Design Is Where The Heart Is

 I've been extremely busy, to say the least!  I've been working on a new design project and, quite frankly, it consumes the brain.  It's a home addition that will increase the square footage of this house by over 50%!  ... new kitchen, new formal dining room and new master suite.  The ceiling height of the home addition has been raised with 30 feet of sliding glass doors topped with fixed glass panels over-looking the newly designed pool area.  It's extremely exciting, as if you can't tell by the tone of this post. :-) I love that I live in the error of HGTV because I get to see other people's ins/outs of home remodeling and addition projects.  For the most part, the client no longer lives in the dark about what this overwhelming "process" is all about and even understands how to make a significant contribution that can potentially lead to significant cost savings. However, there is still a reasonable amount of behind-the-scenes activities that are NOT shown in a 30 minute episode. I don't get to do projects very often but when I do, it reminds me all over again how deeply I love the field of design.  If you take a quick moment and look around....design affects EVERY SINGLE THING in our daily lives....not only our home but our workspace, our personal possessions, the restaurants we frequent, the stores we choose to shop in, the spaces we choose to hangout in...the feeling you get all comes from DESIGN. Along with HGTV, we also live in the age of DIY's.  No quarrels from me if you want to take on a DIY, but the value of using an Interior Designer that expresses a style that it also yours or helps you define that style is priceless.  Walking into your home and experiencing a feeling of calmness, love, serenity and the essence of "home" is also priceless....it IS that "WOW" moment at the end of the HGTV episode. The value of an Interior Designer comes from shaping the experience of the interior space by manipulating its flow and function as well as its surface treatment.  Very different from interior decorating, interior design uses aspects of architecture, product design and the "feel" or psychology of a space in addition to traditional decorating. If you are thinking about taking on a new project at home, let me know and I can answer any questions for you about the service of an Interior Designer.  I'll take this opportunity to document the ins/outs of my project and you'll see far beyond what a 30 minute episode can show.  Stay tuned for before and after pictures as I move ahead and I look forward to getting your feedback along the way. ~ Another All Things Taj