The day in the life of a Project Managing Decorator

March 9, 20131 Comment

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”

“I’m a Landscape Designer”

I also do Home Staging with Custom Art thrown in

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.

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 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

April 2, 20121 Comment

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

Landscape Design on the Lafayette River

October 11, 20112 Comments

U & I has completed an exterior design for a returning client. I can’t think of anything this designer loves more than a returning client and referrals. We had a long hard job ahead of us but with lots of planning, researching, sub contractors, and ingenuity the job is almost complete with a few minor details to be worked out. Of course, with all designs things flux and change once the job begins and quick decisions and solutions can be brought together to please the client. I am happy to say the clients are thrilled with their new view of the Lafayette.

We cannot display this gallery

New Condo construction project complete

July 12, 2011Leave a comment

My client purchase her new condo and needed help selecting flooring, lighting, color palette as well as full service decorating. Her main objective was to marrying her love of antiques with a fresh new look. Take a look at some before and after photo’s on my face book page for U & I Home Decorating and Staging.

Not sure why the link is not working but if you copy and paste it to your browser it will take you to my photo’s. I was able to add the link to the reply section and it takes you to the photo’s if you click that link.

Deborah

https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.237888202895883.64276.131263076891730&l=ac2d7d1c2d