Best Design Coach: interior design

Showing posts with label interior design. Show all posts

Valentine's Day - A few different ideas for Gifts

With only days away, do you have to come up with a great Valentine, Birthday or Anniversary gift idea?

If you're 5 years old, you can get away with a handmade card from school, but not now. So now what to do, what is a different kind of gift, what would they love to receive?

Here are a few ideas to get you going in the right direction fast. (You only have a week or so!) The first ones are for men, and the last are for the love or loves of your life.

For the men in your life:

A monthly gym membership - for a "core strength and conditioning program."

Dinner at Charlie's in Bay Head, NJ - fabulous atmosphere and great food.

For wife, mother, grandmother, sister or girlfriend:

A two hour interior designer consultation at $150.
A four hour interior designer consultation at $295.

Now is the perfect time to help her get her home ready for spring, for renovation or for staging a house for sale. A two hour Gift Card towards a consult on a room of your choice includes:

Paint color ideas to make a room come to life (finally the right color!)
A better floorplan concept - great for Living Room and Family Rooms
Arranging accessory ideas for tabletop, bookcases or a mantel
Window treatment or lighting suggestions to bring a room to life
Lighting suggestions to give a room the atmosphere to feel and look great in

Mary Alice Smith of M. A. Smith Interior Design - an interior designer serving New Jersey, Ocean and Monmouth County, the Jersey Shore and metropolitan New York, CT

To schedule an appointment call: 732 690-2030

M. A. Smith Interior Design

masmith@masmithinteriordesign.com

Allied Member ASID

Member of Greater Toms River Chamber of Commerce

Member of Kiwanis Daybreak of Toms River

http://masmithinteriordesign.com

Blogs: HouseZenGarden and Best Design Coach

Photo courtesy of the Reading Mama

The Holidays are coming - it's time to get your decorating done!

It's a puzzle. You've gone through this season for a number of years. You'd think by now you've got a system to keep it all in check - the shopping, the decorating.

But, here you are again with a to-do list as long as a trip to the moon!

I'm with you on that. But, lately I've found that if you just allow yourself to take a moment to think what your really have to do vs. what you think you are expected to do, your list will shrink immensely.

It' all about mindset. I've discovered this recently when my son suggested a book to read called "A Happy Pocketful of Money" Yes, the book discusses money, but most important it reminds you to keep in mind the following life changing concepts:

Stay in the moment - it will keep you from thinking about the holiday rush. Just concentrate on what's in front of you today. Do what you can do today.

Believe you already have what you want. For instance - you want a new paint color. So, instead of seeing yourself not there, see your room with the color you love.

All in all, sometimes you just need a little help, encouragement and a coach. The favorite part of my job is helping my clients move their project along, giving them the support and encouragement they need.

Call for professional help, for a nudge to get started, for the best year ever:

732 690-2030

M. A. Smith LLC. Interior Design
1288 Beauchamps Place, Toms River, NJ 08753
E-mail: masmith@masmithinteriordesign.com
Allied Member ASID

http://masmithinteriordesign.com
Blog: HouseZenGarden
Blog: BestDesignCoach.com
Serving New Jersey and Metropolitan New York City

Word of the Day - Transformation

As the saying goes...

Anita and Bob's new runners - a perfect pattern
to dress up their new home

“A journey of a thousand leagues begins with a single step…"

Lao-tzu

Most days I help my clients transform their homes with new floorplans, colors and beautiful furniture. But yesterday, I decided that it was time to reclaim my best weight and focus on my fitness goals at the end of this summer (while helping my clients at the same time).

Of course, it's not surprising that I started this new plan at the end of August. There's something about this time of year that brings me back to the start of a new semester at school. I look forward to clear, crisp days of September and the colors of Fall.

So maybe this Fall, I'll finally fit into the size 8 clothes that are still in my closet. Actually, most likely I will fit into the jackets and skirts that I haven't worn in ages - as long as I stay focused on my transformation goals with the 30 Day Isagenix plan. I know from creating plans for my clients, that plans do work. I also know that coaching and open communication with others plays a big part in success. Isagenix is committed to keeping in touch and asking how they can help you.

It's a great start to a new season. Today, I actually feel more energetic and that is good not only for me but my clients as well. We'll take a step every day and focus on our goals - what more could we want?

(Give yourself a break! Consider hiring a designer to help you move things along and pull together a look for your home that will leave them speechless.)

To schedule an appointment call: 732 690-2030

M. A. Smith, LLC
Interior Design
732 690-2030
masmith@masmithinteriordesign.com
Allied Member ASID
http://masmithinteriordesign.com
Blog: HouseZenGarden and Best Design Coach
Serving New Jersey and Metropolitan New York

Glad That Spring Is Almost Here, But Worried For All You Have To Do?

Philadelphia Flower Show Cottage Garden

Spring Is Almost Here. Are You Ready?

When the start of spring approaches you may be so relieved to be done with winter. But on the other hand, you may feel a sense of anxiety. Your anxiety may be due to all the unfinished projects around your home. You're not sure what to do first, what you should do yourself and when can you find the time to do it all anyway?

Yes, I too have the same problems and here are some of the items on my list:

Interior trim that needs to be painted
A bathroom that needs painting as well as tub caulk
Window blinds that require cleaning (every room!)
Porch screening to be replaced (we can do that)
Gardening and grass prep (great calorie burner, by the way)
Tree branches that need a to be cut (before they fall on our heads)
Etc, Etc, Etc !

Just looking at my list may remind you of some of the items on your Spring to-do list. So much to do, so little time.

But, on second thought I have to say that some of the items on my list will be done by professionals. For instance, I will not be climbing that oak tree to pull down that 'widow maker' tree limb. As for the gardening item, I can handle the leaf clean-up (a great de-stressor by the way), but a landscaper will be fertilizing our grass, so I can cross that item off my list.

Why Spring Can Be A Good Thing After All!

See, it's not that bad really. Sure, some of you (a few of my interior design clients, for instance) may be dealing with more difficult to-do's, especially if you were hit hard by the hurricane. But, no matter what you have in front of you, remember it either will or will not get done in time. It's not the end of the world.

It's all about perspective. It's about giving yourself some needed slack. Let professionals handle what they can and what you can afford, so you can actually enjoy Spring - what an idea!

For professional interior design for your home, office or commercial project call:

Mary Alice Smith of M. A. Smith, Ltd. - an interior designer in New Jersey, including Ocean and Monmouth Counties, the Jersey Shore and metropolitan New York areas.

To schedule an appointment call: 732 690-2030 or email me at masmith729@comcast.net.

M. A. Smith, Ltd., Interior Design
Allied Member ASID

Join The Trend To Spruce Up Your Home This Season

A Finished Master Bedroom
Photo courtesy of Robert Allen Fabrics

How To Get Things Done At Your Home This Spring

One of the joys of living the interior designer life is being involved in someones fresh start and successful renovation.

Sometimes, my work involves a complete re-do and sometimes it's about adding new color, new window treatments or new furnishings such as rugs, pillows or lamps.

Whatever it is, it is a step in the right direction, not only for my client, but for me

as a designer as well.

While I have years of experience under my belt, there has never been a project, where I haven't learned something valuable to share with other clients.

With Spring approaching in a month or so, I feel the urge to spruce up, pare down and add some pizazz to my own home, and so are my clients.

Do What My Clients Do

To have a beautiful home like theirs, do what they do. Decide to have a fresh start for the promise of a better day, and a happier season. Decide to take on that project that you've been talking about - why not?

What are you waiting for and where do you need a fresh start in your home?

M. A. Smith, Ltd., Interior Design
Interior Designer - New Jersey including the Jersey Shore, as well as
Ocean and Monmouth Counties

Call Mary Alice for your fresh start today - 732 690-2030

masmithinteriordesign.com
bestdesigncoach.com
housezengarden.com

Do You Feel Anxious About How Long It Might Take to Decorate Your Home?

What To Do if You Feel Anxious

About How Long It Takes To Decorate Your Home

Does the idea of starting a decorating project or renovation make you feel queasy and unsettled? Often just the thought that decorating takes too long is the thing that keeps you from moving forward. But there are some things to consider to alleviate your angst and get your home design project going fast at last!

If lack of time is your problem the solution is to have a plan that works, fits your budget and calendar goals.

For instance, last year I helped a family decorate their Jersey Shore home within a months' time. The whole job had to be done by the 4th of July and I had one month to complete the job!

While the family had some usable furniture, the home needed new paint colors, sofas, tables, bedding, rugs, artwork and prints for walls to give it the look they wanted. After meeting with the family, discussing their wish list and budget, I set out to find the pieces that would give their home the 'Jersey Shore' vibe without looking trendy or 'sea-shelly'.

The beauty of how I can manage a challenge like this project is in the way I am able to email photos of furnishings I find in an emailable file. My clients can review the file at the end of the day, so we can discuss the pieces that most appeal to them. Along with the photos is information showing dimensions and price points for each suggested furnishing organized by rooms.

This way, my clients are involved in reviewing my suggestions so they can make the right decision, without the hassle of spending hours shopping for furnishings or in endless meetings with a designer.

Because they enjoyed the use of my years of experience and expertise, their home was decorated not only to reflect their personal taste, but was ready in time for the summer and also had the special attention to detail that comes with a designer's artistic eye for detail.

Fast Track Interior Design - The interior design system that gets your project to goal

M. A. Smith, Ltd. Interior Design
1288 Beauchamps Place, Toms River, NJ 08753
732 690-2030
E-mail: maryalicesmith@masmithinteriordesign.com

Allied Member ASID

http://masmithinteriordesign.com
Blog: HouseZenGarden
Blog: BestDesignCoach.com
Serving New Jersey and Metropolitan New York City

Five of the Top Home Decorating Problems and Solutions

Five Part Series

"What are the Top 5 Decorating Problems and Solutions most people struggle

with in decorating their homes"?

Part I
It's not unusual when I meet someone for the first time (and they hear that I am a designer), that the subject of conversation concerns problems in decorating their home. Besides being one of the most important parts of life, decorating a home can also be a source of great frustration and anxiety. The first problem is one of the easiest problems to solve.

1. Lack of money to decorate.

It seems we never have enough money to do what we would like to do in decorating our homes. But, as a designer, I know that there is always a solution. You see, even if it is not exactly what you desire, it can come pretty close, or actually end up a better solution.

For instance, in researching for a kitchen light fixture for a client, the fixture initially chosen exceeded the budget after other factors were added to the mix. But, within a week, I found a fixture that not only was less in price, it actually was prettier than the original fixture we had chosen.

Lesson 1 - there is always an answer, you just have to keep looking!

Check back tomorrow for Part II in the Series on the 5 Top Decorating Problems and Solutions

Click here to email your request for a complementary meeting or
additional information

M. A. Smith, Ltd.
Interior Design
732 690-2030
masmith729@comcast.net
Allied Member ASID
http://masmithinteriordesign.com
Serving New Jersey and Metropolitan New York

Best Design Coach