Who is Your Favorite Decorator?

[artielange]

Duane, for some reason I had not seen this comment of yours until today. I'm blushing! I had so much fun choosing everything for the new house and it really was quite a luxury be able to purchase so many Hancock & Moore pieces for the house. You made everything so seamless even with the little hitches that we had with out of stock leathers or confused deliveries. While I in no way feel like a professional decorator, I would like to offer a few of the key points that made my house come together--

1. There is SO much information available on this forum, Gardenweb, and the internet as a whole. Take the time to study it. The good, the bad, the high priced, the lesser... Develop a keen eye for the "look" that appeals to you.

2. Have an overall theme in mind for your project. In my case I imagined that our house had been my grandparents lake house and I was updating it while still remaining true to it's roots. Sometimes I would find an individual item that I liked but careful editing kept me on track! I was also careful to keep our lake home truly decorated like a "home" instead of a theme park.

3. Appreciate quality and use it for the major pieces. I also think it's better to buy preowned American casegoods rather than new imported pieces. Craigslist and Ebay can be perfect for this!

4. Accessories can be found anywhere -- T.J. Maxx, Ebay, local artisans, outdoors...

5. Study the decor in Architectural Digest. While the design may not be your particular taste, it will aid in developing an eye for putting things together. Then you can find these small accents in many locations.

6. Work with the best people. Do not give your business to companies with poor responsiveness. Customer service may be of great importance later on.

7. Give local stores a chance but do not be afraid to purchase major items from distant sources.

8. LOVE everything that you choose!