50 years of interior design, it hardly seems possible. Yet here I am, my wife and business partner Sally by my side. I invite you to join me as I look back and celebrate our years together. We each took different paths along the way to our careers in the business. Sally was living in...
Periodically, we are asked to help a client upgrade the interior trim in their home. For instance, they might be a family with a newly purchased home. The clients love the location, but the interior of the home lacks character. It has no Gravitas. No Bones. What can be done? Another example is the family...
This past weekend I spent time revisiting and remembering one of our favorite projects, the renovation of the Forster – Leach House an 1804 Federal Period home in Manchester, MA, whose design is attributed to well known Salem architect, Samuel McIntire. Sally and I have been decluttering and cleaning the office because in the next...
A renovation project, whether it’s a bathroom, kitchen or entire house, is complex, disruptive and can be filled with unknowns and uncertainty. Virtually all of our clients have never undertaken a renovation before. Since most renovations have a life cycle of 25 – 30 years, they may never undertake another again. It’s called a Low...
You can always find someone willing to tell you about their renovation disaster. How bad the contractor was. The sub-contractor leaving the job to grab a cup of coffee, only to return two or three weeks later. Worse yet, the story about the house being completely torn apart and the contractor disappearing with all the money! OY!!!! If you’re reading this, you may...
“Do I need to hire an interior designer?” If you are thinking, *probably not*, please read this post first to see if it helps you consider, in more depth, when it might make sense for you to hire an interior designer. Let’s examine these points further. 1. You want your home to look beautiful, but you’re...
This 1670 antique colonial had undergone multiple modifications and additions over it’s lifetime, resulting in awkward room layouts and circulation. Our client asked us to design a home suited to casual living and entertaining, where one room flows into the next. Working collaboratively with Bob Weatherall, a North Shore contractor specializing in timber frame construction, particular attention was...
Sally and I frequently receive calls from home owners who tell us they have purchased a newer home based on location, school system and or look of the home’s exterior, etc., but they don’t like the interior architectural detailing and decor. As one client related, “The interior has no gravitas.” And they ask us, “Can you help us...