This week, we are thrilled to welcome Stephanie Abernathy and Ashley Malone, the creative forces behind Studio Wellington. With backgrounds in history, art history, political science, and interior design, this dynamic duo brings a uniquely informed approach to their projects.

Currently in the thick of a massive personal home renovation, Stephanie shares the unvarnished reality of what it actually feels like to live through construction. The ladies break down exactly how long you should spend planning before swinging a hammer, why you should pick your appliances before your cabinets, and the biggest "green flags" to look for when hiring a general contractor.

Quick Decorating Takeaways:

Pick Appliances and Stone First: Before you finalize your cabinet layout, you need to select your appliances. The sizes and types of appliances you choose will dictate the function and flow of the entire kitchen. After that, pick your stone (like countertops or a slab backsplash), as this will drive the aesthetic direction of the room.

Look for Contractor "Green Flags": When interviewing a contractor, a major "green flag" is if they walk through the job site with you and actively take notes. If they claim they will remember everything without writing it down, that's a warning sign. Another red flag? If they refuse to provide any sort of timeline or refuse to be transparent about their costs.

Don't Assume the Tile Layout: Never assume the installer knows where you want the tile to start. You should always provide a tile diagram or physically be on-site to tell them exactly where the first piece should go, otherwise, you might end up with awkward, sliver-sized cuts in the most visible areas.

What You’ll Hear on This Episode:

00:00 Welcome & Introduction to Stephanie and Ashley of Studio Wellington

05:00 Why planning a major renovation can (and should) take up to a year and a half

09:00 Building your team: Do you want to get bad news from this person?

25:00 The importance of detail down to the outlet covers

37:00 Why appliances and stone must be selected first

40:00 Why you need to hand a "lighting binder" to the framing crew

56:00 The variables of construction and dealing with unexpected changes

01:13:00 Green flags and red flags when hiring a contractor

01:20:00 The golden rule of tile installation: Tell them where to start!

01:26:00 Treating the ceiling as the "fifth wall"

01:31:00 Closing thoughts & where to find Studio Wellington

Also Mentioned:

Studio Wellington | Website

Follow them on Instagram: @studio.wellington

Shop Ballard Designs

Please send in your questions so we can answer them on our next episode! And of course, subscribe to the podcast in Apple Podcasts so you never miss an episode. You can always check back here to see new episodes, but if you subscribe, it’ll automatically download to your phone.

Happy Decorating!

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