October 28, 2025 • 44 mins
In this episode of Boulevard Beat, Meghan and Krissa open the floor to listener questions — diving into real-life design dilemmas from couples and clients with competing styles. From masculine and feminine balance to the surprising color choices clients make, the duo shares how design becomes both creative expression and relationship therapy. Meghan talks through her approach to honoring both partners’ visions, creating harmony through listening, compromise, and thoughtful design solutions. Krissa brings her editorial perspective, noting how individuality within a home can create some of the most compelling and personal spaces.
It’s a conversation about authenticity, collaboration, and the art of making every room reflect the people who live in it.
Street Style Takeaways:
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Episode Website https://www.blvdbeat.com/about
It’s a conversation about authenticity, collaboration, and the art of making every room reflect the people who live in it.
Street Style Takeaways:
- Listen first. Every great design begins by understanding each client’s non-negotiables.
- Find the common thread. Shared values—comfort, elegance, color—can bridge very different tastes.
- Mix the unexpected. Pair feminine patterns with masculine tones for a sophisticated balance.
- Celebrate individuality. Every person deserves a space that feels personal and restorative.
- Design is diplomacy. The best rooms find peace between perspectives—and that’s where the magic happens.
Save 15% site wide at www.houseofblum.com with promo code beat15!
Or you can use this link- https://houseofblum.com/discount/beat15!
Connect with the Hosts https://www.instagram.com/boulevardbeatpodcast/
Connect with Meghan Blum Interiors https://www.instagram.com/meghanbluminteriors/
Connect with House of Blum https://www.instagram.com/shophouseofblum/
Connect with Krissa Rossbund. https://www.instagram.com/krissa_rossbund/
Connect with Liz Lidgett https://www.instagram.com/lizlidgett/
Episode Website https://www.blvdbeat.com/about
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Welcome to boulevard Beat, a podcast we're life and style intersect.
I'm designer Megan Bloom along with my co hosts, editor CHRISA.
Rossbunt and gallery owner Liz Legit. This podcast focuses on
the daily highlights instead of the hustle, interviews with taste makers,
and personal conversations on how to highlight achievable style. You
con stroll one street at a time, boulevard Beat proves
(00:29):
the one you should take.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Megan, So we've been doing this for a while now
and we have had some questions that have been thrown
our way, which is fun.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
What that means people are listening.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
Yes, it certainly is, and it's fun to hear the
questions and what people want some help with and just
hear what's out there and if we can kind of
help people in different ways.
Speaker 5 (00:51):
I thought this would be a fun way to answer those.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Absolutely, And while we know that this is definitely a
lifestyle podcast, it does have a strong design slant to it,
and so most of the questions that we have received
have been circling around the design ethos, if you will,
and so maybe another time we'll get questions that don't
have to do with design, But today we're really focusing
(01:14):
on the ones that are about design.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
So let's kick this off.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
I'm really excited to hear your perspective as a designer
on all of these questions, and then I'll chime into
So the first question we received is how do you
approach designing for clients with very different styles? And I
can imagine that this happens quite a bit.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
It does happen often, and it's always a little bit
different how we handle it, and it's sometimes we feel
like we're in a therapy session trying to mix both
couples and make sure both people are happy and that
in the end it's an outcome that both people want.
Speaker 5 (01:51):
In the home and love.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
I think the big thing is start by listening first,
and I think just really hearing what each person has
to say and what kind of their non negotiables are,
and then kind of figuring out what those non negotiables
are and try and make sure they each get those things.
And sometimes that's given a take here and there, or
(02:12):
making sure you get certain elements in certain parts of
the house, and then kind of even too, just what
the common ground is, finding what that equal part that
they both really share is it the comfort, the elegance,
or is it a color that they feel and kind
of blending those together.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
I have to ask, are there a lot of man
caves in your designs?
Speaker 3 (02:32):
And I don't mean I don't look.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
I don't mean spaces that have, you know, beer cans
on a shelf.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
I don't mean that.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
I mean sort of a family room that sort of
leans more masculine, where you sometimes have to incorporate sports
paraphernalia or maybe not even that, but just sort of
a more masculine vibe.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
I mean, I would say there might be a space
in the home that might have a more masculine vibe,
but overall, I'd say the men are still sophisticated in
their dial to some degree that they're wanting their house
to look a certain way and to have a certain
feeling in the main prominent areas, and then have those
specialty rooms where they get to have some of those
(03:11):
more masculine elements for sure, and kind of doing it
that way, I would say.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
You know what I love about design right now? And
I've seen this over the last handful of years. It's
not brand new, but I've seen a lot of floral
patterns that come in these wonderful topes and safia tones
and chocolate browns and even charcoal smoky black, and I
think that's such an interesting juxtaposition of something that is
(03:38):
so feminine and that men perhaps might not want to
live with long term, but when you put them in
masculine tones, it makes this really interesting effect.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
So I like that. I've seen a lot of that.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
I've seen a lot of design that is charcoal or
black and camel and combinations like that, and I I
think when you take a pattern that's more feminine and
put it in more masculine colors or even the reversal
of that, sometimes that can be super effective and give
everybody the palette and the patterns that they wish for.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
You know, Chris, that you bring up a good point too,
And sometimes it's one spouse or the other that kind
of surprises you that they're the ones that maybe like
the more color or the pattern or those color tones
and things like that too. I'm working on a remodel
and we had a beautiful William and Morris drapery fabric,
lots of color, and it wasn't overly feminine because of
(04:36):
the color tones in it, but it did have like
floral tones obviously, like that motif frequently does. And it
was the husband actually that was like, could we do
this as wallpaper? And you wanted to wrap the whole
room in it, and it was just like wow, I
wouldn't have thought you were going to go there. But
sometimes one of the spouses, like I said, kind of
can surprise you to having wanting more color or more
(04:57):
interesting things too.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
I think that's wonderful because it's all about those happy
surprises too, Like maybe when you're doing your presentation, they
didn't even think I.
Speaker 5 (05:05):
Would want a room like that, and for sure I do.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Because personally I am a girly girl through and through. However,
even I cannot do the sacarin sweet flowers so much.
So even I appreciate them in tones that are a
little more masculine, a little muddier, that aren't so clear
and aren't so sweet. I think that's an interesting challenge.
(05:31):
Are you ever the tiebreaker?
Speaker 5 (05:33):
But is that sometimes?
Speaker 4 (05:34):
I mean sometimes yeah, they ultimately will be like whatever
you guys think, so, which is nice too. That ultimately
then what the right design decision versus just making them
happy is important too. But Chris, I'm sure you see
that editorially too. You know, you have a mix of
perspectives that you have to guide into to make it
feel collected and authentic too.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Oh, absolutely we do.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
And just within the body of work that is presented
and submitted to us, you know, it's fun to have
those I'll call them novelty spaces. I don't mean novelty
spaces like craft room or it's a space where somebody
has their collection of I don't know, vintage Santa Clausas
or something, or a hobby. But I think that it's
(06:17):
nice for homes, especially ones in the scale that I'm
dealing with at the magazine that are quite large, to
have a space that is one's own.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
It's like, this is my room, and this is where.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
I get to have my things, because we can have
that as children, our own room sometimes.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
I never had to share a room, but I suppose
some kids have to share a room, so maybe they
don't get everything they want in there. But then as adults,
if you are living with somebody, then you need to
still have your own room that is some sort of
space where you can have it be the environment and
the colors and the patterns that you want to make
you happy.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
It's where people read.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Or where they do some work, and I just think
it's important for everybody to have a space where they
feel warm and a space that brings comfort to them.
Speaker 5 (07:08):
Yeah, I think that's very true.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
It is very important just to each have a place
that you can have your random picture frames or things
that are meaningful to you that you can display and
bring you good memories of different things too.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
And sometimes now I'm not trying to be sexist here
at all, but sometimes the things that some men collect
are maybe not what their.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Spouses want inside at all.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
So anyway, there's that, But then they bring cool things too,
like I love. I've seen family rooms, which is where
everybody watches sports, where you know, some guys have collected
a lot of vintage sports equipment, and you know, you
have these wonderful wood golf clubs, and you have old
leather you know, balls, whether it be a football or basketball,
(07:58):
when they were actually made out of leather, like a
leather basketball, And I think that that can be a
really cool effect too. So I think it's just it's
hiring a designer who can put all of those things
together in a masterful way and make them.
Speaker 4 (08:10):
Look what and I mean I kind of am doing
that right now as we are in the fall season.
I think I've expressed before that my husband likes to
deer hunt and he will get the sheds of the
antlers in the springtime when they all lose those and
so they're just loose pieces of the antler and in
the fall it makes for a nice decoration. Just I
have it in a big wooden bowl and I kind
(08:30):
of put some of those antlers in intermixed with a
big hurricane and it's a pretty touch to that fall
season without overdoing it or going in on a theme.
Speaker 5 (08:39):
But it's meaningful to my husband.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
Too, absolutely well.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
They work hard for those trophies and picking up the shed.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
So we had a house a year.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
This has been very a lot of years ago, but
it was a house in Texas, and the woman of
the home she loved fashion and she loved all of
that Texas, so it's a whole other aesthetic, whole other vibe.
But she actually took shed in her dressing room, bolted
them to the wall, and she hung her necklaces from
(09:10):
them and her cowboy her cowgirl hats.
Speaker 5 (09:12):
So that was fun.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
That was super fun.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
So I suppose it's regional and what you're willing to
live with, so for sure, Megan, I think this is
probably the biggest question that we received because.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
People are afraid when it comes to design.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
As we had discussed before, design mistakes are oftentimes costly mistakes.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
You want to get it right the first time.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
So we had a lot of listeners ask us what
a common design mistake was that we see over and
over and what our solutions were to solving those challenges.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
So I'll let you go.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
First, and I think this is one that it's a
consistency of what I see frequently. I've got a few
of them. I feel like that are frequently design mistakes
that we can chat about them. I'd say one is
ignoring lighting, just not focusing on that hanging art too
high I always see as well. And then lastly, I
think just the idea of buying everything from making it
(10:13):
look matchy matchy or too quickly.
Speaker 5 (10:16):
I think the idea.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
To slow down to curate and have those layers so
it doesn't look like you went to a big box
store and just bought everything and matched it all together.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
I think that's really wise advice, and it's sort of
you know the same. The same technique applies in the
cooking world, like when you're making a meal, it's you know,
low and.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Slow, low heat.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
It takes a long time, but what you get is
so rewarding in the end. I agree. I would venture
to guess never a good idea. Maybe I should never
say ever so rarely a good idea to rely on
a big box store for all of your design elements,
And I think I think we should just follow up
by saying there's nothing wrong with that if that's your resource. However,
(11:04):
what you're not going to get by doing that is
a look that's super authentic to you. So it's not
that the design is wrong, but you are going to
miss that authenticity.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
And soul that is really the look that most people covet.
Speaker 5 (11:17):
Yeah, it certainly is.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
It's what gives that room more depth and more interest too,
is when it has that soul of just layers of
different pieces.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
I definitely agree with artwork being hung too low, and
I think it's important to let people.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
Know in regard to that. While they say it should be.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
Hung at high level height, that's a little different for everybody,
but there are some general guidelines about sort of the
bottom of a large painting or a large piece of
artwork where that should be, so it's comfortable.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
So I encourage, like, we don't need to.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Get into the nitty gritty here, like maybe that's another episode,
Maybe that's an art episode with Liz. I don't know
about displaying art and hanging art, but there are some
guidelines to help people. So I think a lot of people.
And I will admit I used to be this person.
I used to take my hammer and nail and nail it.
I used to drive that puppy in and wherever a landed,
(12:13):
that's where the art went. And now I am much
more strategic about it, and I take a little time
to get out the level and the tape measure, so
all of the pieces in a room aligned at the bottom,
and it just it looks a little more cohesive and
plans well.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
It's also one of those things I think you don't
realize how off it can make a room or space
feel because you visually might not think it's too high,
but it actually just how your brain interprets and just
realizes everything. It makes the room feel more cohesive when
it's hung at the correct height versus just hanging it
(12:53):
way up there.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Oftentimes, when artwork is hung too high, it makes the
room appear top heavy, sort of nothing in the middle
to anchor the space. And I think we just naturally
as humans feel better anchored, like to the ground when
our feet are on the ground, and when our work
is too high, it just sort of floats.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
Wooks actually are similar to that too, that often you
know you kind of want to go bigger on the
rugs than you might think. It helps make the room
feel bigger too. And that's that's something we often see
when we walk into space too, is just a rug
that's too.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Small, a rug that's too small, and furniture that is
too small, and objects that are too small. And again
we know that people. I mean that the inclination, our
intuition tells us, well, we'll have more space if we
don't fill it up so much, and so people buy
these really diminutive pieces, when visually it's the opposite effect.
(13:50):
So fewer, bigger pieces will always make your room appear
larger than filling it with a bunch of furniture and
objects that are too small. That's an important one, and
I think that's definitely a common error.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
One thing I want to.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Bring up to you mentioned lighting, and yes, that's a
big one in scale can be applied to that as well.
But I think the wrong paint color when people maybe
do it yourself or they're working on home design on
their own, I think it's very common that people will
pick the paint color first, and that's a kind of
(14:29):
a big design no no, because you want your other
dynamic elements to maybe speak first and navigate and direct
the space. So can you talk to a little bit
more about that, because I'm guessing that you're not choosing
the paint color first. No.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
In fact, it's usually one of the last things that
we do that we come up with the scheme of
everything and then we kind of determine what the best
color tone is.
Speaker 5 (14:52):
For all of that.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
And I think it's also I think there's a combination
of people. You know a handful of people that don't
see colors cracked, but also don't understand the undertones so
many pink colors have and that I mean, grays are
really good and easy example, there are so many grays
with purple undertones or blues or the gray just goes
too cool. But lots of colors are like that. Whether
(15:16):
they can pull yellows and greens and different things. And
then obviously even just the lighting in the room makes
a difference on how colors see in natural light versus
the color temperatures that exist too, all affect how light
is seen and can really mess up a room completely.
And you know, to be honest, I've repainted a whole
(15:37):
living room myself in one of my first houses, so
I learned that the hard way too.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
I think it's very common, and this is for anybody
who's listening something to watch for. There are a lot
of pink undertones in grays and topes can go pink
and purple. As you said, a lot of colors can
go pink purple, and a lot of people don't want
a pink purple room that people. If you're listening, you
(16:05):
should definitely watch for. And the reason I think we
should just point out that you pick the paint color
last is because there are more paint colors than there
are any other elements, so you can get the exact
paint color that you want very easily, and especially now
with the technology that most of the paint makers have
(16:25):
to color match, it makes it even makes it even easier.
So I think what happens is people have their favorite
color and you get that paint deck and you're thumbing
through it and it's.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
Like, Oh, I like that color, and I like that color,
and I like that color.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
I think if that's what you're doing, if that is
your best best way to see colors, then find the
colors that you like. If you are attracted to a
butternut squash color, then say to your designer or if
you're doing it on your own, look for fabrics and
look for wall papers that are that color, that have
patterns in those colors. And because that's what you're attracted
(17:01):
to the color, you're not attracted to the paint ship.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
I think the paint deck is.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
A good resource to look at lots of colors at
one time and say I'm attracted to this.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Que over this one.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
But then just use that paint ship as a guide
to go find the fabrics, pillows, wallpapers, decorative things that
adhere to that color, and pick your.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
Paint color last.
Speaker 5 (17:25):
Yeah, and in the end it might not be that
you want that on the walls.
Speaker 4 (17:27):
Then you want it to be let those fabric and
furniture and all the color and the other pieces and
let your walls just be more of a neutral background too.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Well, that's exactly right, because I mean sometimes when you
want a color, it can be too intense if you
splash your entire wall with it. Colors complicated, maybe the
most complicated piece of design, but it's one that should
be delved into carefully. So this next question is is
a little more fun that we received. And you know,
(17:55):
I think that we're always looking for ways to elevate
our lives, whether it's just a daily and that's really
what this podcast is about, to something more specific that
has to do with design. So we received a question
that reads, if someone wants to slowly elevate their home
style over time, where should they start.
Speaker 4 (18:14):
I would say one of the most important things is
to focus on one room or area of the home
at a time. Don't feel like you're kind of just
trying to touch a little bit everywhere, because you'll never
really feel like it's done, and it all will feel
more incomplete. So I think if you can kind of
start with that one room and really focus on it,
(18:34):
invest in the drapery first, your furniture and your art
and really get that all dialed in, and then that
space will be elevated and then you can kind of
move on to another area of the home. And within
those rooms, I think kind of just having those foundational elements,
you know, your rugs, your lighting, your furniture, and your
window treatments. You know, they set the tone for everything
(18:56):
before you kind of move on to all the other
layers in that space.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
Start small.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
Well, and we've alluded to this before, or you've alluded
to this before in previous episodes, but it can be
tiring sometimes not only from a budget and a literal
time perspective, but an energy perspective too, to complete a room.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
Yeah, I mean, the design fatigue happens. It's real, whether
it's you know, a new construction or just even working
on something. You want to make sure you're always making
the right decision and so, you know, because it is
an investment, and it can.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
Get tiring making those decisions for sure.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
And I think that's that's where it's just important to
keep in mind too, that you know, keep thinking through
quality over quantity, investing in pieces that you really love
because you're going to live with it for a long time.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Absolutely, I'm going to come to this question from a
slightly different angle and I also think it's important to
start collecting something, and they don't even have to be
like things. I think sometimes when we hear the word collection,
we think of things that are similar. So I like
to collect blue and white ceramic, so or I like
to collect you know, as I said before, Vin Santa
(20:04):
Clausas or whatever it may be. But get into the
habit of collecting beautiful objects. So when you are going
to a flea market or an antique shop or a
great it doesn't even have to be an antique, just
a design shop in general, consider bringing something home.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
Not that you're shopping every day.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
But start building your collection, because I think another common
mistake that people make if they're doing it on their own,
if they're not hiring a designer, is they have all
of these little, itty bitty things.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
None of them make an impact.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
And so in the end, back to what we were
just talking about a few minutes ago, you have all
of these ittybity things. So to bring that soul into
your home and to elevate your space visually, it's important
to buy things that are sizable. So maybe don't think
about the little trinket ball that's just a few inches
(21:01):
in diameter, yes, those are a great way to corral
jewelry or rings on your bedside table. But think about
a more substantial piece, maybe a center piece bowl or
something of that scale. So when you are ready to
design a room that you have some of those unique
pieces already that maybe they are assigned to one room
(21:22):
like you just said that, maybe they are roving as well.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
So it's just a beautiful object.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
And maybe it lives in one room now, but it
can easily go to another space. So I think to
elevate the space and to give it that personal touch
in that soul, you have to start buying things that
are important to you. It might be artwork, it may
be objects, it may be a really great old chair
that has an unusual shape, but it should be something
(21:51):
that is personal well.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
And I think with that, what you really do find
is over time you still always really do love those
pieces and they all end up blending together and working
together in your design. I mean, yeah, you might need
to recover something or change the look of it to
some degree to make it right in your space. But
I've found when all the pieces that I've always collected
over time, I still love them and they still get
(22:13):
worked into my house, whether it was last month that
I founded or ten years ago.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
And I think that we should let people know too.
There are some designers who have huge warehouses full of
things that the designer finds interesting and buys from all
over the world, and then they place those things they
sort of shop from themselves when they are outfitting a space,
(22:38):
not so much with furniture but a lot of accessories.
And I think that's interesting because what's really difficult for
just an average person to do is to find those weird,
quirky things. It's hard to find those on your own
because you're thinking, well, is that weird and quirky or
is it not?
Speaker 3 (22:55):
You don't you don't really know.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
So when a designer can have something that or she
has in her warehouse, I know you have awares where
you have things too. Sometimes it's the thing you didn't
know you needed, and maybe you wouldn't have been attracted
to it yourself as the homeowner, but your designers like,
this is this cool, weird thing, and it makes the space.
Speaker 4 (23:16):
I personally love that, Chris, as you know, because I
love to thrift as well as have new things, and
so I can't obviously put all those pieces in my home.
So it's great to have, like you said, an inventory
to work from when we are arranging and styling shelves
that we can give those quirky elements in the space
that you can't just go and necessarily buy from a
(23:37):
new vendor of assessories and things like that too.
Speaker 5 (23:39):
It gives so much interest to the space I.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
Do find myself, and I think fashion is this way too.
You find yourself going to the same thing over and
over again, and next thing you know, you have a
closet full of black silk shirts or.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
Whatever it is.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
And the same thing can happen in the home space too.
You can sort of buy something that you didn't really need,
and again it doesn't make an impact.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
Because you already have that.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
So you need to create those layers with something that
is visually different. They're just those little moments, and again
that's what we built this podcast around. So maybe it's
upgrading your coffee mug in the morning and things like
that too, when they have a little more of a
design slant to them, can be a special way in
somewhere to start.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
But this next question is a little bit of a larger.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Scale, and it's the favorite way to refresh a space
without a full renovation.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
I'm super interested to.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
Hear your answer for this question because I know you've
done a full renovation on your own home.
Speaker 4 (24:39):
Yes, and it's just not always realistic for a budget
or timeline or all of those things.
Speaker 5 (24:45):
And this is a question I would.
Speaker 4 (24:46):
Say overall I always get as a designer, just ways
to refresh your space.
Speaker 5 (24:51):
I think there's several go tos. One obviously is paint. Paint. Paint, paint.
It makes such an impact.
Speaker 4 (24:57):
It can change if the color tone's wrong, like we
talked about before.
Speaker 5 (25:01):
But painting a space.
Speaker 4 (25:02):
Really can give a room a home all of the above,
just a new look. It's very a low lift with
very high impact, which is easy to do.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
Yeah, I agree.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
I mean paint is certainly the easiest and most cost effective.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
Way to change a room too.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
I mean, painting, if you're talking about a whole house,
can get spendy, but just for a room, I think
that you know, a couple of cans of paint can
go a long way. And who doesn't like a fresh
coat of paint anyway much free, no nicks, no extense,
no anything, just a clean canvas of paint.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Any other things when we get past.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
The paint several I mean, I think your textiles and
pillows and throws. I always love a good lighting swap.
I think that dramatically can change it. Obviously a light
fixture chandlier, but can also be sconces or even just
changing out your lampshades and giving them more than just
your basic white linen sort of a look. I think
those lighting swaps make a really big difference in a space.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
And I think a different furniture arrangement.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
Could even make a difference too, Like maybe you rearrange
the furniture, but.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
I think it can be done. And this is a.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Tip that was shared with me years ago, and I
think it's really smart to take all of your accessories
and put them on a table. And you know we've
talked about this before too, just reassigning them. If they
lived down a bookshelf before in the library, then take
them out and maybe think about them to use in
a cabinet that has a glass front, that where you
(26:37):
want something that's pretty. So I think just reimagining.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
Yeah, I think dialing shelves differently can really be transformative.
It just changes things where you've seen them for months
or years at a time and the color patterns that
happen with them, and art can kind of do that
as well too, of just kind of using your art
in different locations, take it off the wall, see how
it looks different in different spaces, and it might bring
(27:02):
more color or more boldness to a space that didn't
you didn't currently have, right.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
I think most people oftentimes will neglect shopping their own
house and understanding that you can make such a difference
with things that you already have. So we know that
in this industry there are loads of design rules, and
some of them are for safety purposes. Some of them
make sense just from the geometry and the scale of
(27:28):
the home. But what is a rule that you don't mind.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Breaking or you love to break.
Speaker 4 (27:34):
I this probably won't surprise you, but one of them
that I love to break is to go bold on
your ceiling, not just using a plain white ceiling. I
think that's always used to just be the norm or
the rule of just you know, painting your ceiling white.
And I think whether it's a bold color or a
patterned wallpaper, I love to do that in powder bathrooms,
(27:56):
just to have some interest in that space, or maybe
just have a little more color saturation in the ceiling.
If it's not even a bold color but just kind
of brings the space all together, I think is a
big one.
Speaker 3 (28:09):
I agree with that. I think that the ceiling.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
I'm so happy that we no longer just sort of
push them aside and give some attention to them, because
the other thing with the ceiling is whether you choose
a bold pattern or bold color or not, it's something
up there, and it again, it grounds the space, so
the ceiling doesn't feel like it's sort of floating away.
(28:32):
And I think it can be an inexpensive option if
you want to keep the rest of the room really neutral,
Like maybe you don't have a large budget and you're
just going to buy everything in white and ivory and
super neutral tones and aren't going to com anything that's
customer's own material for anybody who doesn't know the jargon.
(28:52):
So it's a good way to add something, even if
it's just on the ceiling.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
If you do a great, big, wonderful pattern on.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
The ceiling and make everything else in the room the
same color, that'll give a huge impact that looks.
Speaker 4 (29:04):
Super modern well, and it kind of goes along the
lines of too of like not using dark colors and
small rooms. I mean that was always a rule forever,
and now we're in this very moody sort of color drenching,
which I absolutely love. But it just makes space is
so much more stunning when you can color wrap or
using a deep, bold color in a smaller space.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
Any other rules that you love.
Speaker 4 (29:29):
I am one that likes to mix metals. I know,
like sometimes they're like matchy matchy and making sure the
silvers and the golds and the bronzes all are the
same in every space. I mean, you need to do
it very intentionally or it definitely looks like a miss
But I think mixing metals really creates some interest in
(29:50):
movement in a room as your eye moves throughout seeing
different metallic tones.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
Well, and when you mix metals or furniture styles, then
nothing looks like a mistake. Is when you have all
one metallic finish and then you know five years from
now you need to replace something and it only comes
in a color that doesn't match, and then it looks
like a mistake. If you artfully mix all of the
(30:14):
finishes at once, then it looks more intentional.
Speaker 4 (30:18):
I also really love sometimes even pattern on pattern that
can seem to be a no no. But I think
mixing patterns intentionally is a good one to break as well.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
Yes, to achieve that maximalist style. So when it comes
to my rule breaking, I like to find new and
unusual ways to display art and I think it's fun.
If you have a diptych, for instance, it hugs a corner,
so you have one piece installed on one wall in
(30:48):
the corner, and you know it's it's companion on the
adjacent wall in the corner, so it turns the corner.
I love things like that that play with the architecture
to break those rules. But I think the number one
rule to break is just breaking design rules in general.
I think understand that design it's artwork and it's meant
(31:11):
to be what you love.
Speaker 3 (31:13):
And there's no design police.
Speaker 5 (31:15):
No there isn't.
Speaker 3 (31:16):
There is design judge. There's design judgment. I can be
designed judge for sure.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
If being honest, But I think that you have to
have fun and it's fun to break the rules and
look in this business, even though every project is different,
there are more similarities than not. For instance, you have
a fireplace in a living room. Of course, the furniture
arrangement is going to be centered around that. Of course,
(31:45):
there will probably be a piece of artwork above that fireplace.
So we see so many similar things, you know.
Speaker 3 (31:52):
In every space.
Speaker 2 (31:53):
A bedroom always has a bed, a kitchen always has appliances,
So there are so many things that are the same
that I love it when I'm surprised and I see
something that hasn't been done before. And as an editor,
that's what I'm looking for.
Speaker 5 (32:06):
And I think it also is just one of those things.
Speaker 4 (32:08):
It pushes you over that edge sometimes to really be
that thing that goes wow. I wouldn't have ever thought
of that. I mean, when you do some of those
unusual things or break some of those rules you do,
you certainly make it a space that becomes more attention
grabbing at times.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
So, Megan, this next question is a tough one because
or a tough one to handle, I guess, because we
know that when it comes to design projects, things can
go awry schedules, Maybe a piece that a client wanted
isn't available anymore, it's been discontinued. How do you handle
it when a project doesn't go as planned? And I
(32:45):
know that that can sort of run the gamut from
something small like maybe a discontinued chair that's easy enough
to replace, to something that has to do with construction.
Speaker 4 (32:56):
Yeah, I mean, Chris, so we see this all over
the board, like you said, just whether it's a discontinued
piece or it's more of a construction project. But it's
it's almost impossible to have every project just run without
any glitches in it.
Speaker 5 (33:08):
Here or there.
Speaker 4 (33:09):
You're going to run into things, some big, some small,
and you hope that they're minimized. I mean, I guess
the biggest one is probably just the importance of communication
problem solving. We are big problem solvers, especially on the
construction side of things. You know, being at the job
site frequently, you're able to catch things along the way
if you're there often and are able to see things
(33:30):
and make sure that things are communicated well with clients
and contractors, so those things don't happen that you learn
from and you know, some of it's just things that
you kind of learn from going through it in years
of experience. It's probably why I'm so thorough on electrical
walkthroughs now is because you know, early on you have
(33:52):
an end table at the end of the hall and
you're like, why isn't there an outlet here, so really
thinking through and planning what you want to make sure
that you aren't missing those outlets and you're not missing
things like that that happen. So I would just say
the importance of communication is a huge one here. But
I'm sure you run into it too in your end
that you have some behind the scenes that don't always
(34:13):
go perfectly either.
Speaker 2 (34:14):
Oh yes, and it's the same thing. It's communication. Where
there's communication, you can A you can troubleshoot, and b
that always helps us schedule. So communication applies to me too,
and well, look.
Speaker 3 (34:29):
Things can go awry. Things go awry on.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
Photo shoots too. With projects, sometimes there may be a
space if it's new construction that's not quite finished yet.
Sometimes before a shoot, maybe they were waiting for a
great piece of artwork and we have to substitute with
something from a gallery that maybe the homeowner ultimately isn't
(34:51):
going to own, but the piece that they had commissioned
is not completed yet by the time we need to shoot.
So there are those things as well. And I think
you know, if we can lead people with a piece
of advice when it comes to that is just understand
if you are diving into a design project that it
probably is not going to go one hundred percent smoothly.
(35:14):
At some point there will be a hiccup in fact,
and you have to.
Speaker 3 (35:19):
Be okay with that.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
And I think especially when it comes to this schedule,
because rarely is a design project done ahead of time,
because the construction is rarely.
Speaker 3 (35:30):
Done ahead of time.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
If anything, there are delays, and that's usually not the
fault of anybody, it's just life. It can be stuck
on a boat somewhere, it can be things that are
way beyond any of any one person's control, and nobody's
to blame for it. So I think people just have
to be open minded and understanding.
Speaker 3 (35:50):
When it comes to that.
Speaker 5 (35:51):
And I think, I mean, it's so true.
Speaker 4 (35:53):
I mean, it's the whole industry, and whether it's furniture
or it is more the construction schedule. If you're all
relying on so many things just to go perfectly smooth,
that you know the right plumbing piece was available and
all the things that go along with that too. I
had one client one time when I had to give
bad news about furniture, and I don't really remember the
circumstances now, but you you never like to disappoint people.
(36:15):
I don't like to that's just human nature. But she
looked at me and she goes, Megan, it's just furniture.
Speaker 5 (36:21):
It's fine, you.
Speaker 4 (36:22):
Know so, and it just that made me feel so
nice to have just knowing, like here, I'd stressed about
having to have this conversation and she was just very
understanding and knowing that, well, it'll come when it comes,
and so I appreciated that.
Speaker 3 (36:34):
No, that's that's very gracious.
Speaker 2 (36:36):
And I know that we received a couple of questions
asking about how long a project can take, and that
depends on the gop and scale of the project. But
do you want to speak more specifically to any of
that forever?
Speaker 5 (36:52):
No, just sometimes, no, it does.
Speaker 4 (36:55):
No, I mean, i'd say, just in general, like you said,
very rarely do you ever news that hey we can
move in early. Maybe occasionally, but that rarely happens. I
think projects in general take longer than most people expect
they you know, just even from the construction phase of things,
of how long it takes to work through blueprints and
(37:16):
have things budgeted in priced, and then going into the
actual construction project all the way through to installing the
furniture and window treatments and accessories. So I think in general,
there's typically usually several phases. You know, there's the concept
and design phase, and then there's the sourcing and ordering,
and then the construction installation.
Speaker 5 (37:36):
So it also.
Speaker 4 (37:37):
Depends frequently on how quickly and easy people are able
to make decisions. If they make decisions quickly and we
just move on, or if we end up making a
decision and have to waiver on it for three or
four weeks and then redesign and redesign and then finally
go back to the original. That all affects timelines as
well too. But you know, I mean, i'd say in general,
(37:58):
ball park, you know, we can do a room refresh
easily in three to six months. A full home, I mean,
construction usually takes twelve to eighteen months in our area,
but it might you might be working through some preliminary
designs for six months plus before that as well too.
So I think in general every project is unique. They're
(38:19):
all going to vary in that regard.
Speaker 2 (38:21):
I was in an event this weekend and a very
prominent architect was there speaking, and he and a designer
who he was working with.
Speaker 3 (38:30):
They worked on a project for four years.
Speaker 2 (38:33):
Yeah, that was a large scale project that was you know,
sort of in the eighteen thousand square feet category, which
is not what most people live in. But still, I mean,
you know, you wait a long time. So it is
again about that low and slow.
Speaker 4 (38:48):
Well, and I think that's a perfect example of why
it is so important to have a good team when
you're starting big projects too. You know, it's a marriage
to some degree. You need to get along, you need
to work through difficult conversations and budgets and design fatigue,
and so making sure that that designer builder client relationship
is a good one and strong is very very important.
Speaker 3 (39:10):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (39:11):
And you know one thing that I didn't bring up
when we were talking about design rules to break, just
speaking of the team of people involved when there's an architect,
I would say that breaking rules and architecture come from
the creativity maybe of how spaces are used. There are
those classical moments of architecture that is why we love
(39:35):
it so much, and so I think that, you know,
breaking the rules there might not be as good of
an idea because there's a reason that we like the
scale of the moldings and elements like that that they
work visually where they sort of feel good. So I
just want to go back to that when we're talking
about the team of people when it comes to architecture,
(39:57):
not that you can't have any input, of course, you know,
the homeowner should, the designer should, everybody should. But I
think that's one area where there shouldn't necessarily be a
lot of wavering back and forth because the architecture won't
change again for a very very long time.
Speaker 3 (40:14):
You can chase a.
Speaker 2 (40:14):
Pillow, you can change a paint color, but you can't
change those architectural moments.
Speaker 5 (40:19):
That is a huge point.
Speaker 4 (40:20):
It is so important to get that base correct before
moving on, as it just affects everything in the space.
Speaker 2 (40:27):
So, Megan, we're going to end on a question that
people have a lot of curiosity when they talk to designers,
when they talk to me. It's a question I ask
every homeowner of every house that I'm in because the
how the rooms are so beautiful, there are so many
spaces to choose from, so I always want to know
what is your favorite space in your own home that
(40:51):
you enjoy the most. I ask that of every house.
I write about every house that I style and shoot
that i'm on, I'd like to know that you.
Speaker 3 (41:00):
You probably want to know that. I mean, yeah, let's
chat about that.
Speaker 4 (41:03):
For a moment. That is kind of a hard question
because I love so many different spaces for different reasons.
But I probably would have to say my kitchen. You know,
it's not only beautiful, but I think it's just the
memories that happen in there. You know, as a family
of five, we have lots of meals in our kitchen,
and I also use it as a space that we're
(41:23):
doing kids crafts and activities and things like that. So
I think for me, it truly is a workhorse, both
for the function of just prepping food and I do
enjoy cooking when I have the time to do it,
but just even the activities that we do as a
family together in there, and just having a big, large
island that that can have and have the space to do.
Speaker 2 (41:44):
So I like that, and I agree with you the
space depends on the activity, like what I'm doing very much.
And look, in a perfect world, I would live somewhere
where it was seventy five and sunny every day and
I could just sit out on my deck and enjoy that.
But that's not our circumstance living here in the Midwest.
(42:06):
So I would have to say for me, it's more
about certain pieces of furniture because if I'm at home
and I'm sort of sitting down, I have a favorite
chair in my living room and I love the coziness.
Especially wintertime here, I would say my family room is
where I want to be, where my fireplaces and hear
the crackle and that sort of thing. So I think
it just depends on the season and the activity. But
(42:30):
sometimes it's just down to what piece of furniture do
I want to sit in at that moment if I'm
chatting with somebody on the phone or if I'm reading,
and it's not necessarily the same. I definitely play favorites
when it comes to chairs.
Speaker 4 (42:43):
Yes, Yeah, And I think you're so right, because you know,
when I thought of this question, the other space that
came to mind was my screen porch or sunroom, And
I think it's because you kind of get to feel
like you're outside but don't have you just get to
be out there and enjoy it. And right now, in
this later fall season, we're still able to use it
here occasionally, and there's nothing better than to go to
(43:03):
afternoon and having the football game on and the fire
out there too is just a wonderful feeling.
Speaker 2 (43:09):
Yes, definitely, So, Megan, that is our first round of
listener questions for listeners. We want to do this again,
so ask us questions right in and we will. When
we have several of them, we will kind of grab
them together and do one of these episodes again, which
I think are fun and informative.
Speaker 1 (43:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (43:29):
I think it's a great way to get those questions
answered for people and to share our perspectives. And I
loved answering them, so send them on in Thank you
for listening to this week's episode of Boulevard Beat. If
you enjoyed this episode, please follow along and leave a
review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen so
you never miss an episode, And of course, follow your
(43:51):
hosts on Instagram at Megan Bloom Interiors, at CHRISA.
Speaker 5 (43:55):
Rothsbund, and at Liz Legit.
Speaker 4 (43:56):
We'll be back next week as we take a stroll
down another boulevard Asser
Welcome to boulevard Beat, a podcast we're life and style intersect.
I'm designer Megan Bloom along with my co hosts, editor CHRISA.
Rossbunt and gallery owner Liz Legit. This podcast focuses on
the daily highlights instead of the hustle, interviews with taste makers,
and personal conversations on how to highlight achievable style. You
con stroll one street at a time, boulevard Beat proves
(00:29):
the one you should take.
Speaker 2 (00:33):
Megan, So we've been doing this for a while now
and we have had some questions that have been thrown
our way, which is fun.
Speaker 3 (00:41):
What that means people are listening.
Speaker 4 (00:42):
Yes, it certainly is, and it's fun to hear the
questions and what people want some help with and just
hear what's out there and if we can kind of
help people in different ways.
Speaker 5 (00:51):
I thought this would be a fun way to answer those.
Speaker 2 (00:53):
Absolutely, And while we know that this is definitely a
lifestyle podcast, it does have a strong design slant to it,
and so most of the questions that we have received
have been circling around the design ethos, if you will,
and so maybe another time we'll get questions that don't
have to do with design, But today we're really focusing
(01:14):
on the ones that are about design.
Speaker 3 (01:16):
So let's kick this off.
Speaker 2 (01:18):
I'm really excited to hear your perspective as a designer
on all of these questions, and then I'll chime into
So the first question we received is how do you
approach designing for clients with very different styles? And I
can imagine that this happens quite a bit.
Speaker 4 (01:35):
It does happen often, and it's always a little bit
different how we handle it, and it's sometimes we feel
like we're in a therapy session trying to mix both
couples and make sure both people are happy and that
in the end it's an outcome that both people want.
Speaker 5 (01:51):
In the home and love.
Speaker 4 (01:52):
I think the big thing is start by listening first,
and I think just really hearing what each person has
to say and what kind of their non negotiables are,
and then kind of figuring out what those non negotiables
are and try and make sure they each get those things.
And sometimes that's given a take here and there, or
(02:12):
making sure you get certain elements in certain parts of
the house, and then kind of even too, just what
the common ground is, finding what that equal part that
they both really share is it the comfort, the elegance,
or is it a color that they feel and kind
of blending those together.
Speaker 2 (02:27):
I have to ask, are there a lot of man
caves in your designs?
Speaker 3 (02:32):
And I don't mean I don't look.
Speaker 2 (02:33):
I don't mean spaces that have, you know, beer cans
on a shelf.
Speaker 3 (02:37):
I don't mean that.
Speaker 2 (02:37):
I mean sort of a family room that sort of
leans more masculine, where you sometimes have to incorporate sports
paraphernalia or maybe not even that, but just sort of
a more masculine vibe.
Speaker 4 (02:50):
I mean, I would say there might be a space
in the home that might have a more masculine vibe,
but overall, I'd say the men are still sophisticated in
their dial to some degree that they're wanting their house
to look a certain way and to have a certain
feeling in the main prominent areas, and then have those
specialty rooms where they get to have some of those
(03:11):
more masculine elements for sure, and kind of doing it
that way, I would say.
Speaker 2 (03:15):
You know what I love about design right now? And
I've seen this over the last handful of years. It's
not brand new, but I've seen a lot of floral
patterns that come in these wonderful topes and safia tones
and chocolate browns and even charcoal smoky black, and I
think that's such an interesting juxtaposition of something that is
(03:38):
so feminine and that men perhaps might not want to
live with long term, but when you put them in
masculine tones, it makes this really interesting effect.
Speaker 3 (03:49):
So I like that. I've seen a lot of that.
Speaker 2 (03:52):
I've seen a lot of design that is charcoal or
black and camel and combinations like that, and I I
think when you take a pattern that's more feminine and
put it in more masculine colors or even the reversal
of that, sometimes that can be super effective and give
everybody the palette and the patterns that they wish for.
Speaker 4 (04:13):
You know, Chris, that you bring up a good point too,
And sometimes it's one spouse or the other that kind
of surprises you that they're the ones that maybe like
the more color or the pattern or those color tones
and things like that too. I'm working on a remodel
and we had a beautiful William and Morris drapery fabric,
lots of color, and it wasn't overly feminine because of
(04:36):
the color tones in it, but it did have like
floral tones obviously, like that motif frequently does. And it
was the husband actually that was like, could we do
this as wallpaper? And you wanted to wrap the whole
room in it, and it was just like wow, I
wouldn't have thought you were going to go there. But
sometimes one of the spouses, like I said, kind of
can surprise you to having wanting more color or more
(04:57):
interesting things too.
Speaker 2 (04:58):
I think that's wonderful because it's all about those happy
surprises too, Like maybe when you're doing your presentation, they
didn't even think I.
Speaker 5 (05:05):
Would want a room like that, and for sure I do.
Speaker 2 (05:08):
Because personally I am a girly girl through and through. However,
even I cannot do the sacarin sweet flowers so much.
So even I appreciate them in tones that are a
little more masculine, a little muddier, that aren't so clear
and aren't so sweet. I think that's an interesting challenge.
(05:31):
Are you ever the tiebreaker?
Speaker 5 (05:33):
But is that sometimes?
Speaker 4 (05:34):
I mean sometimes yeah, they ultimately will be like whatever
you guys think, so, which is nice too. That ultimately
then what the right design decision versus just making them
happy is important too. But Chris, I'm sure you see
that editorially too. You know, you have a mix of
perspectives that you have to guide into to make it
feel collected and authentic too.
Speaker 3 (05:54):
Oh, absolutely we do.
Speaker 2 (05:55):
And just within the body of work that is presented
and submitted to us, you know, it's fun to have
those I'll call them novelty spaces. I don't mean novelty
spaces like craft room or it's a space where somebody
has their collection of I don't know, vintage Santa Clausas
or something, or a hobby. But I think that it's
(06:17):
nice for homes, especially ones in the scale that I'm
dealing with at the magazine that are quite large, to
have a space that is one's own.
Speaker 3 (06:28):
It's like, this is my room, and this is where.
Speaker 2 (06:30):
I get to have my things, because we can have
that as children, our own room sometimes.
Speaker 3 (06:37):
I don't know.
Speaker 2 (06:37):
I never had to share a room, but I suppose
some kids have to share a room, so maybe they
don't get everything they want in there. But then as adults,
if you are living with somebody, then you need to
still have your own room that is some sort of
space where you can have it be the environment and
the colors and the patterns that you want to make
you happy.
Speaker 3 (06:57):
It's where people read.
Speaker 2 (06:58):
Or where they do some work, and I just think
it's important for everybody to have a space where they
feel warm and a space that brings comfort to them.
Speaker 5 (07:08):
Yeah, I think that's very true.
Speaker 4 (07:09):
It is very important just to each have a place
that you can have your random picture frames or things
that are meaningful to you that you can display and
bring you good memories of different things too.
Speaker 2 (07:21):
And sometimes now I'm not trying to be sexist here
at all, but sometimes the things that some men collect
are maybe not what their.
Speaker 3 (07:32):
Spouses want inside at all.
Speaker 2 (07:36):
So anyway, there's that, But then they bring cool things too,
like I love. I've seen family rooms, which is where
everybody watches sports, where you know, some guys have collected
a lot of vintage sports equipment, and you know, you
have these wonderful wood golf clubs, and you have old
leather you know, balls, whether it be a football or basketball,
(07:58):
when they were actually made out of leather, like a
leather basketball, And I think that that can be a
really cool effect too. So I think it's just it's
hiring a designer who can put all of those things
together in a masterful way and make them.
Speaker 4 (08:10):
Look what and I mean I kind of am doing
that right now as we are in the fall season.
I think I've expressed before that my husband likes to
deer hunt and he will get the sheds of the
antlers in the springtime when they all lose those and
so they're just loose pieces of the antler and in
the fall it makes for a nice decoration. Just I
have it in a big wooden bowl and I kind
(08:30):
of put some of those antlers in intermixed with a
big hurricane and it's a pretty touch to that fall
season without overdoing it or going in on a theme.
Speaker 5 (08:39):
But it's meaningful to my husband.
Speaker 3 (08:41):
Too, absolutely well.
Speaker 2 (08:42):
They work hard for those trophies and picking up the shed.
Speaker 3 (08:45):
So we had a house a year.
Speaker 2 (08:47):
This has been very a lot of years ago, but
it was a house in Texas, and the woman of
the home she loved fashion and she loved all of
that Texas, so it's a whole other aesthetic, whole other vibe.
But she actually took shed in her dressing room, bolted
them to the wall, and she hung her necklaces from
(09:10):
them and her cowboy her cowgirl hats.
Speaker 5 (09:12):
So that was fun.
Speaker 3 (09:13):
That was super fun.
Speaker 2 (09:14):
So I suppose it's regional and what you're willing to
live with, so for sure, Megan, I think this is
probably the biggest question that we received because.
Speaker 3 (09:25):
People are afraid when it comes to design.
Speaker 2 (09:29):
As we had discussed before, design mistakes are oftentimes costly mistakes.
Speaker 3 (09:34):
You want to get it right the first time.
Speaker 2 (09:36):
So we had a lot of listeners ask us what
a common design mistake was that we see over and
over and what our solutions were to solving those challenges.
Speaker 3 (09:48):
So I'll let you go.
Speaker 4 (09:50):
First, and I think this is one that it's a
consistency of what I see frequently. I've got a few
of them. I feel like that are frequently design mistakes
that we can chat about them. I'd say one is
ignoring lighting, just not focusing on that hanging art too
high I always see as well. And then lastly, I
think just the idea of buying everything from making it
(10:13):
look matchy matchy or too quickly.
Speaker 5 (10:16):
I think the idea.
Speaker 4 (10:17):
To slow down to curate and have those layers so
it doesn't look like you went to a big box
store and just bought everything and matched it all together.
Speaker 2 (10:27):
I think that's really wise advice, and it's sort of
you know the same. The same technique applies in the
cooking world, like when you're making a meal, it's you know,
low and.
Speaker 3 (10:36):
Slow, low heat.
Speaker 2 (10:38):
It takes a long time, but what you get is
so rewarding in the end. I agree. I would venture
to guess never a good idea. Maybe I should never
say ever so rarely a good idea to rely on
a big box store for all of your design elements,
And I think I think we should just follow up
by saying there's nothing wrong with that if that's your resource. However,
(11:04):
what you're not going to get by doing that is
a look that's super authentic to you. So it's not
that the design is wrong, but you are going to
miss that authenticity.
Speaker 3 (11:13):
And soul that is really the look that most people covet.
Speaker 5 (11:17):
Yeah, it certainly is.
Speaker 4 (11:18):
It's what gives that room more depth and more interest too,
is when it has that soul of just layers of
different pieces.
Speaker 2 (11:25):
I definitely agree with artwork being hung too low, and
I think it's important to let people.
Speaker 3 (11:31):
Know in regard to that. While they say it should be.
Speaker 2 (11:35):
Hung at high level height, that's a little different for everybody,
but there are some general guidelines about sort of the
bottom of a large painting or a large piece of
artwork where that should be, so it's comfortable.
Speaker 3 (11:50):
So I encourage, like, we don't need to.
Speaker 2 (11:51):
Get into the nitty gritty here, like maybe that's another episode,
Maybe that's an art episode with Liz. I don't know
about displaying art and hanging art, but there are some
guidelines to help people. So I think a lot of people.
And I will admit I used to be this person.
I used to take my hammer and nail and nail it.
I used to drive that puppy in and wherever a landed,
(12:13):
that's where the art went. And now I am much
more strategic about it, and I take a little time
to get out the level and the tape measure, so
all of the pieces in a room aligned at the bottom,
and it just it looks a little more cohesive and
plans well.
Speaker 4 (12:32):
It's also one of those things I think you don't
realize how off it can make a room or space
feel because you visually might not think it's too high,
but it actually just how your brain interprets and just
realizes everything. It makes the room feel more cohesive when
it's hung at the correct height versus just hanging it
(12:53):
way up there.
Speaker 2 (12:54):
Oftentimes, when artwork is hung too high, it makes the
room appear top heavy, sort of nothing in the middle
to anchor the space. And I think we just naturally
as humans feel better anchored, like to the ground when
our feet are on the ground, and when our work
is too high, it just sort of floats.
Speaker 4 (13:13):
Wooks actually are similar to that too, that often you
know you kind of want to go bigger on the
rugs than you might think. It helps make the room
feel bigger too. And that's that's something we often see
when we walk into space too, is just a rug
that's too.
Speaker 2 (13:26):
Small, a rug that's too small, and furniture that is
too small, and objects that are too small. And again
we know that people. I mean that the inclination, our
intuition tells us, well, we'll have more space if we
don't fill it up so much, and so people buy
these really diminutive pieces, when visually it's the opposite effect.
(13:50):
So fewer, bigger pieces will always make your room appear
larger than filling it with a bunch of furniture and
objects that are too small. That's an important one, and
I think that's definitely a common error.
Speaker 3 (14:05):
One thing I want to.
Speaker 2 (14:06):
Bring up to you mentioned lighting, and yes, that's a
big one in scale can be applied to that as well.
But I think the wrong paint color when people maybe
do it yourself or they're working on home design on
their own, I think it's very common that people will
pick the paint color first, and that's a kind of
(14:29):
a big design no no, because you want your other
dynamic elements to maybe speak first and navigate and direct
the space. So can you talk to a little bit
more about that, because I'm guessing that you're not choosing
the paint color first. No.
Speaker 4 (14:45):
In fact, it's usually one of the last things that
we do that we come up with the scheme of
everything and then we kind of determine what the best
color tone is.
Speaker 5 (14:52):
For all of that.
Speaker 4 (14:53):
And I think it's also I think there's a combination
of people. You know a handful of people that don't
see colors cracked, but also don't understand the undertones so
many pink colors have and that I mean, grays are
really good and easy example, there are so many grays
with purple undertones or blues or the gray just goes
too cool. But lots of colors are like that. Whether
(15:16):
they can pull yellows and greens and different things. And
then obviously even just the lighting in the room makes
a difference on how colors see in natural light versus
the color temperatures that exist too, all affect how light
is seen and can really mess up a room completely.
And you know, to be honest, I've repainted a whole
(15:37):
living room myself in one of my first houses, so
I learned that the hard way too.
Speaker 2 (15:42):
I think it's very common, and this is for anybody
who's listening something to watch for. There are a lot
of pink undertones in grays and topes can go pink
and purple. As you said, a lot of colors can
go pink purple, and a lot of people don't want
a pink purple room that people. If you're listening, you
(16:05):
should definitely watch for. And the reason I think we
should just point out that you pick the paint color
last is because there are more paint colors than there
are any other elements, so you can get the exact
paint color that you want very easily, and especially now
with the technology that most of the paint makers have
(16:25):
to color match, it makes it even makes it even easier.
So I think what happens is people have their favorite
color and you get that paint deck and you're thumbing
through it and it's.
Speaker 3 (16:35):
Like, Oh, I like that color, and I like that color,
and I like that color.
Speaker 2 (16:38):
I think if that's what you're doing, if that is
your best best way to see colors, then find the
colors that you like. If you are attracted to a
butternut squash color, then say to your designer or if
you're doing it on your own, look for fabrics and
look for wall papers that are that color, that have
patterns in those colors. And because that's what you're attracted
(17:01):
to the color, you're not attracted to the paint ship.
Speaker 3 (17:04):
I think the paint deck is.
Speaker 2 (17:05):
A good resource to look at lots of colors at
one time and say I'm attracted to this.
Speaker 3 (17:10):
Que over this one.
Speaker 2 (17:12):
But then just use that paint ship as a guide
to go find the fabrics, pillows, wallpapers, decorative things that
adhere to that color, and pick your.
Speaker 3 (17:24):
Paint color last.
Speaker 5 (17:25):
Yeah, and in the end it might not be that
you want that on the walls.
Speaker 4 (17:27):
Then you want it to be let those fabric and
furniture and all the color and the other pieces and
let your walls just be more of a neutral background too.
Speaker 2 (17:34):
Well, that's exactly right, because I mean sometimes when you
want a color, it can be too intense if you
splash your entire wall with it. Colors complicated, maybe the
most complicated piece of design, but it's one that should
be delved into carefully. So this next question is is
a little more fun that we received. And you know,
(17:55):
I think that we're always looking for ways to elevate
our lives, whether it's just a daily and that's really
what this podcast is about, to something more specific that
has to do with design. So we received a question
that reads, if someone wants to slowly elevate their home
style over time, where should they start.
Speaker 4 (18:14):
I would say one of the most important things is
to focus on one room or area of the home
at a time. Don't feel like you're kind of just
trying to touch a little bit everywhere, because you'll never
really feel like it's done, and it all will feel
more incomplete. So I think if you can kind of
start with that one room and really focus on it,
(18:34):
invest in the drapery first, your furniture and your art
and really get that all dialed in, and then that
space will be elevated and then you can kind of
move on to another area of the home. And within
those rooms, I think kind of just having those foundational elements,
you know, your rugs, your lighting, your furniture, and your
window treatments. You know, they set the tone for everything
(18:56):
before you kind of move on to all the other
layers in that space.
Speaker 5 (19:00):
Start small.
Speaker 2 (19:01):
Well, and we've alluded to this before, or you've alluded
to this before in previous episodes, but it can be
tiring sometimes not only from a budget and a literal
time perspective, but an energy perspective too, to complete a room.
Speaker 4 (19:17):
Yeah, I mean, the design fatigue happens. It's real, whether
it's you know, a new construction or just even working
on something. You want to make sure you're always making
the right decision and so, you know, because it is
an investment, and it can.
Speaker 5 (19:30):
Get tiring making those decisions for sure.
Speaker 4 (19:32):
And I think that's that's where it's just important to
keep in mind too, that you know, keep thinking through
quality over quantity, investing in pieces that you really love
because you're going to live with it for a long time.
Speaker 2 (19:42):
Absolutely, I'm going to come to this question from a
slightly different angle and I also think it's important to
start collecting something, and they don't even have to be
like things. I think sometimes when we hear the word collection,
we think of things that are similar. So I like
to collect blue and white ceramic, so or I like
to collect you know, as I said before, Vin Santa
(20:04):
Clausas or whatever it may be. But get into the
habit of collecting beautiful objects. So when you are going
to a flea market or an antique shop or a
great it doesn't even have to be an antique, just
a design shop in general, consider bringing something home.
Speaker 3 (20:20):
Not that you're shopping every day.
Speaker 2 (20:22):
But start building your collection, because I think another common
mistake that people make if they're doing it on their own,
if they're not hiring a designer, is they have all
of these little, itty bitty things.
Speaker 3 (20:36):
None of them make an impact.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
And so in the end, back to what we were
just talking about a few minutes ago, you have all
of these ittybity things. So to bring that soul into
your home and to elevate your space visually, it's important
to buy things that are sizable. So maybe don't think
about the little trinket ball that's just a few inches
(21:01):
in diameter, yes, those are a great way to corral
jewelry or rings on your bedside table. But think about
a more substantial piece, maybe a center piece bowl or
something of that scale. So when you are ready to
design a room that you have some of those unique
pieces already that maybe they are assigned to one room
(21:22):
like you just said that, maybe they are roving as well.
Speaker 3 (21:26):
So it's just a beautiful object.
Speaker 2 (21:28):
And maybe it lives in one room now, but it
can easily go to another space. So I think to
elevate the space and to give it that personal touch
in that soul, you have to start buying things that
are important to you. It might be artwork, it may
be objects, it may be a really great old chair
that has an unusual shape, but it should be something
(21:51):
that is personal well.
Speaker 4 (21:52):
And I think with that, what you really do find
is over time you still always really do love those
pieces and they all end up blending together and working
together in your design. I mean, yeah, you might need
to recover something or change the look of it to
some degree to make it right in your space. But
I've found when all the pieces that I've always collected
over time, I still love them and they still get
(22:13):
worked into my house, whether it was last month that
I founded or ten years ago.
Speaker 2 (22:17):
And I think that we should let people know too.
There are some designers who have huge warehouses full of
things that the designer finds interesting and buys from all
over the world, and then they place those things they
sort of shop from themselves when they are outfitting a space,
(22:38):
not so much with furniture but a lot of accessories.
And I think that's interesting because what's really difficult for
just an average person to do is to find those weird,
quirky things. It's hard to find those on your own
because you're thinking, well, is that weird and quirky or
is it not?
Speaker 3 (22:55):
You don't you don't really know.
Speaker 2 (22:56):
So when a designer can have something that or she
has in her warehouse, I know you have awares where
you have things too. Sometimes it's the thing you didn't
know you needed, and maybe you wouldn't have been attracted
to it yourself as the homeowner, but your designers like,
this is this cool, weird thing, and it makes the space.
Speaker 4 (23:16):
I personally love that, Chris, as you know, because I
love to thrift as well as have new things, and
so I can't obviously put all those pieces in my home.
So it's great to have, like you said, an inventory
to work from when we are arranging and styling shelves
that we can give those quirky elements in the space
that you can't just go and necessarily buy from a
(23:37):
new vendor of assessories and things like that too.
Speaker 5 (23:39):
It gives so much interest to the space I.
Speaker 2 (23:41):
Do find myself, and I think fashion is this way too.
You find yourself going to the same thing over and
over again, and next thing you know, you have a
closet full of black silk shirts or.
Speaker 3 (23:52):
Whatever it is.
Speaker 2 (23:54):
And the same thing can happen in the home space too.
You can sort of buy something that you didn't really need,
and again it doesn't make an impact.
Speaker 3 (24:03):
Because you already have that.
Speaker 2 (24:05):
So you need to create those layers with something that
is visually different. They're just those little moments, and again
that's what we built this podcast around. So maybe it's
upgrading your coffee mug in the morning and things like
that too, when they have a little more of a
design slant to them, can be a special way in
somewhere to start.
Speaker 3 (24:23):
But this next question is a little bit of a larger.
Speaker 2 (24:27):
Scale, and it's the favorite way to refresh a space
without a full renovation.
Speaker 3 (24:32):
I'm super interested to.
Speaker 2 (24:34):
Hear your answer for this question because I know you've
done a full renovation on your own home.
Speaker 4 (24:39):
Yes, and it's just not always realistic for a budget
or timeline or all of those things.
Speaker 5 (24:45):
And this is a question I would.
Speaker 4 (24:46):
Say overall I always get as a designer, just ways
to refresh your space.
Speaker 5 (24:51):
I think there's several go tos. One obviously is paint. Paint. Paint, paint.
It makes such an impact.
Speaker 4 (24:57):
It can change if the color tone's wrong, like we
talked about before.
Speaker 5 (25:01):
But painting a space.
Speaker 4 (25:02):
Really can give a room a home all of the above,
just a new look. It's very a low lift with
very high impact, which is easy to do.
Speaker 3 (25:12):
Yeah, I agree.
Speaker 2 (25:13):
I mean paint is certainly the easiest and most cost effective.
Speaker 3 (25:17):
Way to change a room too.
Speaker 2 (25:20):
I mean, painting, if you're talking about a whole house,
can get spendy, but just for a room, I think
that you know, a couple of cans of paint can
go a long way. And who doesn't like a fresh
coat of paint anyway much free, no nicks, no extense,
no anything, just a clean canvas of paint.
Speaker 3 (25:41):
Any other things when we get past.
Speaker 4 (25:43):
The paint several I mean, I think your textiles and
pillows and throws. I always love a good lighting swap.
I think that dramatically can change it. Obviously a light
fixture chandlier, but can also be sconces or even just
changing out your lampshades and giving them more than just
your basic white linen sort of a look. I think
those lighting swaps make a really big difference in a space.
Speaker 3 (26:06):
And I think a different furniture arrangement.
Speaker 2 (26:08):
Could even make a difference too, Like maybe you rearrange
the furniture, but.
Speaker 3 (26:14):
I think it can be done. And this is a.
Speaker 2 (26:17):
Tip that was shared with me years ago, and I
think it's really smart to take all of your accessories
and put them on a table. And you know we've
talked about this before too, just reassigning them. If they
lived down a bookshelf before in the library, then take
them out and maybe think about them to use in
a cabinet that has a glass front, that where you
(26:37):
want something that's pretty. So I think just reimagining.
Speaker 4 (26:41):
Yeah, I think dialing shelves differently can really be transformative.
It just changes things where you've seen them for months
or years at a time and the color patterns that
happen with them, and art can kind of do that
as well too, of just kind of using your art
in different locations, take it off the wall, see how
it looks different in different spaces, and it might bring
(27:02):
more color or more boldness to a space that didn't
you didn't currently have, right.
Speaker 2 (27:06):
I think most people oftentimes will neglect shopping their own
house and understanding that you can make such a difference
with things that you already have. So we know that
in this industry there are loads of design rules, and
some of them are for safety purposes. Some of them
make sense just from the geometry and the scale of
(27:28):
the home. But what is a rule that you don't mind.
Speaker 3 (27:32):
Breaking or you love to break.
Speaker 4 (27:34):
I this probably won't surprise you, but one of them
that I love to break is to go bold on
your ceiling, not just using a plain white ceiling. I
think that's always used to just be the norm or
the rule of just you know, painting your ceiling white.
And I think whether it's a bold color or a
patterned wallpaper, I love to do that in powder bathrooms,
(27:56):
just to have some interest in that space, or maybe
just have a little more color saturation in the ceiling.
If it's not even a bold color but just kind
of brings the space all together, I think is a
big one.
Speaker 3 (28:09):
I agree with that. I think that the ceiling.
Speaker 2 (28:11):
I'm so happy that we no longer just sort of
push them aside and give some attention to them, because
the other thing with the ceiling is whether you choose
a bold pattern or bold color or not, it's something
up there, and it again, it grounds the space, so
the ceiling doesn't feel like it's sort of floating away.
(28:32):
And I think it can be an inexpensive option if
you want to keep the rest of the room really neutral,
Like maybe you don't have a large budget and you're
just going to buy everything in white and ivory and
super neutral tones and aren't going to com anything that's
customer's own material for anybody who doesn't know the jargon.
(28:52):
So it's a good way to add something, even if
it's just on the ceiling.
Speaker 3 (28:56):
If you do a great, big, wonderful pattern on.
Speaker 2 (28:59):
The ceiling and make everything else in the room the
same color, that'll give a huge impact that looks.
Speaker 4 (29:04):
Super modern well, and it kind of goes along the
lines of too of like not using dark colors and
small rooms. I mean that was always a rule forever,
and now we're in this very moody sort of color drenching,
which I absolutely love. But it just makes space is
so much more stunning when you can color wrap or
using a deep, bold color in a smaller space.
Speaker 3 (29:27):
Any other rules that you love.
Speaker 4 (29:29):
I am one that likes to mix metals. I know,
like sometimes they're like matchy matchy and making sure the
silvers and the golds and the bronzes all are the
same in every space. I mean, you need to do
it very intentionally or it definitely looks like a miss
But I think mixing metals really creates some interest in
(29:50):
movement in a room as your eye moves throughout seeing
different metallic tones.
Speaker 2 (29:54):
Well, and when you mix metals or furniture styles, then
nothing looks like a mistake. Is when you have all
one metallic finish and then you know five years from
now you need to replace something and it only comes
in a color that doesn't match, and then it looks
like a mistake. If you artfully mix all of the
(30:14):
finishes at once, then it looks more intentional.
Speaker 4 (30:18):
I also really love sometimes even pattern on pattern that
can seem to be a no no. But I think
mixing patterns intentionally is a good one to break as well.
Speaker 2 (30:26):
Yes, to achieve that maximalist style. So when it comes
to my rule breaking, I like to find new and
unusual ways to display art and I think it's fun.
If you have a diptych, for instance, it hugs a corner,
so you have one piece installed on one wall in
(30:48):
the corner, and you know it's it's companion on the
adjacent wall in the corner, so it turns the corner.
I love things like that that play with the architecture
to break those rules. But I think the number one
rule to break is just breaking design rules in general.
I think understand that design it's artwork and it's meant
(31:11):
to be what you love.
Speaker 3 (31:13):
And there's no design police.
Speaker 5 (31:15):
No there isn't.
Speaker 3 (31:16):
There is design judge. There's design judgment. I can be
designed judge for sure.
Speaker 2 (31:23):
If being honest, But I think that you have to
have fun and it's fun to break the rules and
look in this business, even though every project is different,
there are more similarities than not. For instance, you have
a fireplace in a living room. Of course, the furniture
arrangement is going to be centered around that. Of course,
(31:45):
there will probably be a piece of artwork above that fireplace.
So we see so many similar things, you know.
Speaker 3 (31:52):
In every space.
Speaker 2 (31:53):
A bedroom always has a bed, a kitchen always has appliances,
So there are so many things that are the same
that I love it when I'm surprised and I see
something that hasn't been done before. And as an editor,
that's what I'm looking for.
Speaker 5 (32:06):
And I think it also is just one of those things.
Speaker 4 (32:08):
It pushes you over that edge sometimes to really be
that thing that goes wow. I wouldn't have ever thought
of that. I mean, when you do some of those
unusual things or break some of those rules you do,
you certainly make it a space that becomes more attention
grabbing at times.
Speaker 2 (32:23):
So, Megan, this next question is a tough one because
or a tough one to handle, I guess, because we
know that when it comes to design projects, things can
go awry schedules, Maybe a piece that a client wanted
isn't available anymore, it's been discontinued. How do you handle
it when a project doesn't go as planned? And I
(32:45):
know that that can sort of run the gamut from
something small like maybe a discontinued chair that's easy enough
to replace, to something that has to do with construction.
Speaker 4 (32:56):
Yeah, I mean, Chris, so we see this all over
the board, like you said, just whether it's a discontinued
piece or it's more of a construction project. But it's
it's almost impossible to have every project just run without
any glitches in it.
Speaker 5 (33:08):
Here or there.
Speaker 4 (33:09):
You're going to run into things, some big, some small,
and you hope that they're minimized. I mean, I guess
the biggest one is probably just the importance of communication
problem solving. We are big problem solvers, especially on the
construction side of things. You know, being at the job
site frequently, you're able to catch things along the way
if you're there often and are able to see things
(33:30):
and make sure that things are communicated well with clients
and contractors, so those things don't happen that you learn
from and you know, some of it's just things that
you kind of learn from going through it in years
of experience. It's probably why I'm so thorough on electrical
walkthroughs now is because you know, early on you have
(33:52):
an end table at the end of the hall and
you're like, why isn't there an outlet here, so really
thinking through and planning what you want to make sure
that you aren't missing those outlets and you're not missing
things like that that happen. So I would just say
the importance of communication is a huge one here. But
I'm sure you run into it too in your end
that you have some behind the scenes that don't always
(34:13):
go perfectly either.
Speaker 2 (34:14):
Oh yes, and it's the same thing. It's communication. Where
there's communication, you can A you can troubleshoot, and b
that always helps us schedule. So communication applies to me too,
and well, look.
Speaker 3 (34:29):
Things can go awry. Things go awry on.
Speaker 2 (34:31):
Photo shoots too. With projects, sometimes there may be a
space if it's new construction that's not quite finished yet.
Sometimes before a shoot, maybe they were waiting for a
great piece of artwork and we have to substitute with
something from a gallery that maybe the homeowner ultimately isn't
(34:51):
going to own, but the piece that they had commissioned
is not completed yet by the time we need to shoot.
So there are those things as well. And I think
you know, if we can lead people with a piece
of advice when it comes to that is just understand
if you are diving into a design project that it
probably is not going to go one hundred percent smoothly.
(35:14):
At some point there will be a hiccup in fact,
and you have to.
Speaker 3 (35:19):
Be okay with that.
Speaker 2 (35:20):
And I think especially when it comes to this schedule,
because rarely is a design project done ahead of time,
because the construction is rarely.
Speaker 3 (35:30):
Done ahead of time.
Speaker 2 (35:31):
If anything, there are delays, and that's usually not the
fault of anybody, it's just life. It can be stuck
on a boat somewhere, it can be things that are
way beyond any of any one person's control, and nobody's
to blame for it. So I think people just have
to be open minded and understanding.
Speaker 3 (35:50):
When it comes to that.
Speaker 5 (35:51):
And I think, I mean, it's so true.
Speaker 4 (35:53):
I mean, it's the whole industry, and whether it's furniture
or it is more the construction schedule. If you're all
relying on so many things just to go perfectly smooth,
that you know the right plumbing piece was available and
all the things that go along with that too. I
had one client one time when I had to give
bad news about furniture, and I don't really remember the
circumstances now, but you you never like to disappoint people.
(36:15):
I don't like to that's just human nature. But she
looked at me and she goes, Megan, it's just furniture.
Speaker 5 (36:21):
It's fine, you.
Speaker 4 (36:22):
Know so, and it just that made me feel so
nice to have just knowing, like here, I'd stressed about
having to have this conversation and she was just very
understanding and knowing that, well, it'll come when it comes,
and so I appreciated that.
Speaker 3 (36:34):
No, that's that's very gracious.
Speaker 2 (36:36):
And I know that we received a couple of questions
asking about how long a project can take, and that
depends on the gop and scale of the project. But
do you want to speak more specifically to any of
that forever?
Speaker 5 (36:52):
No, just sometimes, no, it does.
Speaker 4 (36:55):
No, I mean, i'd say, just in general, like you said,
very rarely do you ever news that hey we can
move in early. Maybe occasionally, but that rarely happens. I
think projects in general take longer than most people expect
they you know, just even from the construction phase of things,
of how long it takes to work through blueprints and
(37:16):
have things budgeted in priced, and then going into the
actual construction project all the way through to installing the
furniture and window treatments and accessories. So I think in general,
there's typically usually several phases. You know, there's the concept
and design phase, and then there's the sourcing and ordering,
and then the construction installation.
Speaker 5 (37:36):
So it also.
Speaker 4 (37:37):
Depends frequently on how quickly and easy people are able
to make decisions. If they make decisions quickly and we
just move on, or if we end up making a
decision and have to waiver on it for three or
four weeks and then redesign and redesign and then finally
go back to the original. That all affects timelines as
well too. But you know, I mean, i'd say in general,
(37:58):
ball park, you know, we can do a room refresh
easily in three to six months. A full home, I mean,
construction usually takes twelve to eighteen months in our area,
but it might you might be working through some preliminary
designs for six months plus before that as well too.
So I think in general every project is unique. They're
(38:19):
all going to vary in that regard.
Speaker 2 (38:21):
I was in an event this weekend and a very
prominent architect was there speaking, and he and a designer
who he was working with.
Speaker 3 (38:30):
They worked on a project for four years.
Speaker 2 (38:33):
Yeah, that was a large scale project that was you know,
sort of in the eighteen thousand square feet category, which
is not what most people live in. But still, I mean,
you know, you wait a long time. So it is
again about that low and slow.
Speaker 4 (38:48):
Well, and I think that's a perfect example of why
it is so important to have a good team when
you're starting big projects too. You know, it's a marriage
to some degree. You need to get along, you need
to work through difficult conversations and budgets and design fatigue,
and so making sure that that designer builder client relationship
is a good one and strong is very very important.
Speaker 3 (39:10):
Absolutely.
Speaker 2 (39:11):
And you know one thing that I didn't bring up
when we were talking about design rules to break, just
speaking of the team of people involved when there's an architect,
I would say that breaking rules and architecture come from
the creativity maybe of how spaces are used. There are
those classical moments of architecture that is why we love
(39:35):
it so much, and so I think that, you know,
breaking the rules there might not be as good of
an idea because there's a reason that we like the
scale of the moldings and elements like that that they
work visually where they sort of feel good. So I
just want to go back to that when we're talking
about the team of people when it comes to architecture,
(39:57):
not that you can't have any input, of course, you know,
the homeowner should, the designer should, everybody should. But I
think that's one area where there shouldn't necessarily be a
lot of wavering back and forth because the architecture won't
change again for a very very long time.
Speaker 3 (40:14):
You can chase a.
Speaker 2 (40:14):
Pillow, you can change a paint color, but you can't
change those architectural moments.
Speaker 5 (40:19):
That is a huge point.
Speaker 4 (40:20):
It is so important to get that base correct before
moving on, as it just affects everything in the space.
Speaker 2 (40:27):
So, Megan, we're going to end on a question that
people have a lot of curiosity when they talk to designers,
when they talk to me. It's a question I ask
every homeowner of every house that I'm in because the
how the rooms are so beautiful, there are so many
spaces to choose from, so I always want to know
what is your favorite space in your own home that
(40:51):
you enjoy the most. I ask that of every house.
I write about every house that I style and shoot
that i'm on, I'd like to know that you.
Speaker 3 (41:00):
You probably want to know that. I mean, yeah, let's
chat about that.
Speaker 4 (41:03):
For a moment. That is kind of a hard question
because I love so many different spaces for different reasons.
But I probably would have to say my kitchen. You know,
it's not only beautiful, but I think it's just the
memories that happen in there. You know, as a family
of five, we have lots of meals in our kitchen,
and I also use it as a space that we're
(41:23):
doing kids crafts and activities and things like that. So
I think for me, it truly is a workhorse, both
for the function of just prepping food and I do
enjoy cooking when I have the time to do it,
but just even the activities that we do as a
family together in there, and just having a big, large
island that that can have and have the space to do.
Speaker 2 (41:44):
So I like that, and I agree with you the
space depends on the activity, like what I'm doing very much.
And look, in a perfect world, I would live somewhere
where it was seventy five and sunny every day and
I could just sit out on my deck and enjoy that.
But that's not our circumstance living here in the Midwest.
(42:06):
So I would have to say for me, it's more
about certain pieces of furniture because if I'm at home
and I'm sort of sitting down, I have a favorite
chair in my living room and I love the coziness.
Especially wintertime here, I would say my family room is
where I want to be, where my fireplaces and hear
the crackle and that sort of thing. So I think
it just depends on the season and the activity. But
(42:30):
sometimes it's just down to what piece of furniture do
I want to sit in at that moment if I'm
chatting with somebody on the phone or if I'm reading,
and it's not necessarily the same. I definitely play favorites
when it comes to chairs.
Speaker 4 (42:43):
Yes, Yeah, And I think you're so right, because you know,
when I thought of this question, the other space that
came to mind was my screen porch or sunroom, And
I think it's because you kind of get to feel
like you're outside but don't have you just get to
be out there and enjoy it. And right now, in
this later fall season, we're still able to use it
here occasionally, and there's nothing better than to go to
(43:03):
afternoon and having the football game on and the fire
out there too is just a wonderful feeling.
Speaker 2 (43:09):
Yes, definitely, So, Megan, that is our first round of
listener questions for listeners. We want to do this again,
so ask us questions right in and we will. When
we have several of them, we will kind of grab
them together and do one of these episodes again, which
I think are fun and informative.
Speaker 1 (43:29):
Yeah.
Speaker 4 (43:29):
I think it's a great way to get those questions
answered for people and to share our perspectives. And I
loved answering them, so send them on in Thank you
for listening to this week's episode of Boulevard Beat. If
you enjoyed this episode, please follow along and leave a
review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen so
you never miss an episode, And of course, follow your
(43:51):
hosts on Instagram at Megan Bloom Interiors, at CHRISA.
Speaker 5 (43:55):
Rothsbund, and at Liz Legit.
Speaker 4 (43:56):
We'll be back next week as we take a stroll
down another boulevard Asser
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