with one that I find to be gorgeous and it becomes my jumping off point for the overall design. And it helps me determine the entire remainder of the space.

 

Kimberly Grigg  13:42

Now, number four, let's talk about plumbing fixtures. First determine if there are any elements that you need to work with. You'll want to marry this finish of those existing elements into the rest of the selections. For example, I'm keeping my gorgeous, gorgeous faucets on my sinks. Now I'm just going to marry that finish with the rest of the selections. It happens to be a gold, it's kind of like a brushed gold, and I didn't even know they did this 35 years ago, but they did, and I think they are beautiful. So I'm just going to marry that finish into the rest of my selections. Try hard not to pigeonhole yourself here and select something that's timeless, as your taste and style dictates. Let's just say you are using something, and maybe you don't want like a brushed nickel and you don't want to use it everywhere, well I say it's time to enlist perhaps matte black. Matte black is a little more universal. It goes with gold, it goes with stainless, it goes with chrome, it goes with a lot of different things. But if you introduce the matte black, you're going to need to introduce touches of black throughout the rest of the space. Fixture styles and color choice is often based on the mood style and function of that space. If you're going for glam, then you might want to select polished chrome. If you're going for a Joanna Gaines, or a farmhouse look, bronze or black is a good choice. Or if you're doing light and airy, try brushed nickel. And if you're going eclectic or updated, then consider some of the newer golds.

 

Kimberly Grigg  15:30

Next, let's talk vanities. Does the renovation require a new vanity? If so, again, the mood, the style, and the function of the space really matters. If you're going to keep the existing vanity, is it going to be updated in some way? Perhaps you're painting it. Good ways to do this is painting it or changing out the hardware. And, of course, adding a new countertop can be a definite refresher.

 

Kimberly Grigg  16:00

So, renovating a bathroom certainly has its proper place in the design world. But it is a little complicated. I hope that some of these tips will help with the overall process. There's a lot to know about bathroom renovation. But if you embark on one, it can really add value to your life and to your home. So now, I love to do this, I love to have a little 'pick my brain' session at the end, and I get so many questions about bathroom renos. In fact, I've done a couple of bathroom shows on my live, It's Time to Design, on Thursday. And these are some questions that came from one or actually two of those shows.

 

Kimberly Grigg  16:47

The first is polished versus matte finish on tile. And here's the deal. Bathrooms can be slippery because there's water that stands or water that gets dripped. As far as the look goes, I love a polished look in a bathroom. But I don't typically use polished in a space where I feel like it could be dangerous somewhat to someone, I will tend to go with more of a matte finish. In my own bathroom, which is rather large, I'm using polished marble. But I also use rugs in my bathroom. So I know that we'll be safe and I know that the sizes of the rugs will work. And that I can do this with assurance that no one's going to slip. Now, inside the shower itself, you must use something that is gripping. And I usually use a smaller tile, where there is a grout line or a way for someone to, for the surface to absorb the water, the moisture, and to kind of serve as a good foundation for your feet so that you don't slip.

 

Kimberly Grigg  18:02

I've often been asked this: should I lay my tile on a diagonal or straight? So there's a lot of schools of thought about this. I love to do floors on a diagonal when it makes sense. But too many diagonals become too many wows per room. So if you're using diagonal tile up the shower or a busy, busy pattern up the shower wall, then I probably will lay the pattern straight on the floor. But a diagonal will make the space appear larger.

 

Kimberly Grigg  18:36

Another question: how big should my tile be? Well, I'm a girl who says I typically go for as big as I can get it. I use 12 x 24s. Typically when I use a 12 x 24, I lay them side by side and not in a random brick pattern. Of course, this depends on the mood and the style of the space. But if I'm going for more of a contemporary vibe or a more updated vibe, even transitional vibe, I'll lay them end to end. And I will do side by side and it just gives you a cleaner, cleaner look. If I can, I like to get 24 x 24 pieces and I like to lay them on the diagonal, and this would be for a floor. In a shower itself, I do any numbers of those things. And I vary the pattern, as I've mentioned prior, just, again, depending on what the style of the space is all about.

 

Kimberly Grigg  19:39

And here's a question that I get a lot. What about grout, what color do I use? What are the different joints? What do the terminologies mean? And here's what I'll say. Sometimes I use grout with purpose. Recently in a bathroom for my own personal condo renovation, I used a larger grout joint, because I wanted it to be a part of the look. It is very rare that I do that, but this was a retro-looking tile, and it just looked like it was the retro thing to do. Trending more now is to have the smallest joint line that you can have, so that you don't even notice the grout. I match the grout exactly to the tile that I'm laying unless I'm doing more of a farmhouse look. And in that case, I might go with a dark grout, it's very, very pretty against a white subway tile. As far as the different joint terminologies, there are a multitude. And the best place to refresh your memory on this would be Google. There are soldier joints, which is lined up. There's all sorts of widths. And, again, I still refer to Google for different grout joint terminologies, it's a good place to go to know, and so that you would always have that handy.

 

Kimberly Grigg  21:08

So, again, I hope that these simple tips will help you think about your bathroom renovation and help you put that one foot in front of the other that we're sometimes afraid to do, or that we postpone for whatever reason. These little steps are meant to get you started. So we're already at the conclusion of today's episode, and I hope you do find knowledge here, and inspiration that will lead you down a successful path of a bathroom renovation. Meanwhile, if you have questions about this or any other interior design topic, well, email me at designs, about your own designs, at [email protected]. And while you're at it, take a moment to rate, review, and subscribe to this show. It really helps us spread the word and I truly appreciate it. And you know what I like to say, don't wait, today is a great day to decorate. I'll see you next time and bye for now.

 

Kimberly Grigg  22:27

Thanks for listening to Decorate Like A Design Boss. If you want more info on how to decorate your space like a pro, visit KimberlyGriggDesigns.com. See you next week.

Kimberly Grigg welcomes Heather Bernstein of HKB Interior Design out of San Francisco to the show. Kimberly and Heather discuss sustainability in design elements, shifting away from stark white in color palettes, and Heather’s love of using stone in design. Heather shares ideas for how versatile stone can be throughout the home.

 

Heather Bernstein grew up with design as second nature, surrounded by her designer mother’s work and influence. After graduation she taught English in Thailand for 14 months and came home to work in real estate before spending time in the corporate world. Design proved to be her calling, however, and after working with a business partner on a co-owned design firm, she branched out on her own with HKB Interior Design just over two years ago. Heather describes her aesthetic as very different from her mother’s but with the use of antiques and sustainability always at the core.

 

Kimberly’s use of color is well known but Heather prefers a more neutral palette and they discuss how when working with neutrals, texture becomes your color. Heather has been working away from stark white recently, embracing warmer tones, and she has a vast knowledge of and love for stone in her designs. Kimberly learns the best sealant Heather recommends for stonework to avoid patina. And Heather shares some inspired design ideas from her own new home, stone elements beyond countertops, and insight from her years of experience with thinking outside the box to create a beautiful vibe.

Resources discussed in this episode:

• HKB Interior Design
• HKB Interior Design Instagram
• Quartz and Quartzite
• Caesarstone
• MORE AntiEtch

 

About Heather Bernstein:

 

Heather Bernstein, owner of HKB Interior Design, is a master interior designer with over a decade of experience in the industry. Heather’s bubbly yet professional personality leaves its mark on every home she touches with her personalized, warm approach to interiors. Heather’s love for beautiful spaces originated from her time spent absorbing her mother’s skill in interior design and running her independent firm. After graduating college, Heather moved to Thailand to teach English which expanded her senses and empathy for other cultures that commonly shows in her designs. Soon after, Heather accepted a corporate position for a Fortune 500 leading specialty retailer of high-quality products. This experience not only enhances her passion for design but can also be attributed to her well-rounded creativity and organizational skills that now come as second nature.

When Heather isn’t working with clients, you will find her chasing around her two boys and golden retriever. Heather continues to embrace travel as a necessary pleasure, is constantly seeking out the best sushi on the market, and is frequently socializing in her community, enjoying laughs over a good glass of wine.

-- 

 

Contact Me:

Email me at [email protected]

Visit my website: www.kimberlygriggdesigns.com

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest

Check out my Youtube channel

You can find the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

 

Transcription

Heather Bernstein  00:00

Yeah, and you just said, the, I think, the biggest thing - you said, clients get afraid. So this, I think, is the biggest thing you can do in design. If you really want to elevate your space, be afraid, have a touch of fear that it's too bold or too much. And go for it.

 

Kimberly Grigg  00:23

Welcome to Decorate Like A Design Boss, a podcast for design lovers who want to create beautiful spaces in their very own homes. My name is Kimberly Grigg. And I'm a professional interior designer who teaches design lovers like yourselves how to decorate. And when I say decorate, I mean decorate like a design boss. If you're ready to create a space that your family loves, and your neighbors can't stop raving about, well, buckle up honey, because it's time to design. So hello there design lovers and enthusiasts, thank you as always for being here. And I'm so excited to be bringing you this episode. In fact, I've been talking to my guest ahead of time, and I just learned something that I didn't know about marble. And I'm going to be sharing that with you, as is Heather, and I can't wait. So today's guest is Heather Bernstein of HKB Designs. They're out of San Francisco. And we're going to talk a lot about sustainable design, interior design, and specifically about how to incorporate natural stone into your home and designs and, more importantly, how to take care of it. So welcome Heather Bernstein, glad to have you here.

 

Heather Bernstein  01:48

Thank you. I'm glad to be here.

 

Kimberly Grigg  01:50

Thank you. So I know you've been home battling COVID. Sorry to hear that. And I hope it wasn't horrible. But we forgive you in advance if your throat gets scratchy or whatever. Because, like, that is no joke. I haven't had COVID yet, but seems like everyone I know has, including my children and all that stuff, and I know it's no picnic.

 

Heather Bernstein  02:14

Rough nights, for sure.

 

Kimberly Grigg  02:16

I'm sure. So you're in the Bay Area, as is my number five child. I have six children and number five moved to San Francisco. And I've been out quite a few times, and oh my gosh, what a beautiful area architecturally. Like, wow. I can't even imagine what it's like to actually get to design there. Because the architecture is on fire.

 

Heather Bernstein  02:41

It's amazing. I think the best part about it is that no two projects are the same there. You have sprawling ranchers, you have Victorians that are straight up and down, you have every different kind of home, which is amazing. And especially in Marin, where we are, we're in the mountains. And so all the homes are so different based on where they are in the land. If they're on a hill, it's, you know, they're on stilts, and if there happened to be in the flats, then you know, they build for that.

 

Kimberly Grigg  03:19

Yeah, I actually was in Marin, and beautiful area and intriguing. So do you do different aesthetic styles? Or do you kind of focus on one?

 

Heather Bernstein  03:32

I would say we stay true to who we are. Meaning, we don't like to do anything that doesn't speak to our brand and what we're about and what we love. But we definitely can span from traditional to contemporary and everything in between, depending on what the client wants in the style of the home. I will say, though, our favorite thing is to take a very traditional home. We just did one of the classic Victorians on Steiner Street in San Francisco where 'Full House' was filmed. And we did a very contemporary interior, which was really, really fun to juxtapose against the classic kind of all the wood paneling. And it was just unexpected. And everybody that walks in there is surprised and it's fun and exciting.

 

Kimberly Grigg  04:29

How cool. So how'd you make your way into the design space? Because I think you have a corporate background, right?

 

Heather Bernstein  04:36

Yes. So I grew up actually here in the East Bay, so in the Bay Area but just through the Caldecott Tunnel, in a little town called Alamo, and my mom was a designer all growing up. So for 35 years, it's all I knew. We - and she, when she started out, she did all of her own sewing, all of her own upholstery, she made every window treatment, every roman shade out of our dining room. And I remember being in middle school or even elementary and most kids have to take their shoes off when they go in the house, we had to leave ours on because there was always pins and needles on the floor. And so I just, I grew up with it, and then, I guess it was about junior or senior year, my mom would start - by the time I think I was in college, like I'd gotten into school, so it must have been senior year - she would pull me out of school and say, 'Hey, let's go to the Design Center. You can come help me for the day'. And I just thought it was magical, and getting to shop and put things together for people to make their spaces something that they loved, was really just magical. So then I went to school, I went to Boulder. I graduated, I moved to Thailand for about 14 months, I taught English to high schoolers there, I just wanted to get out and experience something different. And travel, which I did, I spent a month in India, and really just - and that was after my junior year abroad in Italy - so I really tried to, like, just see different places in the world. And then I came back and I got my real estate license. And I was selling apartments downtown south of Market in San Francisco, where it was completely undeveloped, and it was like a ghost town. And now it's the sprawling amazing gentrified neighborhood, which is incredible. But real estate was not for me, I called one of my dear friends who worked at William Sonoma corporate and I said 'I need a job'. And she said, 'Great, come be an assistant, my assistant buyer'. And so I did. And I was there for five or six years, climbed up the ladder to a senior buyer, which was really, really fun and exciting. I for sure drink the Kool Aid for the first three years. And then I started to become a little disillusioned and the world was faltering as, you know, we neared 2008. And then I was laid off and I remember crying the night before they were gonna announce layoffs thinking, this is my chance, if I don't get laid off I don't know if I'll be brave enough to start my design business. And so I wanted to be laid off, which was very counterintuitive, because the world was ending. But I was laid off, with 700 others, and that was in January. And by March, I had started our S corp and I had a business partner, we joined forces and said, 'Let's do this together'. We were both going to start our own businesses, and we just said that's silly. And so I started Nest about 15 years ago. And we worked alongside each other for 12 great years. And then when COVID hit, it just kind of felt like things were changing in my life. I had been through a divorce and met a wonderful man. We joined our families and had a Brady Bunch. And I was really just, like, cleaning house and making sure that everyone around me... and it was it was a positive experience every day. And I wanted to feel that in my work and create that space, and so we both went out on our own, and that's when I started HKB. And it's been about two, two and a half years. And I have one of my oldest employees, who has been with me for 10 years. And then we have an assistant buyer who is amazing. She came from the corporate event space and when COVID hit she she jumped ship and came on to try this whole new world and she loves it, and we love having her, so it's been really positive.

 

Kimberly Grigg  09:08

Sounds like things just kind of lined up. Which always tells me that you're in the right space. And based on your website, you're definitely definitely in the right space. So I got to know, is your aesthetic similar to your mother's?

 

Heather Bernstein  09:26

No. Definitely not. She was like the consummate traditionalist with the fringe and the Sweet Pea wallpaper and the Laura Ashley and very froofy, and so, no, I actually went the opposite. And my old business partner was very traditional, and I just, I think I ran from that and became very contemporary. Anything clean lined, even mid century, modern, I was more drawn to. But now I'm starting to have this appreciation, I don't know if it's getting older, or just learning that having pieces that are from family from, you know, 100 years ago is really special. So I think I'm definitely being able to merge my style. And we just built a house for the past year, my partner and I, to fit all six of us. And it's been such a labor of love. And it will be photographed, hopefully, in the next couple of months once we get our final furniture pieces. But it definitely has a combo of very clean lines, but also some traditional pieces thrown in.

 

Kimberly Grigg  10:55

Sure. And I think that, I'm sure you're experiencing supply chain issues as most of us are, and, you know, my original aesthetic incorporated antiques and older pieces really juxtaposed with modern, and it was always my favorite style. But as I got busier and busier, it was just easier to order than to go antiquing on the weekends, or go antiquing, and just, like, be looking for these pieces. And I... my aesthetic sort of shifted because I was doing so many installations every single week, I didn't have time or energy, except to get it ordered. And I had assistance for all of that. So that's kind of my business in those middle years became all about ordering, tracking, ordering, tracking, ordering tracking. But, now with all of this supply chain, I'm back to my roots, I feel like Kunta Kinte. Like, let's start with that antique, baby. Let's get rid of some of those antiques that are leftover in the warehouse. Let's repurpose, let's rethink, let's re-upholster, let's do all of these things, because I don't have the patience for 28 months for upholster to arrive. And I know my clients don't have that kind of patience, either. So I think that necessity is the mother of invention. And I know that on your site, you do talk a lot about sustainability. And I think that's a, sounds like maybe a really big part of your brand. So talk to me a little bit about sustainability, why it's important to you, and how you incorporate sustainability into your designs.

 

Heather Bernstein  12:38

Yeah, I think just living in the Bay Area, it's kind of been hammered into us for our whole lives. You know, like, we recycled before recycling was even a thing, I think. And so it really allows you to design consciously and with thought and care. And antiques are such a beautiful part of that because there's only one, and it's available, like you said - I'm not, you know, we just got a quote for a client and it said 36 weeks, and I was trying to even calculate that in my head-

 

Kimberly Grigg  13:17

- it doesn't sound that big. But when you're calculating 36 weeks, you're like, whoa!

 

Heather Bernstein  13:24

Yeah, the client was like 'is that a joke?' Yeah, I could make that in 36 weeks.

 

Kimberly Grigg  13:29

Right? Exactly.

 

Heather Bernstein  13:31

And so, I think, really incorporating pieces that are already out there, that don't take any footprint to make, and to just infuse them in our designs is really special, and also conscious for the environment. So I think it's important to think that way and to infuse that in your design, and really be smart about it.

 

Kimberly Grigg  14:02

Yes. So agree. So tell me, Heather, what inspires you?

 

Heather Bernstein  14:08

You know, I just, I love being outside. It's so funny because I had a girlfriend over last night. We're newly friends, she's going through a divorce, so I'm kind of helping her through it.

 

Kimberly Grigg  14:22

Right.

 

Heather Bernstein  14:22

And my partner and I went on a mountain bike ride yesterday for, like, two hours just in nature, huffing and puffing, it was so beautiful. And I was telling her about it - and we had our bikes stolen a couple months ago and so we just got her new bikes, yesterday was our first ride, we were breaking them in, we were so excited - and she was like, 'you mountain bike. I did not know that about you'. And I was laughing. My dad was a mountain bike coach in high school, and I really, I think, am a girly-girl but I love to get down and dirty, and yesterday was my favorite day. We spent three hours in the garden planting, and then got on our bikes and went on a ride for two hours. And it just felt so productive. And the vitamin D, I don't know, there's something, for me, about being outside. And we clearly live, like, in the redwoods, and in this beautiful space where we can do that. And I think that is the number one thing that inspires me. Because, yeah, travel inspires me, but we can't travel every day. But we can be outside every day in nature and take it in and just revel in the beauty of it. And that is... and then, of course, my family inspires me every day. And they're just, we're an evolving, very fun family, you know - the boys are 9 and 10, the girls are 13 and 16 - and just watching their personalities and the hormones and I'm just always so curious.

 

Kimberly Grigg  14:29

It's so true. And I've never thought about it as family being inspiring. Supportive. But, you know, when I think back on things that we've been through - because we're a blended family as well, we're definitely the Brady Bunch. Three and three. And so, three girls, three boys.

 

Heather Bernstein  16:26

Oh my gosh.

 

Kimberly Grigg  16:26

Two were his, two we adopted, and two are biological. So it is, like.... but their spaces in life have really been an inspiration that I've probably just taken for granted as my personal life that does merge with my work life. You know, I don't necessarily know that I process that on a daily basis, until you just said it. But I can think of times when yes, my - like right now, one of my daughters is very much into boho chic. And, you know, it's just a boho chic moment. And yet I have a client with three daughters, and they are in their boho chic periods, and I can do that very well because of the inspiration that I've garnered from my daughter - what she sees on social media, what she likes, what she follows, what she wants in her own spaces, all those things - you know, has brought about an inspiration that I probably wouldn't have been interested in that style. I just wouldn't. It's just not, it doesn't necessarily speak to my personal aesthetic, but I champion being versed in all styles. And I usually get versed when someone asked me to do one. And then it's, like, I study for days and hours, and, you know, when you do this I do think that you can study a particular genre for long periods of time. And you can do it, like it's in us, we have to be a certain amount of chameleon to be able to do what we do, unless we have a particular style that we repeat, and we repeat, and we repeat. That's a little bit different. But that brings me to this question, you know, my listener is, she's not necessarily a DIYer, but she is someone who wants to make her home beautiful. And for whatever reason, she's probably not going to hire a designer, she's going to want to do it herself. She wants to be successful. But she wants her own stamp. And, again, there's many reasons that this person ends up in this space. But I'm curious, do you think that creativity can be learned?

 

Heather Bernstein  18:45

Hmm, I definitely think... I believe in the right brain / left brain, and, you know, the very cerebral right brain and mathematical - which I know did not come easy for me, like, even in corporate America when I lived in spreadsheets, I just, it was heavy. I felt heavy.

 

Kimberly Grigg  19:12

Sure.

 

Heather Bernstein  19:12

And so the left brain creative space, definitely think... everybody has a left brain. And so it's in them. It's just drawing it out. So what is it? You can be creative in your cooking, in your food, and how you plate something or how you think to make something that you're going to put in your body. You can be creative in your garden, and what.... My partner just made this amazing trellis for his green beans - he's so excited about his green beans, and his cucumbers climb on this trellis - that he sat out there for hours and made, and I watched him, like, that's so creative. Like how, I wouldn't have thought of that. So I definitely think there are avenues of creativity that are different for everybody. You know, obviously you think of an artist and you're like, yes, you're creative. I think what we do is definitely, you have to have some creative bones in your body, and your left brain working, but there are so many different ways to be creative. So I think...

 

Kimberly Grigg  20:22

For sure. And I do find, I think this, like, sometimes when people are hiring me to do a job, they don't have confidence in their creativity, or time, you know, it takes a lot of time to do what we do. And so.... but I do think that it's in there, almost with everyone, left and right brain. Like I'm... definitely my left brain is more trained than my right brain, my right brain came out of the womb screaming, 'I'm here and I'm creative' and my other brain is like, 'alright, bring her along, bring her along, you got this'. And I exercise that muscle very often, because I want it, I want the balance of the two. And, as you know, running a business requires the two. But I do find that a person who doesn't necessarily think they're very creative, it's also maybe they're not as passionate as you and I are about the subject.

 

Heather Bernstein  21:28

Or like you said, they're nervous. And once you put one foot in front of the other, and you just start doing, you become more confident in your creativity.

 

Kimberly Grigg  21:37

And I think you can exercise that muscle. And I thought a long time about this, since I teach classes to people who are, who think, who want to aspire to have that beautiful home on their own. And I really had to sit with this, do I think that they can do this? Because if they can't, you're just beating your head against the wall. And if they can, and there's ways that you can do it, then you probably can get somewhere.

 

Heather Bernstein  22:06

Even if they can come away with one or two, like, a-ha moments, it can help them transform one space, and then two, and then three spaces... and do this one or two things. That's, that's beautiful, because they're making their space more their own and more....

 

Kimberly Grigg  22:27

And I encourage people at that stage, especially if they don't have the confidence yet, 'all right, you do you and you go through the process' but then it's okay to hire someone to consult with you. It's okay to hire a professional to say, 'move this to the right three inches' because you will learn from that experience as well. I think sometimes people are afraid that, you know, someone like you and I are going to come in with all this vast experience and, like, intimidate them in some way. But it really is, like, I know when I'm doing my own work, heck, I come into my office and say to the other designers here, 'hey, what do you think about this?'

 

Heather Bernstein  23:11

100%!

 

Kimberly Grigg  23:12

Like, you know, because it's mine. It's personal. It's intimate, and, like, oh god.

 

Heather Bernstein  23:17

And it's hard.

 

Kimberly Grigg  23:20

It's so hard, so you know, I'm glad you're a kindred spirit in that way. So I'm anxious to hear your answer to this. So here's an empty space, Heather, what's your process? Like, what do you do?

 

Heather Bernstein  23:34

Hmm. Well, in the traditional sense, we put pen to paper and, you know, draw it in CAD and lay it out. But, throw that away because so often we check our measurements from our CAD drawing in the space and we're like, huh, that doesn't feel right. And so then we get out our old fashioned tape measure, which I literally have one every spot I am in.

 

Kimberly Grigg  24:05

It's attached to my fingers.

 

Heather Bernstein  24:08

And we measure it out and we think through, like, how does this person live? How do they entertain? Do they have a family? We go through all the process and we know - whether it's for our client or, I'm just thinking of my home that I just did - and, you know, okay this is our living room but it is not a formal living room, it has a TV, and we want it to be comfy and cozy. And it was like, okay yes a sofa, but how about a day bed where you can literally just lounge with a couple of the kids. So really thinking through who's going to use the space, how the space is going to be used, and then laying it out with your trusty tape measure, and just knowing 'okay, we're going to do a sofa, a day bed, and a pair of chairs, and then maybe we'll throw in a bench or two little benches at the, you know, by the fireplace just to pull up for extra seating because we need that'. Because there are so many of us, there are not eight of us, but there are six of us... so yeah, that's I think. But then if I back up and think through, like, the very first thing we do, is we create a vibe board. And this is the most important step because it dictates the design for every room in the house. And that offers consistency in our designs. And so we start with our vibe board, we send it to the client, we have a meeting, and we go through every image. And it's not like you're going to have this in your home, it's more like, how does this vibe board feel? It evokes a mood and what is that and you love it? And if you don't, we're back to the drawing board. So that is how we start. And then, obviously, you know, our handy tape measure comes into play.

 

Kimberly Grigg  26:18

Well, I tell people, like, they'll bring me plans - I do a lot of design builds, where I'm making all the selections, and it's a year and a half of building, and I love that kind of work - but when it comes to, like, I'll get, you know, into the project, and I inevitably have clients say, 'well, okay, let's order furniture, let's order our furniture right now, right now', we're still 12 months out. And, like, I understand the backlog more than most, however, I start saying it's different on paper than it is in person. It just is. And I want to feel the space before I commit. And yes, this sofa fits, yes, this is probably where we're going with this, however, I want this feeling, this vibe, to feel like you - client - and I also want it to be respectful of the architecture and the home itself. And sometimes you can't get that from a blueprint. And I think that's what you're saying, this vibe board does have this significant role, because this is what - whether every little piece in that vibe board is going in this house, probably not - but it does speak volumes to how this space is going to feel. Right?

 

Heather Bernstein  27:45

100%. We... when we did my home, and I say 'we' because my senior designer, Reed, was such a big part of it. It's so hard to design for yourself, I don't know why, maybe it's just me, but I've learned that from many other designers, I've heard them say the same thing. But we found this image from this amazing artist, and it's this woman with a blank face being hugged by this big, fat, wonderful, what looks like cashmere ,blanket. And I was like 'THAT - that is my home. That is what I want'. I want you to walk in and feel like you are being hugged by a cashmere blanket. And just settle into the comfort of it and the cozy.

 

Kimberly Grigg  28:33

I love this.

 

Heather Bernstein  28:35

And so, I can kind of, I can show you, my - if you can see - there she is. And so this was the start of our vibe. And it just, it all came to, you know, to be from that one image. So often times, you know, we find one image and it's amazing, and just describes the whole thing.

 

Kimberly Grigg  29:02

And I like to say to people, you know, when you're scrolling on Pinterest or whatever, you're not just looking for rooms, like rooms are important. Like, I get a lot from people out of the rooms that they select. But I say don't just look at rooms, look at images that speak to you. Because what you just showed me was more of a piece of art with this woman in this cashmere blanket this big, thick fluffy... that sparks 'How do I want to feel in my home?'

 

Heather Bernstein  29:33

Yes.

 

Kimberly Grigg  29:33

And that's the thing that I sometimes think people miss. They'll bring me a picture of something on Pinterest and I'm, like, so you sort of want me to copy this room? Like, because you got the wrong girl for that. Like, I don't know how to do that very well. I can look at something, I can get a vibe, and I certainly can give you a different version of that that feels that way, but it won't be that. Like, that's just not in me, it's just not. But I think it's more if people can settle into what that space needs to feel like to them, as the people who live there, then I think you tap into something that resonates with a person. And, in the end, I say this, I'm not gonna live here, I'm probably going to come visit you because we will become friends over this, but you're gonna live here.This house should look like you, not me, and get comfortable with that. Because if you don't know who that is, we're going to find out. And it sounds like you have a similar process. And, which, I love that process. I'm not the girl who does this look. And I don't have a look, I have your look. And that's the best I can say about that. So I want to segue, in a minute, into materials. And this is really how we were introduced, is you're kind of known for your use of materials. And I know that you deal a lot in stone. So first define for people what a natural stone is versus a synthetic stone, because I think there's a lot of product in the market and people get confused with materials.

 

Heather Bernstein  31:14

Yeah. Yeah, there's so many options out there, which is amazing and been really wonderful to design with all these options. But yes, natural stone is cut from the quarry, whether it's from Italy, Portugal, South America, it is a block of magnificent stone, cut from a quarry, and then sliced up into pieces. And what you see is what you get, no two are alike, they're like snowflakes. Synthetic stone is conglomerate, so they grind it up and glue it together, and it's very hardy. It can also be porcelain. I do think synthetic materials, synthetic slabs, have come a long way. We used to, you would see like Corian or quartz, everybody's heard of quartz, a lot of people call it Caesarstone. It's like Kleenex versus tissue: Kleenex is the brand, tissue is the thing. The Caesarstone is the brand, is one brand out of millions, it seems like these days, and quartz is the synthetic material. And there's a time and a place for it. And we have to love all materials because we're blessed to get to do many different spaces and many different places. But if you think about it, a man-made material can't live outside. So, like, if we're doing a built-in kitchen outside, we would never put a quartz outside because the heat can do things to it. Whereas a natural stone has already lived outside and it's totally fine outside. So - and there is something about natural stone that we love, that none are the same, and so every project with natural stone is unique. So we love, love, marble quartzite - not to be confused with quartz - limestone, soapstone, slate. We love these natural materials, but, you know, some of them are more porous than others. And that's where the proper sealant comes in, and treating them so that they last a lifetime.

 

Kimberly Grigg  33:39

So before we get into this sealant, I think that this is appropriate to say.... because a lot of people get really, really nervous about using natural stone as countertops. And I understand it, and most vendors that I work with will, you know, they'll terrify my client even though I say do not open your mouth and tell clients. But, like, let's just say I want to use marble on my kitchen countertops. And they're like, oh, no, no, no, no, no, and we won't, and all that stuff. So, first question is: Do you ever use natural stone as countertops?

 

Heather Bernstein  34:22

Every day. All the time.

 

Kimberly Grigg  34:24

Yay girl. That's what I wanted to hear.

 

Heather Bernstein  34:26

I had marble in my last kitchen, I have quartzite in this kitchen, I have a soapstone vanity in my powder room, I have a Calcutta vanity in my master bathroom. And, yes, it's all porous but it's beautiful and there are ways, there are two ways to think about it. One is this is a natural stone. It can be, it can last 1000 years as your countertop and you can let it patina as it will. Meaning you will see rings from water, wine, you will see spots from lemon or lime acid etching it. Think about the oldest bar you've been to in Italy, and that counter is marble and it has been there for 100 years, and it's, that is the patina you will get. The other side of it is, you can seal it and it will look as beautiful as it did on install day, as it does four years later. So do not be afraid.

 

Kimberly Grigg  35:36

What is the sealant? This is so exciting.

 

Heather Bernstein  35:40

It's called MORE AntiEtch. A gentleman named Steve Wolf used to work for DuPont and he had a lot of experience in mixing these compounds, and he left, and said 'I'm gonna make this sealant that you roll on to natural stone that is impenetrable'. And you only have to seal it like once every 10 to 20 years versus every year. And it works. It's a matte finish so it looks, if you have honed stone, it looks just like the stone. I mean you can't tell that there's any sealant on it. And it truly helps stop the effects of citrus and etching and staining, and you can leave coffee and red wine rings on your counter overnight, and then wipe the next day, and it's fine.

 

Kimberly Grigg  36:42

And this is M O O R?

 

Heather Bernstein  36:46

MOOR. MORE AntiEtch.

 

Kimberly Grigg  36:49

AntiEtch.

 

Heather Bernstein  36:49

No, M O R E. MORE AntiEtch.

 

Kimberly Grigg  36:52

MORE AntiEtch. Because I'm going to link it, of course. It'll be in the show notes, everyone. But I have marble countertops in my kitchen and I'm very particular about them, I don't like the patina for that particular area. And someone recently said to me there's a product now that you can use to seal. And I thought I'm gonna wait till I hear a little more about this before - because I have a lot of countertop in my kitchen - but I bet you it's the same product and I would be a fan. When you say matte, how does it work on a glossier finish or does it matte it down?

 

Heather Bernstein  37:30

They have two. They have a polished option and a honed option. Yeah  MoreSurfaceCare.com - M O R E. And they have different sealants for the different stones. So I have a different sealant on my quartzite than I did on my marble. So they really honed in on what the product is and created something spectacular. I don't understand what the compound is but I don't need to, I just know that it works.

 

Kimberly Grigg  38:03

Which is so amazing. And when we started this conversation, you've had this product in your homes for, now, a couple of years. So you know it's tried and true, because you tried it and it's true.

 

Heather Bernstein  38:14

Yep.

 

Kimberly Grigg  38:15

Which is so exciting because people will say to me, 'oh my god, I love that marble, but I'm not doing that, I'm too scared, my husband is sloppy, I spill red wine', all those things that, you know... and then I, as a designer, don't want to live with 'oh my gosh, like, I'm gonna get a phone call in three years and you're gonna be upset'. So this is a way to offset that and I'm thrilled to know about it and I'm going to be talking about it a lot too on my show. Because, you know, I love a product that will solve. Design is a lot about finding the best solutions to problems in your home and this solves a problem. And, you know, not spending hours on it, I do have a couple of questions, though, about stone because, like, I think there's also unusual ways to use stone, not just on a countertop. And I noticed on your site, you do some things. Tell me some things, other things, you've done with stone that are beautiful, that, you know, someone could incorporate into their homes.

 

Heather Bernstein  39:23

Yeah, I think our favorite thing right now is doing integrated sinks. So for a powder room just taking a slab and cutting it up to make a sink look like it was carved out of a block of soapstone or marble or quartzite, where the sink is fully integrated, I think is so beautiful. Because it's seamless and it looks like it was just carved out of a chunk of stone, and I love that heft, and that feel. We also use slab for fireplace surrounds all the time. Not only are they so functional because of their heat resistant qualities, but they're beautiful. And there's so many designs you can do with different mantles and, really, you can do anything with stone. It's amazing. Of course outdoor spaces. Even just with a remnant we have leftover, we'll, you know, cut a round top and put it on an iron base for outside. And clients are like, 'oh my gosh, this is amazing, I love our table', and nobody has it. And that's beautiful. So, yeah, that is... we use stone in every room. It's wonderful.

 

Kimberly Grigg  40:42

Yeah. It is wonderful. And I do the same with remnants. I'm doing a top for a coffee table right now. And it was just a little leftover piece, and, you know, it's so pretty, and it's so important. And it can elevate something to an entirely different level.

 

Heather Bernstein  41:01

Yeah.

 

Kimberly Grigg  41:01

And it can make it unique to you. Which are all the things that, to me, scream good design. So in your portfolio, you tend to have more neutral palettes. But... so tell me, how do you insert color? Or do you?

 

Heather Bernstein  41:18

I will say we used to use color a lot more than we did, and something shifted. And I think it was a combination of things. For me, my old business was being dissolved and I was transitioning to this new business where it was mine, solely mine. And then, you know, we're all stuck at home. And I was looking around, and I was - I don't want to say getting sick of - but I was finding myself, like, with really bold colors and patterns. I was... it was jarring to me. And I felt like I just wanted to take it down 10 notches and just breathe in more neutral tones, but lots of texture. And that's where our shift happened. And I don't know, I don't know if it was gradual or if it was one day, but we just started doing these vibe boards that evoked this very calm, soothing feeling. And nothing, like, too bright or jarring. And so that's kind of the direction where we've gone. Like, I'm looking at this as like a rug that's going in my bedroom, it's just, like, soft blue-gray. And then this is the headboard fabric. And the texture is what made us swoon for it.

 

Kimberly Grigg  42:53

You know, I say - especially when someone comes to me for a neutral palette, because I'm known for color, but can I do a neutral palette, I have done bazillions - but if you're going to do a neutral palette, then texture becomes your color.

 

Heather Bernstein  43:11

So do you have certain things that you do in homes that is unique to you, your aesthetic, something more like signature?

 

Heather Bernstein  43:11

100%. I actually think it's harder sometimes than designing with color, because that is like play on play on play, and you're layer layer layer. With textures, it's like, okay, this is velvet, we don't want another velvet, so we need to really think through the next, you know... okay, what is it? Oh, it's a chunky linen. And so really thinking through that is almost harder. But, in the end, it feels so natural and so warm and comfy and cozy. And so we love that.

 

Heather Bernstein  43:55

You know, I would say right now, the past couple of years, we have moved away from white kitchens - white, white, white, white, white - and we are going warm. And so we are doing wrist white oak cabinets, or custom walnut cabinets, or a color like this deep rich almost hunter green that brings in nature. And so I think right now, our signature is not a white kitchen. And I have seen white kitchens on our website because that's how we did it for so many years.

 

Kimberly Grigg  44:44

And it's white kitchen to death. It's white everything today.

 

Heather Bernstein  44:47

And a client will come and say 'I want a white kitchen, I'm coming to you' and we're like 'oh no'. And then we're like, 'well what if we do a soft gray?' and they're like 'oh, oh, can I see what that would look like?' And then they're like, 'oh, that feels nice'. And so, just warming it up, I think, has been... and also, everything has been so stark white for so long, that white, gray, white, gray, that we're really warming it up. So, like, more of, like, a warm white or an ivory. It just, it feels - and I'm saying this as my office is white white - but this canvas, this natural colored canvas, is where we are right now. We're warming it up.

 

Kimberly Grigg  45:44

And probably using warmer whites when you're using white.

 

Heather Bernstein  45:48

100%. So instead of super white.

 

Kimberly Grigg  45:52

Warmer whites. Yes, yes. And then that plays well with other warm colors that are branching off into other rooms and spaces. And I think it's kind of important, because subliminally we're all over-exposed to whatever is trending, even us. I mean, we get, we start seeing so so so so much of something and the next thing you know, we're doing it. And I think the average person is as well. And before you know it, and really by the time you've - not us necessarily - but by the time the person who doesn't do this professionally is incorporating into their homes, this subliminal image, it's already trending out. And, you know, I mean, think of the gray in the last 10 years. Think of the white white white, think of the white with millennial pink. I mean, all my, like, it's everywhere, right? And then I'm so sick of it, like I don't really want to do it, I want to give you something special, even though your heart is set on that white with millennial pink pop. It's the pop that's doing it for you, probably. And it's not that I don't like either color, or it's not that I don't like those looks, it's just been in my face.

 

Heather Bernstein  47:08

Yes.

 

Kimberly Grigg  47:09

And an overexposure. So it does make me, though, want to ask this - because I think about this from the perspective of someone listening to this show and gaining and garnering - like, what are things we can leave them with? So what are tips that people can incorporate that they can elevate their home to more of a designer level? Like what kinds of things can somebody really pull off?

 

Heather Bernstein  47:39

Yeah, you know, I think there are a few just, like, tricks that aren't even tricks. They're just inherent in what we know. But to explain it to someone and someone to say, 'oh, yeah, I never thought, I never knew that'. Like, an area rug. If you have a sprawling living room, you know, family room, whatever it is, and you put a five by eight postage stamp rug in there, your room is going to come crashing in and feel this big. But if you do a 10 x 14 rug, or a custom size to fit the space, your room will feel the size that it is. And so, I think that is something that we see all the time. That we walk in and we're like, 'oh yeah, it feels small, because you have the wrong size rug'. And that helps define your space so easily. It's like dummy proof. You know, like, once you learn like, 'oh, this is the right size rug for this room'. And that's why there are those standard rug sizes - 8 x 10, 9 x 12, 10 x 14 - because those are some standard room sizes.

 

Kimberly Grigg  48:55

And your point - nothing kills a space worse than that 5 x 7 rug in this huge room. And yes, it does support the furniture, perhaps, but it - I've never really thought about, I've never put it into those words, you did it so eloquently - but all of a sudden your room just shrinks. And you've got this pretty massive space. I mean people get afraid to go big. Don't you think?

 

Heather Bernstein  49:23

Yeah. 100%

 

Kimberly Grigg  49:25

Like they'll get these little bitty accessories, or they'll buy this little bitty lamp, and I'm like, 'oh, love, like, we cannot put that lamp by this high headboard'.

 

Heather Bernstein  49:37

Yeah. And you just said, I think the biggest thing, you said clients get afraid. So this, I think, is the biggest thing you can do in design. If you really want to elevate your space, be afraid. Have a touch of fear that it's too bold or too much, and go for it. Do a title that scares you. We, my boys' bathroom - there's no window, we put a skylight in, but there's no window - and I was like, you know what, I'm just going to enhance the darkness and do black. Black tile, black floors, black everywhere with an oak vanity and a big mirror to reflect as much light as I can get in this space. And it is by far our favorite bathroom.

 

Kimberly Grigg  50:31

It sounds amazing.

 

Heather Bernstein  50:33

Yeah, it's so fun.

 

Kimberly Grigg  50:35

So bold.

 

Heather Bernstein  50:36

And even as a designer - and I know everything that's out there, and even the stuff I don't know, I'll learn about and, you know, be like, 'oh, that's so much cooler than what I did' - but even I have to tell myself to be brave sometimes. And, like, yes, do that. Don't play it safe.

 

Kimberly Grigg  50:57

But you know what, I think it's why you're successful. I know that it has a lot to do with my success. Because, you know, we can all pick some things that go nicely, play nicely together. And we can break some rules and, you know, get the scale off a little bit, get this off a little bit. But I think that the reason people use me as their designer - and I have a feeling it's you too - is because we will take that risk. And we'll believe in it so hard that our clients know that if we believe in it that much, that it's worth the risk. And that we'll fix it if it goes wrong. Like, you know, I've taken risks that haven't worked. But I'd rather take that risk than cheat my client out of what it could have been, if I had stayed in the box. And, you know, I think, like, I can't wait to get out of the box when I'm working on a job, like I cannot. But I also have a lot of years of experience. So I'm not afraid to get out of the box. Yet when we don't get out of the box, and I play it safe, the room is flat to me, or the project is flat. And sometimes people just won't let you and you finally just give up in, like, frustration, and you're like, 'okay, if you won't do it, then I'm not gonna lose any more sleep about this, I'm telling you, it would be 1000 times better if you let me do it this way, but you're not doing it so here we go'. And eventually, you can get to that. But when you get to get out - and I can tell the girl that puts black tile all over a dark bathroom, I know you can take a risk, and I love it. Love it. I can't wait to see the photographs of this bathroom. I think it sounds spectacular. So.

 

Heather Bernstein  52:47

Yeah, no. Breaking rules. Breaking the rules is so fun.

 

Kimberly Grigg  52:51

Yeah, exactly. And allow yourself, yeah, allow yourself to do it. So is - obviously beauty is important to you - so, but why? Why should people care? Why is beauty important?

 

Heather Bernstein  53:09

My partner and I have this conversation quite a bit because he's like, 'function is better'. And I'm like, 'no beauty is better'. I mean women were high heels, you think they wear them because they're comfortable? No. We wear them because they're beautiful, right? And they elongate our calf and our leg. And there are reasons for why we do things. And I think I have learned, through this project over the past year, my own project, that beauty - the most beautiful is where it functions and is beautiful. Because that appeals to everyone. Yeah, you can just have beauty. But it also can be functional. It's like a 10 out of 10. And so I've really tried to instill in my gals, like, 'Okay, but how are they going to use that? And does it, will it work for them?' Because just pulling something that's beautiful is easy. But making sure that it works for the people, the place, the space, is the ultimate beauty. And so I've really - just in doing my own project - I've really put a focus on that. And it's been, it's been really helpful. For us and for our clients.

 

Kimberly Grigg  54:38

Well said, well said Heather. So it's time for my signature question, which goes a little like this. If you had a hashtag that really spoke to your legacy of design, what would it be?

 

Heather Bernstein  54:58

So funny. I am looking in my notes because I used to have, when I started this company two years ago, I had this saying... ah, this is it. Are you ready?

 

Kimberly Grigg  55:14

I'm ready.

 

Heather Bernstein  55:15

I should have it memorized. The courage to grow requires the ability to let go. Oh, it is that... let's be brave and mighty and go for it. Then you will grow.

 

Kimberly Grigg  55:33

Yes, Heather. I cannot believe this time has flown. Like, you and I could just do this...

 

Heather Bernstein  55:40

I know.

 

Kimberly Grigg  55:40

I could tell. Maybe when I come to the Bay Area, I'm going-

 

Heather Bernstein  55:44

- it's my roots. My grandmother was from Georgia.

 

Kimberly Grigg  55:48

Yeah. Oh, wow. So there we are. So how can people find you?

 

Heather Bernstein  55:53

HKB Interior Design.com. And I would love to... we travel. We have a project in Denver right now. So yeah, reach out.

 

Kimberly Grigg  56:08

So great. Well, Heather, I thoroughly have enjoyed getting to know you. It's so funny because our introduction was over the sealant. But, gosh, there's many more layers to you, girl.

 

Heather Bernstein  56:21

Oh, thank you.

 

Kimberly Grigg  56:25

Thank you. I appreciate this so much. And you guys got to go take a look at this girl's work. She's spectacular. And I can't wait to get to know you more. And so I'm going to say to our listeners, bye for now and I will see you next time and thanks for listening. And of course be sure to go rate, review, and subscribe to our show.

 

Kimberly Grigg  56:49

Thanks for listening to Decorate Like A Design Boss. If you want more info on how to decorate your space like a pro, visit KimberlyGriggDesigns.com. See you next week!

Kimberly Grigg welcomes Andrea Cummins-Disbro of Lost Orchid Interiors to the podcast to talk about her love of color, repurposed furniture, and how she keeps her maximalist style from looking cluttered. Andrea shares the inspirational story behind Lost Orchid Interiors and gives a glimpse into how her passion for design leads her. 

 

Kimberly found Andrea on Instagram by way of a photo of a brightly colored striped consigned couch that featured in Andrea’s posts. Andrea uses the couch to highlight Lost Orchid Interiors’ brand: vibrant, whimsy, irreverent colors, sustainable design approaches, and good quality bones. Andrea, like Kimberly, is a fan of both color and maximalist style, and explains that the key to maximalism is layering, pushing textures and patterns, and being a bit eclectic. There is a skill to keeping maximalism from becoming cluttered, and part of it is personal by way of curating pieces that you love into the look.

 

Andrea shares the story of how Lost Orchid came to fruition after years of her working in corporate America and how the name came from a childhood dream. She details how she fuses her own aesthetic and signature of repurposed and vintage pieces into designing a space that clients will love. Kimberly and Andrea discuss how to get started on finding your own style, how to start getting comfortable with seeking consignment pieces, and agree that design and beautiful living are all about joy.

 

About Andrea Cummins-Disbro:

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro, founder of Lost Orchid Interiors, started her business in 2020 after leaving behind a 20 year career in corporate America. Andrea is a fan of the layered maximalist design style and vibrant colors. She has a passion for antiques and uses repurposed and antique furniture in all her designs. She named Lost Orchid after a childhood dream of owning a restaurant by the same name which proves that you should never let go of your dreams.

Resources discussed in this episode:

• Lost Orchid Interiors
• Carleton Varney
• Chinoiserie

 

-- 

 

Contact Me:

Email me at [email protected]

Visit my website: www.kimberlygriggdesigns.com

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest

Check out my Youtube channel

You can find the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

 

Transcription

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  00:00

I will definitely kind of look at a space and then pull everything out and then kind of redesign it again. Because over time you do sit something here, you collect it, it can start looking cluttered. And then the story that you're trying to tell or the interesting pieces that you're trying to kind of profile, they are hidden. So that's my approach.

 

Kimberly Grigg  00:21

Welcome to Decorate Like A Design Boss, a podcast for design lovers who want to create beautiful spaces in their very own homes. My name is Kimberly Grigg, and I'm a professional interior designer who teaches design lovers like yourselves how to decorate. And when I say decorate, I mean decorate like a design boss. If you're ready to create a space that your family loves, and your neighbors can't stop raving about, well buckle up, honey, because it's time to design. Well, hello there, Andrea, and welcome to the podcast! We're so happy to have you.

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  01:02

Thank you for having me. I'm happy to be here today.

 

Kimberly Grigg  01:04

Wonderful. So I want to set this up a little bit. Because one day I was scrolling on Instagram and - as I often do too often. And I came across this amazing striped sofa that I think has become somewhat famous, and it was on your feed. And I didn't reach out, I liked it. And then the next time I saw it, I'm like, I gotta know about this whole thing here. So tell me about that sofa. It's kind of like I'm having a love affair with it.

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  01:40

Sure. So actually, the sofa, like most of my design, is something that I have sourced or found at local consignment stores or antique stores. So that sofa has a very interesting story, as most of my pieces do: it, aside from being really cool and amazing with the stripes, etc, I was the fourth owner. So the consignment store that had it, I saw it and I immediately loved it, I reached out to them, they said it was sold. And I think for the fourth owner, people had purchased it ,brought it home and it was too bright and vibrant for them. And so I like to say I'm lucky number four. And it also kind of underpins a little bit of what I kind of encourage my followers to do, which is persistence, right? If there's something you see, make people aware that you're interested in it, and then be persistent about it. So I am the happy recipient of this amazing piece, it is a covered piece. So underneath is an antique kind of furniture piece. And that is a covered fabric. But again, what's so cool about it, is it's an antique piece, it's sustainable approach, and the bones are good. And when you put amazing fabric on those old pieces, they have a second life. So everything about the sofa is kind of a homage to my brand - vibrant, whimsy, irreverent colors, on sustainable design approaches with amazing good quality, antique bones. So that's kind of Lost Orchid in a nutshell.

 

Kimberly Grigg  03:11

Wow. And I love that philosophy. And it's ever so important today, because the supply chain is all clogged, and we can't get things. So I think it's making all of us nod a lot more to going a little backwards, finding these pieces, and then trying to figure out how to repurpose them. I know I'm doing a ton of this. This is actually how I started my design career. And then in the middle, I got all caught up with furniture lines and ordering this and ordering that and when you have to keep minimums going for furniture lines then your order a lot of those products. But now I can't get them. So I'm kind of taking a side step or actually maybe a backwards step, which feels very forward all at the same time. And so I, you know, when I was kind of reading through all of your information, I believe you were in corporate America for a while. So how did you get into all of this? And what was corporate America? And how did that transfer to this cool design aesthetic that you have?

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  04:14

Yes, so I have probably a very unorthodox background. I was in corporate America for 20 years. I was in change, transformation, and strategy. And I spent a big extent of my time, too, in human resources. So that is about as opposite as you could get, in my opinion, from interior design. However - I would say on the surface - however, everything that I learned in change management and transformation, I'm just doing it now on a micro scale. I'm doing it one to one change. Because most people when they finally get to the point where they're interested in reaching out to an interior designer, it's where they're asking you for help. There's probably a significant change in their lives. They either purchased a home, or they perhaps in all of the stuff that was happening with the pandemic, we're moving back into the homes, new family members were joining them, parents. Or they have parents that passed away and now they're trying to kind of reconcile their estates. So all of that is change. But it's just in a very different size change. So I'm able to kind of use those skills that I have in corporate America, in the interior design. And then, of course, you have to have a passion and love and general, like, curiosity for all things design. So it does require that love and that passion of design. And then I take that and add it to kind of my background project management, I did all of those things on a very large corporate scale for a large pharma, consumer and medical device company. So my last book of business was 9.2 billion. Now I'm dealing with much smaller kind of budgets, but, at the same time, change for people is so personal. It doesn't matter what the size of the budget, the amount of change is still very significant to my clients. And so what I love about this is I've always loved working with people, I've always loved story. So the story of someone's lives being pulled through. And I get to kind of apply that. There's nothing more vulnerable than someone inviting you into their lives to help them kind of build something and visualize something that they're going to ultimately live into. So, to me, I find great pride, and I'm very humbled by it. And when people do reach out to, you know, work with me, it's a very collaborative process. All of that is very corporate, right? I worked in a major environment for years. Now I work very collaboratively with my clients. So, yes, so it was actually... Lost Orchid was a dream that I had when I was little. And what I do tell people is never lose those dreams, because you don't know when they're going to pop back up again in your life. And so when I was eight years old, I remember my parents and I went on a trip. And it was like the first time I really remember seeing orchids. And I thought they were gorgeous. And I had always loved designing and I came back and kind of proclaimed to my parents, I want to design a restaurant, but I don't care about the food, I need to just design. I said I just want to decorate. And that - and I want to call it Lost Orchid. So fast forward, I didn't go to art school or design school - my background is in business school - and had been kind of living this career. And in 2020, a lot of personal changes happened for me as well. My role was impacted. We had just moved to the Northeast from the Midwest, probably 18 months, two years prior. We had been hit by a tornado, there was a lot of things happening personally and professionally. And I kind of got pulled back to that, like, what do I want to do? And what brings me joy? And then you had the backdrop of the pandemic and things that were happening, race riots were happening in Philadelphia and across the US. And I was like, 'where can I not only find joy, but where can I help people find joy'. And, for me, it was revisiting that dream I had when I was younger. That's where the name comes from, Lost Orchid. And also, at the time, I think I was also kind of searching out what I was going to do as a second career. And so it was very appropriately kind of branded, in addition to the fact that personally I love, like, that Hollywood Regency look, which is, you know, that orchids signify. But orchid also is very resilient. So I felt like it was a time in my life where I was kind of looking to kind of pull from my resiliency. So all that to say and 2020, I founded Lost Orchid Interiors. And it has been a wild ride ever since. And it's been fun. And I think I've applied a lot of what I've learned in taking risks in corporate America; you have to take risks with color, you have to take risks and help people to come along and try new things. And they, therefore, have this, you know, this great story they can tell with their homes if they're willing to step out of what they see in catalogs, and really think about what do I love? And what is my stamp?

 

Kimberly Grigg  09:01

Sure, it's so inspiring that you were brave enough to do this. And it's so - I'm trying, my mind is boggled that a) you did this and it's so well thought. Like, that vision at eight years old, the symbolism of the orchid, and it is so evident in what you're creating that I see on Instagram. It's very intriguing, I think. So tell me, I know Lost Orchid is physically located in Philadelphia. So you're open to the public - tell me more about, like, the services that you offer and what Lost Orchid, you know, truly is and what all it embodies.

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  09:48

Sure. So I would say it's multiple channels, right? I definitely have a direct to consumer approach, business approach for all of my channels. But one of the things that I do is obviously interiors, where I'm focused primarily on residential, I have done a commercial project that was more nonprofit with a coffee house. But most of my clients are residential. So I do interiors. And then also another channel that I have is kind of resale. So I'm all about trying to create access for people to create unique experiences in their home. And so I love antiques, I love vintage pieces, things are not manufactured like they once were. And so I source and curate those pieces, and then host live sales as well. And so I would say that that's kind of a little bit about what Lost Orchid is. I do local, so definitely in person consultations, but I also do virtual. I have clients in Natchez, Mississippi, and Miami, Florida, because I'm able to kind of virtually consult as well. And because we are such a kind of global society, we're able to also source things nationally and be able to still provide support for virtual clients. So I would say it's kind of those three tiers as far as kind of my business approach.

 

Kimberly Grigg  11:08

So when you source, are you sourcing in probably a bunch of different ways? Like you, probably it's kind of everywhere, but like do you go abroad and bring things back? Or? Or how is that, how do you accomplish that?

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  11:23

Yeah, so it's really... it's ABC. ABC is Always Be Collecting. So always be collecting so I'm always looking locally. And when we travel I'll do kind of trips to curate. And different pockets of the country, or the world really, have obviously different kind of pieces, right? You get these amazing kind of Palm Beach looking pieces in, of course, like the Floridian area, however, you also get really similar kind of pieces in the Jersey and New York area. And the reason being is because people have second homes, maybe they've transferred goods back and forth. You also have high population density. So there's more people in these kind of metropolitan areas. So it vastly variates but, yes, I do go on trips. I'm always curating. I'm looking in antique stores, thrift stores, consignment stores. I'm shopping people's homes when I go to their home, right? Because there's probably a lot of pieces that have just sat in the corner and they've looked at and not seen how significant they could be. If, for example, it were reupholstered or refinished. So yeah, so it's - and also it's creating a network. I think it's really important that people create networks to, you know, there's people that are in the estate business that I'm really good friends with, that also kind of come along and partner as well. So I would say it's probably all the above. I'm always looking, I'm always sourcing, always curating pieces.

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  11:25

It's fascinating and it must be endless. Like, seems like you're curating in your sleep probably.

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  12:59

I am. I need like a warehouse at this point.

 

Kimberly Grigg  13:02

Right? So you mentioned your design aesthetic has a Hollywood Regency vibe, which is very obvious. You also refer to yourself as a maximalist. So what is a maximalist?

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  13:14

Sure. So for me a maximalist is layers. There's always kind of a layered approach to maximalism. I love multiple patterns. I don't like matchy-ness. I like things to - I can't remember who was the famous designer that said this, but I use it frequently - which is, you almost want things to slightly clash yet coordinate. So, for me, it is a little bit of kind of pushing, like, color boundaries and pushing textures and patterns. And maximalism is also, in my opinion, eclectic, because you're probably a collector of something, whether that's gallery walls, prints, whether that's actual collections of something or other pieces. For me, that's what maximalism is. It's like how can you really turn up the volume of the aesthetic in a space and have it very layered and have an interesting story in it. So when people walk into my home, I want them to ask about some of the oddities that I have in the home, so that it's just a great way to kind of reveal parts of your story if people are asking questions when they come in.

 

Kimberly Grigg  14:23

Very soulful. Yeah. But I'm curious. Because I'm definitely a maximalist in my own home. I have to run the gamut in terms of design and I'm more of a designer for people's personalities and not everyone is a maximalist, that's for sure. But, you know, as a maximalist, how do you keep it from feeling and looking cluttered?

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  14:50

Well, I think that's always one of the tensions that maximalists, like, sit in, right? But for me, I do really try to... I will definitely kind of look at a space and then pull everything out and then kind of redesign it again. Because over time you do, you sit something here, you collect it, it can start looking cluttered. And then the story that you're trying to tell, or the interesting pieces that you're trying to kind of profile, they are hidden. So that's my approach, is just, you know, kind of taking it that way when I'm trying to design. The other thing that I do, because I do live sales, is I do believe in kind of catch and release. So when you love something, and it's been in your home for a while, and you've enjoyed it, and then you find yourself kind of de-prioritizing it, well then, you know, someone else might be interested in that piece. And so that's where I do the live sales and kind of, then replenish the pool, if you will, on antiques and vintage pieces where other people can purchase and then they can put them in their home. So it's a little bit of kind of this ecosystem in the maximalist world, and I'm sure you probably do it as well, where you love pieces, they've been with you for a while, your really special ones you never get rid of but there are probably some that are more ancillary that you can kind of, you know, release back into the vintage ecosystem for others to love.

 

Kimberly Grigg  16:12

I love to rotate, too. I just love to freshen things up. Sometimes I'll spend the weekend just redoing my bookshelves or redoing some vignettes in my house and that kind of thing. But, I don't know if you have this, but I have this and it is a very curious thing. I'm a bit of a chameleon. And I feel like, as a designer, it serves me well because I can turn into whatever style I'm working in and do a good job with it. I study it, I get into it, and I'm, like, I'm going, like, whatever it is. And I have some friends who have very minimal, minimalistic homes, and that kind of thing. And I'll go in and I turn into a chameleon, and then I go home, to my own home, which I love, and I take everything off. And I'm going to be a minimalist all of a sudden. And that lasts for about two days and then I can't stand it and I put it all back. So how do you deal, or do you? Like, do you design for a minimalist? Or do you stay strictly in your lane? And how do you, like, can you convert a minimalist to a maximalist, or why bother?

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  17:21

Yeah, no, that's a great question. So I'm like you, I actually have clients that run the gamut. And I don't like just designing for people like me. Although that's really what you see on my Instagram. And you'll see the difference, right, because I'll post client photos from projects that are more minimalistic and they don't get the likes, because my followers are maximalist. And that's okay. But, for me, it's not about what I love. It's about what my clients love. And that helps sharpen and challenge my own skills, where I don't want to just be designing over and over again, florals, just because I love florals and using them in fabrics. I love how that kind of pushes me and then there are so many great designers that I follow and that I, you know, watch and learn from that are in other spaces as me. Because I want to surround myself with people that aren't like me, so that I can be exposed and curious to other things. And then my own design style evolves. But like you, I very much like chinoiserie and the bright colors. And you can see behind me kind of that maximalist sort of Palm Beach feel. But then I also have rooms in my home that are, it's almost like a palate cleanser. So my living room is a palate cleanser, it has no color, it is very kind of contemporary-modern, and it helps me to kind of, you know, that's where I stay with my family. And so, for me, I have children, and so their stuff can get overwhelming in a maximalist tone. So having a room that we gather that is minimalist, helps my brain feel organized, if that makes sense.

 

Kimberly Grigg  18:56

It makes such sense to me, especially when you work in color every day. Like one time I went through this phase, I wanted everything in my house to be white. And I'm known for color, color is my my gig. And I really felt like I was living in someone else's home. I did enjoy that I would work in color all day and I'd come home and I would be in white. I enjoyed that. But it ended up not being enough for me and I had to reinsert it in big doses and in big ways. And I'm, you know... and I think design is so artistic. And it's, and because I am an artist, a painting artist, it's vulnerable. And it intimate and it's vulnerable. And when you put it out there, it can be judged. And I think that we as designers, because I think most designers are always pushing the edge in some way. Like whatever it is, whether it's I'm going to insert more color into my work or whether I'm going to take color out, or whatever it is, it's easy to feel like an artist because, again, you're vulnerable and all eyes are on. And, you know, and you're known for an aesthetic, and it's just interesting to me to see how things run the gamut.

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  20:17

Yeah, especially in social media.

 

Kimberly Grigg  20:21

So since you brought up this wall behind you, I gotta go there. Because my listener can't see this. But I'm just gonna sort of briefly describe what I'm looking at, which is absolutely beautiful. So first of all, this gorgeous pinkie salmon color. And then it's a really interesting gallery wall with a great lamp that is a chinoiserie lamp with a deeper tone of that pinky peach salmony color shade. And then all of these really exciting prints that you've, you know, it's great. And I love the birds. There's birds on brackets, and the brackets - of course, no detail unturned - there she has these really fun little deeper salmon colored tassels. And I don't know, I could just lick it. It's so cool.

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  21:17

Thank you.

 

Kimberly Grigg  21:17

So tell me about how this happened. And the color of that wall. Oh, my gosh, it's beautiful.

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  21:23

Yeah, so this is my office. So, to me, I wanted it to be as kind of reflective of me as possible and kind of creative. So everything you see here kind of represents me in some way. So what you can't see is my lamp, it's a pineapple lamp. But, again, it's vintage. It's like that classic vintage. You know, kind of iron, metal pineapple. I also love tassels, I love the details of just very feminine in some ways, right? And just, like, beautiful pieces. So the peacocks that you're seeing, those are vintage peacocks - if you can actually see those - and they were gifts to me from my mom. So that's very special to me. We've got some Mexican feather art down here. Again, that's, you know, kind of mid century art. And then you've also got this very kind of modern, eclectic kind of color piece that, to me, I like to tie in a little bit of modern because otherwise, I don't want it to feel - and you know, some people call my aesthetic grandmillennial, whether you agree or not - but I don't ever wanted to feel like it's getting too country or too, like, dated.

 

Kimberly Grigg  22:28

And can be sometimes, you know, and because I'm a maximalist and I work in grandmillennial style, I always worry, am I getting old ladyish? And by inserting that little piece of spark, that little piece of abstract, just absolutely makes the whole thing.

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  22:48

Right. Right. It kind of is that curious piece, right? And then over here, we have kind of a piece that was done by a missionary in Mexico. So everything kind of has a story. They're all kind of, too, in a similar color palette. So they tie - again, it's that kind of tension between coordination versus clashing, right? And, you know, it's kind of all out there. And if you're someone who can, you can look at, visualize, if you're a visual person, maximalism might be a great style for you. If you look at my style, and how it's evolved from being in corporate America today, that it's vastly different. And I think people feel like they have to be one thing their whole life. And so I hope that in stories and things that people are seeing in Instagrams that they follow, they see this evolution, your home should be an evolution. It should be organic, just like you are, and it will change, you know, it might always center around a couple of key things that ground you, but you'll see it change. And for me, very much kind of embracing that color side of who I am, is definitely, it's definitely coming through in all my work.

 

Kimberly Grigg  23:56

Well since you brought up color, now is a good time to segue because you use some amazing colors in your work. And I guess what I, since I work in color, I think where people struggle is, first of all, maybe they're scared of color. And secondly, they don't know quite where to use the color. So do you have formulas or ways that you approach color that seemed to work for you?

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  24:23

So I totally agree with you. I think people are very scared of color. I get that a lot, like, 'oh, I love it for you and I could never do that'. I don't know if that's kind of hangovers from realtors passing that you'll never be able to sell this home if you painted a certain color, I don't know. Right? But that is a deep fear for people. And so one way that you can kind of dip your toe in color is pillows are a great place to start. Those are fungible, you can, you know, mix and match those pieces. Lampshades are another place where you can add color and remove it if you're not comfortable with it. But I do try to encourage people to take risk, because it can always be undone. I think one of the bigger investments is certainly fabric. So, for me, if, you know, if I have a client that's a little scared of color, perhaps you don't want to sink a ton of money or investment into drapery, for example, because that is a long term commitment. But I think there's some things that you can, you can also have different lacquered pieces in your home that are less of an investment, and that are versatile. So maybe if you get tired of them in a particular room, they could be then applied to another space. So I kind of, you know, walk clients through that process a little bit. I'd be curious kind of your thoughts on how you also get people warmed up to the idea of color?

 

Kimberly Grigg  25:45

Well, glad you asked. Because it is a big subject. And right now, you know, the world has been white for so long, it was either white or gray. And actually, neither of those are favorite choices of mine. Have I worked in them? Absolutely. Have I worked in them a lot? To ad nauseam. But I tend to, like - in this phase in my life, interesting that you said this - like, I used to really gravitate more towards muted tones and softer colors and now I'm more of a clean color girl instead of a muddy color girl, if I have my preference. But when working with clients, I can quickly assess whether they can take color on the wall or not. And if they can't, okay, fair enough, then I'm going to pick more of a background color that's neutral, more neutral, might have a little, you know, something in it. But then I might give them splashes of color or help them embrace splashes of color in other pieces. I'm pretty successful, when I'm working with men, they tend to like blues, universally. And women typically can take greens of some sort. And those two can go together very well. So I can kind of sometimes create a palette based off of that. When I ask clients if there are colors they don't like - it's one of my questions - then I typically will get out of a man that he doesn't want to have pink. And I don't know why, men look beautiful in pink. I think that that's not a great choice, but, you know, who's going to argue about it? And I find that people are either lovers of purple or don't care for purple at all. But I personally love lilacs, lavenders, and purples because I don't get to work in them that much. So they've kind of become a go-to for me, especially when I mix them back to rich colors like cobalts or something like that. Yes, I love those combinations. And so that's sort of how I do it. Sometimes I end up with pretty neutral spaces. And, at least until someone really trusts me, that, you know, I'm going to give them, like, I might do some more color in a guest bedroom, and then they're loving it. And they're like, 'oh, I see what you mean'. But, you know, I don't really have a formula for where I start the color palette. Like, other than typically I'll start with a rug or a piece of art or a piece of fabric. And then I kind of branch from there. But I clearly have people that cannot do color on a wall. And no matter what I say. And I just decided at this point, it's not worth even, you know, the effort in terms of argument, I can find a color in a different way. I'm sure you feel similarly.

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  28:34

I do. I do. I think that's a really good point. And I think, too, I will start, a lot of times I like to see what people's artwork is in the home. Because that is, I'm very fortunate because my business was started on a social media platform and it does afford me the chance to share who I am personally as well as professionally, that I draw some of those clients that are very, very much want to step out of the box, versus more standard clients that are just looking for, like, an interior designer. They know a little bit about how much risk I will take. So I have, I have multiple clients where you'll see it's this eclectic, very Victorian, almost moody colors, and I will start with their artwork. One client who I adore, she loves original artwork. It's very whimsy, it's very dark. It's got some irony to it. And so I know if that brings her joy, then that is what she's going to visually also want to see in the space. And so we took it that way in some of her designs where you see more of this kind of Neo-Victorian modern look. The other thing I think it's important too, is I like to see how people dress. Because how they project themselves to the world is also how they, it's like your home is an extension of yourself. So I can also, I also have clients kind of share with me some of our favorite outfits and will literally have them send pictures even if it's not their outfit. What do they love to see? And in that I can also see color, so I can see the themes of color that they present. There's no orange, the absence of orange. Orange is one that a lot of people don't like. Or reds, people have visceral reactions to red. And so, you know, I think that's also kind of an insight, but, like you, we're always consulting and always trying to pull out of people their tolerance for the design aesthetic.

 

Kimberly Grigg  30:14

Sure. And, you know, to date, every designer I've talked with does use the wardrobe as a key. And I think it, I mean, it's so indicative because even if it's not something, like I do have clients, sometimes they'll say, I don't really like anything in my wardrobe. I just wish I could start all over. And then I'll say, 'well, show me outfits that you admire'. And then we've got something, we're going, we're rolling. And I love your tip and idea about looking at the artwork. Because if it, or even things. Like sometimes I'll say to people, what do you really love in your home? Because very few people are starting completely all over. And I'll say, 'what do you love in your home'? And they'll show me a few things. And suddenly, I'm starting to see, are they muddy colors? Are they clean colors? Are they... or do they have a vision? Do they, like, what things do they feel comfortable with? And the next thing you know, you've you've kind of nailed them. And you didn't even know really, you didn't even know you were doing it? You just, it's instinctive almost, I think.

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  31:19

Yeah. Carleton Varney actually said something that I've kind of grabbed on to as well, which is, people's first memory - have you heard this? - people's first memory of a room that they loved, like, so maybe not the first room, but, like, the room that they remember, as young as they were, their earliest memory that they thought was beautiful, typically is someone's design style. It's that weird kind of imprint on your mind as to what joy looks like. And that is very much accurate for my own personal design. And I assume probably the same for clients. So I will ask them to articulate their earliest memory of a beautiful space. And what is it from that that they found beautiful. And that typically hasn't changed that much now as an adult.

 

Kimberly Grigg  32:04

Sure. And I think that is a really interesting way. I'm not familiar with that. I have, I do ask clients to describe their most, the space that resonates with them the most, the prettiest place they've ever been. And I kind of get all over the place with that, but it stretches them. Because when you think about the most beautiful place you've ever been, you have to stop and think. But if it moved you, and if a husband-wife or partnership agree on that, then, oh man, we are off to the races. Right? Yay, yay, and yay. So what kinds of things that - what kinds of things do you do that sort of are a signature for you? Are there things that you do that are a signature for you?

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  32:58

Sure. I would say one of the things that I do really try to kind of encourage people towards, is I do love working in wallpaper. I think there's so many different types of wallpaper, you have wallpaper that has absolutely no pattern, it's just more texture. But there's something for everyone in that. And I feel like that's something that is very much kind of a signature of this generation. Where we are, you know, willing to kind of step into that. So, for me, you'll see a lot of wallpaper for clients. And, again, I caveat everything with saying and there I have clients that don't want to touch the wallpaper, they don't want to do wallpaper. But I would say that that's definitely a signature for me. Another signature for me, first and foremost, is repurposed pieces. So it would be very rare for me to never, to not use in any way, an antique or vintage piece in a design. And, I just - and there's a reason, as I said before, the value proposition of the pieces, the story of the pieces - but because they also really make it a focus for me to shop the home. I want that person, it's part of change management, where they can see themselves in this space by putting something that has been with them for a long time in the space so it doesn't feel like a foreign body that they're rejecting, it's part of them. So in every - I'm going through my mind and cataloging - and every single project that I've had, you will see those kinds of vintage, consigned, thrifted, antique pieces, because they just provide that beautiful story. Even in my retail clients that just want new custom pieces. We were able to pull in some of her family's Staffordshire collection, and do it in a very subtle way, that did not date the look, but gave it just enough of patina to where there was something interesting on the shelf. But that would definitely be a signature of mine.

 

Kimberly Grigg  34:57

I love that. So a lot of my, you know, I have students, in addition to my clients, and I teach people that is never going to hire, there are people that are never going to hire a designer for whatever reason. But they want a beautiful home, and they're enthusiasts, and they are, they're all about, like, learning and challenging themselves and obtaining information. Because the end goal for them is the same as the end goal for you and I: a beautiful space. So, first of all, do you think that creativity and design can be learned?

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  35:33

Yeah, I do. I think, I definitely think you have to start with a capability, there has to be a baseline of interests. Right? But yeah, I think you can definitely learn and sharpen. I mean, look at my own career, right? Which is, there was that initial kind of aspiration or interest, and then stepping into the design world and having an intellectual curiosity where you're constantly learning and pulling and building. I do think you can build that muscle. But you have to have a muscle to start with. And that is that you have the interest to do so. And that you have a certain level of ability. And then when you add the aspiration and the opportunity, by studying and learning, I do think you can grow for sure.

 

Kimberly Grigg  36:15

So any simple tips or ideas that people can use to either train their eye, or strengthen that muscle? Simple things that, you know, not the average bear thinks about but would love to employ in their decors?

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  36:35

Yeah, I mean, I would say definitely learn from the masters. Read those coffee table books, they're not just for pretty layers, they actually have content inside of them. They have beautiful pictures, but they also have the stories of the why. And then as you start learning about kind of these - at least for me, because chinoiserie is a big part of what I love personally - I like to understand kind of the whole historical aspect of, you know, the design industry, the aesthetic of chinoiserie, where did it come from? What, how do you validate, authenticate certain pieces, but all of that is through at least starting with reading and researching and learning. You can also do that, obviously, with who are you following on Instagram. So, you know, there's a lot of people, some are amazing. Some I would, you know, caution you against how they're, you know, there's - I posted the other day, please don't put tape on your windows and make it look like it's grids. Like, even though someone's doing that, let's not try that. Follow, you know, you have access to people for the first time, and a generation of access to these master designers that were only for the elite before. Now they have master classes, now we have podcasts, now we have Instagram brands and platforms. Tap into those and learn and then identify what do you like, and kind of give yourself some space to create. So start small, learn, research. And just try. I mean, just take the risk. So many people are so afraid just to just to try. When people ask me, how do you start, how did you start a business? I just did it. I really just like built a kind of question for myself around design thinking, which is my corporate background, which was, you know, how do I monetize on a social media platform to build a business? That was my design thinking question. It wasn't how do I become the best designer? Or how do I have the best, the most effective design firm? It really was around how do I leverage social media in order to build something, and then that kind of blossomed into really identifying and I tested a lot of things, but for me, it's the channeling or the channel of vintage and antique resale. And it's also interiors. So that's, you know, there's DIYers out there. There's whole other ways that people are using those platforms. But I would just say try. Give yourself a challenge question and try with your designs.

 

Kimberly Grigg  39:18

And I love that you've been true to your lane, even though you can branch out of your lane. Like, you know, you know what you love and you know how to insert it in a way that people can understand and embrace. And, you know, and that's why they come to you. Because I know that often people come to me, not because I'm just a designer, but because there is something that they do like about my aesthetic that they want to wrap their brains around in some way. So how would a person that isn't the normal collector, isn't the person always is looking for soulful items, but are kind of warming up to this - via because of supply chain or because they just liked the idea - how do they, how do they start this? How do they become better at finding these pieces?

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  40:19

I definitely think the first thing they can do is join the sales, right? So there are a lot of different people on Instagram that do live sales, it is a way for you to start learning what are some of those pieces that you weren't even exposed to before, but that you connect with. And then from there, you kind of get the sense when you could maybe start at an estate sale. Or you could go to a local consignment store, where you kind of have a sense for what you're looking for. Otherwise, those places can be very overwhelming and difficult to kind of navigate. But I think by starting and following the right people, you're able to kind of, again, that whole process of learn from others, and then apply that.

 

Kimberly Grigg  41:03

So wow, I can't believe the time has flown by. And it's time for me to ask you my little signature question. And it goes something like this: if you had a hashtag that embodied your legacy, what would it be?

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  41:24

Find joy in design. Because, for me, I found joy in design. And now I help others find joy in design. So #FindJoyInDesign.

 

Kimberly Grigg  41:34

I love it. So, Andrea, I've thoroughly enjoyed our conversation, I feel like we have so much in common I could just continue on and on and on. And I love talking with like-minded people and I also love that you're open to share with people how important it is to live in a beautiful space. And how important it is to let that be joyful. Because, you know, joy, life goes fast. And joy is that one route that we can hang onto, and finding it in our home is, to me, what my mission is all about as well. Like the reason I do all of this is because I really care that people live beautifully. And if they don't, how they can learn to live beautifully. Because it is a more inspired life. It's a beautiful life. And, you know, it's it's more soulful. And that's kind of a new favorite word of mine, because I feel like homes with soul are really what it's all about. And you are fast forwarding that with your own mission. And I admire it and I applaud it. So tell me where can people find you?

 

Andrea Cummins-Disbro  42:51

Sure. So you can find me on Instagram at Lost Orchid Interiors. And I am there, you can see my personal and professional side all in one space.

 

Kimberly Grigg  43:03

I love it. And I'm just telling you, the listener, you gotta hop on her space. It is really incredible. I've enjoyed watching it, I've learned from you. And I've been inspired by some of the things that you're creating. And, again, I can't thank you enough for spending and sharing time with us today. And, I guess I want to talk to you all day, but I can't, so I'm going to say to the listener 'bye for now'.

 

Kimberly Grigg  43:32

Thanks for listening to Decorate Like A Design Boss. If you want more info on how to decorate your space like a pro, visit KimberlyGriggDesigns.com. See you next week.

Kimberly Grigg breaks down how to create the perfect guest room for your visitors in this episode. She details every way in which your guest space should be tailored to meet your guest’s needs, take their comfort into consideration, and make them feel pampered and cared for. 

 

Kimberly starts by stating that your guest bedroom should not be full of your own stored items or leftover old furniture that didn’t fit anywhere else. She urges listeners to treat guest rooms with the care they give to a master bedroom. Consider your guest’s comfort and find ways to make the space a warm and inviting retreat. Stay in it yourself to assess how well it works.

 

Kimberly explains how to start with a quality mattress and moves on to the differences in sheet weaves and fabrics. She details how to layer bed linens for maximum luxury and comfort, how to achieve a pleasing aesthetic without burdening your guests with unnecessary throw cushions, and why different pillow options matter. She lays out all the details - from a comfortable chair to a nightstand for bottles of water and a handwritten note - that will truly turn your guest room into a luxury experience guests will rave about.

Resources discussed in this episode:

• Sleep Number mattresses
• Fandeliers
• Pottery Barn towels

 

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Contact Me:

Email me at [email protected]

Visit my website: www.kimberlygriggdesigns.com

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest

Check out my Youtube channel

You can find the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

 

Transcription

Kimberly Grigg  00:00

Hello there interior design lovers and enthusiasts. Today we're talking about guest bedrooms. It's really starting to get warm here in sunny Myrtle Beach and the guests are starting to arrive. It has me thinking, or rethinking, my own guest accommodations. And it has me thinking about all of the guest rooms and suites that I've created over the years. I have a lot of tips and ideas that I'm going to share with you on how to create a space that makes your guest feel pampered and loved. I know for sure that this is a very important space in your home, but one that is often overlooked. When is the last time that you've thought - and I mean really thought - about your guest room? Does it feel warm and inviting? Or is it full of all the leftover pieces that didn't make the cut in other spaces of your home? Is it a catch all? Do you put all of your leftover clothing items or seasonal items in the closet in the guest suite? Often I see a futon or other college dorm type things in a room, which is supposed to be the guest room, with no consideration of how your guest might actually feel. And after today's episode, I hope that you will consider sprucing up your guest space and make it a relaxing, beautiful retreat. And if you already have a great guest room, well listen in anyway, because I'm going to share some very thoughtful ideas of how you can go the extra mile and toss in a little luxury that will create a five star experience.

 

Kimberly Grigg  01:52

Welcome to Decorate Like A Design Boss, a podcast for design lovers who want to create beautiful spaces in their very own homes. My name is Kimberly Grigg, and I'm a professional interior designer who teaches design lovers like yourselves how to decorate, and when I say decorate I mean decorate like a design boss. If you're ready to create a space that your family loves, and your neighbors can't stop raving about, well buckle up honey, because it's time to design.

 

Kimberly Grigg  02:26

Okay, let's get started, and first things first. To create a good guest room, you must practice the golden rule. It's important for you to put yourself into your guest's place and start thinking about how you would like to be treated if you were a guest. In fact, I encourage you to spend the night in your guest room and see how it really feels. First and foremost, you'll want a good quality mattress. Mattresses are very individual, but a poor quality mattress will leave your guest grumpy and tired. You can talk to your mattress supplier about the variety that's available and there are many options online. When I create a space for a guest, I often like to use a Sleep Number pillow top mattress. This option grants guests the ability to choose firmer or softer, depending on their individual preferences. Now, you will need a sturdy and beautiful bed. Make sure that the bed is properly installed. Do not use something leftover just because you have it. Now don't get me wrong, I'm all for repurposing furniture that you already own, but it must have potential and fit in with the rest of your home and style. It also needs to be beautiful, and have a sense of style. Don't settle for less in this space. If anything, I want you to think about your guest bedroom as being one of the most important rooms in your home. It should be beautiful and it should also function well.

 

Kimberly Grigg  04:15

Now it's time to talk about making or dressing the bed. This might sound obvious, but trust me, most people don't give this enough attention when creating their guest spaces. Well heck, even their master spaces. So first, you're going to begin with a high quality mattress pad. This will protect the mattress and I like to use one that is padded for an extra cushy, relaxing sleep. Now it's time to think about top quality sheets. Sheets are not just about thread count. You probably believe that thread count is the leading factor in creating a good night's sleep. But this is just simply not the case. In fact, I say don't choose your sheets based on what the thread count is at all. Instead, choose your sheets based on the hand, or the feel of the fabric they're made of. Sheets have different kinds of weaves. The more common weaves are cotton sateen and cotton percale. If you'd like a smooth, luxe, silkier feeling sheet, then consider a cotton sateen weave. If you'd like a more crisp feeling sheet, then opt for a cotton percale. I prefer 100% cotton and personally think that they last longer and feel better, versus having some polyester inserted in to the fiber. Bamboo sheets are also a very popular item and a totally different kind of weave. But they're very popular these days, and are wonderful for helping to regulate body temperature. And they hold up well and they create a feeling of luxury. And then there are those who swear by linen sheets. These, to me, feel a little scratchy, but I have coworkers here who absolutely love them. But since you're thinking about your guest, I'd say it's best to lean in the direction of what might appeal to most. And then I would opt for either bamboo sheets or cotton sateen. Or if you happen to have a home at the beach - and I decorate many, many second homes here - then I always recommend cotton percale. There's just something about the beach and the crispness of a cotton percale. But again, all of these are just individual choices, there's no right or wrong, they're just choices. The wrong part would be to choose something that's just inexpensive and doesn't feel good against the skin. So to complete the dressing of the bed, I like to include a lightweight blanket. I also like to put an additional lightweight blanket folded in the closet for those who are cold sensitive or those who are cold natured. Next, I layer on a coverlet or a blanket cover for a nice polished look. And then I like to finish off the covers of the bed with a duvet whose insert is fluffy, but is also hypoallergenic. You just don't know what allergies your guests might have so this is a place to not risk upsetting someone's respiratory system. As for pillows, I also prefer to have a set of hypoallergenic pillows in medium and another set in firm. I also include a set of down pillows on the shelf in the closet for those who prefer and only like to sleep on a down pillow. And as for decorative pillows, this is one case I go rather light. Guests don't know where to place the pillows and it always becomes a problem - and remember, the idea is to create a problem-free luxurious feel, not to create anxiety about things like decorative pillows and where they are to be placed when not in use. I like to triple sheet the bed just like the fancy hotels do. This just screams luxury and it's quite easy to do. So you start with a fitted sheet over the mattress pad, then add a flat sheet. Next add your lightweight blanket and then another flat sheet goes on top of that lightweight blanket. You now have three sheets on the bed. The next layer is your blanket cover, our coverlet, and then a duvet is folded at the bottom of the bed. Two different types of sleep pillows and a decorative toss pillow or two are all you need to create this luxurious sleeping experience. This can be very beautiful as well, especially if the individual pieces are aesthetically pleasing and chosen in the style of your space. I'm a bit of a purist when it comes to bedding. I like my sheets and towels to be all white. In fact, I love an all white bed but since I work in a lot of color, I often use a white coverlet on top of my white sheets and blanket, and then a duvet cover in a color or a pattern with a toss pillar or two that coordinates well with this duvet cover. And then making sure that both coordinate well with the overall design and feel of the room.

 

Kimberly Grigg  10:04

So now we're moving on to a chair or someplace to sit, is a must in a guest bedroom. You score bonus points for it being a comfy chair. And if you add a light source and a place to set your drink beside the chair, well ding ding ding, you are winning the race for being considerate. Some people prefer to sleep under a fan. I don't love the fan aesthetic so I often use something called a fandelier. This is across, you guessed it, between a chandelier and a fan. There's some beautiful styles out there and I find that, well, when I use a fandelier it really becomes a bit of a conversation starter. Having somewhere to place their luggage and/or sit their things is just plain thoughtful. Do not have the closet in your guest bedroom stuffed with your own personal items. Instead, welcome your guest to a place that is well thought out and gives them a space to unwind and relax. In fact, I want you to set your guest space up to mimic your favorite hotel experience. In summary, think thoughtfully about a space for guests to sleep comfortably. Include a space in the room to unwind and be comfortable: something like a chair or, if the space won't allow, at least a bench. Add a space for guests to put their things.

 

Kimberly Grigg  11:47

Next, I want you to think about accoutrements. Place a luxurious set of towels for your guests to use. I love Pottery Barn white towels, they are thick, lush and exquisite. Bottles of water are also a thoughtful gesture. If you have a space to place a little mini fridge in this guest room, then do so. I've even placed a mini fridge that I built a nightstand/table around. This accomplished a lot both visually and functionally. And it's easy to add a bottle of wine and/or bottles of water. Again, I want you to think like a hotel thinks. If you're building a home, rethink your plans a little bit and consider adding a coffee station or a beverage station to your guest bedroom. They don't take up that much space, but it offers so much and it gives guests so many options. And they'll feel like they just stayed in a five star. I like to provide a hairdryer and a full array of toiletries for my guests. Something that I love to do is purchase toiletries that are in theme with the guest suite I'm creating. I do this in my own guest suites but I also love doing this for clients. It's a little thing but you know how I feel about the details. I've also learned that guests want to know what to do and what to expect in their little space within your home. So it's always nice to include a little handwritten welcome note. Many of the nicer boutique hotels do this and it just makes me feel so welcome. So I say something like 'Welcome to our home. It is very important to me that you feel pampered and loved. Please use anything you like and let me know if you don't find something here that you might need. There are cold beverages in the fridge in the kitchen and bottles of water on your nightstands. Help yourself to coffee upon rising and there are baked goods on the cake plate on the kitchen counter. Our fridge is fully stocked and open to you. Upon leaving, please just strip your bed and throw your towels in with them and lay them at the foot of the bed. I'll take it from there. We are so glad you're here and I sincerely hope you will enjoy your stay.' I also like to leave a little chocolate on the nightstand with the waters, again, another little hotel trick, and I typically add fresh flowers somewhere in the space. Creating a guest space that is not only beautiful, but very, very functional, requires one key ingredient and this is thoughtfulness. Follow the golden rule and make your guest feel so special. Offer them an experience, not just a place to lay their heads. I hope you've enjoyed today's episode. And while you're here, please leave a review and rate our show and of course I would love it if you would share it with a friend who might enjoy learning all about interior design. I appreciate you being here with me. And you know what I like to say: don't wait, today is a great day to decorate. I'll see you next week and bye for now.

 

Kimberly Grigg  15:15

Thanks for listening to Decorate Like A Design Boss. If you want more info on how to decorate your space like a pro, visit KimberlyGriggDesigns.com. See you next week.

Lauren Riddei of LouLou Interiors joins Kimberly Grigg on the podcast to talk about the art of storytelling through design, her love of treasure hunting for vintage and secondhand finds, and Thrill of the Hunt, her collaboration with Susan Seagroves for Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore in Myrtle Beach, California.

Kimberly dives into Lauren’s background and how she came into design in 2017, after a job loss, when planning her wedding ignited her love of the design process. Lauren leaned into her creative thought and love of people and founded LouLou Interiors - named for her childhood nickname - and describes her aesthetic as “modern, yet soulful - and collected”. She uses bold colored furniture in balance with calmer backgrounds, finding harmony in loud unique pieces and quieter paint tones. Lauren has a love of bringing old pieces into new life, finding vintage or secondhand furniture with good bones that can translate into a modern space.  

Thrill of the Hunt, Lauren Riddei’s monthly digest for Habitat for Humanity in Myrtle Beach with friend Susan Seagrove, dovetails with her newest endeavor, Shop LouLou Interiors, as both explore the vintage, antique, and unique pieces she finds. She and Kimberly discuss the ethos of living beautifully, what a Unicorn List is and how to use it when consignment shopping, and how a consultation with a professional designer can propel your own decor forward.

About Lauren Riddei:

Born and raised on the Virginia coast, calling Myrtle Beach home in 2013 was easy. Lauren later founded LouLou Interiors - specializing in the architectural selections process that comes with custom new builds and historic renovations.

Intuitively, Lauren was attracted to the world of design because of the restorative and positive impact it had on her. She discovered when her personal space was meaningfully crafted with form, beauty, and function, she felt an inner joy. After this realization, she knew others needed the therapeutic and inspiring art form of interior design.

When Lauren isn’t creating, she’s likely pulling friends and strangers together, perusing for antiques, surfing or boating with her husband somewhere off the Atlantic.

Resources discussed in this episode:

• LouLou Interiors
• Lauren Riddei on Instagram
• LouLou Interiors on Instagram
• Shop LouLou Interiors
• Thrill of the Hunt (on Habitat for Humanity)
• Sasee.com article on Lauren Riddei and Susan Seagroves’ Thrill of the Hunt

 

-- 

 

Contact Me:

Email me at [email protected]

Visit my website: www.kimberlygriggdesigns.com

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest

Check out my Youtube channel

You can find the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

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Transcription

 

Lauren Riddei  00:00

No, let me see your warehouse. Let me see your storage unit because you will be surprised what we pull out and use because it has a story. Because it has meaning.

 

Kimberly Grigg  00:10

Welcome to Decorate Like A Design Boss, a podcast for design lovers who want to create beautiful spaces in their very own homes. My name is Kimberly Grigg, and I'm a professional interior designer who teaches design lovers, like yourselves, how to decorate. And when I say decorate, I mean decorate like a design boss. If you're ready to create a space that your family loves, and your neighbors can't stop raving about, Well, buckle up, honey, because it's time to design.

 

Kimberly Grigg  00:44

So welcome to Decorate Like A Design Boss Lauren of LouLou Interiors, and I know you have a last name but I'm scared to say it because I'm afraid I'm gonna pronounce it incorrectly. So share with me how you say your last name. And I think there's a cute story that goes with it.

 

Lauren Riddei  01:03

So it's pronounced Riddei.

 

Kimberly Grigg  01:06

Riddei: that sounds so French.

 

Lauren Riddei  01:09

It's Italian, actually.

 

Kimberly Grigg  01:09

Oh is it?

 

Lauren Riddei  01:10

My husband's family is Italian.

 

Kimberly Grigg  01:14

I'm coming to your house for dinner.

 

Lauren Riddei  01:16

You know, I don't eat much Italian.

 

Kimberly Grigg  01:17

Really? Oh, gosh, I would love to eat more but I don't think my hips would like that too much.

 

Lauren Riddei  01:24

So the story is actually when I married Ryan in 2017, he's a local, he's from Myrtle Beach, he's from the area, and it was pronounced "riddee" when I met him. And I just was like, you know what I get a lot of pushback when I tried to say it. And I come to find out that Ryan's great uncle moved from Italy to California to become a country singer. And thought he would sell more albums if he changed his Italian last name to sound a little bit more country. So he changed it from Riddei to Riddee.

 

Kimberly Grigg  01:58

Oh, wow.

 

Lauren Riddei  01:59

So when I married Ryan, I said I think we got to go back.

 

Kimberly Grigg  02:02

Yes, we're not country singers. Wow. So that... she is a true designer.  She designed her own last name.

 

02:08

Riddee, Riddall, any and all are welcome. It's totally fine, I really don't care.

 

Kimberly Grigg  02:17

But the name of your firm is LouLou Interiors. So that's a whole nother name. So where did the LouLou part come in?

 

Lauren Riddei  02:22

Yeah, so that was my nickname growing up. My middle name was Louise. Yeah. And so when I got married, I changed it to my maiden name Bass. But I was called LouLou.

 

Kimberly Grigg  02:31

Okay. Well, I gotta tell you, you gotta check LouLou Interiors out. This girl - you can't see her because this is a podcast - but she's beautiful. She has this effervescent personality and her design aesthetic is spot on. So I want to talk about that aesthetic a little bit. So what happened, did you come out of the womb designing? Did you train your eye? Like, where'd you get this? And tell me what it's all about? Like, what is your design aesthetic?

 

Lauren Riddei  03:04

I would say my personal aesthetic is modern, yet soulful. And collected.

 

Kimberly Grigg  03:12

Mm hmm. I can see that in your work. Definitely can see that.

 

Lauren Riddei  03:16

Yeah, I mean, I definitely think it's really important in my new build projects to sprinkle in the old with furnishings, old art, vintage furniture. And then with my renovations, it's really important to bring in the modern and the new and the clean and the squeaky.

 

Kimberly Grigg  03:32

Great formula. Great process. You do a lot of architectural work. But you're so young, and I kind of touched on this, you and I had an episode on my live show - which is called It's Time To Design which airs every Thursday at four o'clock on Facebook and Instagram - and we touched on this a little bit. But I want my podcast audience to know a little bit about this soulful, and what I find in you, is your old soul. Because I literally, I wasn't able to take on new build projects until well into my career. I didn't understand the terminology. I didn't understand what it was all about. But you do and you're so young. How did that happen?

 

Lauren Riddei  04:23

Okay, so cool story that maybe your podcast audience doesn't know. But you were one of my professors.

 

Kimberly Grigg  04:31

Yes.

 

Lauren Riddei  04:32

When I took a few design classes. In 2017 I had a pretty devastating job loss, and it just put me in kind of a tailwind of what do I do with my life, right? I was expecting a certain career and then when that didn't happen, I had to start over. And so I had always kind of been into the creative field. I had just planned my wedding. I enjoy that process so much - inviting people into a space that's thoughtful, that's meaningful, that's collaborative. And my sisters were like, 'why don't you go to design school' and I was, like, never even considered that. And so that fall, I saw you, you taught a few classes, which was neat. And I just put myself fully into it. And I just learned as much as I could. I got an internship, I found a mentor of now a really good friend of mine, and I just put my heart and soul into it. And I was, I mean, for the most part, self taught outside of the amazing classes that I received around space planning. That was important. And Revit and AutoCAD but... I have been technically in school, air quote, for many, many years, because I'm just trying to learn this huge thing called design.

 

Kimberly Grigg  05:51

Sure. And as you know, the design industry has so many facets, like I tell people, it's comparable to brain surgery. And in fact, I had a business coach one time say to me, well then do you charge like it's brain surgery, and I'm like, oh, busted. But there are so many moving parts. But I say to my listener often, you can learn this, you have to have a passion. You have to have the get up and go about it. And you have to develop a practice, wouldn't you say?

 

Lauren Riddei  06:25

Yeah, absolutely. I would agree. I bought all the design books.

 

Kimberly Grigg  06:28

I still do. I still do.

 

Lauren Riddei  06:31

I don't think the learning never stops, frankly.

 

Kimberly Grigg  06:32

For me, I think if it stopped, I would stop designing. And I don't, I can't really imagine my life not designing something. I spent a lot of time painting these days, which is also like design in so many ways. But for me, if I lost that passion to know more, because you cannot master this subject.

 

Lauren Riddei  06:54

No way.

 

Kimberly Grigg  06:55

So and I say again to my listener, don't get discouraged. I mean, it happens to all of us. I also say, you know, almost all of my projects go through the ugly duckling phase, and only to come out a beautiful swan. But to me, when it gets to that, that's when the work really starts. And that's when the grit and the, like, I got to get down and figure this out. And then something beautiful happens. And I can't explain it because it is a process, but sometimes people that listen to this podcast and follow our other shows and channels, will say, you know, I got discouraged so I just stopped because it didn't turn out, it didn't look professional, it didn't look polished. Yet, it can. So what are some things that you do? What kind of techniques and tools do you employ to make something look professional? And polished? And, and, and designerish?

 

Lauren Riddei  07:52

That's a good question. Yeah, I mean, I would say this was a big learning curve for me. I was in the non-profit world.

 

Kimberly Grigg  08:03

Oh, wow.

 

Lauren Riddei  08:03

Working directly with people, which has benefited my career a lot as a designer. But I think if there's a side of this industry that you feel weak in, then just go after it with all your heart and for me, it was it was the numbers and the scale and the proportion. I mean, I had the creativity, I had the the love for people. And the intimacy of walking into someone's home is so valuable. And you really can't take that for granted. But I just had to learn as much as I could around space planning and measurements and numbers. I mean, you're so right: like, it's like rocket science sometimes. And then it changes every time the landscape changes, whether it's a new build or a renovation, you're not only learning the proper sconce height for this one home, but it changes with the next phase.

 

Kimberly Grigg  08:56

Absolutely. And people say to me all the time, what are the rules? And, you know, there aren't that many rules in design. There's a couple that I follow. One is I like to walk in to the foot of a bed. That's just kind of, to me, it's not just a rule, it's a good aesthetic. Like the room is more comfortable. Have I ever created a room that you didn't walk in to the foot of the bed? Absolutely. Because I had to. But... and then you have to trick the eye in another way. But that one is one I follow. Do you have design rules that you follow?

 

Lauren Riddei  09:28

I do.

 

Kimberly Grigg  09:29

Oh, good. I want to hear.

 

Lauren Riddei  09:31

I mean, I have a lot that are kind of like my structure. So when I have structure then I can thrive as a creative. So I have all of my rules around proper lighting, heights, islands, tables, pendants, you know, I have all my measurements ready to go. And now it's second nature and I kind of just know, but early on I had to write everything down.

 

Kimberly Grigg  09:55

Wow. And you know what I do when I hang lights? It's all by eyeball.

 

Lauren Riddei  09:59

Yeah.

 

Kimberly Grigg  10:00

But that's just me. And I have people that hang artwork for me that measure everything. I never measure. I'm like, tap, tap, tap, it's in the wall, done.

 

Lauren Riddei  10:12

Personal home or client's home?

 

Kimberly Grigg  10:13

Any. That's why I'm never on the hanging picture team, I'm never on that team. But, you know, I know how to do it? I just, I almost can always get it right, just by the naked eye. But again, it's 29 years of doing it. And I think probably, you know, 22 years ago, I might have maybe looked at my cheat sheets or something, but both ways are good. Both ways work, as long as you're accomplishing the end result. It is what it is. I also can repair a wall really easily.

 

Lauren Riddei  10:47

My husband Ryan said, Lauren, I hope you don't hang art. And I said, 'no, I've got a team for that.' Although I'm so tempted to hang art, I just no. I need a professional.

 

Kimberly Grigg  10:57

I do not enjoy hanging art. I don't. I like to see it in place but I don't like to hang it. But that's, again, that's just some of the things in design that you love, and don't love, or whatever. So tell me, what do you want to be known for? Because you're a young designer. So like, when you look back 29 years from now, what do you want to be known for? What kind of design vibe, design aesthetic, do you want people to say, 'oh, Lauren'?

 

Lauren Riddei  11:29

Yeah, I think it's twofold. I think I always want my clients and my homeowners to feel cared for and to feel loved. I mean, it's such, like I have already said, it's an intimate thing to walk into someone's home. So I want all of my homeowners to know how grateful I am that they have asked me to help them elevate their space. So I definitely want to be known with just a spirit of collaboration in my designs, because I might suggest something and then the client says, 'oh, my gosh, I have that art piece from my great grandmother'. And I personally want to figure out how to make it work in their updated elevated space. So it's a collaboration and the most successful projects are that. So I would say I think it's a little bit about releasing control as the designer.

 

Kimberly Grigg  12:20

We all struggle with that. A little bit.

 

Lauren Riddei  12:24

But I think the world is becoming very collaborative between designer and client. And I think that's really beautiful.

 

Kimberly Grigg  12:31

I agree. And the way that you said that is really beautiful. I think sometimes people even shy away from hiring a designer, because they're afraid. I don't think that people realize how important it is to us to get them and to get them right. And how important it is for every designer I know, every designer that I have interviewed, they all, we all say the same thing. It's so intimate. I mean, I laughingly say to people, I'm going to be in your underwear drawer, like you know? Because I am going to know you inside and out. And that's part of the process. And make sure you like me, I need to make sure I like you. We need to, like bond, we need to have this experience, because it is an experience. It's one of the it's one of the most intimate experiences I think you ever encounter. And if you're going it alone, that's okay too. I tell people when they're going it alone, and maybe you agree with this, that it's never a bad idea to consult with someone whose work you admire, and whose aesthetic that you appreciate. So if you are going it alone, don't hesitate. Most all of us offer consult opportunities, and you don't have to do everything with me, or - I'm sure you feel the same way - but if I consult with you, I can keep you from making a lot of mistakes. And I'm sure you're probably, because your business is based mostly on consultation.... so tell me a little bit about how that works. And how someone could - because I think you do virtual consultations.

 

Lauren Riddei  14:22

I do virtual too.

 

Kimberly Grigg  14:23

Okay.

 

Lauren Riddei  14:23

So I found during the pandemic that a lot of folks were ready to do renovations, but they were all over the country. So I found that I was getting inquiries from people not located here. And so that's when I just started offering virtual appointments. I love nothing more than walking into someone's home and they're about to paint a room and they say, 'Lauren, I don't know what to paint it. I need help.' I want to be able to empower them with the right shade and undertone of paint color so that the money they're about to spend on the painter is worth its weight in gold. And that is true for almost every application in a home. So yes, I do so many consultations where I'm helping people make single decisions, or I'm consulting for multiple year long projects. So, and that's a lot of where my new builds come from. I often will be in a relationship with a client for a year, I just exited a relationship after two years, with a new build because that's just how long, yeah, they take!

 

Kimberly Grigg  15:28

I tell people, it's a year, year and a half to build, and another year to decorate

 

Lauren Riddei  15:32

Exactly.

 

Kimberly Grigg  15:33

In this world. A while back, I could decorate in three months. But with the delays and supply chain, it just doesn't happen that way anymore. You and I talked about that prior to this podcast, about how the supply chain kind of hangs us up. And I'm sure you're finding that you're having to recreate work over and over. So am I.

 

Lauren Riddei  15:57

The bathroom tile's not in anymore. Okay, great, you know what we're gonna do? We're gonna pivot. Because I know three other tiles that I would love to put in the bathroom floor regardless.

 

Kimberly Grigg  16:06

Sure. So let's go back to that walking into an empty room. Like, let's sit there for a second because I know that my listener often walks into an empty room, and they're not sure what to do. Perhaps they bought a new house, perhaps they're downsizing, upsizing, whatever. So how do you approach the empty room? What's the process like? Where do you start? What do you do?

 

Lauren Riddei  16:31

Okay, it's a good question. Because every designer has a different approach. Some people start with a rug, some people start with artwork, I start with usually the overall thematic of the whole home. So I usually don't do a room totally different from the rest of the space, there's a golden thread. So whether it's a pink color that we've chosen as the principal, or whether it's a texture we've chosen, I'm going to incorporate it somewhere in that room. And so I'm going to think, okay, where does that, where does that start with? Is it the bed? Is it the wallpaper on the ceiling? Is it the shiplap that we're gonna paint? Usually, and that's how I, as a creative, thrive with difference. So I think it depends on the client too and where they're comfortable starting. And it depends on where we are in the process. So with a new build, I'm always going to start with usually the walls and the ceiling, because that's going in as we speak. And then we're going to start with the larger real estate purchases. So that would be the bed, that would be the rug. And then we're going to accessorize last.

 

Kimberly Grigg  17:38

Right. So how do you approach color? Like, do you use a lot of color in your work? Are you more neutral? Do you just insert? Tell me about that.

 

Lauren Riddei  17:46

So personally, I'll speak for myself, I have pretty much an art gallery background in my home, but my furniture is is pretty loud. So if I want my furniture to speak, whether it's vintage pieces or cool art, I need it to have a calm background. So usually I use calmer paint colors. And then I am a little bit louder with accessories and furniture.

 

Kimberly Grigg  18:14

Love that. Love that look. And I love seeing some of the things that you've done on your website. And I think that that's a very good description. So you've mentioned the word vintage, and I got to go there. So let's talk about this charity that you're involved in. And this Thrill of the Hunt. We talked a little bit about it on my It's Time To Design live show. But I want to dive pretty deep into this and tell me how it started and what it is and what you do with them.

 

Lauren Riddei  18:48

Okay, so the Thrill of the Hunt came about when Habitat for Humanity in Myrtle Beach, there's a Habitat probably in your county as well. They approached Susan and I to - a good friend, Susan Seagroves - and I to do a whatever we want as creatives and designers to basically bring people into the ReStore. And so we got creative, we came up with a digest that we put out on a monthly basis, highlighting various goods, decor, objects that we think have new life. And so that is put on Habitat's website monthly in a digital format. And then it's also in print with a local magazine in town as well.

 

Kimberly Grigg  19:33

Wow. And so you've kind of spent your whole life dumpster diving.

 

Lauren Riddei  19:39

Yeah, quite literally.

 

Kimberly Grigg  19:41

Tell me about that. And kind of what's the process like when you go on the hunt?

 

Lauren Riddei  19:46

Yeah, I do you ever walk into somewhere, Kimberly, and you start to get this like giddy panic? Oh,

 

Kimberly Grigg  19:51

Oh yes.

 

Lauren Riddei  19:52

Where there's just goods, beautiful things.

 

Kimberly Grigg  19:54

That's market for me.

 

Lauren Riddei  19:55

Good point - market.

 

Kimberly Grigg  19:56

When I'm driving to High Point, like, I start to race. I'm like, and I've been to market, like, twice a year for 29 years, like, really? Giddy? But I am.

 

Lauren Riddei  20:08

That feeling is really what I get every time I walk into a flea market, antique store, consignment store, I just get giddy because I have no idea what's on the other side. And I think that's part of the fun is you're not gonna know if you're gonna find the most amazing rare piece of your life, or if you're gonna walk out empty handed.

 

Kimberly Grigg  20:29

Yes.

 

Lauren Riddei  20:29

But that's the thrill of it, you just don't know.

 

Kimberly Grigg  20:33

Sure. So tell people some things that you've done - you did a great show and tell on my live show, but we can describe some of these things or other things - tell people what things you kind of scout out and what you've done with them. Give people some tips and ideas of what they can do when they wake up Saturday morning and decide to go on a hunt.

 

Lauren Riddei  20:58

So I would say start with what you need. So I did a bathroom renovation not too long ago and I needed a vanity. But I am not going to go buy a bathroom vanity that everyone else has. I just, as a designer, we have to be an oddball, unique. So I was like, I'm gonna find an old furniture piece that I could put a really cool modern vessel sink on. So I looked and looked and looked. And finally I found a turn of the century nightstand.  I said 'oh that's perfect', except it wasn't tall enough. So I had two options. I could either add little legs to it or get a really tall vessel bowl to make the sink and I went with a ladder and it kind of made up the difference between the two or three inches. But you start with what you need. Okay, I need this. And I'm going to add it to my wish list, also known as a Unicorn List.

 

Kimberly Grigg  21:51

I love this Unicorn List thing.

 

Lauren Riddei  21:52

Right? So it's this running list of what I might need in my home or my space. For me, it's my client spaces. Okay, I know, my client, you know, needs a bench for their dining table. So when I go into that store, I'm always on the lookout. And I'm always thinking about 100 things at once. The different projects I have, what I can use there, what I can use here. It's that fun panic.

 

Kimberly Grigg  22:17

Yes, that's a good way to put it: fun panic. Yeah, I get that.

 

Lauren Riddei  22:21

It would derail a lot of people. But it is so fun for me.

 

Kimberly Grigg  22:25

Sure. I totally get that. So tell everybody about this cool light fixture that was probably a planter. I love this. Like this is, like, I need to go find, I need to find three of them, just to like... for an island for a client.

 

Lauren Riddei  22:40

Okay, it's just thinking outside the box. I think the thrill of the hunt is also the unexpected. You wouldn't expect a planter or a wastebasket, I'm not sure which one it was, but it had plastic in it that I cut out, and then drilled a hole in it and had it hardwired to easily be put up as a pendant. But it is this rattan Palm Beach vibe. It's fun, it's quirky, it's weird. No one else will have it.

 

Kimberly Grigg  23:05

Love that, love, everything about that.

 

Lauren Riddei  23:07

It's true to who I am. But I think part of it is just what is the least expected use of this object?

 

Kimberly Grigg  23:16

Yeah and I think if you can go in to some of these places with that as your premise, then it sort of focuses your mind to think like that. And trust me, you can get better and better and better at this. Like, sometimes I get a little rusty because for the longest, you know, it was order, decorate, order, decorate, order, decorate. Well with this supply chain thing, to me, it's been a lot of a silver lining. And as a matter of fact, you mentioned our friend Susan Seagroves, that's actually the foundation of our friendship is that we used to antique together. And then as I got busier and busier, mine became more of an order, decorate, order, decorate. Well, now that we have the supply chain issue, I'm back to antiquing, I'm sourcing on eBay, everywhere, and Etsy, all the spots. So that, and then I do get better and better, now that I'm back into it, about looking at things in a whole different way. And like I found this little mini rug thing the other day, and it's like just a, like a, looks like a little miniature rug. But I'm framing it. Because the power is fabulous. Like it's a beautiful shade of green. And I don't know where it's gonna go but some client will benefit from it. And it's just unusual and it's a different way to do things. So you brought in a bag, and I got to know, I want my listener to know the story of this bag. Because I love this.

 

Lauren Riddei  24:55

I mean the thing about how you're framing that rug, that's it. It has a story now.  Whereas if you had just bought it at a retailer, it had no story, had no history, had no context, but how fun is that, that a client of yours will have a rug that you thought was so amazing? So that's true with this random beach bag, probably from the 80s, who knows where, but it's square in shape. And it looks just like a frame, to me. I literally just saw a picture frame. So I knew on my Unicorn List, I had a few gaps to fill on my gallery wall in one of my bedrooms. And so when I saw this bag, it's pretty flush, it's pretty flat, I knew that it could fill one of the gaps in the gallery wall to add texture, to add dynamic dimension. I mean that way it's not flat.

 

Kimberly Grigg  25:43

So clever. Plus, you can take it down and take it to the beach.

 

Lauren Riddei  25:47

I have already done that.

 

Kimberly Grigg  25:48

I'm thinking of borrowing this idea for a condo that I'm renovating, because, like, that's so clever but it's also useable. And the shape is magnificent. I'm sorry you can't see it. But it's square and it is just, it's the coolest thing. I really really love it. So when should someone say no to something? In a vintage store, antique store, junk store, Etsy, whatever?

 

Lauren Riddei  26:16

Yeah, that's a great question. So I would say my generation is minimalistic. Less is more but also that less has to have some sort of story connected to it. So when you're secondhand hunting, does this piece, is it durable? Does it have a maker's mark? Does it have a stamp? Does it have a signature? Can you refinish it? Can you paint it without it flaking off in a short time from now, right? So, are the bones good? And I think you can't change the bones of a furniture piece. But you can change the look with paint, and sheen of paint, and plaster, and different unique finishes. So if the bones speak to you, and it's real wood, that's a big deal too, that's going to last you a while. Over MDF or some cheaper materials that we are seeing with fast fashion and fast furniture.

 

Kimberly Grigg  27:14

Yes, yes, things, you know, things made long ago, were so well made. And now everything is so production made. And now it's also production made in other countries, when so much of the past was made right here in the United States, which is also very clever. And it makes me feel patriotic in so many ways. Alright, so I kind of want to... this is a big question. But I want to transition to this big question, because I think it's important. Living beautifully is not a necessity. Like it's not like water. It's not like the air that we breathe. Why is it important to live beautifully?

 

Lauren Riddei  28:08

To live beautifully, for me, is... it is an inner expression. It's who I'm created to be. And I think you can live beautifully really simply, it doesn't have to be pompous or expensive. But what is beautiful to you, is it, I mean, you could decorate your car.

 

Kimberly Grigg  28:31

I might. With a straw bag.

 

Lauren Riddei  28:36

That's right. I think to live beautifully is also, it's just how you approach creativity too. So, for me, I want to revive the old stuff. I don't think it's done living its best life.

 

Kimberly Grigg  28:54

That's really nice. It's really well put. Really well put and I agree. Are there things that Lauren does, that you do on lots of projects, it's kind of a signature or a hallmark that help people live more beautifully?

 

Lauren Riddei  29:14

Yeah, so I'm big on function too. So I think if it makes sense for that family then we can make it look beautiful. So I do have some signature modern selections in my builds and my renovations. I think I'm always gonna lean more just on the lighter palette. I love a pastel. I mean I'm just completely inspired by the coast of Florida and because of California, to me, it's this carefree energetic living that I want to help translate for my clients. I mean we are in a coastal town, but I would say I hope to encourage my clients too, towards reusing and revamping what has been in their history. And to not have the first thought of 'oh, it's, I need to throw it out'. No, let me see your warehouse. Let me see your storage unit, because you will be surprised what we pull out and use, because it has a story, because has meaning.

 

Kimberly Grigg  29:21

Absolutely.

 

Lauren Riddei  29:29

And I like a little patina. I like wear and tear. I'm not always super squeaky clean.

 

Kimberly Grigg  30:25

I do as well. And don't you think it it just makes everything more livable and more casual and carefree, and like you could put your feet up and really relax. And I think that's the hallmark of good design. Like you can put all the polish and all the stamps on everything. But if it doesn't live well, is it really that beautiful?

 

Lauren Riddei  30:48

Or if it terrifies your guests?

 

Kimberly Grigg  30:50

 Or your children? Or, you're right. I mean, it just, if you feel like you're walking in a museum, well that is a beautiful look, I suppose, it's just not a very beautiful liveable look. So do you have any pet peeves in design?

 

Lauren Riddei  31:09

Yeah, I'm sure I've got them. Let me think about it, you go first.

 

Kimberly Grigg  31:15

You know, I have thought about pet peeves in design. Almost all of them escape me right now. And it was just an off the wall question. But I do think that sometimes when I am working on something, sometimes people don't allow me to do my job. And that becomes a bit of a pet peeve. And I, because my job, I think, is to do you really, really well. And if I start getting all this pushback, then I get a little nervous that you're not going to be happy. And so I'm not able to, like, give you my best creativity. And I think that's kind of nice. I think if I have a design pet peeve, it's not finishing the project. So you, I see people do this, they polka dot their homes, like they have a finite budget, fine with the finite budget. Let's talk about it. So we got this finite budget. But then they'll buy something for this room, and then they'll go over here and buy something for this room, and then they'll buy something for... and so nothing, you've spent your entire budget, and nothing is complete. And to me it's almost disrespectful to the project. And I'm not saying you can't have the Unicorn List, you can. But if you have that finite budget, I feel like your list should be for that space. What do you need for that space so that something looks complete, so you can actually really enjoy it. Another pet peeve for me would be a room with no attention to the windows. Like that's a biggie for me. And I do a lot of drapery. I believe in drapery. I think it really adds a polish. I like layering drapery, nothing wrong in my book with Plantation Shutters and simple panels. Nothing wrong with a shade and simple panels. Sometimes nothing wrong with a simple shade. But when people get nervous about doing something to their windows, because they think it's going to destroy the view or whatever, you're really actually decorating the wall beside the window and not the window itself. So for me those are just a couple of things that I encounter, that have kind of ended up being like a little pet peeve-ish in the design world. So, anyway. All right. So here's a big question. If you had a hashtag that you want to be known for, I sometimes say it this way, you're too young for me to say a hashtag on your tombstone. So I'm not going to say that. I'm going to say if you have a hashtag that represented you, what would it say?

 

Lauren Riddei  34:03

How long can this hashtag be?

 

Kimberly Grigg  34:04

You know, just like Instagram, you go for it.

 

Lauren Riddei  34:08

The thing that comes to mind is 'no repeats'. The reason why I say no repeats is I think what is really encouraging to me about the design world is that we get to design people's homes for them. And they don't have to copy their neighbor or design their home hoping their best friend loves it. Like they get to design it for themselves and their families.

 

Kimberly Grigg  34:33

Great point. Really great point. I love that. I also love you. You're just precious, you're a breath of fresh air. It was so great to have you in and have you on this podcast. And if you didn't see It's Time To Design, you can go back through Facebook and Instagram. And you can watch the repeats on that. Lauren is a wealth of information. She might be a young designer but I'm telling you she is an old spirit. She really is so soulful. She has all of it going on. So tell everyone where they can find you.

 

Lauren Riddei  35:10

Okay, so just my regular Instagram is my name Lauren Riddei. But you'll find a lot of my design work at LouLou Interiors. And I did recently open up a vintage shop where I'm selling curated and collected conversation pieces.

 

Lauren Riddei  35:29

Yes, so I see stuff all the time. And I'm like, 'oh my gosh, someone needs this. It's interesting. It's odd. It's strange. It's cool. It's funky. It's fine'.

 

Kimberly Grigg  35:29

Wow I didn't know this!

 

Kimberly Grigg  35:38

So this is a physical location.

 

Lauren Riddei  35:39

It's all online, mostly on social media. So you will see it's called Shop LouLou Interiors. And it's eclectic, bespoke, vintage home decor.

 

Kimberly Grigg  35:50

I love it. I love it. Well, it's been wonderful to have you here. Thanks for joining me. And thank you, the listener, for tuning in. I'd love it if you'd rate, review and subscribe to the show. And I'll see you next time. Bye for now.

 

Kimberly Grigg  36:05

Thanks for listening to Decorate Like A Design Boss. If you want more info on how to decorate your space like a pro, visit KimberlyGriggDesigns.com. See you next week.

 

Kimberly Grigg brings listeners a solo episode inspired by Dr. Laura Schlessinger’s “Ten Stupid Things Women Do To Mess Up Their Lives” book title. Kimberly is sharing her knowledge and educating everyone on the 10 Simple Things People Do To Mess Up Their Homes. And she has expert advice on how everyday designers, like you listeners, can avoid these simple missteps in order to decorate like a pro.

The 10 simple things to avoid to “make your home magical”, to quote Kimberly, are these:
1) too much color, 2) not enough color, 3) too many picture frames, 4) too matchy-matchy, 5) no drapes, 6) drapes hung incorrectly, 7) souvenirs for accessories, 8) inappropriate scale, 9) incorrect artwork, and 10) not finishing. Don’t worry if these design points sound difficult to fix! Kimberly goes through each one and details why it messes with your decor and, most importantly, how to amend it. She has easy explanations and vital advice on how to create fixes and avoid these faux pas.

Jump into this episode knowing that at the end of it you will not only understand the 10 simple things to avoid, but you’ll know why window treatments are important, what size of artwork works best with that new chair, and how to include color without it overwhelming the room. Your photos and accessories are all going to be taken care of in ways that assist you in living beautifully, which is what Kimberly dearly wants for everyone to experience.

Resources discussed in this episode:

• “Ten Stupid Things Women Do To Mess Up Their Lives” by Dr. Laura Schlessinger
• Edith-Anne Duncan
• Decorate Like A Design Boss Episode 43: A Pop of Color with Edith-Anne Duncan

-- 

Contact Me:

Email me at [email protected]

Visit my website: www.kimberlygriggdesigns.com

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest

Check out my Youtube channel

You can find the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

Transcription

 

Kimberly Grigg  00:00

Welcome to Episode 44 of Decorate Like A Design Boss. This one is a good one, we'll be diving into the things that people do that mess up their homes. I want you to live beautifully. So please indulge me and listen up as I go through 10 simple things that you can avoid to make your home magical. Get ready. Here we go. Welcome to Decorate Like A Design Boss, a podcast for design lovers who want to create beautiful spaces in their very own homes. My name is Kimberly Grigg, and I'm a professional interior designer who teaches design lovers like yourselves how to decorate. And when I say decorate, I mean decorate like a design boss. If you're ready to create a space that your family loves and your neighbors can't stop raving about, well, buckle up honey, because it's time to design.

 

Kimberly Grigg  01:07

Hello there design friends. So I've been interviewing a lot of great design guests lately. And I thought, well, maybe it's time to dive in to a solo episode on a topic that I tend to love. Quite a few years ago, Dr. Laura Schlessinger, a popular psychologist, a talk show host and an author, better known as simply Dr. Laura, wrote an interesting book called "10 Stupid Things Women Do To Mess Up Their Lives". Now I was a fan, especially of that book, and as Dr. Laura was publishing this book, I was this woman. We won't get into her 10 stupid things, but the title has always stuck with me because on a totally different level, I do spot 10 simple things that people do - and I don't mean stupid - but 10 simple things that people, not necessarily women, do to mess up their homes. So hence, Dr. Laura's book, while not quite old, even though I still recommend it as it was a juicy lifesaver for me at the time, the title just always grabbed me and prompted this episode. So let's get started. 10 things that people do to mess up their homes.

 

Kimberly Grigg  02:41

Number one: too much color. You know, I'm a color girl. And if you've listened for a while and/or if you follow my weekly show, It's Time To Design which airs every Thursday at four on Kimberly Grigg Designs Facebook page, then you know that I've been preaching that you should decorate with color. But to be successful, you'll want to limit your color palette. Sometimes the love of color can go wacky. Here's a better way to think about it: choose three colors that work well together. Choose one to be the main, another to be the supporting actor, and the final is just an accent. You can carry this theme throughout the main parts of your home and you will end up with a harmonious space that works very well together. I recently interviewed Edith-Anne Duncan and I discussed this in detail in Episode 43. Go back, take a listen if you haven't already, but the gist of the conversation is that you need to carry this palette, these three colors, throughout your spaces, but you vary the hero, the supporting actress, and the shining star in various degrees to keep each room from becoming the same. I also tend to throw in that fourth shazam. But again, I do have a daily practice and I am a professional. So if you feel very competent, you can throw a few shazams, but they can come in the form of, as mine typically do, as another color represented in artwork, as another color represented in some small way. And it just continues to layer the palette. But if you use the simple rule of three, I assure you, you will get results that tend to work, work together, and create a very harmonious space

 

Kimberly Grigg  05:00

The second faux pas that I'm going to mention is actually the opposite of too much color, and it's not enough color. This all white theme that is trending right now is beautiful, especially in the Pinterest pictures and on Instagram, but trust me, most of those spaces are well lit, or the photos are put through a photo app that can alter the actual state of the space. Having decorated my fair share of white spaces in the last few years, I am a fair activist for this scheme. But I have to say, most people forget about inserting subtle color and most people forget about how important the use of texture is in an all white space. And in fact, this use of texture actually ends up coming off as a color in and of itself. Yes, white works if you love it, not if you're just following the trend, forget about it. But it's super important to insert texture, and unexpected items such as art that carry a punch, a little more color, even if it's subtle, or perhaps it's a cognac sofa or a mustard pillow. Just remember, the same applies with a white palette as in any palette. It's still three colors, even if they are just shades of white.

 

Kimberly Grigg  06:34

Alright, number three is not only a faux pas, but it's also a pet peeve of mine. And it's something that I immediately change when I'm called to work in someone's home. It is simply too many picture frames: photo frames placed everywhere doesn't make a home a home, even if being surrounded by things that you value. It does seem to matter to you, if you do employ this technique, that your house feels like a home. But instead invest in beautiful accessories and artwork that is gorgeous and it speaks to you. Purchase no more than three frames per room and make them no less than size 8 by 10. Now if you're doing a photo gallery wall, this doesn't apply. But I'm talking about all those little bitty frames that you put on bookshelves and you put everywhere and they're on every surface, and they've got these little bitty pictures inside of them. I am telling you: stop. Get gorgeous frames and don't settle for cheapies at Home Goods - sorry Home Goods, no offense - I do buy frames there, but I buy big ones, and I buy gorgeous ones, or I don't buy them at all. Instead, opt for the creme de la creme and have photos in them that are sizable, no less than eight by 10. And that have an image that you can clearly see. Hint, no snap shots, please.

 

Kimberly Grigg  08:20

This moves us on to faux pas number four: too matchy-matchy. You don't need suits of furniture any longer. You instead need furniture that blends and creates a story, than the suits in your home, by mixing them up, paint some of them, or purchase new items. Blend it. A blended home is a more casual home and actually comes off as a more interesting space.

 

Kimberly Grigg  08:55

Number five: no drapes. Nothing pulls together a home better and faster than drapery. Yes, even if you have blinds and shades and a view, you're treating a window in a decorative way. In fact, you're not really necessarily treating the window, even though they're called window treatments, you're treating the walls beside the window. Blinds and shades behave in a functional way. Drapery and window treatments behave in a decorative way. They soften a space and they add a more polished look overall and in general. If you want your home to look finished, then you need drapery.

 

Kimberly Grigg  09:50

Number six: drapes hung incorrectly, as in directly above the window frame. I can't say enough about this. If you're not going to do drapes correctly, then don't bother. If you're going to have drapery, then invest in the proper length. Go all the way up about one to two inches under the crown. Yes, that high. If you don't have crown, then one to two inches right where the ceiling begins. If you place them right above the window frame, you're destroying the whole look. So raise them up, all the way up, and consider custom drapes in this case or a high quality lined drapery that is the proper length. Do not use unlined drapes unless you're using a sheer drapery. And do not, please, use a rod pocket. This all cheapens the whole aspect of why drapery does for you what it does. So I recently was at my oldest son's house, and my kids have been surrounded by some really pretty things growing up with a design mom, and I walked into the nursery and I knew, I knew that his wife was going to cringe because she could tell what I was thinking. So on a whim, they kind of waited to the last minute to decorate their nursery, and one summer he actually hung window treatments for me professionally. And he knows, really knows, better than this. But I walk into this nursery and what has he done, he has gone and bought ready made drapery. They were not rod pocketed, I'm happy to say. They were grommeted. But he hung those drapes one inch above the window frame. Alright, I had a really hard time with this. I was trying to be a good mom and I was trying not to interfere. But I'm just telling you, I couldn't stand it. Those drapes were too short to raise up that high. They bought them on a whim, they should have taken their time and carefully planned this. I mean, after all, I do have custom work rooms, I could have helped here. But I'm telling you what a difference when those drapes went up high - new drapes, actually - what a difference this made in the overall success of the space.

 

Kimberly Grigg  12:27

Now we're already up to number seven. And number seven is souvenirs for accessories. This is tricky. I love a well traveled look but keep in mind your style. If you go to Africa, and nothing in your home has this slant, well, you might want to really consider what your African memory is going to look like in your space. If you collect shot glasses, well unless you have hidden unlimited space in your bar, then stop please. These are not accessories unless you think of a creative way to house and display them such as put them all together, put seven of them together on a beautiful glass tray. Something like that is certainly acceptable. But just having a bunch of things that you've collected as you travel sitting on bookshelves and all around your house. Well, those are not accessories, they're souvenirs. One way that you can treat traveling and collecting is by creating photo books or photo boxes. You know, we've gotten away from creating photo books and photo albums since we all have our phones, but you know, wasn't it great when you could sit with someone on the sofa and you could look through a photo book? I say, bring that tradition back, bring it back into your home. You can store them in shelves or whatever, or cabinets, and you can pull them out when appropriate. But having your photos in a book, or making a book - those are fairly easy to do now with graphics - this allows you to collect the memories, which is what is important to you, and not necessarily save silly small paraphernalia.

 

Kimberly Grigg  14:30

Well, speaking of small, number eight is all about inappropriate scale. Most people don't understand scale, and, quite frankly, why would they? If you're ever considering a design consultation, then scale is the very best reason to do so. Even a lot of designers don't understand scale and I have to say one of the reasons I do, is I used to decorate hotels ballrooms professionally. And I had to take the same set of props in and out of different ballrooms that had different ceiling heights, and were different sizes. You learn really quickly what you have to do and how you have to adjust to make that set of prompts be as impactful in a large ballroom as it was, or is, in a small one. This taught me so much about scale. But in general, most people can go larger than smaller, but they don't believe they can. I can't tell you how many times I've shown a client a light fixture or an accessory and they say, what, no way is that going to work in my house, that's way too big. But when I end up taking it to their house, it's like, you were right, I get it. So scale is about 14 lessons long. And I can't present all 14 here. But getting scale wrong will throw everything in the space off. So here are a few simple tips that you can remember about scale. If you have tall ceilings, you need tall items. If you have a spacious room, you need items that have volume or have weight. Here's where it gets tricky: even if you have a small room, consider larger furniture pieces. It's a huge deception, but oversized items in a small room is actually a big win. Again, scale is complicated, but it's very important. This is one of the number one things that will ruin a room moreso than anything else.

 

Kimberly Grigg  16:54

Number nine: incorrect artwork. So people either purchase artwork that is too small, or they hang it too high or too low or not cohesively. Or, a piece - this is not that common, but it does happen - a piece that is too large for the piece of furniture that might be sitting underneath it. The piece of art should be smaller than the piece sitting under it. But there should be a relationship in terms of scale. So here's a few tips that you can use to get artwork right. Number one: hang artwork at eye level. Number two: scale your artwork correctly, probably go larger than you think but not larger than the piece of furniture that is underneath it. Number three: when you have a piece, as an art, that is too small, consider a grouping. Number four: make your groupings fairly cohesive either by way of frame choices or subject choices. Number five: abstract art works well in most settings. And number six, in this little artwork section: let your artwork create its own magic. It's a starting point. It's also a great finisher.

 

Kimberly Grigg  18:17

Okay, now we're nearing the end of the 10 simple things that people do to mess up their homes. And number 10 is not finishing. So I've seen so many people get a new home, get started with the decorating process, get a little overwhelmed. And the next thing I know they are living on "Someday Isle" - Isle being short for island and being short for "someday I'll get around to it". Someday I'll accessorize my home. Someday I'll decorate when my kids are older. Someday I'll get window treatments. Someday I'll accessorize. Get rid of Someday Isle. No matter what it takes, if you don't feel confident enough and skilled enough, then hire someone to help you. Start today. Take it on. You can decorate and you can decorate successfully, but again, if you don't feel confident, don't put off until the day that you feel more confident. It's never coming. Instead, hire someone to walk beside you to get you through this. But most importantly, live beautiful. You need to jumpstart your way to a beautiful decor. Or, if you need to take a look at these top 10 mistakes, well do so. Do it honestly. And don't be embarrassed. I've seen this over and over, I see it day in and day out. You're not alone. Now you know things and now you are armed with knowing what to do. So let's fix it. You deserve to live beautifully. You've heard all of these guests who come on my show and they all believe it is possible for everyday normal people to be able to decorate their homes. They also believe that it's important to do so. And I believe all of this so wholeheartedly that I continue to show up for you. And I continue to strive to think of ways to help you accomplish your dreams of being a better decorator. I'll tell you, it does take a lot of practice and a lot of trial and error. It also takes a good dose of learning to trust yourself. You've got this and now you have some good information. And if you are making these decorating faux pas, well, then it's okay. Just correct and realign with your newfound information. In addition, if there are things here that you would like to learn about, all you have to do is drop me an email or even drop in a review, and let me know what it is that you need and how you're responding to all of this information. Or, if you need a consultation, then I'm ready for you. You just simply hop online at KimberlyGriggDesigns.com, and book a consult that is appropriate for your needs. And while you're here, how about rate, review, and subscribe or follow our show. We'd love to know how you feel about it. And most importantly, please share our show with a friend who comes to mind who might benefit and enjoy it. I thank you so much for being here and I'll be back next time but for now, you know what I like to say: don't wait. Today is a great day to decorate. Bye for now.

 

Kimberly Grigg  22:09

Thanks for listening to Decorate Like A Design Boss. If you want more info on how to decorate your space like a pro, visit KimberlyGriggDesigns.com. See you next week.

Kimberly Grigg is joined by Edith-Anne Duncan, a designer who describes her work as “sophisticated-casual” and who celebrates the dual importance of elevating the function of a room and indulging in color. Kimberly and Edith-Anne share a lot of common ground when it comes to color and pattern, and in this episode they dive into how to make these elements work together.

Edith-Anne Duncan explains how she comes from a line of family with an eye for design and though she is formally educated in it, she also sees in herself the self-taught approach and agrees with Kimberly that an eye can “be trained”. Together they explore some of Edith-Anne’s key tips for how to work color through a house, and break down how to pair texture with accents from rugs or art. Edith-Anne shares names of some of the great masters of design that inspire her.

One of the thoughtful things said by Edith-Anne and echoed by Kimberly is that living beautifully is important and vital. Edith-Anne says it informs enjoyment of every moment of living in your home. She and Kimberly describe living beautifully as a kind of self love and self care that we deserve in our lives. It is an insightful conversation full of elegant advice that is sure to inspire your own design journey.

About Edith-Anne Duncan:

Creating a sophisticated but casual approach to today’s lifestyles is the focus of Edith-Anne Duncan’s interiors and what she does best. Meticulous attention to detail is the trademark that elevates her creations to a higher level.

The expertise and talent that Edith-Anne draws upon comes from a multi-layered approach to each project. Education, experience and life have created a strong design palette and portfolio, utilizing history, travel, fashion, art, color and technology to incorporate each client’s wishes.

With clients from Maryland to Florida, Edith-Anne ensures that each project reflects the unique space needs, personality, and lifestyle of the individual client.

Resources discussed in this episode:

• Edith-Anne Duncan
• Edith-Anne Duncan on Instagram
• Schumacher
• Brunschwig & Fils
• Thibaut
• Billy Baldwin
• Mark Hampton
• Dorothy Draper
• Aerin Lauder
• Mark Sikes

-- 

Contact Me:

Email me at [email protected]

Visit my website: www.kimberlygriggdesigns.com

Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest

Check out my Youtube channel

You can find the show on Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Spotify.

Transcription

 

Kimberly Grigg  00:00

Every now and again, you meet this person whose design aesthetic and design philosophy just rocks your world. And that's what happened during this interview with my new design friend, Edith-Anne Duncan. Welcome to Decorate Like a Design Boss, a podcast for design lovers who want to create beautiful spaces in their very own homes. My name is Kimberly Grigg, and I'm a professional interior designer who teaches design lovers like yourselves how to decorate. And when I say decorate, I mean decorate like a design boss. If you're ready to create a space that your family loves, and your neighbors can't stop raving about, well, buckle up, honey, because it's time to design. Alright. Well, hello, my new friend, Edith-Anne Duncan. Welcome.

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  01:00

Hi, Kimberly.

 

Kimberly Grigg  01:01

So I’ve got to kind of set this up, I want to tell you how I actually first discovered you and I want our listeners to hear this because it was kind of important. So when I scroll Instagram and any social media, I'm often looking for different things, I suppose. Of course I'm looking for a beautiful photo or a beautiful reel, or whatever. But when I first discovered you, you were showing something on your feed about your design studio and how you had all of your fabrics organized and I was enchanted because as a fellow designer, I know how hard it is to keep up with all those things. And you DM'd me back right away and we began kind of this little thing. And I started really noticing your work and someone, you don't know this part, but someone came to me that works for me a little bit later and said, Hey, have you Have you followed Edith-Anne Duncan on Instagram? And I said, Actually, I do recently. And they said, Well, she uses color a lot like you do. I think you would love her stuff. And I said, You're right, I do. So there began my love affair with you and your work. And I just wanted my listener to experience you and know about you. Because I really do have an admiration for what you do. And I guess I'll just pop off with the first question. And it will be something like this, Edith-Anne, like, you're a very decorated and celebrated yourself as a designer. And to me, you're known for certain things, but I really do want to hear from you. How would you describe your work?

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  02:55

I would say that I'm sophisticated-casual. Function, and then color. So I'm a lot about the function of the space and not just the form and aesthetics. So I go through a very in depth interview process of how the home or space is used, and the lifestyle of the client, and then really hone in on that and their lifestyle. And then I go from there. But I would say sophisticated-casual with traditional elements and lots of color.

 

Kimberly Grigg  03:23

Yes. And you know, something that I also notice, and just because I work in color in a very similar way, and even a similar approach for me function is everything. And I don't know that in the very beginning of my career function was important. But now it's question number one. What is this room for? How will it be used even if it's multifunctional, like how is this used? But I know where people often get in trouble and I've gotten in trouble myself, is a lot of color can sometimes end up feeling flighty and a little too whimsical and a little too colorful. So how do you keep that from happening?

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  04:10

So what I like to do is literally stick to only three colors. So let's say in the entry or foyer I start with blue and green and then the accent is that green. So in the next room, then I would use the accent color as the green. So what is the accent in one room then translates to primary in the next room. And then also, say if you want to stick to just blues or just greens, then I stay typically on the same paint fan deck and I'm up and down that fan deck if someone is a little too apprehensive about using more than, you know, two or three colors. So just my primary and secondary and/or accent, that's how I moved from space to space. So you're not in one room that's blue and white and the next room is pink and green and then the next one is purple and yellow, those don't flow together. So again, I like the transition from one space to the next into the next.

 

Kimberly Grigg  05:07

So are we twins?

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  05:09

I think we are, yeah. And I love your recent project, too, that you had of the his and her home office. And using a space, because that's another thing whenever I'm interviewed by clients, lots of the rooms they don't even use. So I say what do you need? What are you lacking? And it's amazing how when you dedicate those things to different rooms of the home, they use it and they enjoy it so much more than just being in the foyer and seeing a pretty room and don't even enjoy it.

 

Kimberly Grigg  05:36

Yes, and it lives. Like it has become my pet peeve, these unused rooms, especially the dining room, oh my god, a once a year use of a room is ridiculous. And I've even tried lately, and I I'm sure you have as well, I've tried to make the kitchen breakfast nook a little more unusable so that people will use their dining room or convert it completely and get rid of the dining room, do something else, figure out a way to approach the space, so yes, for sure. So Edith-Anne are you formally trained, self taught? Tell me a little bit about your background.

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  06:22

Okay, so I actually think it's a mix of both. So my grandparents, both of my grandmothers and my father both had a flair for this to begin with. I think it's something you're born with as far as aesthetics, what you grew up around, the scale of things, and then I was formally trained undergraduate at High Point University. I have actually three majors, it's business administration, interior design, and home furnishings marketing, because of course, it's the furniture capital of the world. Then from there, I received my Masters in interior design from Virginia Tech. So... but again, I think a lot of people, you don't need the education part. I used to be very, a big stickler about it, because I worked so hard at it? Now I've kind of gotten a little bit more lax on that, because I think it's, you're also born with it. That's a lot of it. So the education part just fine-tuned it even more.

 

Kimberly Grigg  07:14

Yeah. And I, I wonder how you feel about - someone told me when I was very young that you could train your eye. And I thought that was a very curious thing to say. And I thought at that time, I mean I was in my probably early teens, I drew floor plans as a kid like I didn't draw things, I drew floor plans.

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  07:37

Me too.

 

Kimberly Grigg  07:38

And I couldn't draw things necessarily, but I could really draw geometrics. And so I thought that maybe I wasn't creative, or I wasn't talented, or that I couldn't be an interior designer, because I couldn't draw or at that time, I think I even wanted to be a fashion designer. And as it turned out that person who said that to me, I really should give a big hug to because I did train my eye, I honed, and I try to tell people that listen to this show, and people that are trying to do their own thing, that, you know, you can develop a practice. I'm not saying that you can anoint yourself, I'm saying you have to work at it. Do you feel like, you know, you could develop an ability?

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  08:22

Yes, I do. I do. And it's funny, as a child I would always play with doll houses and Lincoln Logs. And that's where I got my ability to literally walk into an empty space and envision what that will look like in the end, specially because I worked with three dimensional objects to do that. And then I took drafting in high school, I adored that. My mom thought I took the class because there was gonna be a cute guy in the class and that wasn't why I was in drafting. And then I really wanted to be an architect, honestly, but my science and math was not the best. So that's when I went in the interior design realm. But again, it's something that you acquire and learn. And then the the training is just the the fine-tuning of it.

 

Kimberly Grigg  09:05

And you get better and better. Like, you know, when I look back at my work, gosh, 20 years ago, I'm like, sometimes I want to cringe. And at the same time, sometimes I look at work 20 years ago, and I can see the foundation, I can see how everything eventually developed and what I was drawn to and those kinds of things. I'm sure you felt the same way. So when you hire, do you hire only trained designers that work with you? Or do you train them in your way?

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  09:38

No. So I train them my way. And I also, I've already seen their skill set and what they're talented at to begin with. They're in the door, then I know that it's going to work out as far as that goes. But no, they do not have to have formal training in my opinion. Again, I've gotten a little bit more lax on that. And the big thing is, to me, is I've relinquish some control.

 

Kimberly Grigg  09:59

I'd like to know how you did that?

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  10:01

Yeah.

 

Kimberly Grigg  10:04

I think that that is something that every designer struggles with a bit. Like, we are control freaks, because we - and most of us are perfectionists. And most of us have that gene that we have to keep in check lest it destroys our life, it certainly doesn't destroy our work, it helps with our work in a lot of ways, but it will take your life and turn it upside down many times, and it is a hard thing to control. So what else about design, in general, do you find challenging?

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  10:39

I would say too, as far as working with two, you know, two parties in a household where one person wants one taste, and one wants another. Man, I always... another thing, too, is be very upfront with both people involved, you know that I'm working with them as a couple, because sometimes one of the spouses is surprised. So I'm always very, that's one thing as far as the dynamics and the approach of how we go into the project, with a couple. Otherwise, any problems? If it's not a good mix, aesthetically, then I just kind of... we part ways in the beginning, if I know it's not going to work. So again, the whole interview process, but otherwise, probably, I can't recall any.

 

Kimberly Grigg  11:22

So how long have you done this? Have you been doing this long, long, long? Or short short short?

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  11:28

25 years?

 

Kimberly Grigg  11:29

Okay. So again, we're kind of in similar boats. And, you know, I think that you get better about... I know I did, I got way better in the last five years, even of making sure that it was a good fit. And I don't know about you. But I say and I, you know, I say this to my listener, because if you are ever going to hire a designer, these are some ways, I feel, that you can be a good client, but you can get the most out of your designer. If you are a good fit, and if you're not, realize it from the beginning and don't be offended. And at the same time, I say to clients, look, design is a complicated process. It's just like brain surgery in a way. And, but here's the deal, something could go wrong. In fact, it probably will go wrong. So I'm telling you today, I want you to write it in your folder, that something will probably go wrong. Now, I've never met a situation in design that I couldn't fix in some way. And we're going to find the best possible solution. And we're gonna take care of you, just know that. You don't have to hit me, you don't have to yell, you don't have to scream, you don't have to, like, none of that. You just simply know that I am going to do everything within my power to put a smile on your face at the end of the day. But will every 100,000 things that go into this be 100% perfect? It won't. And I think that's, I think that's challenging. But you know, on the flip side of that, where does the joy come from for you?

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  13:15

I think if you trust me, and let me do my process, that's where my joy comes because I always do my best work if you just trust me, and I know that your budget and those limitations, and just trust me and let me do my work. That's, and I would say going back to your question you just had, I think that's my biggest thing. Now I know if you're going to be a good fit. And if you are, you have - just keyword - you've got to trust me. So when you are working with a designer, it has to be a good mix, and you have to trust them. Because if you don't you're going to question them. And then, you know, it's for instance, it would stifle me, and it just, if you eliminate one or two things, it's very important. You don't think it is but it is, and that leads to other elements in the room. So you have to trust your designer.

 

Kimberly Grigg  14:03

So true. And I have situations all the time as you do, where you constantly have to re-remind the client that you really do have this under control, and it's gonna be fine. And I think that's part of it. But at the same time, you know, a lot of my listeners are, you know, they don't necessarily want to hire a designer, they want to do this themselves. They want knowledge, they want information, they want the best possible outcome that they can produce. And I champion that because I think you can hone this craft. I think you can get a lot of what you want and need with the worldwide web that we have now. I think you have to have practice and I don't think it ever hurts to have a consult with a professional who works in this business every day. So I do also think there are things that I do in a home that someone could duplicate. Like, what kinds of tips do you give to that person who is trying to go on their own? Because I know you offer a console service that is not your full blown design package. And so what kinds of things do you offer to this gal who loves design, she's an enthusiast, she's scrolling Pinterest and Instagram all the time for what will work in her home? What are some easier things that a person like that can do and pull off that gives them some results?

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  15:43

I would say scale is very important when you look at those images. So always pay attention to the scale of those items, the intensity of colors, but the scale. And also pay attention to, when you look at a room, there aren't too many legs in the room, you know they're leggy table with the leggy chair. So pay attention to the contrast of what's skirted and what's leggy, contrast in the room: lighting, that's the jewelry of the room, in my opinion. So pay attention to the lighting and then the scale of the piece. But it's, again, I think that's where it's it's worth an investment to really speak to a designer, and at least hire them for a little bit of information to get you going. Because you're going to make costly mistakes if you don't really pay attention, in my opinion.

 

Kimberly Grigg  16:32

Sure. And I don't think it ever hurts. I know sometimes when I'm doing my own work, like things for myself, it's easy for me to get tripped up because the world is my oyster and I'm exposed every day and I can have anything I want. And it's sometimes very hard to narrow that experience.

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  16:51

It's very difficult.

 

Kimberly Grigg  16:52

And I'll say to one of the designers on my team, hey, wait, listen, can you can you help me out for a second? Because I really, like I need to bounce this off of you. I think sometimes that my listener is still a little afraid to reach out to that designer. Maybe they think it's too costly. Maybe they think they lose control? Not sure. Probably a combination, probably both from time to time. But I do think that you're right, the value of that, even as a sounding board. I mean, you wouldn't go into surgery without consulting a doctor and you know, and this is a profession. It's not just something that we do, it is a profession.

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  17:33

Yes. Yes, for sure.

 

Kimberly Grigg  17:37

All that goes into it. So I know that you're known for color, and your sophisticated color and your sophisticated palettes. Do you ever get the request to do, since all white is trending, do you get that request? And do you take it?

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  17:54

No, I have not. And would I take it? Probably not.

 

Kimberly Grigg  17:58

Right.

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  18:00

That's not a good fit for me. That's not a good fit. And I would not be fair to them either. No, I would say no.

 

Kimberly Grigg  18:07

Sure. And when you approach all of this beautiful color with a client that is maybe more of a neutral palette, and you do feel like though they sought you out because they want that color, there is bound to be some pushback, because they are not accustomed to it. So what do you, what do you say? How do you reassure them.

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  18:28

So again they have to trust me. For instance, I'm doing a lake project now and they're not as colorful as me, but they love the textures and the large scale of millwork, more architectural. So the way I'm approaching this, for instance, the kitchen: it's very textured, there's a limewash oak in there, but then I have a really dark forest green with it. So that green is my color. And the plumbing fixtures and lighting is the jewelry of the room. And then there's a couple pieces of artwork, so that's going to be my punch. But again, they know that I appreciate the aesthetics of it, the scale, and the form and the function, and they just trust me. So that when, that actual, that projects can be a little bit more down then my just loud color.

 

Kimberly Grigg  19:16

Yeah, that's cool. And I do love, and I've talked a lot to my listeners and followers, etc, a lot about this limited palette thing. And I I love that I've said up to five colors, but for me four and five is almost just a punch. It's not an accent, an accent's an accent, and a punch might be the smallest pillow or it might even be a floral, and you know it's not or it's a little something in a painting. But people I think gravitate to neutrals because they don't, they're not able...

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  19:56

Scared.

 

Kimberly Grigg  19:57

They're terrified.

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  19:58

They're not confident. Yes.

 

Kimberly Grigg  19:59

Correct. And then the other part of this, for me, about your work in particular, and probably mine as well, and another area I find that people are afraid of, is pattern. Like you got it going on with your color, no doubt, but you equally have it going on with your pattern. So speak to us a little bit about how you incorporate pattern without being, it doesn't feel busy, it feels lovely.

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  20:31

So for instance, say in the studio that I'm in right now, I started with a large floral, and then I have an accent of green, a lampshade and a tablecloth. And then I have the contrast of a geometric linear grid pattern of triliage on my wall. So I like the contrast of a large scale, something that's linear or geometric, and then a small print and just keep to those three pieces. I also like to mix the textures of something that's very scratchy with something that's very soft and something very shiny. Because if you walk into a room and it would feel flat if everything's just all cotton, for instance. So you need a scratchy sized little rug, or scratchy piece of furniture, or maybe it's a crazy mirror that has textured shells or something. Not everything so flat.

 

Kimberly Grigg  21:23

I love that, what a great formula. Really and truly.

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  21:27

It's almost like what you wear too, if you think about that. You know, if you say this dress that I have on, it's orange and red and white floral. So the contrast with it, I have velvet slippers that are the darker maroon color and then I have a shiny glossy pearl earrings on. So think of it the way you would approach an outfit to a room, if that makes sense. And that's one thing you and I both are very confident also in what we wear. And what we feel comfortable in, because you go out there just like I do as far as prints and color. And that speaks to what we do. So when I interview a client, I say okay, I want you to show me your three favorite outfits that you just feel fantastic in. And the moment when they show me those outfits that tells me instantly what their house should be.

 

Kimberly Grigg  22:14

So true. So true. So observant of that, like, I think you and I also have an aesthetic of I want this house to be you. There's no there's no way that I can't impose some of my influence on you because that would just be impossible. And you did come to me, but I want this house to scream you. Chances are after, we're done, we'll be friends, but I probably won't be over at your house every day. And so I want the people that walk in your house not to say Kimberly Grigg was here and she designed it, I want people to say oh my gosh, your house is you, it screams you. And to your point, I agree. Like how you dress, what things you do select, how you really do live, not how I live, is all such the foundation, of what goes into someone's dwellings, into their own aesthetic. It's everything. I have noticed that you use a lot of Schumacher in your work, Schumacher fabrics, wallpapers, that kind of thing. Just again, not all of our listeners know what Schumacher is, but it is a brand of wallpapers and fabrics and trims and it's lovely. And so I know you use that. What other go-to items do you use in your designs?

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  23:42

I also love to use Brunschwig & Fils because that's colorful, and the scale of it, and the longevity, the quality of it. And then I also love statement wallpapers. A better price point for a project that we need to watch our budget a little bit would be Thibaut. They have great new, they're very forward as far as their aesthetics and their design. So I do like using them and they have a great collection of everything mixing together. So for those that like to do it themselves, Thibaut is a great resource for that because they've really put a nice collection together as far as that goes. So I like Thibaut, Schumacher, Brunschwig & Fils, and then I also like to have, the way I started room is either by rugs, artwork, or a statement fabric. So I have a jumping off point as far as that goes too.

 

Kimberly Grigg  24:31

Same. Same! I find even for the novice designer that is trying to go it on their own, I agree with you about Thibaut wholeheartedly and I often have to hit a price point. It's something I can rely on. Plus, it makes the day easy and still aesthetically gorgeous. I use also a lot of Schumacher, Brunschwig, I love those brands as well. But I I do find that Thibaut does a lot of making it all go together. And it's just, to your point, start with a piece of art or a piece of fabric. A print from one of those companies can be everything you need right there in that print. And you can really, I mean, you might not know what Edith-Anne and I know about the shiny, the textural, the, you know, those little things do take a lot of practice. But you can create a color palette, you can get creative feeling that you want for a space from a fabric, from a rug, from a piece of art, those kinds of things are not a joke, they are really fundamental in your, once you've established your function in your next step. So I say, and I recently said this in a video, like, I know a lot of projects, and I this is where a lot of people get really scared when they're doing their own stuff, goes through this ugly duckling phase, like this phase where you're like, even you, even confidently after 25 years, you're wondering hmm, is this...? Does it happen to you?

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  26:17

It does, it does. So even now, and I think the hardest, the most difficult client is yourself. You do know all the options. For instance, I'm doing my daughter's room, she's off to college. And it's in that ugly duckling stage. And I know all the options of what's out there so it's very hard for me to hone it down. So I bounced that off one of my designers here, Holly, okay, Holly, what's your opinion on this, because I've looked at it so much and I know all the options so that it makes it more difficult. So it is hard for us too. I mean, it's not easy.

 

Kimberly Grigg  26:49

Certainly. And I say to the listener, this is when it is a good time to get back up from a design consultation, to know that you're going in the right direction, or to have fresh eyes take a look at it. And, again, you and I are privy to being surrounded with other design professionals. And we can reach out and say, Hey, Karen, well, how do you feel about this? What do you think, like, white is not a color I do well, but Karen does white very well. And so, you know, we bounce off of each other and when I am charged with an all white setting, which I'm in Myrtle Beach, so I get challenged with this a good bit. You know, I look to Karen for the one perfect out of 155 shades of white, with confidence, because that's not my palette necessarily. So I say to the listener reach out when you get to this space, because it happens even to the professionals and it's not comfortable. It really isn't comfortable. And there are times I doubt myself and I, but that is when my best work and my best ideas come to fruition because this is when you're problem solving with the best solution in mind. Like where is this really going to end up and just like a painting it's not always where you started.

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  28:12

Right. Right. 

 

Kimberly Grigg  28:14

I believe you're an artist as well, aren't you?

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  28:17

Agreed. I do.

 

Kimberly Grigg  28:20

And you know with being an artist, I mean, I know for me being an artist is, I will often start something and can end up in the most beautiful place, but certainly not where I anticipated. But as an artist, you and I both, I think, have looked at the masters and we've studied the masters and there's so much to glean from their work even though sometimes you can look at something that a master did and you think, gosh, that's so simple. But if you think back to they didn't have the resources and materials that we had you have to put that in perspective.

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  29:02

Yes. Just like Billy Baldwin.

 

Kimberly Grigg  29:04

Yes.

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  29:05

Dorothy Draper.

 

Kimberly Grigg  29:06

Yes. And that is my question. Like if we look at the masters in art, like who are the masters for you in design that you've studied, admired, mimicked, like speak to me a little bit about that.

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  29:20

Okay, so I love Billy Baldwin. And then I adore Mark Hampton, of course his daughter now is practicing. But I adored him, he was classic, he was not shy in color whatsoever. And then I also love Dorothy Draper. Of course, she's done for the Greenbrier. Carleton Varney now does that. So those are my go tos. And then nowadays I also admire Aerin Lauder. She's the whole lifestyle of how to approach a room. And Mark Sikes is so colorful, it's sophisticated-casual, so I adore his look. But old school I would say Billy Baldwin and Mark Hampton and Dorothy Draper.

 

Kimberly Grigg  29:58

So again I knew we were kindred spirits. My favorite most cherished book in my vast library of interior design books is an old Billy Baldwin. And it, you know, what a great... if I could say to anyone listening, if you really want to study someone, study Billy Baldwin, study Dorothy Draper. Like what pioneers and innovators and, of course, many of the others that you said, but those two in particular, like, have influenced, shaped, I see that it shaped your work as well. And it is just so interesting. And often in art, when I get stumped, and I do, I will turn to, I'll just like take a break and I'll pick up a Picasso book or I'll scroll Picasso paintings online, and suddenly that will spark or inspire an idea which totally changes the stumped feeling. And I can finish.

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  31:09

Another great reference for me too, for projects, is I often asked clients where their favorite places to vacation, you know, what was the best hotel that you just absolutely adore. And then I will take elements of what they loved about that hotel, and maybe put it into their primary bathroom.

 

Kimberly Grigg  31:25

Oh I love that. What a great idea.

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  31:27

So that's a great one too. And travel is a big influence for me as well.

 

Kimberly Grigg  31:30

Same, I agree. And I also say to, again, people that are trying to do this on their own, sometimes it's good to take a trip and just let things evolve, like don't go with the intention of I'm going to go look at this hotel, and then I'm going to mimic. But the thing is, let things move you, let things inspire you. Some people do it by a walk in nature. And, you know, sometimes that does get me out of my own head. But that, to me, is not nearly as inspiring as a hotel lobby.

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  32:05

Yes, agreed.

 

Kimberly Grigg  32:06

And sometimes when I travel, it drives my husband nuts but he does acquiesce, I love to just go to a city or a town or wherever we're going, and I want to visit every hotel lobby in that area. And it is super, super fun. And, like, I just like to hop in a taxi or some Uber or whatever, and just go from place to place. And I come back with like this whole refreshed inspiration in my head. And it frees me in some odd way that is very hard to articulate. But I think that's probably what travel does for you as well, it's just inspiration. It's instant inspiration. So, you know, it's not a necessity for us to live in a beautiful setting. I mean, we can survive, I suppose, without it. But I'm sure that you and I can't. So tell people why is it so important to live beautifully?

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  33:09

Because even if it's just a simple thing of having a linen napkin with your coffee in the morning, or if it's beautiful flatware when you have your lunch, just simple things make all the difference to me aesthetically when I enjoy every moment as I live in our home. Or when we entertain, you know, the things that you provide for them, the setting, that's just very important to me. But again, say you're fixing your cup of coffee in the morning, I like to use a nice spoon with a nice napkin and a fantastic cup. And then I change that seasonally. So everything that you touch in everyday moments should be beautiful. The containers that hold my vanity products in the bathroom, it's a sterling silver tray, and it holds all of, you know, the cotton swabs and the soap dispenser that I use - everything that you touch, literally, should be beautiful and it cannot be too fine. For instance, my husband uses a decanter and that's what I put his mouthwash in, everyday products that you touch should be beautiful. And use things that you wouldn't think to use every day, like a decanter, or a beautiful silver pitcher to put your utensils in, in the kitchen. Use beautiful items and don't just think of them as only doing one function. They can be multifunctional. Does that make sense?

 

Kimberly Grigg  34:28

Yes. And I think what you're saying is love yourself enough to do that. It's almost a form of self care.

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  34:36

It's just a different form. Yes.

 

Kimberly Grigg  34:39

That's beautiful, Edith-Anne, and I believe it wholeheartedly. And, you know, I preach it and, you know, I raised six kids in my house and it was chaotic, but it was important to me to live in beauty, and to teach my children to be surrounded by beauty and they never broke anything. And I have lots of things. But they seem to respect it, don't you think?

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  35:06

Yes. And that's the way that I was raised as well. Yes. And that's just to learn, it's just a process. Some people think you're strange when you're raising children in a house like that, but then it's okay. And they live with the beauty. And it's funny because Carleton Varney actually said this at a seminar that I went to a couple years ago at the Greenbrier, he goes, Okay, think about your childhood room. Envision that room right now. And he said, I bet right now you can tell exactly what that is and what that pattern is, and color. And that's what you feel most comfortable in. And that's how you design. You know what? He's right. I grew up in a bedroom that had trellis fabric, it was a chintz, it was white with yellow roses, and I had chinoiserie yellow furniture. And I had a rattan chair in the corner. Classic style, full of color. And you know what, that's how I live now. So what your children also grow up in, and their childhood rooms and their homes, that influences them so much more than you think. And it really hit home for me when he said that, because that's how I live now. So it's very important for them to see that you are, you know, enjoy that silver, sterling silver, or, you know, it's the whole lifestyle. It's very, very important. And it goes a lot deeper than you think.

 

Kimberly Grigg  36:13

Amen, that's so well put. Because I say to people who will say I want to use you, you know, when my kids are nine. Why are you teaching your children not to value beauty?

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  36:49

Agreed? Completely.

 

Kimberly Grigg  36:50

So important. And, you know, if you start them, they will learn and they're able to go to someone else's home and respect those things.

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  37:00

Correct.

 

Kimberly Grigg  37:01

We are so aligned. In our approach to design, our approach to color, so many things that we have in common, I wish you lived closer. But thank goodness we have our little social network going on because you are so lovely. And we are at that point where I want to, I want to pose the question that I like to ask, and I want to do it in a way, like just like the masters that you and I so appreciate, they've left a legacy. And I feel your work is so important, Edith-Anne, and so speak to me a little bit about what your legacy will be, and maybe even go here: years and years from now, when you have that hashtag on a tombstone, what would it say?

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  37:55

Elegant, approachable, kind. And I also want to, let's fast forward, it's kind of the lineage of one of my very first projects that I did, the family grew up there, and now the daughter wants to use me. So it's almost the transition of from one stage to the next. So I want that legacy of also being, you know, that they admire what I've done for them as a child and now they want to use me again in their own grown up home. So I would say just kindness and classic.

 

Kimberly Grigg  38:31

I love it. I love it. And I sincerely feel that from you. So what a joy for you to share this and what a joy for, I've just loved experiencing you, and all the fabulous things that you're doing. I appreciate you coming on. I can't say enough great things about how masterfully you mix, and I know that that too will be such an important part of your legacy. I think there is, you know, the one word I don't think we used about your work that I think is important to say, is there is a timelessness. And yet you are very current all at the same time. Right? Right, which is why someone's daughter would use and choose you because they don't feel like the work is way back when, even though it's timeless. They feel like it is now but it has a nod to classicism and historic value. So I champion you, I champion you, my hat's off to you. I clap, clap, clap. And again, thank you for being here. And I want to let everybody know how they can find you.

 

Edith-Anne Duncan  39:50

So I'm on Instagram at Edith-Anne Duncan, and then on Facebook as well. And then my website is EdithAnneDuncan.com. Yes, but you were very kind to have me, Kimberly, and I appreciate it greatly. Really do.

 

Kimberly Grigg  40:03

You are so welcome. And thank you and keep on keeping on, Edith-Anne, and I'll be following up with you.

 

Kimberly Grigg  40:13

Didn't you just love Edith-Anne Duncan? I think one of my favorite things that she said, was when she talked about why it's important to live beautifully. And I know that you couldn't see it, because I could see the screen and you are probably just listening. But I could see it all over her. When I said, living beautifully isn't a necessity. And you know what, she believes it is and I do as well. And when you listen back to this, I just think that the way she put why living beautifully is so important, is touching, because it really is, for her and for me, the biggest form of self love and self care. I loved it when she said even her husband's mouthwash went into a beautiful decanter. So I know you're going to want to check out Edith-Anne Duncan on all of her channels. You will admire her work as much as I do, I'm sure. So I'll see you next time. Don't forget to rate, review and subscribe. And what I have to say is don't wait. Today is a great day to decorate. Bye for now.

 

Kimberly Grigg  41:42

Thanks for listening to Decorate Like a Design Boss. If you want more info on how to decorate your space like a pro, visit KimberlyGriggDesigns.com. See you next week.

Kimberly Grigg welcomes Kate Dryer, founder of Kate Decorates, to the show to explore beautiful family-centric decor on a “normal person budget”. Kate shares how she puts her belief that form and function can coexist in design into action. 

Kimberly and Kate debunk the theory that beautiful living must wait until children are grown. To that end, Kate breaks down the benefits of performance fabrics, how to test them for durability, and recommends carpet tiles as easy-to-replace solutions. They explain how to find a color palette based on a signature piece and where to find less expensive options for furniture and accessories.

Kate is an enthusiastic DIYer and Kimberly prompts her to divulge secrets on decorating with peel and stick wallpaper, ways to visually upgrade plain countertops without breaking your budget, and how to bring color and pattern into your spaces like a pro. Kate’s ability to create attainable beauty for any family home will surely inspire you in decorating yours.

About Kate Dryer:

Kate Dryer is a thirty something wife and mom to two kids and one incredibly energetic labradoodle. She started her blog, Kate Decorates, as a creative outlet in 2015 and has been DIY’ing and decorating ever since.

Their family’s 1980s builder-grade home in the Washington, DC suburbs (where she was born and raised), was a beige box when they bought it which wasn’t really her jam, so she immediately got to work adding color and pattern. Kate’s mission is to help busy families create beautiful, functional homes they love… and have fun in the process.

Resources discussed in this episode:

• Kate Decorates
• Kate Decorates on Instagram
• Easy Home Renewals 

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Transcription

Kimberly Grigg  00:00

Welcome to another episode of Decorate Like A Design Boss. And today I am so happy to share with you my new friend Kate Dryer. Kate is the founder of Kate Decorates where she's dedicated to sharing tips and tricks for creating a fun, functional and family friendly home. All on a normal person budget. Kate founded her business in 2016, shortly after giving birth to her second child. Despite searching Pinterest and her favorite magazines for attainable decorating advice that could help young families like her own, she quickly found that there were next to no resources out there for parents who wanted homes that were stylish enough for adults, but functional for life with kids and pets. You're gonna love Kate dryer. So let's welcome her as we discover all sorts of tips and tricks for family centered homes, but, not just that, for some very, very gorgeous decorating. Welcome to Decorate Like A Design Boss, a podcast for design lovers who want to create beautiful spaces in their very own homes. My name is Kimberly Grigg, and I'm a professional interior designer who teaches design lovers like yourselves how to decorate. And when I say decorate, I mean decorate like a design boss. If you're ready to create a space that your family loves, and your neighbors can't stop raving about, well, buckle up honey, because it's time to design. Well. Hi, Kate Dryer. I'm so happy to have you here.

 

Kate Dryer  01:58

Thank you so much, Kimberly, it is great to be here with you today.

 

Kimberly Grigg  02:02

Ah, well, I wish everyone could see how pretty you are and how pretty you look in your surroundings like, wow, this is perfect. I'm gonna have a good time watching.

 

Kate Dryer  02:13

Thank you. A box full of jewel tones, I guess.

 

Kimberly Grigg  02:16

There you go. And your sweater and everything is so color coordinated. So I want to kind of dive in, Kate. I mean, there's so many interesting things about you, including your cybersecurity background, and like all this cool stuff and your, your whole process, your brand. Kind of describe to me what it is that you do.

 

Kate Dryer  02:41

Sure. So about six years ago, after I had my second child, I needed a creative outlet. You know, it was... I heard someone say once - which now being a mom of more than than one I get it - they said 'one is one and two is twenty'. And I felt that so deeply at the time that my son was born. And so I started Kate Decorates, I started my blog, again, just kind of as a hobby for me to you know, have something to sort of, you know, maintain my own identity and give me some me time, which was great. But one thing that I noticed, as I was talking to a lot of my other friends who were at a similar stage in life, you know, they were just getting married, just starting families, everyone would come over to our house, and they would look around and say, Oh my gosh, you know, your home is just so calming and really put together and polished and like, Okay, how did you do that with two young kids and toddlers who make messes and hit their heads on the corner of tables and things like that. And it kind of dawned on me that there really was not a lot of information or great resources out there for parents who were a lot like myself, you know, just kind of starting out, but you know, needing their space to be functional, but also wanting to feel really good about their surroundings, especially during what's really a hectic time, I think, in a lot of people's lives. So fast forward to today. I actually left my full time marketing job a few months ago to focus full time on my design and doing consulting there. So it's been quite a ride, but it's been really fun, I think, to share really simple, easy family friendly decorating tips that people can, you know, put to use in a few minutes. You know, they're not difficult, it's not expensive, and it's just attainable and fun and makes you feel good about the home that you're in.

 

Kimberly Grigg  04:53

Love this. So I'm going to let you in on a secret. Well, it's not really a secret but something that is kind of interesting along these lines is I raised six kids in my home, and I can so relate. My youngest is now 21 and off at college, but I can so relate to how valuable this information is. I know for us, my husband would say things like, Why are you bothering? They're just gonna put peanut butter and jelly hands on everything. But I insisted that we live beautifully and that I have to somehow make the home function. So now that mine are grown, you're in the thick, you're in the thick of it. And so tell the listener, the audience, like, let's just dive in: what are some starting points for how people can live beautifully with children and peanut butter and jelly hands?

 

Kate Dryer  05:57

Right, and goldfish cracker crumbs and all those fun things? Yes. You know, one thing that I noticed, especially as a young parent, is that if your space feels chaotic, your life is going to feel chaotic. You know, home should be kind of your safe haven, a place that brings you joy and peace. And it is more important than people usually think to create something that you feel good about. And so I would say, you know, number one, think about how you want to live and how you want the space to feel. Do you want to decorate with neutrals and have it feel really calm and airy? Does, for example, like me, does color energize you, and does that bring a smile to your face? So think about what's going to make you happy, and then start to plan out, probably starting with... I always like to say start with the room that you spend the most time in and kind of create a plan for yourself and start there. It can be really overwhelming when you try to tackle too much at once. So focusing on one space in the beginning and getting that right, where you feel good about it, is really important. And then I think it gives you the confidence too to move on to other spaces in your home and sort of apply the same patterns, I guess.

 

Kimberly Grigg  07:23

Yes, and that's such good advice. I agree with you wholeheartedly. I tell people, Don't polka dot your house, like start somewhere and finish something so that while you're working on other spaces, you've got somewhere for the eye to rest. And I find that that's so important, because sometimes people will take their budget, we're going to talk about your cool thoughts about budget in a second, but they'll take that budget and they will start spending it in various areas of the home. And the next thing you know, you have nothing to show for your results. You got a lot of stuff. And you've done a lot of things but nothing is really complete. So I love the way that you said that. And one of the things that you also say that I'm very fond of, and this is right up my listeners' alley, is you like to decorate with normal people budget. So tell me a little bit about that. And how do you accomplish that?

 

Kate Dryer  08:26

Yes, I am so glad you asked. This is one of my favorite things to talk about because I think there's such a misconception in the design world that great design has to be expensive, which is absolutely not true at all. And so when I think of normal person budget, I think of, you know, I typically I'll put money into kind of the larger pieces that I know I'm going to have for a really long time. For example, you know, I have a great Crate and Barrel sofa in our living room that has been with us for years. It's withstood all kinds of incidents, and still looks great. So when you know there are those pieces that you're... they're kind of the heart of your room, I tend to invest a little more there. But when it comes to a lot of other pieces, you have to be realistic. So even thinking about, particularly with young kids, area rugs, okay? I would never at this stage in my life, invest in a really pricey rug. But the great news is there are so many different options today to find affordable decor, whether it's going to places like, you know, Target or Home Goods or looking online at places like Wayfair, there are so many different options that I think it is totally possible to mix and match in terms of kind of price, and just find ways to incorporate things that maybe look expensive but aren't, without without breaking the bank.

 

Kimberly Grigg  10:02

Yeah, so kind of even a high low, but like really sourcing and looking and I agree, I do feel like a steady piece, something that is a statement strong piece like your Pottery Barn sofa, but that also will withstand the hardships of everyday life, is a great place to start. So do you think that - can anyone learn to decorate?

 

Kate Dryer  10:31

I think so. You know, I was not always a decorating enthusiast myself, funny enough. I was always creative from a young age, but I love to write, and then I danced my entire life. And, you know, I think I've always had a good eye for design, but I've developed it, for sure, over the past couple years as I've become more interested in it. I think the other thing, you know, going back to kind of the normal person budget, the way that you can execute on that easily - because I think, you know, in theory, it sounds great, right, but somebody is probably sitting there going, Okay, this is cool and all but like how do I how do I do this in practice - having a plan for your space, and knowing what pieces you're looking for, is really, really important. And the other thing I would say is as a Type A person who is always in a rush to do everything, it like hurts my heart a little bit, but great decorating takes time, don't be in a rush to just kind of go out and get everything all at once and set up your room. It is just so much better if you can kind of make that list and think about, okay, I'm looking for a martini style side table or a rug with these colors in it. And kind of keep a list on your phone or in your pocket. So when you're out at stores or when you're, you know, shopping online, or, you know, at the local flea market, you can keep an eye out for those pieces, as opposed to just, you know, hitting the panic button and just getting things that are good enough in the moment.

 

Kimberly Grigg  12:13

So let's break that down even further. When you start your plan, let's say you walk into a space, tell me kind of step by step. What do you do? How do you develop that plan? How do you create your concept? How do you really, in a bare roots way, tell someone this is your process, this is how you do it?

 

Kate Dryer  12:36

Sure. Yeah, so the first thing I always like to do is just find out how people are going to use the space, how they use it today, or how they want to use it, because maybe their vision for it is a little bit different than how they're using it right now. So understanding the functionality of it is step number one, always. Then I like to understand kind of colors and things that they gravitate toward, you know, what colors, make them feel happy, what brings a smile to their face, are there certain, you know, places or experience or interests, maybe, that I can kind of listen to and figure out a way to bring those kind of feelings of those activities into the space. And then when I sit down to actually create a plan, I typically start with, in terms of figuring out a color palette and textures and things like that, I start with what I like to call the inspiration piece. And that is typically something that has a lot of color and pattern in it. So most of the time, that's, for me anyway, a piece of art. And then I build my color palette from there and then add in, keep in mind kind of the the functionality and ,you know, what the client has articulated that they want to use the room for, and I build it out that way.

 

Kimberly Grigg  14:04

I love that. I have a very similar approach often. And there's something about, especially when you start with a piece of artwork or a piece of fabric, there's something about so much of the work has already been done for you. And a) you already relate to it, and b) you can even take a smidgen of something that's in that - you like that word smidgen - something in that artwork and pull it out and can create some of the most unusual color schemes that exist. And I love to do that too, and I think that it also gives the average person who's trying to decorate some confidence, and you at least know that these things are going to work together. So I love that tip, that idea. Let's talk, let's kind of circle back round just a wee bit to when you're decorating for a family centered home, like speak to me about fabrics. And we talked a little bit about rugs and durability. And for that mom who says, I'm gonna wait until my kids graduate from high school to decorate my home because I don't want to spend money that is not going to necessarily be a long term investment, because there's peanut butter and jelly hands and all this stuff. So how do you kind of handle that with your clients in the spaces that you're creating?

 

Kate Dryer  15:38

Sure. So performance fabrics are your friend. There is just, for young families, there's no other way to go when when it comes to upholstered pieces. So I have - every room in my home and most of the spaces I design do include sofas and, you know, accent chairs that do have performance fabrics. And I tell my clients too, Okay if you really want to put this to the test, go to your local store where we're planning on getting the sofa from, ask for a fabric sample, take it home, and spill red wine and ketchup and grape jelly on it ,and like take your keys and rough it up. And that will give you a sense of how well it's going to last. You know, just like put it through the wringer, and make sure that okay, that's gonna work for us. The other thing that I like to do as well, because a lot of people are concerned about textiles, particularly like throw pillows, when we're decorating a space, a lot of times for my clients, and you know, even in my own home, I use outdoor pillows. Because, you know, I think if you look back years ago, outdoor pillows were not available in as many fun colors and fabrics as they are today. I mean, right now you can pretty much get almost any fabric and design in an outdoor really durable fabric. So that's another thing that I like doing. They're just easier to clean and withstand a lot more. And then the last thing that, you know, I typically look at is when it comes to rugs, you have a couple options. I think, yes, you can buy kind of a less expensive rug where, hey, if something happens, you're not going to cry if you have to throw it in the trash. But there are two other options that I really like, both of which I have in my own home as well. So one is I love carpet tiles. So there's a particular brand  Flor, F-L-O-R, and they have some carpet tile sets that basically look like really lovely, you know, area rugs. And that's great because if something happens, you pull up the tile, you clean it, if it's messed up beyond repair, you just order a new tile instead of having to kind of, like, throw the baby out with the bathwater so to speak. So that's great.

 

Kimberly Grigg  18:09

I love floor tiles, I used those when my kids were growing up, I thought they were amazing. And inevitably that would happen. I mean, I remember my 11 year old daughter spilled fingernail polish. And all I had to do was just replace two tiles and off we went, and I bought extra cartons when we started and it just worked out.

 

Kate Dryer  18:33

That's a great idea, buying the extra.

 

Kimberly Grigg  18:35

Yes. And just for the listener who doesn't know what we're talking about, these tiles come in... I know they used to come in 12 by 12s but now I'm sure they have multiple sizes, and they are literally tiles that you can put down just like a carpet. And you can pull them up and replace anything that gets damaged. It's wonderful. For families, for pets, for any, for rental properties, AirBNBs, I can't say enough great things about the usage of products like this. So yeah.

 

Kate Dryer  19:12

Yes. And I have to say, so we've had, I think three different floor rugs now. They have outlasted kind of my basically urge to redecorate, because I've never gotten rid of them because they're in bad shape. It's just like, oh, okay, we want to refresh the room and now I need a new rug. And I do have to laugh too because the only person who spilled something on our rug is me. I spilled a cup of coffee and cleaned it up with baby wipes and no problem.

 

Kimberly Grigg  19:43

And there you go. And so many of today's materials do speak to this. You know, somewhere along the line the manufacturing industry really got savvy to the way that people need to live. And it's not just people with children, it's people with messy husbands, it's people who, like you just said, spill coffee. I mean, I spill coffee too, or tip over a glass of red wine, or the spaghetti plate falls, or whatever - I mean, life is to live. And I know that when I was growing up, my family didn't use a lot of things, like we had towels that were the guest towels and you never touched those. And I'm sure they probably had dust on them eventually. But we used the regular towels, and I made it a life's mission, and I bet you have too Kate, that I don't want anything in my house that I can't use. I can't stand to see an unlit candle. I can't stand... I have a dining room now that I'm completely changing because we don't use it. And why have it? I mean, I'm not up for once a year, that's just not enough usage for me. And it's just a wasted space. So I love it when people use their homes, I think people are freeing up a little bit to utilize their things. I think that's been a big thing since bloggers and people started decorating with all these fabulous materials that we have now. But I still get pushback, and I want to know your answer, I still get pushback from that mom who doesn't want to decorate right now, who literally feels like she's just gonna wait and save her money until the kids are older, and they can somehow accommodate the home a little better instead of the home accommodate them better. So how do you handle that? And what do you what do you say to that mom?

 

Kate Dryer  21:49

Yeah, that's a great question because I've definitely gotten into conversations with people about this exact topic. So number one, you know, I like to gently remind people that there's a reason you contacted me, right? There is, you know, there was some trigger, where you looked at your home and were not happy with it. And were just like, Okay I'm fed up, I'm frustrated, and I want someone to help me create something that I really love. I also dig into kind of how spaces make people feel. And I will ask questions like what I just said: How do you feel when you wake up in the morning and come downstairs to your great room? Or, Do you enjoy having people over? Are you proud of the spaces that your family and your friends see? And typically no one is giving a resounding, like, Yes they're awesome. And so I also, in that moment too, I think it's good to remember that you can also start small. And so if someone is kind of on the fence about whether they want to put some money into it now or just, like you said, save up for the quote/unquote, real decorating later on, I like people to think about, well, let's, instead of tackling, you know, your living room, your kitchen and your dining room, let's focus on one area. Let's kind of work through this process together, and figure out, when we get to the end of it, how are your feelings different than they were when we when we started the process?

 

Kimberly Grigg  23:35

Yeah, and I bet that it's sort of like a snowball effect. I'm sure it is for you as well, you get that one room looking all pretty, and you start to notice that if done correctly, and if you've really considered who lives there, how they live, what the obstacles are, what the solutions to the obstacles are, then suddenly you have a room that functions, you have a room that lives well, you have a room that is so aesthetically pleasing that nine times out of ten that client will forget that Oh the pushback was all about my kids are young, and say this is so great I want to do this in the rest of my home. And I want to feel good about walking in my front door instead of just one room and I find people let up a little bit. And I encourage my listener to really put some thought into this. Do you really want to wait? Do you want to deprive yourself of living beautifully because you have young children? Or do you want to incorporate them, and we're going to really get into some of your DIY stuff, do you want to incorporate them? Because I also have found, and again raising six children in a home and insisting that it be beautiful and functional, I felt like by exposing my children to pretty, they became more reverent of the pretty, nothing really was ever broken in my house - to your point about the coffee, except my husband threw a nerf ball at or to one of the children and it knocked over a vase. The children didn't do it, my husband did it. And you know, and we lived through it, no biggie. But when kids learn that pretty is around them, they learn to respect that those things are there. And when they go to other people's homes, they're more respectful, in my opinion, of other people's things and the way that they live because they've just sort of been around it, exposed to it. Do you feel that way?

 

Kate Dryer  25:51

Oh, I completely agree with you. That is a great point. Because I think when, you know, and I've had clients where they're like, Oh well my in laws gave us this couch, and it's fine. But I think yes, absolutely, there is a tendency when you are living with pieces that you really don't have a vested interest in, it's really easy for... to see the kids jumping on the couch, or the dog jumping up, and you kind of shrug your shoulders and turn a blind eye, but then that behavior and that mentality is kind of set. And you don't want that for all the reasons that you mentioned. The other thing, I think, too, that has been helpful for me with my own kids, is we've decorated both of their rooms, and they have been really involved in the process. And you know, certainly yes, okay, I like a little bit of control over what the final product is going to look like, what a surprise, I give them choices, and I give them a voice, and want to make sure we're creating something that they feel really good about. So for example, my husband and my son built bunk beds for his room. And my son, I mean, he was, I guess he was five at the time, he actually painted the frame of the bunk bed. So I think when you can find moments to involve your kids in that process, I think it results in exactly what you mentioned Kimberly, is them having a deeper respect for their surroundings, for their things, and then that's going to translate for the rest of their life, which is great.

 

Kimberly Grigg  27:33

Yes. So I want to segue a little bit because I think, you know, we've talked a lot about how to live beautifully with obstacles. Now let's talk about how to live beautifully. And so I'm looking around at your beautiful spaces and of course I've been totally stalking you with your website and your Instagram and all of that, and your aesthetic is so lovely and a couple of things that I've noticed, and I do want you to speak to this, is girl you are not afraid of color. And what I've noticed, though, is you have a wonderful way of inserting wall color without it being overpowering. For example, I'm looking at the room that you're in with a beautiful shade of green on the walls and then it looks like a maybe a navy sofa and, so speak to me about how does someone not - especially with all the white in the world that we're living with, everything's white, white, white, white, white, white, white, and you know we're besieged with Pinterest and everything else like paint your walls white, paint your walls neutral, paint your walls, you know all that stuff - but yet here you are living in this gorgeous space and the walls are definitely not white. Tell me how you arrived at that and how you help people feel confident about putting a color on their wall.

 

Kate Dryer  29:11

Yeah, well, thank you for the kind words, first of all. When it comes to painting walls a saturated color, I still go back to what we talked about before: thinking about kind of that inspiration piece. When you are designing, for me actually it informs because we basically have no doors on any of the rooms on our first level, it informs everything I do on the entire first floor of our home. And so I think with... the biggest thing to remember when you do choose a wall color, like the green that I have here, which green is my favorite color so it wasn't a hard sell, although I will say my husband definitely questioned this decision but he got on board and painted anyway, like God bless him. But I think when you are painting walls a saturated color, for me at least, it's important in any room for your eye to kind of have a place to rest so that saturated color doesn't feel overwhelming. So if you're going bold on the walls, try to incorporate more neutrals. And you know, maybe textures, instead of more color and pattern, to still make the space interesting but not overwhelming. I just had a conversation with a client the other day, actually, who just has an amazing eye for design. And one thing we were talking about is that when you're decorating a room, not everything can be the superstar. Because when you have, you know, too many shining stars in a single room together, it's overwhelming. And you're just not sure where to look. And it starts to feel a little chaotic.

 

Kimberly Grigg  30:57

I call that 'one wow per room'.

 

Kate Dryer  30:59

Yes, yes, exactly, exactly. So with the green walls, you know, as you mentioned earlier, we have a navy blue sofa, we have, which you can't see, a tan and white area rug. And then aside from the pictures over here, you know, we don't have a lot of, I would say like extra elements. I have a white shelf back here that holds some toy bins, again in a neutral color. So I tried to kind of tone everything down around it, knowing that the green walls in and of themselves do make quite a statement.

 

Kimberly Grigg  31:35

Agreed. Although I do notice that you have some yummy patterns mixing up and I've noticed this in your work as well. So you mix patterns as boldly as you decide to put a color on the wall. A lot of people are terrified of patterns. So how do we get them comfortable with pattern and even mixing pattern?

 

Kate Dryer  32:00

Yes, it all goes back to, again, you know, start with that inspiration piece, you take all your color from there. And then, you know, I typically... I know a lot of people have different rules for mixing patterns. I like to think of it as basically make sure the patterns that you're choosing are visually different. And I work usually in the rule of threes. So thinking about, you know, okay, you can see behind me I have a buffalo check pillow, I have an embroidered colorful striped pillow, and then I have one that's more abstract in green. So a lot of the formulas, I think, that you read about on design blogs and in magazines are like: go with a geometric, go with a floral, or a more abstract pattern. And then for the third I say either go with a solid or you could incorporate some texture, for example. But I think working in the rule of threes is helpful because it can be easy, I think, to get carried away and not necessarily know when okay, I have enough here that it's going to be beautiful without being overwhelming. So typically yeah, I would say start in threes. And then go from there.

 

Kimberly Grigg  33:22

Love that. That is such great advice for the listener. And you got to go to Kate's website to see the way that she incorporates what she just said, it's so beautiful and interesting. And it keeps, I think, things from getting, like, again that polka dot feeling, like you could have a strong wall and then a strong sofa and then some solid pillows and the whole look would sort of be not right. But the movement in the artwork and the movement in the textures and the patterns of the pillow bring it all home in such a nice nice way. So you make things look so easy, Kate. Like that looks so effortless to me. And at the same time I was reading through some of your DIY stuff and I'm transitioning to DIY because a lot of my listeners love projects. So speak to me about some of your more successful DIY projects and how you brought them about, like tell me what you did and what someone at home could do that could have max impact.

 

Kate Dryer  34:42

Absolutely. So I am, I will say like a light DIYer. I'm not, you know, building bookshelves and built ins and things from scratch - actually my husband does which is very convenient. In those situations I'm the supervisor, not the person doing the building. I like, you know, easy DIY projects that you can do in a weekend or less. So a couple that I have done that I have really loved, so a couple actually have to do with wall treatments. You can see in my background, that there's patterned wallpaper in our foyer.

 

Kimberly Grigg  35:22

And I love, by the way, just love that, by the way,

 

Kate Dryer  35:26

Thank you. Thank you, it was, you know, it was... we have gray door, gray walls, it was very boring beforehand and I just felt like, you know, it's kind of cornered off nicely, because you have the coat closet and the stairs there, so it was the perfect nook to inject a little bit of personality. And so the wallpaper that you see is actually peel and stick wallpaper. Don't get me wrong, I love traditional wallpaper, but I am also to a degree like a little bit scared of commitment, and we're gonna long term. And this was our first kind of foray with wallpaper in general. So wanting to do something a little bit safer. But I think I spent less than $100 on wallpaper on Amazon.com. Showed up on my doorstep in two days and, I mean, it completely changed the look of our foyer. We did the same thing in our powder room on the main floor as well. It used to be a pretty boring, beige box. And, you know, lucky for me my husband added some wainscoting in there. And then we ended up putting, again, peel and stick wallpaper in a really pretty floral pattern with yellows and blues and greens above that. I mean talk about like an instant burst of sunshine.

 

Kimberly Grigg  36:47

So I'm looking at the foyer that you're speaking of because we're on screen together. And no one else can see this right now. But I am here to tell you, as a witness, I can imagine that space without that wallpaper, and you're right, it would have been a nothing. And because you do have a bit of an open floor plan, even, like you don't have doors, but... so you're open, your rooms are open to one another, I could only imagine how boring that would have been, or lackluster against these beautiful green walls that are sort of a showstopper. You needed something with strength to carry, something that could stand on its own. And, and that does it. I love the pattern choice especially. But I've got to ask you, I've not worked with peel and stick wallpaper. So how hard was it?

 

Kate Dryer  37:47

It wasn't hard. And the great thing is, if you mess up,you can take it off and do it again.

 

Kimberly Grigg  37:53

So you basically just... is it pre cut and you just, like, put it on and roll it? Or what do you do?

 

Kate Dryer  38:00

It comes in typical rolls just like a traditional wallpaper would. And, you know, we used let's see, a level, a razor blade, a pencil just to mark different areas of the wall where we needed to attach the piece of paper. And there is, of course you can get a smoothing tool. We we did not get a smoothing tool and just use our hands instead but that ended up being fine. But it was it was really easy.

 

Kimberly Grigg  38:30

Great to know. I have a lot of people ask me about peel and stick and I have not personally done that. So I was curious with someone who has done it. So it sounds like what a great idea and what a breeze and you can remove it and you're good to go, right? So this is great for renters, this is great for people moving into apartments, that kind of thing, or the ones who don't want to make a commitment. It would be great for me because my home is my laboratory and my husband says you change the walls in our homes like you change your underwear, which is probably true. So another DIY project that you've done that sounds fascinating to me and very helpful is a $10 trick to display your kids art. And I guess it could be anyone's art, I don't know. But, so tell us about that.

 

Kate Dryer  39:27

Yes. So in our previous playroom I wanted to create a place where we could display all the creations that the kids were bringing home from school. So I kept it really simple. We had a big blank wall and I ended up getting picture wire and eye screws and creating basically almost like a clothesline, in a way, for the artwork and then I got colorful clothespins to be able to display the art. And it was great it, you know, 1) it took up a lot of space and kind of helped us fill in what used to be a big blank wall. So that was great. 2) it was, because we were using clothespins, it was so easy to swap out the different pieces of art. And 3) I think, my kids anyway, they love seeing their creations displayed in our home. I have framed some of it, but, you know, obviously, gosh, they're bringing home so much stuff, you can't frame all of it.

 

Kimberly Grigg  40:31

Yes, so true. And I love that because the kids could actually change it out. Instead of you having to do it, it gives them some ownership in displaying what they have. I love that tip.

 

Kate Dryer  40:43

Exactly, yeah, my son in particular is really good about saying, Hey, I just did this, can we swap out this print over here for the new thing I just brought home, so it is cool to see them be excited about it and want to take part in that.

 

Kimberly Grigg  40:58

Yeah. So you also talk about making a faux slate countertop. Now how did you do this, and because a lot of people have not so ideal countertops, especially in places like laundry rooms or play rooms or things of that nature. And sometimes they don't have the budget to go out and just buy stone or tile or whatever for that countertop. So this sounds very clever. Tell me about this.

 

Kate Dryer  41:25

Thank you. Yeah, so our laundry room is in our basement. And again, like a lot of the other rooms in our home when we moved in, was just sort of a big, boring beige box. And obviously, with two young kids, we spend a lot of time in the laundry room. So I wanted to do something that just made it feel a little bit more cheery without spending a ton of money. So I used chalk paint to paint our cabinets. And then, this is a bit of an experiment, but I used chalkboard paint, just flat black paint, to paint over our laminate countertops. And now it, you know it worked well because there's no water or moisture on top of the counters here. We strictly use them for folding clothes, so they don't see a lot of wear and tear. But there are so many good options for updating your countertops these days, you know, I have seen people use chalk paint on their counters, I know that there are kits you can buy at, you know, the big hardware stores to kind of mimic the look of granite or marble. And then another thing that actually a few of my blogger friends have done, that I have loved, is that there is a company called Easy Counter Renewals and it's essentially almost like contact paper that looks like marble that you put over your counters

 

Kimberly Grigg  42:46

Ooh how cool. That sounds really great. Especially if you have a home that, again, maybe the budget won't allow new countertops, maybe it's not your forever home, maybe you don't want to spend, but you want to make things look a little better while you're there, kind of thing, these are some wonderful options and solutions. And I have to say, though, this must take courage, you must be very courageous, because if you haven't done it, and then you decide to wallpaper your foyer, or you decide to paint your countertops with chalk paint, like how do you get the courage? How do we give people confidence to embark on something like that?

 

Kate Dryer  43:32

I think there's always a Plan B, right? There's always another option. And I also tell myself, as funny as this might sound, and this actually hits close to home because we recently, kind of on a whim, ripped the carpet off of our staircase that leads from the main level to our upper level without really having a lot of experience in redoing staircases. But I think, like I said, there's always another way you can approach it. Or too, you know what, you can always make a phone call to a professional if something really goes south.

 

Kimberly Grigg  44:11

Sure, sure. And I think good design has a lot to do with developing a practice and really honing in on that practice, just like yoga. And I think that good design, once you have a little confidence really, and one way to get confidence is to take risk, and once you have a little confidence, good design, really, especially when you get into the category of things that are extraordinary, it's because you took some risk. And because you were brave enough to do so. And the homes that really become stellar have that combination of confidence and risk taking, don't you think?

 

Kate Dryer  45:00

Yeah. No, I agree. And I think too, especially when it comes to DIYs, I mean, you know, taking cues too from people around you. And that doesn't necessarily mean copying exactly what someone else is doing, but sort of learning from, and picking up tips and tricks along the way, from other people who maybe have tried similar things, to whatever it is you want to do. Because, you know, I'm not the first person to ever paint a countertop, but there probably aren't a lot of people out there who have said, Okay, I have leftover chalkboard paint. How else can I use it in my home?

 

Kimberly Grigg  45:39

Yes, yes. And, you know, I think that, to your point, there's so many things you can do. But the design enthusiast has a way of reading blogs, listening to podcasts, studying Pinterest, studying Instagram, all these things, to me that's part of the practice. And it's part of how you develop your eye, and really can hone in on what it is you love, or start to narrow, or weed out what you might love, but you don't want to live with in your own space. So, Kate, I could talk to you all day about all these fabulous ideas, and these tips and all of this stuff. And what a wealth of information. And a lot of this people can find on your blog, and on your website, and of course your Instagram, and I want to get into how those contacts work. But I always conclude with a signature question. And kind of think of it as a billboard of what you would be saying to the world about your craft or what you stand for in this craft. And I pose the question this way: if you had a hashtag on your tombstone, what would it say?

 

Kate Dryer  47:09

Oh, wow. Hmm. That is a good one. You may have stumped me. Ah, let's see. Attainable beauty.

 

Kimberly Grigg  47:23

Oh, that's really beautiful. And to me, it's what you stand for. When I first noticed your work, and I really noticed because obviously I asked you to be on my podcast, so I was drawn to it. Because I can tell that you are living life in a beautiful way. And I could tell immediately by your work that that was important to you. And my mission is to encourage people to do that, to live their lives in a beautiful way that is meaningful to them. Not what I consider beautiful, necessarily, but what they consider beautiful. So I love the way that you said that because to me, that is what your work embodies. And I think that is to be championed. So yay, hat's off to you. Now tell everyone how they can find you, get in touch with you, all those things. Like where do they look at this beautiful body of work?

 

Kate Dryer  48:34

You can find my brand, Kate Decorates, on my website, of course. And it's www.KateDecorates.co. So no "m" on the end of the URL. And you can find me on Instagram as well. My handle is @Kate_Decorates.

 

Kimberly Grigg  48:52

Fabulous. And for you listeners, you really want to check this out. It is breathtaking work. And Kate, thank you so much for being here and for sharing all of this great information. I really appreciate it.

 

Kate Dryer  49:09

Thank you. It's been so fun talking with you today.

 

Kimberly Grigg  49:12

You too. I hope you enjoyed getting to know Kate Dryer as much as I did. What a talented young gal. She is chock full of great tips and tricks for making your home not only attainable, but drop dead gorgeous. I loved this conversation and I'd love to hear from you how you enjoyed it and how we're doing on this podcast. Please leave a review. And I'll love it if you would subscribe and share this podcast with someone you think might benefit. And as I like to say don't wait: today is a great day to decorate. Bye for now. 

 

Thanks for listening to Decorate Like A Design Boss. If you want more info on how to decorate your space like a pro, visit KimberlyGriggDesigns.com. See you next week.

On today’s episode I go behind the scenes with Courtney Krug of At300Nelson. We talk all things from home goods to fabrics made from hand. This is a must listen to hear some of the workings of what happens in the design world.

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