Using a design professional can be a positive and fun experience!
Getting over Fear: Many consumers are somewhat intimidated by the thought of hiring an interior decorator. They worry they'll lose control of the design, or the budget, and that the finished project may not be to their liking. But it doesn’t have to be that way. Your designer should be receptive to your needs, likes, dislikes and suggestions. Honest and open communication between designer and client is imperative to a successful end.
Choosing to work with a designer to guide you through the world of design, decorating and home renovations is a wise and worthwhile investment.
Advantages of hiring a professional:
Expertise: Interior decorators help you achieve the look you desire in your home by assisting you with choosing colors, prints, textures, furnishings, and even dealing with space issues. We believe that our designs are not only appealing, but are practical. We consider your lifestyle and we know that our products will enhance your home in a decorative manner, but they must also be functional for you and your family. Interior decorating is not just "having an eye" for color or recognizing quality furniture. It is an extensive discipline that encompasses many specialized areas of expertise, including:
- Colors and how they relate to one another.
- Patterns and how they relate to one another.
- Human perception of space, depth, and texture.
- Compatibility of styles.
Designer Sources: Since 1989, Echelon Interiors has developed relationships with only the best sources and we now have over 100 wholesale accounts with fabric vendors, professional custom workrooms, furniture and rug manufacturers, flooring distributors and many more. We also work with many local people such as artists, furniture designers, faux finishers, painters, upholsterers, etc
How Decorators Charge: While it varies from decorator to decorator, and job to job, decorators usually get most of their compensation through commissions or discounts they negotiate with vendors of products and services. In other words, most of their compensation comes from suppliers, not from you. In many cases, it is also necessary for the decorator to charge a consulting fee. This is usually assessed on an hourly basis or as a flat fee.
Echelon Interiors purchases our products at wholesale prices which enables us to charge you a regular retail price for each item you order. Therefore, you are not paying an inflated price, or a fee for our time.
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Your designer won't be able to create the perfect room for you unless you are able to communicate just what you want. You might want to accumulate photos from magazines of rooms and furniture you like since this will give your designer a place to start in creating a design specifically for you.
Describe Your Vision: Be able to explain to your designer the style you want, the colors you like, and the activities that will take place in the room. Make a list of furniture you own that you want to keep. Think about your preferences for furniture, fabrics, materials, and patterns.
Decide on a budget: No one likes sticking to a budget, but everyone has one. Your designer will help you develop a master plan and budget, but if you would like to be prepared with a budget before meeting with a designer there are some things you can do.
Make a list of the things you are considering and write down a low, medium and high dollar figure after each item. The example below is for a Living Room where the client needs a rug, a sofa, a cocktail table and a window treatment. This client will have a budget between 3,800 and 17,600 with a median budget of 8,300.
Example: Low Medium High
9 x 13 Wool Rug 3,200 4,800 10,000
Sofa 2,200 3,000 8,000
Cocktail Table 800 1,500 4,500
Window Treatment 1,000 4,000 9,000
You can understand how helpful it would be for the designer to have an idea of how much you are wanting to spend. It will really help her to know what to show you. The designer can’t assume that you want the low budget items. It may seem insulting to you for her to assume that. On the other hand, if she assumes you have a medium or high end budget and spends several hours showing you fabrics and designs that you fall in love with, only to find out that she exceeded the amount you were thinking about. By then, it is difficult to look at the less expensive items and get excited about them, so you and the designer end up frustrated.
In our sample, the high end prices would supply the client with a hand knotted wool or silk rug, a sofa made with rich fabrics and down pillows with fringes and trims, an heirloom quality cocktail table and a full window treatment with an operable austrian shades or roman shades, velvet or silk draperies with trims, fringes and tassels and 3" antique gold decorative rods.
Working with a professional can give your home beauty and function within your budget. A designer can actually save you money in many situations by allocating resources wisely and eliminating decorating mistakes.
So... the key is to be realistic. Plan a project with goals and phase-in purchases over a few months or years if necessary. Don’t forget that we offer 12 months interest free financing which might help you get everything you want right away. Another option is for us to provide you with a master plan and help you break it up into phases.
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A number of basic design styles apply to everything from furniture to interior and exterior home design.
Here are some general guidelines for design styles:
Contemporary/modern design: Features sleek, unadorned cabinets, plain panel doors and hardware that's hidden or unobtrusive. Furniture and window treatments have clean lines and a more tailored effect.
Traditional More formal and elegant. Raised panel cabinet doors or clear glass panels separated by thin strips of wood are often seen. Rich wood finishes or painted white wood may be accented with antique gold or oil rubbed bronze hardware. Furniture styles are more ornate with curved lines and hand carvings. You may also see marble tops on tables and chests. The window treatments styles may be created out of silks and velvets and adorned with trims and tassels.
Country: Features light stain or distressed-color finish, simple cabinet and door styles and unpretentious wood or ceramic knobs and handles. Furniture and window treatments styles may feature ruffles, checks, plaids and small prints. A French Country look may incorporate a toille fabric and English Country would include colorful florals printed on polished cottons.
Southwestern: Homes favor stucco or adobe exteriors and orange or red tile roofs. Furniture and window treatments styles are more contemporary with clean lines, but with a rustic feel.
Victorian: Styles often reflect the romance of the 19th century with contemporary convenience. Common cabinet woods are oak or cherry and with the right color scheme, even white can be used. Many different types of hardware work, from hammered iron to antique pewter. Furniture styles would be more traditional with a county feeling and window treatment styles might include lace and may have several layers of different fabrics.
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Working With a Design Professional | Preparing to work with a Designer | Design styles
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House and Home Magazine- June 2004
Cloudy skies and spring showers couldn't dampen the spirits of home enthusiasts visiting Fenn Construction's 2004 Parade of Homes entry in The Province at Moss Side subdivision.
For the second year, builder Robbie Fenn partnered with designers June Jackson of Lifestyle Interiors and Stacey Davis of Davis Design Concepts to design, build and furnish a custom built home featured on the Capital Region Builders Association's annual spring tour.
Robbie's realtor, Susan Guerin and Company, originally introduced the trio of Robbie, June and Stacey.
The Province Lane home was Robbie's fourth Parade effort and the fifth Parade home collaboration for June and Stacey.
The finished 5,200 square-foot home has been a year in the making. Stacey says the team began working with the homeowners as soon as last year's Parade of Homes was completed. The owners wanted a "Tuscan" feel in the kitchen and an overall European theme throughout the home. The result is a spacious four bedroom, five-and -a-half bath house that features classic architectural details and an earth-toned color pallet with striking accents of crimson and green.
"We wanted this home to have a comfortable, relaxing look that the clients like," Stacey says. "I don't want houses that I work on to have a 'Stacey Davis' look and I don't want people to walk in and say, 'Stacey Davis decorated this house.' I want the house to reflect the owner. June and I have a good working relationship so we can really focus on the client."
Above the two-car garage and boat port is a private recreation room with a padded yoga floor and space for a pool table. A kitchenette and bathroom with standup shower make the area a mother-in-law suite option.
Also tucked away near the laundry room is a first floor guest suite. The bedroom is furnished with crimson red and grass green linens, window treatments and accessories designed by June. The guest suite bathroom can be entered through the bedroom or adjoining hallway. Near the guest suite is the downstairs gathering area-the kitchen, breakfast nook and keeping room. The three rooms create a dramatic open space ideal for entertaining family and friends in a casual setting. The kitchen boasts ample storage space in cabinets that have a "stippled" faux finish. The creamy Dijon color coordinates with the trim and wall colors used throughout the downstairs.
The focal point of the kitchen is an oversized, five-by-eight-foot granite-topped island. The island provides room for seating space and a small rinsing sink, a food-warming drawer and a wine cooler. Modern appliances and lighting in the kitchen came from Gorman Brothers of Prairieville.
The kitchen opens to a spacious keeping room and breakfast nook complete with built-in bookcases, cabinets, and computer desk area. A concealed TV cabinet is tucked away in the wall above the keeping room's fireplace.
A wall of windows in the breakfast nook floods the entire space with natural light and offers a picturesque view of the outdoor swimming pool by Ewing Aquatech. Davis Design Concepts and Lifestyle Interiors provided furnishings in all three areas. The custom-made antique cypress breakfast table was designed and built by Ricky Aguillard. The kitchen area leads to a short hallway with a powder room and staircase to the second floor landing. Upstairs are two bedrooms, two bathrooms, storage closets and a family room with a sink and built-in cabinets. A private, iron trimmed balcony overlooks the backyard and pool area.
Back downstairs, a cheetah print area rug served as inspiration for the living room's decor. Warm earth tones and bright accents highlight the furniture, artwork, accessories and window treatment.
June says it is her intention every year to design one 'wow' window treatment for the Parade of Homes. The window this year is in the living room. It is a fully functioning Austrian shade featuring her signature look---valance behind the draperies rather than in front. A chocolate brown silk valance with ribbon-fringe trim caps the shade. Framing the outer edges of the window are a pair of cream velvet drapes with chocolate brown "ruched " silk at the top and bottom.
At the front of the home, near the entry, a dining room and study featuring furniture by Four Corners Gallery and Ricky Aguillard finish the family living area of the home. Pat Travis, Stacey and June designed silk floral arrangements. June and Stacey provided accessories, lighting and window treatments in the rooms. Local artist Connie Chapman's original oil paintings are displayed throughout the home.
Tucked away in the back corner of the living area is the master suite. June describes the rooms' colors as "sea spray and truffle.” The look is cool and airy, with high ceilings and floor-to-ceiling windows allowing natural light to flow into the room. Bed linens, decorator tablecloths, and accent pillows and chairs subtly blend the pale blue and brown colors. Stacey says the color selection and appointments give the rooms a tropical 'oasis' feel.
The master bathroom carries out 'sea spray and truffles' theme, but in varying, lighter shades. June and Stacey selected Emperador dark natural marble for the bathroom counters, tub and shower accents. The same marble is used throughout the home on the fireplace surround, cocktail table top and as accents. Porcelain tile that resembles natural travertine was set on the diagonal and used in the shower, around the tub and on the bathroom floor. An added touch in the master bathroom is the shower-plumbing fixture. At least three separate shower nozzles spray water at bathers from the side walls and overhead.
With another Parade home complete, Robbie, Stacey and June can now look forward to collaborating for a third year, aiming to top their own efforts once again.
Article in Builders Niche- February, 2004
What is it about consulting an interior designer or decorator that will stop many consumers in their tracks? As silly as it may sound, for many people it all boils down to FEAR. Fear of what you may ask? Fear of the unknown, fear of hidden costs, even fear of the designer having a different agenda than that of the client. The issue of many people being hesitant to pick up the phone and ask for design help was one of the first conversations I ever had with Stacey Davis and June Jackson. Oddly enough I was very in touch with that emotion as we discussed it. I shared with them that I had always hesitated to contact a professional with respect to my own home for those very reasons. “What if the designer doesn’t understand my taste?” “What if the designer can only create in terms of his or her own preferences?” “I’m sure that the hourly fee would probably limit what I can actually spend on the necessaries for my interior.”
As I asked these questions out loud it dawned on me that Stacey and June were right - it was definitely a fear of the unknown that had always intimidated me regarding the design profession. “Chances are,” I told her, “some of our readers feel exactly the same way.” The dynamic duo of Stacey Davis and June Jackson takes the fear out of design consultation. Stacey, owner of Davis Design Concepts, and June, owner of Lifestyle Interiors, work together on many projects because their style and form compliment one another so well. These two extremely talented designers come together to offer you stress free, FEAR-free designing solutions for your home. After all, designing the interior of your home is more than just making it look nice. Ultimately, its about creating the environment in which you want to live. No one should take that process lightly.
Not only do you get more than twenty years of design expertise from this team, but no matter what your design challenges are Stacey and June are equipped to handle the challenge. The synergistic relationship between the two makes for seamless interior transformations. Each has their own expertise they bring to the table. Stacey’s expertise is in dealing with furniture placement, art and design. June’s talents lie in custom window and bedding design. The two overlap in procurement of rugs and furniture, as well as total project management of the design plan.
The magic begins as soon as Stacey and June meet with a client to get an idea of the client’s style, desired color scheme, budget and overall family lifestyle. From there, they then get to work with intense discussion and design possibilities for the space, playing off of each others expertise and knowledge of the client to come up with a truly fantastic design. At the finger tips of the designers are fabric swatches and catalogs to assist the customer in choosing products. This enables clients to choose furniture, rugs, accessories, art, window treatments and bedding all from one source with designer assistance.
But here’s the really cool part - Stacey and June have wholesale relationships worked out with numerous vendors and can offer clients every product at straight retail cost. “What does that mean exactly?”, I asked. What it means is that you get any item you choose for the exact same price you would get it for in a retail establishment - NO markup! “How much do you charge to do that?” I asked. “Nothing” they answered - “that’s just part of the service that we offer to the client.” So I can get an astounding design plan, I don’t have to do any legwork, I am paying the same price that I would pay if I had searched all over town for the item myself, and I’m not being charged a fee for their time. At my house we call that a ‘no-brainer’. Someone to do all of the planning, all of the work and my cost is the same as if I had tried to do it all on my own. That’s not a fearful proposition at all. That’s heaven.
June and Stacey also stated that they can do the whole home or a particular room that you might have in mind. They can work with you by getting an idea of how much you’d like to spend and what you’d like to accomplish; they can simply listen to your concept and give you an idea of what it might cost to bring that concept to life. In fact, they can even help you develop a concept if you have no idea where to begin. In this ‘total design’ approach June and Stacey take all required measurements and provide complete project supervision. Accurate scaled drawings are also done to vividly illustrate the anticipated furniture and rug layout, as well as sketches of window treatments. If you are looking for ease and convenience in addition to a complete design approach, these are your designers! They come to your home, listen to your needs and design your vision. Then they make that vision happen in the comfort of your home with ‘one stop’ shopping! Now that’s my definition of stress free, FEAR free design and whatever intimidation or hesitation I thought I might have has certainly been alleviated.
And as if their team success isn’t impressive enough, June and Stacey also stand alone in their own right with their individual areas of expertise. Each has their own clientele whose needs may be limited to one particular area of interior design. June maintains her customer base for custom window and bedding design and placement. Likewise, Stacey has her own clientele for art and accessories.
We had the pleasure of observing the brainstorming process that happens when these two get together. When Stacey Davis and June Jackson are hashing out a creative project, the ease in which concepts come together is fascinating. As they work their way through their notes and the client’s vision, they talk through the design in an almost seamless effort. I found it intriguing how they seem to complete the sentences of one another and grasp ideas that weren’t even verbalized completely. If you are at all like myself, if you’ve ever wondered about getting some help in making your ideas come to life or getting some help in just creating an idea at all - either or both of these professionals can start you off in the right direction. Give Stacey and June a call and let them help you get the process started. I’m here to tell you - you’ll be glad you did!
House & Home Magazine-June, 2003
No longer does limited square footage and lot size restrict opulent interiors, estate-style architecture and privacy. In recent years, new homes are laden with sophistication and style, as well as eye-catching detail. And a Parade house is Fair Oaks Estates is no exception. A high pitched roof and dormer windows give this single-story country French style house an added sense of grandeur. But it was the design and interior décor that kept guests on the Parade route mingling here a bit longer than necessary. Who could blame them? This home - just a bit larger than 3,100 square feet - revealed innovative design, sophisticated materials and luxurious home furnishings.
For the perspective homeowner, there were ideas galore. "We wanted to show how a fully-decorated house looks and feels," says interior decorator June Jackson of Lifestyle Interiors. "Many people never get to this point because of budget, time or desire. But if you really want to decorate a house down to the last detail, this is what it looks like. "June teamed up with colleague Stacey Davis of Davis Design Concepts to furnish and accessorize the home in Fair Oaks Estates. While June specializes in spectacular window treatments and bedding, Stacey focuses on innovative art and accessories. Both decorators offer advice on space planning and furniture placement, and they often collaborate for clients who want the whole package, right down to the detail of the kitchen hardware. "There is a fine line between enough and too much," says Stacey. "In the home at Fair Oaks, I used a few large pieces for impact instead of a lot of little accessories which create a cluttered look. We used a lot of silks and velvets as well as crystal mixed with wrought iron. When done right, the mixture is the best look there is - comfortable, but elegant.
"The four-bedroom house also featured special details such as high ceilings, custom cabinets, granite counter tops, stainless-steel appliances and more. Such details determined the luxurious décor. And builder Robbie Fenn - who typically builds much larger homes - incorporated grand-house style in his Parade home in Fair Oaks Estates. "A lot of people now are as interested in the visual appeal of the home as they are in the energy efficiency of the space," says Robbie, owner of Fenn Construction Company, Inc. "We approach each house with that in mind and consider the desires of the potential homeowner. "Apparently, the entire team that collaborated on the Fair Oaks Estate house knew the potential homeowner well. An offer was made on the house after the first weekend of visitors, and more offers were waiting in the wings if the first did not work out.
The sumptuous window treatments were included in the sale, and the new homeowners knew the full potential of the home by viewing the decorators' choices of furniture and accessories. "Every Parade house we've done has sold the first weekend," says Stacey, referring to her three-year collaboration with June. "Instead of viewing a vast space, people can actually imagine how furniture and accessories will fit into the room. And hopefully, by seeing our design, they will come away with new ideas that will inspire a fresh approach to home décor."
House & Home Magazine- June, 2002
Decade-long partnership still looking to the future. This is the tenth year builder Ken Montgomery has partnered with realtor Dolly McKenney to plan, design and construct a parade home in Santa Maria. They assembled a team that includes Andy McDonald of the Andy McDonald Design Group. Who created the design and floor plan of the four bedrooms, three-bath house. Dolly describes this year's entry as a country French design with many custom features - a French mud hood in the kitchen and a leather rolled finish in the foyer by Christine Leboeuf of Faux Creations. Christine did decorative painting throughout the home. Dolly says the intriguing foyer walls attracted much attention from parade-goers. "Everyone just had to touch them," she says. The leather technique involves us of a special roller, sheetrock mud and a three step painting process, explains Stacey Davis, who worked with Dolly and Ken to accessorize and decorate the home.
Stacey owns Davis Design Concepts and specializes in extensive interior design work. The custom range hood was mudded and then finished to look like natural stone banded by intricate tile work. Stacey says a mix of casual, comfortable design mixed with old world elegance appeals to many south Louisiana home buyers. "A lot of people walked in and said, 'this is it, this is what I want," she recalls. Stacey combined rich burgundy red, brown, olive and gold tones to highlight crystal, bamboo, silk and velvet accessories.
The house was completed with furniture and rugs by Cedar's Home Furniture, Cyrus Persian Rugs and the Royal Standard.
Window treatments and bedding in the roughly 3,000 square foot home were designed by June Jackson of Lifestyle Interiors. She worked with carefully selected silk and velvet fabrics, incorporating crystals in some of the details.
Another of the home's custom touches is the faux finished butler's pantry topped in solid marble. With what Dolly calls an "old French axis" stencil design, the pantry is easily mistaken for a piece of furniture. She also points out that the home has an additional walk-in pantry for food storage. In residential construction for more than 25 years, Ken has built 80 homes in Santa Maria.
His construction expertise and the incredible decorating by Stacey and June led to the sale of the parade home that first weekend. "The last people who looked at it that weekend, bought it," Dolly says with a laugh, admitting she was exhausted and ready to go home when they arrived. With this year's parade behind them, Ken and Dolly are already looking to the future. Following another success, Ken has purchased a lot for the 2003 event. "We are going to do it again next year in Santa Maria - the same team. In fact, they're opening a new filing in Santa Maria and five homes from the filing will be featured in next year's parade," Dolly says. "The parade really pays off for everyone involved."
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