Why custom window Treatments Are Expensive but worth the investment

via Decor By Demi

I often find myself overcoming objections from clients who don't see the need to invest in custom window treatments. The objections range from, “I already have blinds” to, “they are a dust magnet”, and the big one - “they are too expensive”.

Most homeowners don't understand the importance of custom window treatments in a well-designed room, or they assume that they are just an unnecessary expense. However, there are a few reasons that window treatments cost what they do, and the cost is very much in line with the quality of the product you will get. Let's look at a few of the reasons.

via Jenkins Interiors

fabric selection

Fabric is the biggest piece of the cost breakdown for custom window treatments. There is also the style chosen, hardware, labor and installation. Fabric type is very important to the way the treatment will look, and of course fabric choice directly affects the cost. A good quality fabric usually starts at around $50 per yard retail and can significantly go up from there.

via Dina Holland Interiors

window height

Consider what it takes to install two story drapery panels. It is a much bigger undertaking than most homeowners realize and therefore cost comes into question.

However, some brave installer has to get up on a ladder (or scaffolding) to install your new custom draperies. He has to have a vehicle big enough to transport a very large ladder. He has to have insurance. It will take a lot more time than lower windows and it requires specialized tools to ensure the hardware is properly secured to the walls. This will most definitely affect the cost.

Now of course retail drapes could always be an option. However, retail curtains can never be expected to do what custom draperies can. They are mass produced and only come in standard lengths with the largest measurement being 108". A two story window is probably going to be over 200"at least; with an average of about 216". Retail drapes also doesn't take into account that the wall and floor are never level and there has to be some tweaking onsite at installation.

via Camden Grace Interiors

window style

Some homeowners have complicated or unconventional windows. The more complicated the window, the more time and effort that goes into the design and fabrication, and naturally a bigger price tag.

For example, if you have a curved wall of windows or bay windows, that can add to the complexity in having to design a custom solution; which includes a custom rod designed to follow the curve of the wall. These are things that only an expert will notice and design around. And these are things that add to the cost of custom window treatments.

via Camden Grace Interiors

drapery style

There are lots of drapery styles to choose from; some more complicated than others. These days with more casual lifestyles, most homes call for simple drapery panels or maybe the addition of a top treatment like a box pleat valance or cornice board.

I love a layered look, so adding a shade beneath drapery panels is a great look. Of course the more layers you add, the more it will cost.

Cornice boards usually require precision cuts to create, and therefore a lot more time with labor at the workroom. Depending on the size and material, they can also be very heavy, which affects the cost of installation. Roman shades can also be time consuming to create, so labor and installation plays a major role in the cost of custom window treatments.

via Decor By Demi

 If you look at the rooms in your home and feel that something is missing, chances are you do not have custom window treatments. A well designed and executed window treatment can be the crown jewel in any room. Don't be deterred by the thought that it might be expensive!

We would love to come out and help you decide the best treatment and how much of an investment you can expect to make.

DBD Roundup: The Best Beige Paint Colors

Beige is currently making a come back after the grey frenzy. However, I’ve always preferred to paint walls a soft beige as the primary neutral and bring in color through things like a sofa, pillows, and decor accessories.

Finding that perfect balance is sometimes hard because a lot of beige paint colors tend to have a yellow, green, or pink undertone. Additionally, lighting in your room and the direction your room is facing will play a part in which undertone is more pronounced.

Remember to always swatch before committing. I usually swatch two coats on a large white poster board and tape them on the walls so I can observe them and move them around throughout the day.

Encycolorpedia is a great reference when it comes to choosing a paint color. Searching for a color will tell you everything you need to know, including color formula, LRV, close-matching paints from other brands, and more. 

Below are some pretty examples of beige done right. Enjoy!

Sherwin Williams wool skein

My family room-via Decor By Demi

Sherwin Williams Accessible Beige

via Maine Cabinet Company

sherwin Williams Natural Linen

via Simplee DIY

Sherwin Williams Shiitake

via Sherwin Williams

Sherwin Williams kilim beige

via Sherwin Williams

Sherwin Williams Canvas Tan

via HGTV

Benjamin Moore Manchester Tan

via Postcards From the Ridge

Benjamin Moore Natural Linen

via Pinterest

Benjamin Moore Shaker Beige

via Jenna Kate at Home

I hope you found this post helpful! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions.

My Top 6 Chinoiserie Accessories to Incorporate in Your Home

Design: Decor By Demi

If you've followed me for a while, you may be aware of my love for chinoiserie. In almost every room I have completed, I have incorporated some element of the enduring classic of chinoiserie in one form or another.

The word chinoiserie is a French word. It is a style in art reflecting Chinese influence through use of elaborate decoration and intricate patterns. The motif is often a reflection of Europeans’ imagination of the way they envisioned life in the far east.

Often scenes depicted back then were fanciful and whimsy; with Chinese people in elaborate costumes. Animals like monkeys and dragons were included in the sceneries; along with pagodas and fretwork.

The motifs that are popular now are more graceful with birds, flowers and Chinese scenes. You can read more about the modern chinoiserie look here.

Now that we’ve covered the basics, here are some chinoiserie accessories you can incorporate into your home!

1. Wallpaper

Source

Wallpaper has made a significant comeback and there are tons of chinoiserie styles to choose from. This one requires a commitment, so you must love it to go this route. Not only is it a bold statement, but it can also be a significant investment.

2. framed wallpaper panels

Source

If you’re not quite ready to commit to wallpaper, these panels are a great way to incorporate chinoiserie. These framed panels are also less expensive than wallpaper.

3. pillows

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Chinoiserie pillows create a major impact with a low investment. The strong pattern works well with other patterns, such as geometric prints.

Check out some great options from one of my favorite Etsy sources, TrendyNest.

4. ginger jars

Design: Decor By Demi

Ginger jars are my obsession and adding them into a vignette is absolutely necessary. To keep a clean and modern look; always place the ceramics in a grouping for display. This is a great way to incorporate chinoiserie in small doses.

Ginger jars are pretty popular and are very easy to find. The Enchanted Home is a great resource for ginger jars.

5. antiques and reproductions

Source

I love an interior space that feels storied and collected over time. Antiques are a great way to achieve that authentic feel in your home. Incorporating pieces in the Chinese Chippendale style is a great way to incorporate chinoiserie.

Chairish and 1st Dibs are great resources to find chinoiserie accessories online. Also check your local antique stores and Facebook Marketplace. You’ll need to act fast though since these are usually one of a kind items.

6. Mirrors

Source

Mirrors are a great way to incorporate chinoiserie. The more ornate the style, the better. Placing these mirrors in a dining room or entryway to showcase their details would look great.

Now that you have 6 great ways to incorporate chinoiserie in your home, what will you be starting with?

Lighting Edition II: Kitchen Pendants

Go big or go home. This is my philosophy when it comes to kitchen lighting; especially when using pendants over an island.

Below I’ve rounded up some of my top picks for kitchen pendants. Enjoy!

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1. Osterville Pendant | 2. Piedmont 4 Light Pendant | 3. Precision Large Pendant | 4. Scallop Pendant | 5. Margot Double Shade Pendant | 6. Nichols Pendant | 7. Caddo Lantern | 8. Eugene Pendant | 9. Grosvenor Pendant

These pendants are also great options for a breakfast area. If you need help selecting a pendant based on your ceiling height and island measurements, be sure to contact me to get started with a Decorator By Your Side consultation.

Be sure to “pin” the image below for reference later.

Client Chronicles: Furniture Fees

Let’s face it; most consumers don’t take the time to create a design budget when decorating a home. More than likely, homeowners tend to shop as they go when it comes to furnishing a space. This can lead to most people spending large sums of money over time without a real plan and without knowing the true costs of furnishings.

On the flip side of that are those homeowners who decide that the process of furnishing a home is overwhelming and decide to hire an interior designer. When clients are then presented with the design budget, most often receive sticker shock. Why is that? Because they haven’t factored in other fees besides the cost of the furniture itself into the overall budget. These fees are what I like to call “silent fees”. Although silent, they are very important and go hand in hand with furniture costs. Seriously, your furniture cannot be delivered without them!

Let’s discuss the furniture delivery process below.

Sales Tax

Sales tax is inevitable and will be applied to your furnishings. Unless you live in one of the 5 states that doesn’t impose a sales tax rate. Most consumers and clients alike are aware of this silent fee but sometimes forget to factor into their overall cost.

Shipping/Freight Fees

In the world of ‘Amazon Prime’ and ‘free 2-day shipping’, consumers sometimes forget that nothing is actually ‘FREE’ and there are human hands doing a lot of behind the scenes work. Whether you shop retail or purchase trade-only furnishings through a designer, shipping and freight fees will be included.

Retailers are able to purchase furnishings at a much lower cost due to volume. This allows retail stores to hide the costs and fees associated with shipping, freight and receiving in those prices; making consumers believe they are receiving a great deal.

However; most interior design firms, including Decor By Demi, do not operate at the same volume as retail stores. As a result, I do not receive volume discounts and cannot cover the costs associated with shipping & delivery.

So you need to get your furniture from Point A to B, right? This is where freight comes into play and what the process looks like.

When you make a furniture purchase from a manufacturer, that furniture ships via a freight service; which is a very large semi truck that brings your items across the country. Freight line carriers (big semi trucks) are the ONLY method manufacturers use to ship furniture. Sorry, but there is no way to Fed Ex a sofa to your doorstep!

Most consumers that have purchased through a retail store never see the freight charge because its usually hidden in the full retail price. However; when you work with a designer this fee is generally included as a line item in the design budget.

Those freight line carriers then drop your goods at a receiving warehouse, which is a place that has either a loading dock or a forklift and a team of people to unload that truck.

receiving fees

Upon arrival at the receiving warehouse, all items are:

• Unloaded from the truck and “received” against a manifest and logged into inventory. Any item with visible damage to packaging will be refused.

• Every item is then unwrapped, unboxed or uncrated & thoroughly inspected for damage, imperfections or defects within 48 hours of arrival.

• Any damaged items or imperfections discovered once unboxed/unwrapped are notated (Note: there is always damages). The warehouse then notifies the interior decorator and he/she works on the back end to rectify any issues with the manufacturer. In the case of retail, the consumer would be notified by the retailer that their item would be delayed due to damages.

• Any pieces that need to be assembled will be put together.

• Approved furniture is then re-wrapped, re-boxed or re-crated until its time for your install. If the original packaging is deemed insufficient, the warehouse will blanket wrap the item using their own materials instead.

As you can see, there is a lot of hard work that goes into this. I must note there are some receiving warehouses that use special inventory management software that allows them to take photos of every item. Each photo is assigned a bar code and with a press of a button, it can provide details about that piece and where it is located in the warehouse.

white glove delivery fees

Next up is delivery and install of your furniture! All of your beautiful brand new furniture will be removed from storage, loaded and secured into either a box truck or trailer (or both). This will take at least 2 guys, a forklift and some serious muscle. They have a pain staking process to ensure your furniture is not damaged on this last leg of the journey.

Then they hit the road and once at their destination, they start to unload the truck and un-wrap all of the furniture. They wear protective booties & gloves while in your home and handling your new furniture to ensure they don’t get anything dirty while they are sweating away doing the hard stuff. They place all your items and once done, they take all the packaging with them to their dump trailer and pay disposal fees to dispose of everything.

Note: if you’re working with an interior designer, white glove delivery is standard practice with a full service project. In the world of retailers, this service may be an add-on. Of course if you choose not to pay for the additional service, your furniture is placed at your doorstep and you’re responsible for placing it, unpacking, assembly and disposal.

As you can see, there is tremendous value in these “silent” fees. If you’ve only purchased from a traditional retailer, you’ve never really seen the process from start to finish because these fees are hidden in the retail price.

So don’t be alarmed when working with an interior decorator; these fees are not something extra that has been created as an “option”. There are real people, running a real business, with significant operating costs behind these fees. It’s a service we cannot live without; literally we can’t get furniture to you without them!

Client Chronicles: Spending Money on Home Decor Without a Plan

It happens more often that you can imagine; homeowners who make a huge investment into purchasing a home and then skimp on furnishing it. Well let me back up. They are spending money on furnishings however; they are spending money without a real plan, and they are usually not very happy with the results. Their home tends to feel unfinished and lack cohesiveness.

What is the reason behind this? I’m sure most people know what they like and usually end up buying those things.

However, I think the key issue in understanding this is that most homeowners don’t consider the difference between spending money versus investing in your home.

Spending

Spending means that you are typically just “shopping” without any real plan. No space planning, no color scheme or style direction has been determined, no budget has been developed. You are simply impulse buying based on what you see while you are out, or shopping online on any given day. Typically these are items that retailers are showcasing based on the fact that they appeal to the masses, and obviously no thought is given to your unique needs.

This type of spending is “catalog decorating” which is buying trendy items that are just filling your space with no real thought or purpose.

Sure, the little knick knacks in Homegoods seem inexpensive, until you have a whole bunch of them sitting in a closet somewhere and you are unsure where and how to place them. Or that inexpensive chair may have seemed like a great buy until it starts to show age after only a year of use.

Spending money on items in the moment may make you feel as if you’re making progress. However; doing this often leads to a space that frustrates you and makes you unhappy. You’re really moving backwards in reality. You will quickly find that you have spent money on things that don't move you any closer to your goal of a beautiful and functional home.

Investing

Investing, on the other hand usually means that the items selected for your home are meant to bring value. The value can simply be that you get to enjoy the items as part of a well appointed space, or it could be the actual financial value because of the quality of the items.

Investing usually means that you or a decorating professional you are working with have carefully planned the space and curated all the items to fit just right. So the space feels great and functions well, and of course looks beautiful! Thought is given to scale, harmony, color, textures, balance, functionality, lifestyle needs and more.

Hiring a decorator seems like an expensive proposition initially. But working with a professional means you receive an entire, well-laid out plan upfront; including all the layers to make it beautiful and all the costs involved. You cannot compare that with buying in bits and pieces. Because buying in bits and pieces feels like you’re not spending a lot of money. However; when you add everything up over time, you soon realize you’ve spent more than you thought AND you’re not any closer to the look you truly desire.

With a decorator’s involvement in your investment; you can see the big picture from the start and you can even request revisions to the plan. Additionally, if you choose to execute that plan on your own, you can then purchase items as budget allows over time; but you have a plan. That is a much smarter investment into your home!

Another benefit to investing in your home is being able to enjoy things that are familiar to you everyday. No overuse of trends. Trends have a place, but only in small doses. A decorating professional will think way beyond the here and now, and truly take into account how you plan to live in the future.

At Decor By Demi, my goal is to curate a home that is authentic to you and tells YOUR story. One of my first goals is to start with things you already own. I love mixing antiques with new pieces. I also love incorporating bold color and patterns; I’m not afraid to take your space outside of the status quo of what everyone else is doing. Your home is for you and not everyone else; curating your idea of livable luxury is what I do best!

So before you think it is too expensive to hire a decorator, think about how you plan to spend whatever budget you have set aside for your project. Think about whether this is something you can afford to make a mistake on. Think about what it really costs to get a decorator involved versus going it alone.

If you are confident in your skills, go for it. If you are hesitant or feeling overwhelmed, contact me and let’s get started!

Tory Burch Inspired Office

I can’t express how much I love this office! The bullion fringe sofa, the blue and white ceramic plates, the paneled walls. This space perfectly captures my design aesthetic: a traditional interior but with a younger and brighter style.

In honor of all things Tory Burch decor, I decided to create a similar concept moodboard inspired by her gorgeous office.

1. Bullion Sofa-One Kings Lane| 2. Antelope Rug-One Kings Lane| 3. Pompidou Side Tables-OKA| 4. Antique Oil Painting-Maks Art Gallery| 5. Chinoiserie Blue & White Plates- 1st Dibs| 6. Scalamandre Lumbar Pillow-Etsy| 7. Gold Cocktail Table-Chairish| 8. Blue & White Lamps-Houzz

Client Chronicles: The Actual Design Budget Versus What You Would Like To Spend

Today we’re talking about the taboo subject of money…

Having a conversation about money can be an awkward situation. However; its important to discuss the budget upfront with clients throughout the design process for transparency sake and to manage expectations in the beginning. There is a huge difference in what a design budget is and what a client would like to spend. They are usually not the same thing.

Generally when the question is posed about a client’s budget or potential investment, the client will throw out a number. Usually there isn’t any research behind this number in terms of what things actually cost; it’s just a number that the client feels comfortable giving or spending.

When the number is provided, it can set the tone for the rest of the conversation and can sometimes stifle the creativity process. What do I mean? This number can suppress the grand ideas and creative range of your project.

However; this is where a good designer will help educate a client about what an actual budget should be and set clients' expectations.

I understand that clients don’t manage budgets frequently; but I do. I understand that clients rarely go shopping for a turn-key full service project layered with all the bells and whistles of beautiful furnishings, fabrics, window coverings, accessories and styling; but I do. I realize that most clients don't think about all the hands that touch their products; from the artisans, factory workers, freight carriers, receivers, and delivery people; but I do. Finally, I know that clients don't have the resources, skillset, knowledge and abilities to bring it all together; but I do.

So when the budget conversation is broached, it is to have an open and honest dialogue; to get the client’s thoughts about what the project will cost out in the open. My goal as your interior designer is not to spend your last dime or to disregard the amount you have to spend. However; I also would be doing a grave disservice to you if I took that number, which is usually much lower than it should be, and try to create a space that will not be its best.

I like to educate my clients as much as possible on what the “real number” should be. Now if this ideal budget truly isn’t in the client’s range, then we can discuss reducing the scope of work, phasing out a project to only include one or two rooms at a time, possibly providing an eDesign Only Consultation that allows the client to implement the design themselves, or it may mean consulting with me on an as-needed basis through my Decorator By Your Side services and only pay for that time. I’m all about flexibility. It really boils down to assisting clients with the best use of their money while still providing a beautiful design. I’m a consumer too so I get it. I want to make sure I’m spending my money on things that will make the biggest impact in my home in a good way.

The flip side of this awkward money conversation coin entails how designers make money. Curious? Well, I’m happy to discuss. We are a business too plain and simple. As designers we make sure every item we select for clients work perfectly for your aesthetic and functional needs. But we are also the retailer that you purchase your furnishings from. So like every other retailer, we make a profit as well.

Designers have expenses just like any other business. So part of how we create revenues for ourselves is that we sell the very same products that we present to clients during the design phase. Instead of collecting a design fee, creating a design and then handing it to clients to go do it on your own; we also bring clients the convenience of purchasing and managing the products for you, even using the services of receivers and white glove delivery personnel.

This part of the design process works very much the same way as any retailer and should come as no surprise. Just like your local PB or RH stores of the world. Essentially, we buy at the lowest price we can and sell at a fair price below retail. This means that you the consumer saves money from retail costs and we make a bit for the health of our business. It’s a win/win.

I enjoy what I do however, this is not a hobby for me. Sometimes there are clients that may see it as that and don’t respect the fact this is a business and I should be able to make a profit on the products that I sell. Any business that wants to be sustainable is all about investing back into itself. This is achieved by increasing your skillset through education, attending industry events (High Point Market), hiring employees, etc. All of these things cost money. But you need to make money first.

Alright, enough of all this money talk!

The next time you decide to call in a designer for your home project, be open to the budget question and understand that he/she will have a better grip on what your project will cost than you. Keep in mind that you are paying us for the grand visions, ideas and skills that you don't have, and therefore clients should allow their respective designer to be creative and bring those ideas to the table without limitations.

Surely the budget in some cases will be more than clients want to spend. At that point decisions can be made about what to remove or find alternatives to get closer to what you have to spend, while still maintaining the integrity of the design. It should always be an open conversation, and a good designer should be flexible enough to make changes and meet clients where they are. It should never be a point of contention, and no, you have not hired the wrong designer if they are bringing you brilliant ideas with a price tag to match.

Be sure to keep an open mind and have fun!