Category: interior design

Love it or List it by U&I

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Love it or List it project:

Our new clients called Judy Boone Realty regarding the decision to list their home or fix it up.  Judy called U&I Home Decorating and Staging because she knows we specialize in several options for staging and remodeling.

We discussed options and budget with the client and they decided to go with remodeling to a certain point and then decide if they were going to List it or Love it.

Plans began in Oct. 2012, finalized in Dec. 2012 and began in Jan. 2013.  Several completions points where made in the remodeling projects along the way to create a listing option for the client or a re-evaluation point for them. At each point they wanted U&I to continue.

THEY LOVE IT.  With the help of our supporting sub contractors, U&I have given the client a beautiful home on their waterfront property to love for many years to come.

Projects completed for the client consists of a new HVAC system with all duct work complete with gas lines, weather proofing all over, new siding and gutters, new windows, new kitchen with an open wall concept, custom table top built into cabinetry, custom radiator covers, new flooring throughout downstairs in wood and porcelain tile, new leather furnishings, lighting, art work, accessories, Karastan wool rugs, ancient marble wall color from Sherwin Williams, new Kettle sun room furnishings, Bali faux wood blinds throughout, all new closet system shelving, upholstered dining chairs in a Ikat fabric from Second Yard with matching pillows for sofa, new ceilings, a makeover to the both bathrooms; the downstairs a complete remodel, and a clean up and face lift to the landscaping; which is still in progress.

Thank you Judy Boone of Judy Boone Realty for offering U&I the role creating a complete new living environment for the happy owners.

U&I like to support LOCAL Hampton Roads employment,  and offer our thanks to all of our supporting Sub Contractors: Construction with Robert Bates Construction with Bobby Bates, Larry Dudack and Michael, PSD with Shawn Ford, Mike Jagow, Mickey and Cindy with MC Bryd Flooring, Dixon Paints with Jason and the Boys, Tile work with Alan Gaskins and Chris, Electrical with Wade Casto and Floyd, WT Anderson (gutters), Sea-thru Windows, Decorum furniture, Mark Gonsenhauser (Diane Samareh), HVAC Warehouse, Lowes, Home Depot, Second Yard, Innerspace Closets, Boo butcher block, The Kellisons for miscellanous labor, and my wonderful and supporting husband Christopher Lutz for all sorts of areas in this process.

Thank You Ladies and Gents for all that you have contributed to this project and bringing my Design to life for the client.

Deborah Lutz, Owner

Before U&I Home Decorating and Staging

IMG_5256 (800x533) IMG_5262 (533x800) (2) IMG_5264 (800x533)

 

 

 

 

 

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front yard before (800x533) (2)

 

 

 

 

 

New siding and windows    After U&I Home Decorating and Staging

kitchen afterCustom Interior designingSandow After (4) (533x800)

Sandow After (14) (533x800)IMG_6782 (533x800)IMG_6760 (800x533)living room and dining room

Here is a link to the after photos in a slideshow https://skydrive.live.com/redir?resid=72B48645312C2A44!702

Who says white is boring?

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Who ever said white is boring, has never thought of it as a background for all other colors.
My completed project in Newport News is a success.  The client wanted everything modern and slick with color added through furniture, art and accessories…..
She wanted to surprise her son with a makeover for his new condo. We met in November while she was visiting Virginia, to discuss design and budget.

I sent many suggestions from November to January until we had it complete, down to the light fixtures all being changed out with new modern style shades.
January to March was filled with on-line shopping, e-mails and phone calls.  U&I Home Decorating and Staging had everything delivered to their office and stored all the items awaiting the day of install in March.
My client is thrilled and I couldn’t be happier for her and her son.  I think we all need a Mama like her don’t you agree!

IMG_5804 (800x510) IMG_5811 (800x461) IMG_5815 (800x533)

The day in the life of a Project Managing Decorator

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The day in the life of a Project Managing Decorator…..

When people ask me what I do I will say “I’m an Interior Decorator”  Great Room Sea Cloud

My clients work hard to keep their design looking grand...Yard of the month! “I’m a Landscape Designer”

I also do Home Staging with Custom Art thrown in      Part of my Mist trio series        Staging project (SOLD) one week

I hear “How exciting, I always wanted to do that for a career”

It is a rewarding career choice for me and I have to change constantly to stay up with all the new styles and ideas. Which I like that about my job.

There are some aspects of my job that people do not know and that is the Project Management side.   Mason Creek project

It is tedious, meticulous, constant, 24-7, hands on, different types of sub-contractors in one day, several location and car travel daily. Changes to the designs never fail.

It’s good thing that I am the Decorating Designer on the job to quickly approve the changes and keep the ball rolling.

The job sites must be touched in some way each day via hands on visit or phone calls to Subs, making sure everyone is showing up for work and if they are not call them to find why when and where?????

I have great set of guys that Sub Contract for me (I refer to them as THE BOYS) and even then there are always delays that can not be helped from UNFORESEENS (always).  Schedules get pushed back, jobs then get pushed back, and before you know it one small cabinet not being hinged correctly has put a kink in the whole month’s schedule.

BUT that is why clients hire me….I am paid to be the calm one that presents to them solutions instead of problems, answers instead of questions, time schedules instead of delays…it’s what I do and I love it.

To my own demise at times being up all hours of the night figuring out jobs and what else needs to be done that may have slipped by me.

I am a huge note taker and have sticky notes everywhere, voice mails to myself to stay on top.

All in all it is about the client and I do my very best to give them their home back as soon as possible. All polished and new just as they imagined it     completed staging      Sometimes that is not the easiest part of my job…but I wouldn’t want to do anything else.

Loving’ my career choice and I’m getting paid to do what I love!!!!  Dream big and work hard…that is the way to have success in your life.

Deborah

Process of Decorating a room “Completed Example room”

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  • We started with Style “Polished Casual with Natural Allure” decided by Better Homes and Garden decorating style quiz
  • Wall color “Sherwin Williams Hopsack SW6109, Trim White SW7757”
  • Furniture “Landon Collection Pottery Barn and Slipper chair Leyland Ballard design”
  • Rug “Addarug.com”
  • Drapery “Thai Silk Restoration Hardware”
  • adding all of our accessories….Viola’….

Our completed room.  I hope you have enjoyed the process of decorating a room with U&I.

Process of Decorating a room

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I have been posting about an example room on my business Facebook page and wanted to share with my blog followers.  If you would like to follow via Facebook here is the link: https://www.facebook.com/UandIHomeDecoratingandStaging

To recap and catch you up…we were working with a Better Homes and Garden quiz to pick your style

http://www.bhg.com/decorating/decorating-style/quiz/?ordersrc=google1decoratingquiz_app&s_kwcid=TC%7C5599%7Cdecorating%20style%20quiz%7C%7CS%7Cb%7C7295502418

You can take the quiz and find a beautiful power point photo and description of your style pulled from answers that you give doing the quiz…try it it’s fun.

My personal style came back Polished Casual with Natural Allure: Description You love to mix and match your favorites from several styles, so Polished Casual is the best way to describe your look. Crisp, fresh, and always comfortable, this approach anchors itself in neutral, subtle hues and furniture that isn’t fussy but isn’t slouchy either. Pair your clean-lined sofa with a dark leather wing chair or a weathered metal table—anything goes, but simplicity is key.

That is so me!

I am using my style to do the example room to explain the process of decorating a room.  One of my Facebook followers ask about the process of decorating a room. I thought it would be fun to walk her through it with posts of U&I decorating a room.

So far we have chosen our style Polished Casual with Natural Allure, room color (neutrals because I love to change often), and neutral Living room furniture…again because I fall in love way to easy and I want everything…part of the beast I must tame often in my line of work…hahahaha.  Below are my choices via internet for our example room.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The room color choice SW6109 Hopsack and all trim SW7757 High reflectence white, Furniture Landon Collection Cream Twill dark wood legs, Sofa $1800, Chair $1300, Ottoman $600, Slipper Chair Leyland from Ballard Designs $419 and last but certainly not bland our color inspiration for the example room a Low Pile 8×10 modern striped rug from Net channel Inc. (addarug.com) $1000

I’ll keep you updated as we proceed in the process of Decorating a room with U&I Home Decorating and Staging.

Deborah Lutz