Whenever I feel stuck and frustrated, no matter what it is, it’s usually because I’m holding myself back. I often use exaggeration as a form of procrastination, but so far this year, I’ve been especially judgmental about it. But I am happy that I have discovered the power of talking with another person to make sense of how to approach whatever I am facing.
I think we often underestimate how quickly we can make progress in many areas of life when we confide in someone we trust. Now, when I feel like I’m refusing to cooperate or hesitate to open up about areas where I need help, that’s what I think about doing.
This January, I started giving counseling call, mostly in the field of creating a home but also in topics such as the pursuit of creative work and creating the foundation of your social media presence. Although I covered different topics, each call has a common thread: The person on the other end has a clear idea of what they want to do—they need help to figure out exactly what direction they want to go next. . This is where I come in.
Today, I’m shedding some light on three of the ways specific invitations can help in any interior design project.
If you’re desperate for interior design advice but need more information before scheduling a call, read on!
1. A person who is very sensitive and stuck making choices about organizational work.
Making decisions in any planning project can be overwhelming. I’ve found this to be especially true if you’re doing fast-paced design—making updates gradually over time rather than all at once. When you closely design this room bit by bit, you may find yourself not sure how to make choices that will feel cohesive (and that you will love!) Once the project complete project. This is where design advice can be a very helpful tool to get projects moving.
On one of my research calls, I spoke to a resident who had a mid-century modern style home but was built in the ’80s. She and her husband were trying to decide how to create an overall cohesive style throughout their home. They were looking to bring in a few new things that worked well with what they loved about their home and get rid of a few things that didn’t fit into the overall plan.
When you closely design this room bit by bit, you may find yourself not sure how to make choices that will feel cohesive (and that you will love!) Once the project complete project. This is where design advice can be a very helpful tool to get projects moving.
When we called, he asked about what type of flooring would complement the existing tile floor they had in one area of their home. Once we decided that the floor would make it easier, it became easy to find other types of things that produce things like curtains. We also considered tweaking the design of the lighting to have a more mid-century modern style of the house and a little something reminiscent of the ’80s. Talking through each of these elements as a duo made it easier to determine the overall design goals for their home.
2. Someone who needs help figuring out the layout of a house (or room).
Determining the layout of a room (or the whole house) is another common area where people feel stuck in the layout. If the design and traffic results of your space are not working, you talk through the solution with a consultant who can give light.
On a recent inspection call, I spoke with a resident of a traditional home with a closed floor plan and many architectural constraints. To find out how they can tweak the layout, we discussed if there is any furniture they can remove from each room and ways they can repurpose the furniture to make it better for them. Talking through these points and others helped bring up organizational options they hadn’t considered before.
3. Who needs help with product development.
Almost all of the design review calls I’ve done have required product sourcing discussions to some degree. In each of these calls, we discuss what exactly the person is looking for, and I present the product directly during our meeting. Common product requests are bedding, furniture, and wallpaper options. I’ve tried to narrow down my options to a few specific options that will work well for any space. This type of discussion can help anyone looking for different products to fit into their current home design plan.
For more information on calling, read our interview questions page. If you are ready to apply for summons, you can do so and Calendly. There are a few openings now in April and we will be opening May days soon – stay tuned!
Kate is now learning to play the Ukulele, much to the dismay of her husband, children and dog. Follow him on Instagram at @witanddelight_.