© Eliza Doolittle Design 2011
Dishing the Dirt on Design Dilemas: Find the Floor!
Most of my clients are quite familiar with my mantra, “Edit and Delete” until you are comfortable with the amount of accessories, and the harmony they create. “Form and Function” are also important when designing your space, as they are necessary for comfort and relaxation. As indicated in my Rant,moving from 2700 sq feet to 1500 sq feet requires hard choices, to ensure that harmony is created. And as important, is the function of the new space. Men still need “their space” and women need to be organized and not feel crowded. Such is the situation I find myself in today. My husband, although most attentive when it comes to colour and furniture, leaves the conversation when it comes to where the roasting pan for the turkey is to be stored and where the shoes are going and where the tool box will end up. Giving up a garage (for someone who spray paints on a regular basis) is not easy, but we will adapt or kill each other in the process. I digress….. The savior to this story is the closet organizer. Some clients think it is an extravagance, others think it is a convenience, but people believe me once you have had your space reconfigured to your usage and requirements, you will be elated and never go back. Many different companies sell everything from wire to painted mdf, and all finishes and colours in between. Have you noticed that fewer people are wearing full length coats, and there are more jackets, hats, boots, newspapers, keys, leashes, etc. that end up around the front closet but not inside the front closet. Organize the space to suit you, and start with your front closet and list all the items that need to go in this space. Organize and then the laundry room is next and then before you know it you are on your way to the master bedroom. I measured the length of my husband’s shirts including the hangers and found that if I raised one bar 3 inches I could get anther 12 feet of shelf space for my sweaters. Even the kitchen cupboard has an added shelf or 2 where the short whiskey glasses take up more height then they deserve. Liberation!!!!!! What a great feeling, when you can see the floor and not trip over everything. Take a good look in each closet and find all the wasted space that is free, look up, that is where you will find it. Then you will see the floor, it is there I promise. Till next time, design your life………Lesley
Dishing the Dirt on Design Dilemas: Quality Workmanship
It has happened to all of us at one time or another, out of desperation or frustration or an unexpected guest coming to visit, the impatience of having some project cleaned, fixed or in come cases painted…….you see where I’m going with this story. Yes, even designers with a blackberry full of trades, cannot always exercise patience. Clean up is almost always a pleasant surprise and almost always never expected anymore, (although it was always a part of the job, in the old days). I have been taken aback, literally reminded of what business use to be, by 2 brothers who arrived at our new condo, at the request of the developer, to check our kitchen cupboards to see if they we aligned correctly and to make note of any deficiencies. The shoes were removed in the hallway and the polite, articulate discussion of why they were there, took place. They were neat and clean and most of all knowledgeable. I am not talking 60 year old men here, these guys were good! I had decided on a whim the week before that, since I had moved a whole 2 weeks previous, I would have the place painted ( what can I say?), and since I was not able to get my regular painters, I was left with some paint residue on the new cupboards. Brent and Dean offered to clean it off, which was not their responsibility, and took an additional half hour of their time and left me feeling like I had just been given a wonderful Christmas present early! Before they left, the drywall dust was cleaned up and any packaging or tools were removed, without hitting the door on the way out. To all the Brents and Deans out there who are proud of their work, I thank you, as you may never know how great it feels to receive value, without having to coerce it. I told them that I would include this story in my blog and they were embarrassed, however it was a wake up call. It is the little considerations that make a job memorable, and I think sometimes we all expect mediocrity but pay for the service. Thank you to the Journeyman Installation Group, who restored my faith! Till next time, design your life……. Les Macdonald