Smart Consumer Guide to Natural Kitchen Countertops

Hey, you Houzz crashers and Pinterest pinners, heads up here. Before you lust after another kitchen image while preparing for your upcoming kitchen renovation, here’s a smart consumer countertop primer so you’ll select the right countertop and never again stare blankly at stone samples thinking, “What the #$*&@?” Step one. Think back to that science…

Finding an Interior Designer – Is There Less Choice Than Before?

NO matter where you live, no matter WHO you are, finding the right interior designer is mission critical. An Ideal Designer can save you from the costly ashes of a “textbook bad” design experience or result. But here’s the rub: There are fewer interior designers out there than there used to be. The economic rattle…

Decorating Is Like Sex

You know, recently, I got a lot of fun comments back after a post I did in which I joked that Design is a lot like sex. People had fun with that – but I’ve got to tell you, the more I thought about it afterwards, the more true it really seemed to be to…

The Problem for DIY Decorators

I love DIYers. Most of my friends and family are DIY-ers. A lot of clients come to my design practice after first trying a stint as a DIYer, though I suppose because they threw in the towel and came to us, they’re not technically DIYers. Nonetheless, DIYers are great! They love design. They are interested…

Avoiding Unexpected Charges on Your Renovation Invoice

Beyond finding termites in your walls when you are gutting your kitchen, there is one other headache I want to avoid on your upcoming construction or renovation project: Surprise overage charges at the end of your kitchen renovation, bath remodel or new build. It’s the worst and I’ve been there myself. Years ago, before I…

How to Avoid the Interior Design Fiscal Cliff!

With the “Fiscal Cliff” occupying the news headlines, I thought it would be timely to talk about another cliff: The Interior Design Cliff. Take it from The Interior Design Advocate™, I talk to a lot of people each year who are about to, with wallet in hand, careen off the edge. Tips To Avoid the…

What Will Furniture Cost? 4 Factors That Affect the Answer

“But what will it cost?” The question arrives on schedule from the apprehensive-yet-eager people sitting across from me in an early design meeting. They want guidance. And good news. “But what will all of the furnishings in the room cost?” They want to know and I want to tell them. Sure, I can rattle off…

Backroom Classroom – Month 2

Coming Next Month: Secrets to Hire The Right Subcontractor (And what to do if you didn’t!)

Backroom Classroom – Month 1

Month #1: Featured Content Smart Ways to Use Design Trends [mejsvideo id=”” mp4=”https://s3.amazonaws.com/TIDA/Month+1/month-1-feature-content-smart-ways-to-use-design-trends.mp4″ webm=”https://s3.amazonaws.com/TIDA/Month+1/month-1-feature-content-smart-ways-to-use-design-trends.webm” preload=”true” poster=”http://theinteriordesignadvocate.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/12/poster1.png” fullscreen=”false” width=”550″ height=”313″] Month #1: Spotlight Furniture & Retailer Resource List Here is a great resource. It’s a .pdf file that you can open and save for future use, over and over again. Month #1 Spotlight –…

Essential Guide to Interior Design Measurements

For all you catalog and internet furniture shoppers, and DIYers! Here’s a short list of key measurements that make the difference between a room that flows, looks and feels great, to one that is overstuffed and cramped or just off kilter. 4-6” – the ideal height above a dresser or table at which to hang…

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