Funny things about our spaces. 350 days of the year +/- they’re ok. Maybe not “ideal” but they work. But those other days, when we’re preparing for and welcoming holiday guests, we see our spaces differently.

Maybe you’re really, finally over that wallpaper in the powder room, or that Color of the Year on DR walls that was so “in” but you never really liked. You saw the clock has run out on the family room sofa, realized the 32-year-old kid is really on their own, or saw the guest room needs to be more of a guest room, not a storage space.

It happens.  Why should you be different from everyone else?

While we are busy living our lives, so is everyone else. And time flies. Our needs and tastes evolve while our space and stuff can stay the same or even morph into another direction.

So if you’re looking to make some changes, grab some paper and a pen. There is no better time to think about planning and prioritizing any changes than now.

• Go through each room, and write your thoughts,: what works, what doesn’t, how it makes you feel. Your wishes and dreams and yes, even your fears.  There are no wrongs. This doesn’t have to be pretty, or in full sentences. It’s just for you.
• And facing the post-holiday cash drain, make your life easier by noting the verbs here: Plan and prioritize are internal processes that cost nothing. They’re separate entities from deciding and doing.

Many have never worked with a design professional, so a quick, big-picture view of the business: The 1.0 version of interior design work was usually the process of nuking and re-inventing spaces, managed by a professional, often for a percentage of the costs.

That model still exists and is valid for some. But today, for many more, that degree of change/management might not be necessary. This is where a design consultant comes in.

I like to explain it that a design consultant works like an attorney: Independent experts,  you pay them by their time, and you drive the bus. They represent you and your best interests, in the way you want them to, for as long as you want them to. You might not be fluent in the law (or be able to ‘see’ a better way to set up a room) and don’t want to make a mistake. But you know what you like or need, just need help to get you there.

Working with a design consultant begins IMHO with it being a good fit.

Counter-intuitive perhaps, but truly, for a professional, it’s not about your taste, your age, or other demographics aligning with theirs.  Good consultants in any profession ask questions to fully understand, and meet your needs and expectations. They will want to know about your hopes and dreams as well as your concerns. They will welcome and encourage your questions. And they should be able to answer them in a way that makes sense to you.

Color consults and space planning are typically The Refreshed Home‘s most-requested services for both design and pre-listing prep clients,  but coaching on budgeting, planning and products as well as logistics and prioritization are part of almost every interaction.

Looking to make some changes with your spaces and things in 2024? The best results come from collaborative planning. You just need to start the conversation.