A challenging project

I've been working on a very challenging project recently.  My client is updating several rooms in her house: her kitchen and keeping room, painting her dining room and master bedroom, purchasing some new furniture and lighting, and transforming her little girl's nursery into a 'big girl' room.  It's a fairly large project since so many rooms are being touched and it involves the coordination of several tradespeople: painter, trim carpenter, electrician, plumber, tile installer, countertop installer, etc.  There are lots of decisions to be made on styles and color, and it must work well with her existing furniture and paint colors. 

What makes it even more difficult is that my client keeps changing her mind.  She can't decide on what she wants.  We start to go in one direction (warm, cozy, deep colors) and then the next day she wants to go in the complete opposite direction (light, bright, lots of cool colors).  As soon as I think we have it all figured out, the rules have changed: there's more money in the budget (or less), the selections we decided upon are out-of-stock / in-stock / overstocked / sold / too light / too dark / too cheap / too expensive / too brown / too grey / too 'too'.   She's also extremely hard to get a hold of - she works full time and has two young kids, and the only time we ever get a chance to discuss the project is either late in the evening or squeezing in some time on the weekends. 

On top of all this, she wants to get it done by Christmas.  She has family coming in for the holidays and wants to get the work done and the house decorated by December 17th or so.  She's even considering hosting a neighborhood Christmas party at her house on the 18th.  

I have been blessed with so many wonderful, easy-going, decisive clients in my career.  Many of them have become friends.  I am generally not one to complain about about a client (especially someone who may read this blog!)  So why (you may ask), am I venting my frustrations with this client in such a wide and public forum as the internet?  Well, you see, it's because this difficult client. . . . is ME. 

So to all of my wonderful clients and future clients out there - I feel your pain.  I know it's hard to make all the decisions and commit to the budget and write all of the checks and have your house turned upside down for weeks on end.  I understand how disappointing it is when the perfect fabric has been discontinued, or that antique bench is just 2 inches too long for the space.  But in the end, your home will be put back together.  The colors and fabrics and lighting and furniture will be beautiful and you will love - love - coming home every night to your comfortable haven.

Well the painter will be here on Thursday, so at last there's no turning back.  I know that it's going to look great and I can't wait to share the before and after pictures with you!

Thanks for reading,

Bronwyn

Recently spotted . . .

. . . in the October issue of Charlotte Magazine!  Check out the photo of me with my beautiful and talented designer friends Julie Boyd and Katie Harrell Hoffman at the Thom Filicia event earlier this summer:

Photo courtesy of Charlotte Magazine

We had such a good time that night.  Thanks again to High Cotton Home for hosting us for the fun event!