Virtual Decorating or E-Design 

I have completed this type of decorating with numerous clients who have moved out of state before the Pandemic arrived.  So this is not a new process for me.

Normally,  a decorating consultation for a room is completed in a couple of hours.  Virtual Decorating (e-Design) takes longer, so patience is necessary on both our parts. How do I know it takes longer?  Because I've done it LOTS of times!!  (And More since the Pandemic occurred!

Even though this takes longer, my rates are the same- my wish is that you have the home of your dreams!  

SCROLL to the BOTTOM of this PAGE for The Virtual Decorating Process and Questions and Answers.

210-988-0366

Decorating an Ohio Sun Porch after moved to Texas (March 2021)

I have never met this client in person.  A couple of good friends had used my services and recommended me to her.  Funny thing, this client had even given my services as a gift to one of her friends before contacting me.

She was stumped.  Didn't know what to do with this room to make it work for her.  She knew what she wanted to do in the room. She knew how she wanted it to feel. Just couldn't figure out how to make this long, narrow space work.  

She sent pictures, of course, I needed measurements.  I needed more pictures of the rooms right off the sun porch because the sun porch is an extension of home.  It needed to flow and be cohesive with the rest of the house.

She then sent a video and walked me through the family room and kitchen.  Before talking with her, I began creating/experimenting with some ideas for layout.  I had figured out already for the size of the room and depth of furniture, it wouldn't work to have furniture for comfort as she wanted.  But she could have a comfortable banquette for lounging and watching TV, or having cocktails with friends, or having friends over for her boys. And then I had a chance to see the video.    And once I looked at the video, oh no, she already had a banquette in her kitchen.  Would she want another one?

The only thing she said when I presented the layout "I don't know why I didn't think of that, when I already have one." 

I gave her detailed measurements for the banquette so it was comfortable to recline, and just not to sit. 

Decorating a Naples vacation home for Client who lives in Ohio

I had worked with this client many, many years ago (10+?).  She felt comfortable reaching out to me because she knew how I worked.  She lives in Central Ohio and they had just purchased a vacation home in Naples Florida.   So the first thing I had her do, was measure everything.

She knew how she wanted it to look, so she provided me with a lot of information.  Most of our coorepondence was via email.  It made it easier since she worked in the medical field. 

She wanted to have a lot of family there to visit. She needed a lot of seating.  They loved to play games. You get the picture, she want something light, fun, and airy!

So, there were multiple back-and-forth email exchanges for ideas.  Then, we figured out where to purchase her furniture, and how to take delivery.  Easy-peasey... I worked with one of my local contacts  some of the major pieces of furniture.  

And, oh, yes we did put wallpaper in the foyer!  I always have some "out there" .... a way for the client to have something unique and give them  something they hadn't thought about.

Well, her daughters, her husband absolutely LOVE the place.  They had their first Thanksgiving about 6 months after purchase (and by the way, there is a lot of delay happening right now with anything to do with the home, so patience is important in this area also), still missing a few pieces.  

And, amazingly enough, right before leaving for Texas, she had me come back to her home in New Albany to work on one more room. This was driven by her teenage daughters to PLEASE do something about their family room - they loved Florida so much, the wanted to love their Ohio home.

Virtual Decorating a Lake House 

This client bought their lake house about a year ago.  They stay there most of the summer and plan to retire there in the near future.

She hates when she's there. They have tested many colors of gray on the walls.... because her 30 something kids say that's the way to go. But she hates gray.  

One thing I warn clients about: trending colors are not always what you need.  Because we all have a color palette that we are drawn to.... always.  A color must make you feel happy in you home. 

Another decision she needed to make was what to do with the carpeting.  Should she run the wood from the entry all the way through or change out to new carpeting.  

A couple of things she said she wanted was light and airy.  She wanted it to feel relaxing.  She wanted neutral colors.  No silver or gray.

The first thing I pointed out was the railing is very distracting- it doesn't fit in with the neutral colors she is desiring.  So the railings will be sanded and stained a light beige.  There is also too much wall and we need to break that up with some texture. So the wall the fireplace is on with have shiplap with a whitewash.

The flooring was too orange and it clashed with the countertops in the kitchen.  So, I recommended the flooring be all new wood with a softer color. 

And the colors will be a vary pale teal color.  

With these few changes, she will now have the Lake House she loves to go to visit... and eventually retire in it.

Virtual Decorating a small Condo- giving a kitchen a facelift

This is for a 20 something young man.  The kitchen is dark and needs a facelift.  The budget is small for this kitchen update.   We are going to work with the hunter green tile flooring.  He has a dog, and the door at the end of the kitchen will be the point of entry for the dog.

He wants it lighter and brighter.  White upper cabinets and white lower cabinets didn't make sense for a dirty dog to pass through the space.  So we decided on a green lower cabinet with the white upper cabinets.  A sage backsplash laid in an unexpected pattern using subway tile.  And, of course, the lighting needs to be improved.

It didn't take much to update this kitchen.

Virtual Decorating for a Client moving to Columbus from out of state

This family was moving from New England to Ohio.  Right in the middle of the Pandemic. She didn't want anyone in her house.  And she was extremely stressed because she had some of her furniture, but not all of it.  And the house just didn't feel good.

So I did a layout of furniture for 4 rooms; the Hearth room, the Living Room, the Lower Level Family Room and the daughter's bedroom (27 year old).  She really doesn't like everything that she has, but doesn't want to buy.  The furniture needed balancing in all of the rooms.  I provided her with the hand drawn layout.  And she wanted a plan to purchase new furniture as soon as possible.  

The top picture is the layout of furniture for the future when she purchases new pieces.  She was also given pictures of the pieces to purchase (not included here).

And, just how does the decorating process start?  Finding out your needs, wants, wishes, first.  Then I need pictures of the room (this was taken off of the listing for the house, and the floors are stained a beautiful brown and the walls are a light gray now.).   I color code the areas that I need measured so I can start laying out the furniture. 

Normally, a room is completed in a couple of hours.  Virtual Decorating can take a couple of days to get the proper combination of furniture and colors.

• Exterior paint color Selection 
• Decorating a room
• Selecting new accessories
• Rearranging a room 
• Selecting Interior Paint colors
• Selecting flooring
• Anything normally performed during an at-home decorating consultation

• Patience
• Measuring tape
• Paper
• Pencil
• Phone that takes pictures and can video record your room if needed (not to worry, I can walk you through this if needed).
• The ability to email any pictures
• Skype, Messenger, Facetime Zoom, or any way we can talk face to face (if we need to-even though I really prefer it )
• Any inspirational pictures you have saved of things you likes,
• Again, patience 
  
• Did I say Patience? (Why the redundancy?  I can do a lot of sharing face-to-face, this takes time between schedules, etc)

How does the Virtual Decorating Process work?

IMPORTANT NOTE: Every home and circumstance is different. You may get more than what is listed below or less, or, even something not even listed. BUT........Know for sure you will always have detailed plan to implement as well as unlimited assess through email to me. And we will keep on going until you LOVE your Decorated room.

• Full payment is required to begin the process.
• Most times measuring is the first step.  Not to worry, you will have easy directions  on what needs measured from me.  
• If you want to use anything you already have and love, let me know. You will be measuring these items, also.   If you have something you're on the fence about, it could look very different in a different layout, please be open minded.  And consider, if you're on the fence bout a piece, ask yourself this: "If I was out shopping right now, would I purchase it again?"
• At some point in time, questions will be asked. BUT DON'T BE AFRAID to tell me you wants, needs, etc. for a room at any time.
• Next, I could have you video a room or take pictures of your room- every situation is different. I may have you send inspiration pictures of items/rooms you love. Some people know what they want while others don't know. 
• Some people want email. Some people want phone calls. And some people want face-to-face conversations (ugg, I hate putting on makeup, but for you, I will do it! ) We'll schedule that time after the information is received from you.
• After all the information is gathered, then I will spend time creating the decorating Plan for you. This will include the size of the items, the colors,  and then the Mood Board (picture board) of what you are looking for. This is a lot of back and forth.  And, remember, this is not about me!  Tell me if you don't like something... it is easily changed.  There are millions of decorating solutions.
• When we're finished with the decorating process, you could be out shopping and find something you love and not sure about it. No problem, email me a picture and I'll let you know if it works or not.  

Questions and Answers about Virtual Decorating

What to expect? This is your show!  You will be telling me your needs, wants, wishes and desires are. No set format- it's about you! You will be taking pictures. And sometimes I need a video to really understand an area.

Do you want to reuse anything in the room? Do you want everything new? Favorite colors?   What are your favorite things you want worked into the room (they may not be in that room)? What do you want the room to say about you? And most important, how do you want to feel when you are in the room? 

How long from beginning to end?  Once I receive pictures from you, I will mark what needs measured and return the pictures to you.  From there, since I'm pretty sure you have a life, as well as I do…and we are working around our lives, it could be within 24 hours of receiving the measurements that everything is completed or as long as a week. Why would it take so long? We could be back and forth on styles of things; me bouncing off of you different items.

What if I don’t like what you’ve shown me? Tell me. It’s a process. And I will find what you like. Remember, this is your show. 

How do I find the items you’ve shown me?  When we have finalized everything you like, I put all the pictures on a Design Board. The Design Board will include the link to each item.   Sometimes we don’t find the exact thing (furniture- and I want you sitting on upholstered pieces before purchasing!), but you’ll know what you’re looking for.

How do I know the colors, the sizes of what I need?  Everything is typed up on a Design Plan.  From ceiling to floor, as well as how high to hang things. Paint samples are ordered that are about 8” by 8.”   If we have not found the exact piece you need, such as upholstered pieces, you will have the measurements.

What if I find something different from what was on the original plan and I’m not sure it will work?  Great, sometimes, by accident you run into something in a store that catches your eye.  Just email me a picture, and I’ll let you know if it works with your room plans.