If you’ve been following along, you’ll have seen that last week, we announced our partnership with the talented team at Mackenzie & Co!
Brief recap: Jeff, myself, Isla and Rory moved into our new home in March. I’m horrible at interior design. But, the good news… I know what I like (no clue though on how to bring that vision to life)! Angela of Mackenze & Co. came to the rescue and we’re now collaborating to show you the start-to-finish process of designing our living room, family room, and office… and no, I’m not made of $$, so this will show you how working with a designer can be affordable, attainable, and well within your budget.
Since then, a few things have happened regarding the design process, starting with our CONSULTATION! Angela does this complimentary for any new clients she’s onboarding to ensure that both clients and Angela feel like they are a good fit. You can read a bit about her onboarding process here. Here’s a few things that took place though during this meeting:
- Angela and her team came out to our home and received a tour of the spaces that need the design.
- Measurements were taken of all rooms – and I mean all measurements… walls, windows, the fireplace, etc..
- We received a run down of Angela’s process and how she typically works with clients.
- We discussed our goals, things we liked, things we didn’t like, overall aesthetic, our lifestyle, and how we envision using each space.
- Timeline — so that we understood that this wouldn’t happen overnight!
- Budget — furniture isn’t free, as you know, which led us to discussing how much we wanted to spend and realistic pricing for furniture, decor, window shades, etc.
- Q&A — we basically had the chance to answer any question we could think of (including: does Jeff really need a recliner chair?! 🙂 ). A few of those questions are actually answered below.
- Next steps: building out a Pinterest board, which you can also see below.
After our consultation, we got right to work, where I went a little pin-crazy on Pinterest. Angela and her team wanted to get a really high-level look at our personal style, color scheme, design goals, etc. Basically, I just went in and pinned every interior, exterior, and lifestyle photo that I liked. And when you look at the album as a whole, it gives the interior designer a really good idea of the direction they should go in when putting together their mood board.
Now, circling back to last week’s post… I asked you all on my Instagram Stories to submit any initial questions you might have about interior design. We received some really great questions — a few that I’ve included below, along with Angela’s answers.
1. What’s the best shade of white to paint walls?
There are so many great shades of white! We recommend stopping in to your local Benjamin Moore dealer or shop to see all of your options and shades off the screen, along with picking up a few samples to test before making a final decision. That being said, we typically gravitate toward gentle, clean whites; a few of our faves are Simply White, Chantilly Lace and Cloud White, all by Benjamin Moore. When selecting a white paint for your space, take into consideration your floor color or stain, how much natural light the room receives and whether you like cooler or warmer tones.
2. How do you add trim, bead board, shiplap, wainscoting without breaking the bank?
All of these things are aspects of your home that we wou;dn’t recommend skimping on. If you have a tight budget but still want to incorporate, try doing an accent wall or break your project down into manageable and affordable pieces that you can work on in different stages. Remember, quality always outweighs quantity and short-term fixes.
3. How much coastal decor before it gets tacky?
We love this question! When incorporating coastal elements into your home, try to stay authentic to the coastal area you live in or nearby. For example, coral on your open-shelving doesn’t exactly ring true to Cape Cod. In terms of your accessories, use coastal accents sparingly. That being said, coastal influence isn’t always about the accessories either, but rather finishes and textures.
4. To sectional or not to sectional in the living room?
One of our most popular questions from clients! We feel strongly that sectionals should be reserved only for bonus and entertainment rooms in your basement, over your garage, etc. They’re great for comfortable seating while watching a movie, but don’t do much in terms of functionality. Overall, we think sectionals often come off as just too casual for main living spaces.
5. How to design a room when you and your spouse have really different style?
Fortunately, our process helps with this in how we onboard, hearing from all (adult) parties who will be taking up residency in the space. Ultimately it comes down to a blending of style and compromise on both parts.
6. What pieces should I invest in? And which can I go cheap on?
Invest in upholstery, crypton fabrics for easy care and cleaning, especially for those with children or pets, and in general, your solid pieces and bones of the design. Things that will likely get the most wear and tear you’ll want to invest more in so you’re not constantly throwing away and re-purchasing every few years. Save money on accent pieces such as mirrors, console tables and complimentary furniture.
7. How many colors should be part of your color palette?
We typically like three, but would say no more than five.