The Decorating Voice

The School of Home Staging

I don’t know about you but I’m feeling as though this is the longest summer ever!
It’s taken me a few years of living in Florida to even begin to get used to the heat and humidity let alone the timing of the school holidays in the USA. 
In England some of the schools are only just finishing for the summer, they don’t return until September for fall semester.

What doesn’t change is the sigh of relief that reverberates across the land as the front door closes on the children returning to school. I love my children dearly but, when they were younger,  I must confess to collapsing on the sofa with a coffee on their first day back, surveying my living room and wondering how long it would take to stop it looking like a tornado had blown through it.

Back to School, Budget 101!

We’re going back to school, so here’s a history lesson for the heart of a decorator!  Grade school history would have been much more interesting if they’d only included more stories like this one.  This true story is a cautionary reminder for those of us who have a passion for making all things bright and beautiful.  The adoring wife of our 16^th President was determined to make their brief stay in our nation’s capital as personal and comfortable as possible for her family.  That of course is what most women want, right?  The power of the nesting instinct! Congress appropriated a generous allowance of $20,000 to Mrs. Lincoln, so that she could get the executive mansion just the way she wanted it. 

 

 

Marketing Tips for a Decorating/Home Staging Business

Celebrating the "Back to School" Season

The 3 R's of Marketing Your Business

With our great Society of Decorating Professional’s conference of “learning” upon us, I thought that I would share my thoughts on Marketing. To me the 3 R’s are the Marketing foundation of my business. If you are just starting out and feel overwhelmed perhaps these 3 R’s can help you to build your Marketing. For those of you who are “seasoned” share with us your foundation principles. I am ALWAYS looking for new ways to improve my business and eager to learn new strategies. In the Interior Redesign, Decorating and Home Staging business world I believe that we are “plowing the field”. I believe that The Society of Decorating Professionals are setting the pace, laying the foundation.

How to Become A Decorator?

How can I start a decorating business like yours?  I get asked this question more at this time of year than any other time of year; often it’s after the kids are back to school. Perhaps it’s your last child off to college, or in high school, or even as a first grader that you find  time on your hands to do what you really desire… to decorate.  My answer is always the same go to The SDP and find a trainer.   

Decorating Lesson-Beautiful Room 101

Wow, I love what I do! Thirty years of creating beautiful homes and teaching others to do the same, never gets boring for me.  I walk into a room and my hands start to itch with eagerness to honor the room and help it realize its true potential. Many of my clients have been around so long, I am beginning to work with the third generation. What an honor to be passed on from Grandma to Mom, to the children.

This last month I have had the pleasure of making selections for a dorm room for the daughters of an old client. The fun thing was while we worked as a team on this project, Mom was inspired to give her own home a new look. "Why,' she said, "should my daughters be the only ones who get a new space?" But before we got started with her new look in her home, she wanted to play student herself.  Time for a lesson in Decorating 101.

Decorating Lesson-Beautiful Room 101

Wow, I love what I do! Thirty years of creating beautiful homes and teaching others to do the same, never gets boring for me.  I walk into a room and my hands start to itch with eagerness to honor the room and help it realize its true potential. Many of my clients have been around so long, I am beginning to work with the third generation. What an honor to be passed on from Grandma to Mom, to the children.

This last month I have had the pleasure of making selections for a dorm room for the daughters of an old client. The fun thing was while we worked as a team on this project, Mom was inspired to give her own home a new look. "Why,' she said, "should my daughters be the only ones who get a new space?" But before we got started with her new look in her home, she wanted to play student herself.  Time for a lesson in Decorating 101.

The Society of Decorating Professionals Annual Conference

Prospecting for Gold in the Wild, Wild, Wild West
August 6-8, 2008

It's not too late.  I just had a good friend sign up, after we talked about why it was important to go and the benefits you'll get in two days.

If you are serious about growing your business, or interested in learning more about the business of decorating and staging you will want to attend this conference.  Not only will you learn how to grow your business, but it's a chance for you to meet other decorators and stagers just like yourself that are hungry for more.

Interior Decorating with mirrors over mantels

Wow! Can you tell I am new at blogging?  I forgot to submit my name!

Beth Batke

Interior Decorating with mirrors over mantels

I was interested in Marlene's piece about what a mirror reflects.  The mantel looked so much better in her "after" photo!

Recently I was working in a beautiful new home with large rooms and high ceilings.  My client had placed a large round mirror above the fireplace and had done so because she had a big empty space and knew something needed to go there.  The mirror, although attractive and large enough to fill the space, just didn't add much warmth to her room.  And even though the reflection in the mirror was not a bad one (part of a pretty stairwell),  it still left the viewer a little cold and did nothing to enhance the lovely room.