Click on the video below to watch the podcast where I have an open conversation with my contractor and cabinet maker.
Prefer to listen on the go? Click here to download this episode.
In the 3rd episode of the TNT podcast I had a roundtable discussion with Walter and Shane, two of the trades I work with. We talked about how we can improve the relationship between Interior Design Professionals and Trades.
This episode is a continuation from that conversation. Basically, we were having such a good time and exchanging great stories, we didn’t want it to end! Hence, another episode here with Walter and Shane.
From Left to Right: Walter Ferreria, Claire Jefford and Shane Ritcey
This time the guys share experiences they have had or continue to have working with designers. It’s fascinating stuff and hearing stories from the other side was incredibly eye opening for myself. I learned a lot. I believe more candid conversations like this can only help both of our industries.
Walter Ferreira is the founder of Summit Development Group. He is a general contractor whose company has been servicing southern Ontario for over 27 yrs. They facilitate all aspects of a project, whether it be for residential or commercial renovation, remodelling, custom builds and even outdoor landscaping projects. Walter’s team combines quality workmanship and knowledge that provide clients with unmatched service.
Shane Ritcey is a small business owner who has been in operation since 2008. A business built around customer relations and quality work. Ritcey Custom Cabinetry prides itself on rising to any design challenge.
A timeless and popular neutral, this go-to greige can be used in both modern and classic room designs.
In this colour review video of Edgecomb Gray by Benjamin Moore, I share:
The undertone of my featured colour
Colour comparisons in order to easily see the different colour tones
Best white paint colours for the trim and ceilings
Beautiful colour combinations to inspire you for your decorating project
After you watch the video, if you would like all this information conveniently laid out for you in one place and have even more paint colour combinations to use with Edgecomb Gray, take a look at my new Perfect Colour Palette. A must-have for any colour enthusiast or design professional.
As a Certified True Colour Expert and an award-winning interior design professional, I’ve worked with many homeowners on various residential design projects.
Before we take a close look at Edgecomb Gray, check out the mood boards below that we created for a client condo project.
Our design concepts included this popular Benjamin Moore colour for the walls in the main living space and Pashmina for the bedroom.
Various fabrics and finishes for the project, including Edgecomb Gray as the main wall colour
Below is the complete colour palette we created for this space.
Isn’t it a gorgeous colour combination?!
Alright, now I want to give you the confidence to make educated decisions about your own home decorating projects and paint choices. Let’s do this!
Watch the video below of my Colour Review
Undertones: Green
This greige paint colour may appear more gray or beige in colour depending on the lighting and what other decorative elements you pair with it in your interior decorating project.
Looking at the colour comparisons below will help give you a better idea of where Edgecomb Gray fits.
Colour Comparisons
Gray Owl OC-52 & Revere Pewter HC-172
Best Whites To Pair With Edgecomb Gray
Cloud White CC-40 by Benjamin Moore
Simply White OC-117 by Benjamin Moore
Oxford White CC-30 by Benjamin Moore
I tend to have around 10 white paint colours that are my best whites for trim and ceilings. You don’t need all of the thousands of whites available to you to get the right one and you definitely don’t need to mix two different whites or use only a certain percentage of paint colour to get the right one for you.
Edgecomb Gray with Gray Cashmere, Pashmina & Rockport Gray
Gray Cashmere 2138-60 by Benjamin Moore
Pashmina AF-100 by Benjamin Moore
Pashmina is another gorgeous neutral that I have used on several design projects. Pashmina works wonderfully well in a monochromatic colour palette as demonstrated in this elegant dining room. You can read more about this project and see a colour review video on one of my all-time favourites here.
If you want to get all my Benjamin Moore colour guides in one place, look no further than my Benjamin Moore Ultimate Collection. All 20 of my Benjamin Moore guides are in one handy collection.
Remember, it only takes one mistake to take your home decorating project from divine to disaster. Don’t let the paint be what stresses you out!
Perfect For Pinning
Take my Colour Quiz to see which Perfect Colour Palette best suits your style.
Feature room image by Benjamin Moore colour viewer.
Welcome to the second part in my Bungalow Home Renovation series where I’m taking you on a ‘Behind the Scenes’ tour of my sister’s main floor renovation.
This week, we are on-site with my contractors to review specific details about spatial planning and all the custom cabinetry.
My fabulous team, Walter from Summit Development Group and Shane from Ritcey Cabinetry.
If you follow along with my Podcast for Designers, TNT: The Naked Truth, you may have heard my interview with two of my fabulous trades, Walter and Shane.
They both spoke openly about their experiences in working with Interior Designers and it was so eye-opening to see things from their perspective.
Walter is my main GC -General Contractor -whom I have worked with for over 5 years. Shane works with Walter and does amazing custom cabinetry work. Together, we are taking care of my sister’s bungalow renovation project.
It’s all in the Details
Karen and Jason have allowed me to design their home with all custom cabinetry. This is the best way to get everything you need out of a design.
Lack of storage has always been an issue in their little 3 bedroom (now 2 bedroom!) bungalow, but that will no longer be the case with the new design.
If you missed Part 1 of my series, you may want to hop on over the first vlog here and then come back so you are up to speed on where we left off.
Okay, are you ready for Part 2?
Come take a look at ‘Behind the Design’ with me as we talk with my contractors on-site, just after the demo got underway.
Finishes -Sneak Peek!
Okay, these aren’t shown in the video, but I wanted to give you a sneak peek at some of the finishes we are using in Karen and Jason’s home.
Oopsy Daisy
Initially, this was an accent tile that I showed Karen and that we wanted to add as a feature on the main shower wall.
My sister loves daisy’s but it wasn’t meant to be.
Unfortunately, we did not end up going with the soft gray, silver and white glass daisy tiles. Budget always plays a role, folks! Instead, we are keeping the back wall simple with the large, white vertical subway tiles.
In the 3D drawing above you can see where I put in the pretty accent tile to the left in the shower.
NOTE: Don’t get too caught up in my drawings looking exactly like the final product though. When I originally create 3D main floor designs for clients, I am focusing on the overall concept for space planning purposes and am not necessarily making recommendations for the finishes, furniture or colour.
Plus, as you can already tell, it is not uncommon for details to change once a renovation gets underway.
The sinks will be undermount in style, the hardware is not gold and instead of a ledge above the bench in the shower, there is going to be a niche.
Bold Backsplash
My sister and her husband Jason (Jayman, as we fondly refer to him) like to have fun. They are not shy when it comes to colour which is why we landed on this funky glass tile for the kitchen backsplash.
Funky glass backsplash tiles
It has 2 shades of blue, as well as a gray tone. Remember, you don’t have to go classic if you find something YOU LOVE. If a house is not being renovated to flip and you fall in love with something that speaks to you, then GO FOR IT!
Below you can see all the main kitchen finishes together. (Except the blue will be Hale Navy as opposed to Van Deusen Blue.)
I hope you will follow along with my sister and her husband’s Bungalow renovation series, there is more to come as we continue to make progress with the renovations.
Pin it for easy reference!
Psst! Love Colour? Take my new colour quiz to determine which colour palette suits you best!
Convenience at your fingertips
Choosing Paint Colours
If you struggle with choosing paint colours, be sure to check out my Perfect Colour Palettes.
I now have 40 individual guides to help inspire you.
Collections
I also offer collections that showcase a group of 10 similar colours from Benjamin Moore,
In this solo episode, I review the Top 5 posts from my private Facebook group for interior designers, Interior Design Business Strategies. These are the hottest topics and the 5 posts that received the most engagement from the group in one month.
Topics include; A showroom designer who was treated badly by a client, Charging for the initial consultation fee, How to dress for the initial consultation meeting, Contractors who don’t like fancy design elements and Using video to market your business.
Join me and let’s do this!
See all my podcast episodes here. New Episodes are published every other Friday!
Free Resources
Here is a fabulous FREE resource to help excel your interior design business.
Click on the video below to watch the podcast interviewwith my GC and cabinet maker.
Prefer to listen on the go? Click here to download this episode.
Show Notes
Building solid relationships with our trades is essential for running a successful Interior Design business. Improving the relationship between designer and contractor is the focus of this episode of the TNT podcast.
Unfortunately, Interior designers generally have a reputation of either being too demanding and controlling or uneducated and inexperienced – sometimes both!
Conversely, as Design Professionals, we feel that contractors and trades typically do not welcome us onto a project nor our creative ideas for design. It can also be a concern for a designer that if they are not overseeing every step of the project, then original design plans may be altered and sometimes trades may even try to squeeze the designer out of the project completely.
These are valid concerns for both parties and today I sit down with two of my contractors to discuss The Naked Truth about this extremely important topic. Working collaboratively and having a mutually respectful working relationship is mandatory for everyone to show solidarity and work as a team.
From left to right: Walter Ferreria, Claire Jefford and Shane Ritcey
Walter Ferreira is the founder of Summit Development Group. He is a general contractor whose company has been servicing southern Ontario for over 27 yrs. They facilitate all aspects of a project, whether it be for residential or commercial renovation, remodelling, custom builds and even outdoor landscaping projects. Walter’s team combines quality workmanship and knowledge that provide clients with unmatched service.
Shane Ritcey is a small business owner who has been in operation since 2008. A business built around customer relations and quality work. Ritcey Custom Cabinetry prides itself on rising to any design challenge.
If you’re new here, welcome! Below you will see what I cover in every colour review post.
In this colour review video of Palladian Blue by Benjamin Moore, I share:
The undertone of my featured colour
Colour comparisons in order to easily see the different colour tones
Best white paint colours for the trim and ceilings
Beautiful colour combinations to inspire you for your decorating project
After you watch the video, if you would like all this information conveniently laid out for you in one place and have even more paint colour combinations to use with Palladian Blue, take a look at my new Perfect Colour Guide.
A must-have for any colour enthusiast or design professional.
While I love this colour, I’ve not actually used it yet. Where I would love to specify Palladian Blue for a project would be in a washroom, laundry room or bedroom. This tone is so fresh and serene, you could use it in any room of your home.
Palladian Blue Colour Review Video
Undertones: Blue/Green
This blue-green paint colour may appear more one colour than the other, depending on the lighting and what other decorative elements you pair with it in your interior decorating project.
As you can see below, it’s when we start to look at comparisons to other colours, that it becomes very eye-opening.
Colour Comparisons
Soft Fern 2144-40 & Gossamer Blue 2123-40
It’s only when we compare colours that we can truly understand the tones and whether they lean more one way or another on the colour spectrum.
When I do Colour Consultations in a client’s home, I am always comparing colours so they too can easily see the differences.
When I hold my large paint boards up to a decorative element such as fabrics, wallpaper or subway tile and then swap out one board with another board, it becomes clearer as to which colour will work best.
Best Whites To Pair With Palladian Blue
White Dove OC-17 by Benjamin Moore
You may recall that White Dove is one of my all-time favourite Benjamin Moore paint colours. It was one of the first Colour Reviews I did – read all about it and watch the video here.
If you are interested to learn more about the most popular white paint colour check out the White Dove Perfect Colour Guide.
As one of my go-to colours, I have used White Dove in various design projects. Here it is in a stunning dining room design project.
Oxford White CC-30 by Benjamin Moore
Oxford White is not as creamy as White Dove. It’s a little on the cooler side, but not as cool as the next white we recommend, White Diamond. We used Oxford White in our Burlington client’s kitchen here for their cabinetry colour. Because it’s a cooler white it worked wonderfully with the gorgeous Carrara marble herringbone backsplash.
White Diamond OC-61 by Benjamin Moore
White Diamond is the coolest of these three whites, it sparkles with a hint of blue.
I tend to have around 10 white paint colours that are my best whites for trim and ceilings. You don’t need to see all of the thousands of whites available to you to get the right one. You also do not need to mix two different whites or use only a certain percentage of paint colour to get the one best for you.
If you want to get all my Benjamin Moore colour guides in one place, look no further than my Benjamin Moore Ultimate Collection. All 20 of my Benjamin Moore guides are in one handy collection.
Remember, it only takes one mistake to take your home decorating project from divine to disaster. Don’t let the paint be what stresses you out!
Perfect For Pinning
Take my Colour Quiz to discover your Perfect Colour Palette.
That is what my sister Karen and her husband Jason were contemplating a few years ago. They live in a sweet little bungalow in a mature neighbourhood in Burlington, Ontario and are just a 10-minute drive from my house.
In nearly 10 years of living in their 3 bedroom bungalow, they had literally done no renovation work whatsoever. I mean, other than the roof being redone, everything else was pretty much untouched.
Now that may not seem so bad if the house had been renovated and updated at any point before they moved in, but it hadn’t. So major work was needed if they chose to stay in this home.
Being in Interior Design, I advised my sister to renovate as opposed to move. The 3 main reasons that I knew this would be the best decision for them were:
1. Location. Location. Location.
Karen and Jason live in a nice neighbourhood in the town where we grew up. They have a large yard with plenty of privacy and distance between neighbours. That is hard to come by these days!
2. It’s not cheap to move!
The commission for a realtor, moving costs and re-connection fees alone would have been somewhere between $20 – $30k. This is money that can be invested in their dream home.
3. Nothing was ‘Move in Ready’
Every house they looked at on the market within their price range needed a lot of work. They were not interested in buying a brand new property, as that would have meant them having very little in terms of a backyard, plus new homes tend to be very close to each other which they also did not fancy.
(Maybe there is a 4th reason…because by staying where they are now, they would still be close to me!)
So, big sister listened to little sister and it was then my job to turn their current bungalow into their new dream home.
My sister and I many moons ago!
This video was filmed just before renovations started and 1.5 years after I created new interior design plans for them. The new plans involve a complete demo of the main floor, relocating every room with the exception of their bedroom and the front entry.
Take a look at ‘Behind the Design’ with me as I take you through my thought process and a tour of their Burlington bungalow, just before the demo.
The Bungalow Before
My sister and her husband do not have kids, nor do they want kids. The size of their 3 bedroom home was not the issue, the problem was that it did not function for their lifestyle.
On her big day, my sister Karen with my two lovely kids, Adley and Elise.
In the past few years, Karen and her husband Jason have become culinary enthusiasts. They enjoy trying new recipes as well as batching meals, both for work lunches and dinners. Their small kitchen was not designed for more than one person to be working in that area at the same time.
Here is a before photo of their kitchen.
Below is a rendering of the new design that I did for them to make it a much more open and better functioning layout.
Kitchen rendering in Chief Architect. Design by Claire Jefford.
To say that my sister is super organized is an understatement. She is a bookkeeper who likes to schedule everything and fills out budgeting spreadsheets regularly.
Karen is also a shopaholic. Where I would much rather spend money on buying items for my house, Karen is obsessed with fashion.
Enter – the ‘Girly Room’. As you can see from the before images below, my sister has A LOT of clothes, jewellery and fashion accessories.
The wardrobe is covering the side patio doors which in the new design, will be in the kitchen.
Below is where you can see the patio doors that will be in a much more convenient place off of the kitchen. There is an old deck just outside which Karen and Jason will eventually update.
In the meantime, they will be able to use it for their barbecue which will make it way more functional than their current set-up of going through the other side door and around the back.
We also added a wall of custom cabinetry that will come in very handy for much-needed storage.
In the new design, this room below will no longer exist. I turned their 3 bedroom bungalow into a 2 bedroom home.
This was my sister’s old office which you can see was also an overflow for her clothes and shoes.
The ‘Girly Room’ is not going to be inexpensive. With all-new custom cabinetry, we will maximize the space and ensure it can function for my sisters’ ever-growing wardrobe.
The corner cabinet that you see on the right is going to house a spinning shoe rack that will hold 50 pairs of shoes. Fifty pairs!! I am lucky if I have 10! LOL
The cabinetry design changed from the original plans, but this gives you an idea of how it will look.
Here you can see the overall layout of their new bungalow design.
A much more open feel to the main living space in the new design.
We have made some tweaks along the way which is not unusual when designing a space.
One of the changes included an addition to the banquette. We redesigned it to be an ‘L’ shape because it looked more finished and provided extra seating at the table, as well as a couple of stools by the window.
Here is their banquette before. Ugh, I’ve always hated it. If you think it looks uncomfortable, I can tell you that it absolutely was not a pleasure to sit here for long periods of time.
How uninviting was this space?! I can say that my sister knows I could never stand it!
When you have a cosy seating area that brings in soft furnishings and colour, it makes all the difference.
Here’s an example of a clients banquette that I brought to life with a faux leather custom bench seat, lots of accent pillows and pleated window treatment for their Hamilton home. See more of this client project in my Interior Design Portfolio.
Orange accents with contrasting dark gray custom bench seat cushion.
I hope you will follow along with my sister and her husband’s Bungalow renovation series, there is more to come as we progress with the renovations.
Pin it for easy reference!
Psst! Love Colour? Take my new colour quiz to determine which colour palette suits you best!
Remember, it only takes one mistake to take your home decorating project from divine to disaster. Don’t let the paint be what stresses you out!
Convenience at your fingertips
Choosing Paint Colours
If you struggle with choosing paint colours, be sure to check out my Perfect Colour Palettes.
I now have 40 individual guides to help inspire you.
Collections
I also offer collections that showcase a group of 10 similar colours from Benjamin Moore,
Click on the video below to watch the podcast where I talk about a Real Client Project.
Prefer to listen on the go? Click here to download this episode.
Running an Interior Design Business isn’t easy, but nothing worth having ever is.
One of the best ways to learn how to run a successful interior design business is to learn from others’ experiences. I’m sharing Real Client Projects on The Naked Truth podcast to help you do just that.
My ‘Real Client Project’ Episodes are all about sharing the details of my past projects. In other words, I will review how the client came to find me and what my fees were for the interior design initial consultation and for the interior decorating services. You will hear about the specific details of the project including presenting design plans and what happened during the process with the trades. Also, I will discuss purchasing products and the overall working relationship between everyone involved.
In this Real Client Project episode, The Sunglasses Lady, my situation will remind you of why it’s so important to go with your gut. And why you need to know the tradespeople that you are bringing onto an interior design project.
See all my podcast episodes here. New episodes published every other Friday!
Free Resources
Here is a fabulous FREE resource to help excel your interior design business.
Click on the video below to watch the podcast interview.
Prefer to listen on the go? Click here to download this episode.
One of the most difficult aspects of being an interior design professional is knowing how to work with family and friends who will inevitably ask for your advice or need your help.
Do you charge them for your interior design services?
What about when you’re at an event and a friend or family member wants to ‘pick your brain’ about their latest home decor project? Do you stick to your processes? How do you communicate your terms?
Understanding how other interior design professionals have handled working with family and friends can help you to navigate similar situations.
From left to right: Karin Bennett, Claire Jefford and Joanne Jakab
Hear Karin, Joanne and I discuss our real-life experiences. Joanne will share the single most important question that she asks clients who pass her a referral, and Karin tells us how a friendship was forever ruined after doing design work for them without proper processes in place.
Joanne Jakab is a well-known award-winning local designer specializing in residential interiors. She helps busy professionals and their families to design and renovate their home so they can live the life they truly desire.
Clients who had initially felt overwhelmed truly appreciated her proven track record for sorting through the myriad of options and creating a cohesive design plan. Identifying the key elements that will take them from standard design to extraordinary concept on time and on budget since 1999. Joanne resides with her family in Burlington, Ontario and has just announced her retirement.
Karin Bennett Designs is a full-service design firm specializing in large scale remodels and new builds. She believes in designing a home that is both functional and stylish. Karin has been married for 18 years and is a busy mom of three teenagers and two sweet dogs. Karin grew up with parents that are modern-day House Flippers. Her mom was a designer and realtor who loved to fix up homes and move on to the next challenge, so renovating and designing homes is in Karin’s blood. I invite you to visit Karin’s website, it’s gorgeous and so is her Instagram account.
See all my podcast episodes here. New episodes are published every other Friday!
Free Resources
A fabulous FREE resource to help excel your interior design business.
Claire's Guide to Services & Pricing
FREE DOWNLOAD:
Interior Design Services and Rates Guide
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