Page 2 – Claire Jefford

BIG Reveal: Colourful Living Room

WWWOW !

What We’re Working on Wednesday

While a ‘Big Reveal’ is one of the best parts of what we do in our interior design business, it’s also ‘Big Work’!

In this blog post with video, join me and Kathryn as we take you behind the scenes of an exciting installation. These brilliant Burlington clients trusted us to custom furnish their entire main floor, with a family room that I’m willing to bet has the most colourful drapery fabric you’ve ever seen.

It was a busy afternoon, but the big reveal and all the hard work we do behind the scenes to get to this point, was well worth it when you see the final results.

The painting that inspired it all.

If you saw this WWWOW post, the piece of artwork above will look familiar to you.

We used this single piece of art that belonged to my client’s mother to pull together a striking colour palette and be our inspiration for the entire main floor design.

Having a fabulous jumping-off point like this piece of artwork is one of the best ways to create a colour palette.

Watch our video to see just what an install day involves and how we brought our vision for these spaces to life for our wonderful Burlington clients.

From the Design Presentation

First, let’s take a look at the sitting area that is adjacent to the dining room. The image below is from our interior design presentation and shows the furnishings for the updated room.

This image was taken while we were still waiting for some final pieces, but you can see how it is coming together and how amazing it’s going to look when completed.

The Ripplefold draperies are up! Ripplefold refers to the header style and it is easily my favourite look. Plus, they glide so easily on the rod, which is also why we use this style in most of our designs.

The two beautiful custom chairs with a soft blue fabric that is as soft as butter to the touch, are also in place.

And how about that ottoman? What a statement piece!

Designed so that the fly and the ladybug would be visible on the top.

When covering furniture in a fabric such as this fun, colourful, large-scale pattern that we used on the ottoman, be sure to have discussions with the upholsterer if there is a specific part of the pattern you want to be featured or centered.

There are a lot more details that go into designing a carefully curated space than you might think, which is why our clients love to work with us.

We custom designed this round ottoman with a dark leg stain to match the dining room table, and gold castors to tie in with the other gold accents in this room – like the dining room light fixture you can just see in the background of this photo in the top left. This also makes it easier to move the ottoman about as needed.

Fabrics & Finishes

We include a ‘mood board’ or what is also referred to as a ‘concept board’ to show all the fabric samples, finishes and paint colours together.

If you are a designer or simply want to learn more about why we use mood boards in our interior design projects, and how the benefits of using them, this is a good post to read.

Here is a picture from our professional photo shoot after the big reveal

Here is a rendering of the ‘coffee barista’ area we designed where we had some fun with the colour of the floating shelves. We colour-matched and repeated the dark teal colour from the fabric in the ottoman, using Newburg Green by Benjamin Moore.

Here are the professional photos, including one with an open drawer so you can see how great the storage is for all the boxes of yummy coffee.

Moving into the living room, take a look at what it looked like when we first met with our clients.

As a side note, I can’t stand these type of window coverings you see in the before shot. We call them Califonia Shutters and unless you live in an extremely hot climate all year round, I highly recommend you never use this style of window treatment.

They are bulky, difficult to open fully and block out a massive amount of natural light. For the price, you are much better to invest in full functioning drapery.

Our client’s living room before we got our talented design hands on it.

Another before shot of the wall where the funky wallpaper and t.v. are going.

A rendering of the final look.

The BIG Reveal!

This is my favourite part of the living room design. I absolutely adore this colourful, fun fabric!

Drapery still wrapped up in its packaging.

We chose to use a ceiling-mounted rod in a black finish with end caps. Look how fabulous the Ripplefold header style is for this treatment.

Repeating the black and white speckled pattern from the wallpaper in the drapes was ideal. And the custom-made pillows with the brilliant coloured birds tie in so beautifully!

Such a bright and cheerful space.

Although there is a lot of colour used as accents in these rooms, the walls are all painted a soft neutral, Pale Oak by Benjamin Moore.

It’s possible to add brilliant colour to a neutral space and this project is a great example of that. See the entire project here in our portfolio.

What a day it was! I’m glad you could join us and experience a little of what it’s like on install day. Here’s the review our wonderful clients wrote for us:

Helpful Design Resources For Your Next Project

If you are planning a kitchen update or home renovation of any kind and want expert guidance at any stage of your project, I can help.

‘Here & Now’ Design & Colour Consultations

I now offer 1-hour online design and colour consultations for anyone outside of my local area. With over 13 years experience of running my award-winning interior design firm and working on hundreds of projects, I can provide professional guidance for any area of your home.

Learn more about this exciting new service and book your online appointment here. I can’t wait to e-meet you and help you with your project!

Local In-Person Design & Colour Consultations

If you are local to me either in Burlington, Ontario or around the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), I can come to you for a 2-hour in-home consultation.

Click here to connect with me via my contact page.

Perfect Colour Palettes

Are you losing sleep and overthinking when it comes to choosing the perfect paint colours for your home? Don’t sweat it! I’m a Certified True Colour Expert and have instant advice to make it easier for you.

We have more than 50 Whole-Home Colour Palettes readily available for you to instantly download. All of the paint colours in each palette have been carefully selected by me personally. Plus, there’s you get tip sheets on lighting, paint sheens, how to create a gallery wall, a paint planning template, and more.

You can view the entire gallery of paint colours here.

Or, click below on your preferred brand to see the most popular paints to choose from.

Find Colour Claire-ity Here

Do you know my 5 Steps on how to choose the right paint colour the first time?

Click here to sign up for the free download

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The Big Reveal; colourful living room

Kitchen Refresh Blue & White

Today I’m thrilled to share a before and after transformation of a kitchen refresh I helped a homeowner in North Carolina with when she hired me for my online design consultation services.

Not every kitchen renovation has to be fully gutted and completely custom to make a powerful impact.

A smaller scale kitchen remodel is exactly what homeowner Stacey was planning, and she already had some rough design plans and estimates for work when she reached out for my professional help.

She and her husband wished for an updated look, and more functionality from the kitchen design. As this isn’t their forever home, she wanted to keep costs relatively conservative, while still creating something beautiful.

Behind The Design: Kitchen Refresh Video

Watch the recording of this live webinar that Stacey and I hosted, where we dished all of the design details that went into this kitchen refresh.

The Design Layout

When Stacey booked her online design consultation with me, she was sent a questionnaire along with a request for photos.

I also like to ask for any design plans or finishes one might be considering so that we can add these to a clients folder and be best prepared for our meeting.

First, we needed to address the layout of the kitchen.

A before photo of Stacey’s kitchen

As you can see from the before image, the layout had a ton of wasted space in the middle of the kitchen. A kitchen island was definitely at the top of the wishlist.

In addition, the pass-through into the dining room and the cabinetry you see in the image below were slated to go as well.

This cabinet is going and the pass-through will become an opening

The plan was to open up this area completely and eliminate the doorway to the left on that same wall, as that would become redundant once the pass through became a complete opening.

This door way will be eliminated

This would make for a better kitchen design layout overall, and allow for the necessary space to incorporate an island with ample room required for traffic flow.

Kitchen island drawing by client’s GC

Cabinetry & Flooring

To save money, they decided to keep and respray the perimeter cabinets, yet update all the doors and drawers. The new fronts were all to be a ‘shaker’ style.

This refacing update was key for modernizing the look of the kitchen. Arched details on cabinetry (like what they had) are typically indicative of an older, more traditional style of millwork.

White shaker style kitchen door front

Changing out the old vinyl flooring was also going to be a significant update. I assisted Stacey in finalizing a neutral floor tile that tied in with the other finishes, which you will see shortly in the ‘after’ photos.

Be patient, the exciting final reveal is coming 🙂

A neutral, non-patterned flooring would not only to update the look, but also takes the focus away from the busy, ‘dirty’ looking patterned flooring that was there before.

Design Tip:

We mainly specify hardwood flooring throughout a home when clients are undergoing an entire renovation. However, in a kitchen refresh like this, installing a tile is the better option because trying to match a new hardwood to a previously installed hardwood in other areas of the home is almost impossible.

Even if you manage to find the same species of hardwood from the original supplier, the hardwood that’s been in the home for a while will likely have changed colour over time and the differences will be evident.

Although we did manage to accomplish just that with the rich hardwood for this Burlington client’s project, it’s not typically the case.

Countertops & Paint Colours

Stacey wanted a white kitchen with navy blue accents, similar to the idea of the kitchen we designed in my sister’s bungalow shown below.

See the entire project here

In case you were wondering, even though we’ve seen this look for quite a few years now, blue and white is a classic colour combination that always looks fresh and inviting.

We selected Benjamin Moore’s Hale Navy for the island colour, but only after the subway tile had been confirmed. More on that soon.

The quartz countertops are white with subtle gray veins. By carefully looking at the countertop selection, I specified Chantilly Lace for the perimeter cabinets and Classic Gray for the wall colour.

Choosing The Backsplash

Ah, the baffling backsplash debacle!

One of the biggest kitchen mistakes people make when it comes to selecting finishes, is to look at everything in isolation as opposed to how they should – by viewing all samples together.

The backsplash tends to be where the majority of homeowners get stuck.

Unless someone is working with a designer, this integral part of the overall design is the most common piece of the puzzle to get left until the very end.

Should you go bold?
Should you make it the same material as the countertop?
What about doing a contrasting grout?
Would creating a focal point over the oven be a good idea?

So many questions, right? I get it!!

That is just one reason why hiring an interior design professional is well worth the investment.

Whether you are local to me in Burlington or in the Toronto area, or further afar wishing for an online design consultation I can help guide you with these type of kitchen selections, just as I have done with Stacey.

Often it’s not until the renovation is underway that you realize just how many decisions you have to make and how stressful it can be.

All you have to do is make one mistake for the entire kitchen design is compromised.

There is no turning back once everything is installed. You will have to live with that mistake for many years because it’s too expensive to redo.

While this post about kitchen cabinetry companies was meant for Interior Designers only, what I share is eye-opening and mostly unknown to most homeowners. If you have a minute, it’s worth the read and may suprise you.

For this kitchen design, when it came to the backsplash, here’s the advice I gave Stacey when she sent me the 4 options shown in the image below:

Glossy, bumpy subway tile: Too shiny, and highly reflective
Matte, picket fence tile: Bold and sophisticated
Glossy standard subway tile: A nice option
Glossy beveled longer subway tile: Too shiny, and will be very busy once installed

I found this photo below of a similar tile to the fourth option to show Stacey exactly what I meant by it being too shiny and very busy looking when it’s installed, especially with a white grout.

Once I shared my feedback on all the options that she provided, she didn’t hesitate to go with my top choice: #2.

This rich looking, matte picket fence tile was to be installed horizontally in a stacked pattern. YAY!

Once we landed on the blue picket fence backsplash tile, we colour matched it to confirm the best blue for the island cabinetry. The best choice was Hale Navy by Benjamin Moore.

Kitchen refresh work in progress

Near Fatal Mistake, Avoided With My Expert Advice

While this may not be one of the nine kitchen design mistakes I included in this series, it is one you are definitely going to want to avoid.

During one of our Zoom Consultation Calls, Stacey said, “My husband wants to go with black handles for the cabinetry, even though we both really like the gold look that’s trending right now.”

Let me tell you what you need to know about the warm gold finishes we are seeing today in interior design. The gold tone made a comeback the year I began my business in 2011, and while I thought it was going to be a ‘flash in the pan’, all these years later, it’s still going strong.

Golden finishes are NOT trendy, it’s black finishes that are trending currently.

I immediately said NO to the black hardware and sent her a photo similar to the one below to illustrate why.

Black hardware looks harsh against a white backdrop

Despite the serene wall colour, the white subway tile, and the neutral countertop in the photo, notice how your eye is instantly drawn to the black hardware?

All of these harsh black ‘bits’ dotted throughout a kitchen with a backdrop of white cabinetry takes away from the fresh, serene look one is hoping to achieve in this type of kitchen palette design style.

This is just one of the massive mistakes many homeowners are making right now, which is understandable when you consider that everyone loves to hear about what’s trending in kitchen design.

But, once you see it, you cannot unsee it!

When I brought it to her attention, Stacey and her husband agreed it was best to move in a different direction.

There have only been a handful of times I’ve specified black hardware for cabinetry which is either:

When the cabinetry is black like in my bathroom here (please don’t judge me when you see the gross before images on that post)
With dark colourful cabinetry and black plumbing like in our laundry room design on this project
To repeat a black finish in a minimal way like we did in this client’s window seat

The hardware decision alone is another perfect example of how one mistake, one single decision that may seem minor, can compromise the entire design.

That type of disaster is what I want to help you to avoid and why I offer my ‘Here & Now’ Online Consultations for instant, expert advice.

After our discussion and my recommendation, they went with the classy, warm champagne hardware finish and repeated that finish in the 3 glass pendants above the island.

The Reveal

Here’s the after photo Stacey sent to me. What an incredible transformation, now so fresh and fabulous!

After photo of blue and white kitchen refresh project

Final Design Inspiration

I always like to show clients how all the finishes for their project look when put together, and add additional inspiration pieces like I did in the image below.

I pulled the beautiful wallpaper sample you see and some fabrics from my interior design studio library.

We love to create dynamite designs and well put-together spaces by layering in beautiful decorative elements. Strategically repeating colours are key to a successful design and for creating flow.

Stacey ended up purchasing that exact wallpaper for her dining room and is currently waiting for it to be installed. I can’t wait to see the final result!

When pulling together a colour palette and overall design style for your next project, be sure to look at the bigger picture and consider all the details.

Here are the before and after images together.

For this specific project, Stacey hired me for a total of 3 ‘Here & Now’ Consultation Zoom calls.

My professional guidance and keen eye for colour were exactly what she was looking for to feel confident in her decisions and to ensure she avoided making costly mistakes.

I was able to help her create a brilliant kitchen design refresh without a full-on renovation.

Stacey was great to work with and quick to follow my advice.

Thank you Stacey for trusting me to help you make your dreams for your home a reality. I’m thrilled you and your entire family love your new kitchen design!

What’s your favourite part of this kitchen refresh project?

For me, while I love it all, if you forced me to choose just one design element, it would be the backsplash.

Comment below to share your thoughts on this kitchen transformation.

Helpful Design Resources For Your Next Project

If you are planning a kitchen update or home renovation of any kind and want expert guidance at any stage of your project, I can help.

Here & Now Design & Colour Consultations

I now offer 1-hour online design and colour consultations for anyone outside of my local area.

With over 13 years experience of running my own interior design firm and working on hundreds of projects, I can provide professional guidance in any area of your home.

Learn more about this exciting new service and book your online appointment here.

I can’t wait to e-meet you and help you with your project!

Local In-Person Design & Colour Consultations

If you are local to me either in Burlington, Ontario or around the GTA (Greater Toronto Area), I would love to come to your home for a 2-hour in-home consultation.

Click here to connect with me via my contact page.

Perfect Colour Palettes

Are you losing sleep and overthinking when it comes to choosing the perfect paint colours for your home? Don’t sweat it!

As a Certified True Colour Expert I have instant advice to make it easier for you.

We have more than 50 Whole-Home Colour Palettes readily available for you to instantly download. All of the paint colours in each palette have been carefully selected by me personally.

Plus, there’s you get tip sheets on lighting, paint sheens, how to create a gallery wall, a paint planning template, and more.

You can view the entire gallery of paint colours here.

Or, click below on your preferred brand to see the most popular paints to choose from.

If you love the paint colours we used for Stacey’s project, see below for two of the most popular Benjamin Moore paints.

Hale Navy

Benjamin Moore Hale Navy Perfect Colour Palette Here

Classic Gray

Benjamin Moore Classic Gray Perfect Colour Palette Here

Big Reveals

For another interior design project transformation, check out custom this Burlington living room we designed for clients. There’s no shortage of colour in that project!

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Benjamin Moore Woodlawn Blue

Woodlawn Blue HC-147 by Benjamin Moore

I just can’t get enough of blue! What about you?

Today’s review is of Benjamin Moore’s Woodlawn Blue. It is a lovely subtle shade of blue-green from their Historical Collection.

This beautiful tone would add a wonderful bit of colour to a mostly neutral home or look super in a luxurious spa-like bathroom.

In this colour review video of Woodlawn Blue by Benjamin Moore, I share:

The undertone
Colour comparisons to easily see the different undertones
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 with even more paint colour combinations to use, take a look at my Woodlawn Blue Perfect Colour Palette.

A must-have digital download 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.

I want to give you the confidence to make educated decisions about your own paint choices.

Let’s do this!

Undertone: blue/green

Woodlawn Blue may lean more towards blue or green 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 Woodlawn Blue fits between two similar shades, one that is more green and the other that is bluer.

Colour Comparisons

Smoky Green CC-700 & Gossamer Blue 2123-40

I always love to compare a paint colour so you can clearly see the true tones. It’s often not until you have a colour side by side with similar shades that the tones become obvious. Don’t miss this step when selecting your paint colours.

During a colour consultation, I always make sure to show my large paint boards against different elements such as flooring, tile, and fabrics.

I swap them out to show my client just how different similar colours can look next to their existing finishes.

Best Whites To Pair With Woodlawn Blue

Chantilly Lace OC-65 By Benjamin Moore

Simply White OC-117 By Benjamin Moore

White Dove OC-17 By Benjamin Moore

If you want to learn more about one of the most popular whites, check out my review of White Dove 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 to look at the thousands of whites available to find 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.

I can assure you that the best colour for your project already exists, you just need to know the 5 Steps on how to choose the right paint colour the first time.

We used Woodlawn Blue for a custom vanity in a client’s powder room we redesigned. It was the perfect colour to pair with the calming blue-green tones in the bold and beautiful wallpaper we selected.

We took the photo ourselves, so while it’s not a professional photograph, hopefully, you can still see how lovely it all came together for this interior design project. (And how fabulous is that back-lit mirror?!)

Fabulous Colour Combinations

In my video, I paired Woodlawn Blue with a few different colours, all from Benjamin Moore and all included in my Perfect Colour Palette for Woodlawn Blue.

It’s such a versatile blue. It goes well with neutrals, colours with similar tones, and those that offer amazing contrast.

Woodlawn Blue with Polo, Boothbay Gray & Natural Cream

Polo 2062-10 by Benjamin Moore

Boothbay Gray HC-165 By Benjamin Moore

If you want to see more of Boothbay Gray, check out this Secret Xbox room we designed in a client’s basement!

Natural Cream OC-14 by Benjamin Moore

I am always curious to hear what you think of the colours I review. I have not yet had the opportunity to use Woodlawn Blue in a project, have you? Please comment below.

Convenience At Your Fingertips

All of the colour combinations shown above are included in my Perfect Colour Palette for Woodlawn Blue.

Woodlawn Blue is now part of my Benjamin Moore Grays and Blue-Green Collection showcasing all 10 of my gray and blue-green Benjamin Moore Perfect Colour Palettes.

My Perfect Colour Palette library is expanding and I now have over 50 palettes to select from. Click here to see all of them.

I’ve printed all of mine and they have proved to be a very helpful resource for consultations and client projects.

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 palettes 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!

Room images by Benjamin Moore Colour Viewer

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Trending Sofa Designs: The Best Couches with Chaises

There are some exciting trends in sofa designs that I want to share with you. Interestingly, all of the living room sofas I’m showing you here on the blog today have one thing in common: large chaises.

Yes, sofas and sectionals with large chaises are currently trending in upholstered living room furniture. I’ve got six different looks and styles to share with you that are in the showroom of my local decorating centre.

Plus, we’ve compiled a few sofas’ with chaises to share with you that we’ve used in recent interior design projects.

1. Super Casual and Comfy

This first style is incredibly casual and comfy, perfect for lounging. It’s not the best choice for someone who prefers a more tailored look or likes to sit up straight.

I see this fitting beautifully in a cottage or as the main seating in a basement living area.

2. Modern Elegance

Next up is a sofa with a modern feel, featuring a slightly curved arm detail that adds an elevated touch.

This style merges contemporary design with subtle sophistication, making it a versatile sofa with chaise for various living room aesthetics.

3. Perfect for Cuddling

This sofa features a chaise that matches the width of the adjacent sofa cushion, making it ideal for two people to cuddle up on.

Notice how the back cushions are smaller than the large seat cushions, offering different configurations for seating and back support.

While I’m not a fan of the skinny chrome legs, they do provide a streamlined look that some people prefer.

Overall though, the narrow chrome legs are too small for the scale of this sofa. And while in this photo the rug is not under the leg shown on the right side, you always want both front legs of your sofa to be on the area rug. This helps to create a ‘vignette’ and bring the entire sitting area together.

While this video is older, it’s still a great example of what you want to consider for choosing the best size area rug for your living room design.

4. Bulkier Comfort

The fourth sofa is similar to the previous one but with much bulkier seat cushions and a more substantial frame. Surprisingly, it also features small, dainty chrome legs.

Given the larger scale of the cushions, I feel that chunkier legs would be more appropriate.

5. Spacious Sectionals

Sectionals with chaises are hugely popular for those large living spaces.

Notice how the feet of this sofa are almost invisible due to its proximity to the ground. This might pose a challenge for vacuuming underneath, which is important to keep in mind if you’re obsessed with vacuuming as much as I am!

6. Long Chaise with Ottoman

Lastly, we have a sofa with a long chaise and an ottoman-type table in the middle.

This configuration is fantastic for a custom living room design setup. The ‘bump-out ottoman’ offers a convenient spot to perch or place snacks, and it also maintains a clear view of focal points like a fireplace.

In one of our most recent living room designs, we created a custom sofa that had a ‘cut out’. This means, it had no back cushion by the section in front of the fireplace, so not to obstruct the view of that feature wall. Below is the 3D rendering.

3D Rendering of our Burlington Client’s living room design

Our Interior Design Projects

Now let’s take a look at interior design projects that we here at Claire Jefford Inc., have created for our fabulous clients.

First, we have this contemporary, tailored sofa with chaise in a light gray fabric.

What you need to know:

The sofa is opposite to the media wall with a TV
The chaise is oriented on the right side because opposite on the left side, there is a swing door that opens into the room
The gray fabric has blue undertones which work beautifully with the other soft, blue accents in the room. We love blue colour combinations!
The family fights over who gets the comfy chaise section 😉
The wall colour is Collingwood by Benjamin Moore, which is the same colour as my updated main floor – well, at least the ones that aren’t covered in wallpaper
Collingwood is similar to Sherwin Williams Agreeable Gray (except Collingwood has a Violet undertone)

Fun Fact:

We called this project Collingwood Casual & Manhattan Blues because the artwork behind the sofa is a map of New York City, where our clients loved to vacation. It is separated into 3 pieces which we had custom framed.

Next up is a project we called Marina Gray & Rich Woods and the sofa with chaise has similar chrome legs that we saw in some of the trending sofas from my decorating centre.

Light gray living room with statement coffee table

What you need to know:

There are 2 back pillows and one longer bench cushion, instead of a ‘2 and 2’ configuration
The chaise is on the side with the door to the patio, which we measured carefully to ensure there was enough clearance with no obstruction
I would have loved to include drapery panels to add another element of softness and a pattern. However, there was not enough room for a ‘stack back’ since the windows were so close to the walls, therefore, we felt having good light was more important

Fun Fact:

This was the first (and last) project where I never actually met the clients until the day of the photoshoot. My design assistant at the time led the entire project while I oversaw and approved all plans before she presented them to our clients. (they were lovely BTW!)

Conversational living room in neutral tones

The third project I’m sharing a sofa with chaise may very well be an example of the biggest sofa we’ve ever worked with in a living room. It is a light cream sofa which our clients purchased themselves for this large living room.

Large living room, creamy sectional with chaise

What you need to know:

These clients have five children, which meant they needed an overscale couch to ensure all seven of them could gather here comfortably to watch TV together
The room was so long that we divided it into 3 different spaces – the far end with a console and extra cube seating to be used as needed, the TV viewing area, and the opposite end with 2 accent chairs
The wall colour is Edgecomb Gray by Benjamin Moore, but the kitchen was painted Stonington Gray which is why we named the project as we did (see below)

Living room design with Edgecomb Gray walls by Benjamin Moore

Fun Fact:

For this Stonington Gray & Gold Treasures project, clients worked with us using our Designer By Your Side Services. Since that meant that we weren’t designing the entire room in one go, the large 3-piece artwork set with the gold leaves was one of the final pieces of the puzzle to this room design.

The name of our project reflects these ‘Gold Treasures’ and you can see the finish repeated in the round mirror at the opposite end of the room, in the accent pieces by the two patterned chairs, and the framed colourful artwork above the striped bench seat.

Patterned accent chairs with a backdrop of custom, color blocked drapery

Do you have a sofa with a chaise? Or if you were going to invest in one for a living space in your home, which style do you like best?

Comment below to have your say.

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Pale Oak OC-20 by Benjamin Moore

I recently used this neutral Benjamin Moore paint colour on a client’s main floor project and to say we are thrilled with the results is an understatement.

I’ve heard great feedback from those who have painted with Pale Oak by Benjamin Moore. If you’ve used it, please comment below to share your experience. Do you love it as much as I do?

As with each of my colour review posts, you can expect me to share with you:

The undertone of my featured colour
Colour comparisons to easily see the different colour tones
Client design projects where I used Pale Oak
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 this popular neutral paint colour by Benjamin Moore, be sure to check out my Pale Oak Perfect Colour Palette.

These PDF download colour guides provide details you need to know before you choose a paint colour, as well as inspiration for your next decorating project with my carefully curated whole-home paint palette collection included.

Pale Oak Benjamin Moore Paint Guide

Below is the video of my Pale Oak Colour Review.

Undertones: Taupe Greige

Colour Comparisons

Stonehearth CC-490 and Cedar Key OC-16

With Pale Oak in the middle, you can see how it’s more of a greige and less beige when compared to the other two colours. That’s how it also appears in our client project shown below.

A client project with Pale Oak

A project where we used Pale Oak by Benjamin Moore for the wall colour was in our Burlington clients’ custom living and dining room design.

Dining room in Pale Oak by Benjamin Moore

Refined Living Room with Pale Oak Walls

Paired perfectly with moody blues and light green

Designed by Claire Jefford Inc., Photo by Stephani Buchman Interiors

Their main floor was already painted Shaker Beige by Benjamin Moore and our clients wished for that to remain unchanged if possible.

Shaker Beige has a pink undertone and pairs very nicely with Pale Oak. As you can see in the image below of the custom bench seat with the artwork above, we added artwork and pillows to this front foyer vignette which worked fabulously with the overall colour palette.

Foyer Bench Seat With Pillows and Shaker Beige Walls

You can see the full project here, as we also redesigned this client’s Great Room where we used White Down on the fireplace shiplap and custom cabinetry.

White Down is a soft white and is included in my ‘Top 5 Whites’ list. You can sign up for that to find out all 5 White Paint colours here.

Best Whites to pair with Pale Oak:

White Dove OC-17

White Dove by Benjamin Moore is always one of my favourites!

Cloud White CC-40

Cloud White works wonderfully with Pale Oak

Ivory White CC-130

Ivory White is the most creamy of the three

Fabulous Colour Combinations

Healing Aloe 1562

Healing Aloe by Benjamin Moore is so soothing!

Smoky Green CC-700

Smoky Green is more intense & bluer than Healing Aloe.

Newburg Green HC-158

Newburg Green, perhaps my favourite combination with Pale Oak

Here we used Newburg Green on the floating shelves, which looks beautiful combined with Pale Oak on the walls.

The graphic below shows you all the colours together, plus Chelsea Gray HC-168, thrown into the mix. How gorgeous is this?!

Perfect Paint Palette!

Click here to see more photos from this project where we used BM Pale Oak on the walls.

Convenience At Your Fingertips

All of the colour combinations shown above plus more options for you to choose from are included in my Perfect Colour Palette of Pale Oak.

Pale Oak is now part of my Benjamin Moore Whites & Neutrals Collection showcasing all 10 my Benjamin Moore white and neutral Perfect Colour Palettes.

My Perfect Colour Palette library is expanding with more colours to select from!

Click here to see all of them.

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 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 and discover your Perfect Colour Palette.

Why Pay an Interior Designer for a Kitchen Design?

This question was asked in my private free Facebook group for interior designers, Interior Design Business Strategies.

If you’ve ever wondered what the best way to respond confidently to this type of question is, you’ll want to read this post.

From what I understand and based on what I’ve been told by designers who work at Kitchen & Bath showrooms, they are hired to ‘sell boxes’. Their goal is to sell as many boxes as they can, because that is where these showrooms make the most profit.

Design by Claire Jefford Inc.

I always thought it was so bizarre when I would have clients hire me to help them select their kitchen finishes, even though they were working with a Kitchen company.

However, that’s because many of those designers don’t get paid for the designs, nor do they get paid to select finishes. They are paid based on cabinetry sales and only get their money after a kitchen has been installed.

So how can you confidently answer the question of ‘Why hire an interior designer as opposed to a kitchen design company?’ the next time a new lead or client asks this of you?

Read on, because in this post I’m sharing 4 ways that you can market this service and important details you should be discussing with potential clients to promote your kitchen design services.

1. The bigger picture

When we create main floor concept designs for clients, our professional advice is based on what we think would function best for the way they live.

We also take into consideration many other design elements when it comes to the overall aesthetic and character of the home to ensure there is not a disconnect and that there is a meaningful flow throughout.

Below is a kitchen rendering option that we designed for a client. And below that image is another 3D render of the great room that is open to the kitchen.

Not only does the blue and white colour scheme continue into the living space, but so do the soft wood tones we incorporated as well.

In my own home design, you’ll see how I repeated the blue tone of the Benjamin Moore Kensington Blue kitchen cabinetry in the living room with the slightly textured blue wallpaper and custom swivel chairs.

You’ll notice that the upholstered pink-coloured ottoman is also intentional, as this relates to the decorative details in the kitchen such as the wall plates, accent wallpaper by the floating shelf, and the window treatment. This repetition creates flow within the design.

Design by Claire Jefford Inc.

Wall plates with pretty botanicals

Wallpaper pattern with the same fun colours repeated throughout the home

By the way, if you are still not feeling confident about how to market your design services to your clients and effectively communicate to them the value of your work, my comprehensive Rock the Initial Consultation process package will make you feel supported and in control of every step of the process.

2. Our cabinetry is custom

Although most of the general public thinks that they are, most cabinet lines sold by kitchen companies are typically standard sizes and often built off-site.

Our cabinets are 100% custom and my cabinet maker builds everything within his local shop just outside my hometown of Burlington, Ontario. We can easily integrate smart storage solutions and use every inch to maximize space as well as function.

Custom broom closet designed by Claire Jefford Inc.

Custom pull-out cabinet with Haefele oil racks

For smart kitchen storage solutions, take a look at my kitchen here.

3. I am not invested in ‘selling boxes’

We create a vision with the best solutions for the client being top of mind.

We are not swayed by commissions on sales of cabinetry or countertops. Our GC manages the renovations and collects payment for everything except soft furnishings, while we bill for our professional interior design services.

So, the idea of ‘a free’ kitchen design from these showrooms, can come at a cost of compromising what is best for the client.

Design by Claire Jefford Inc.

In addition, the drawings a homeowner receives from a Kitchen company will often only be basic and in black and white.

We, on the other hand, are selling a ‘vision’ and want to get our clients excited about their projects!

Often we will provide 2 options for layout where it makes sense to do so and can easily upload different finishes and cabinetry colours to convey the possibilities for their new space.

This was an alternate option for my kitchen colour scheme – fun, eh?!

4. We can help select all the finishes

As an independent interior designer, you can get more involved in the project to ensure other finishes are specified for a cohesive design.

This means, we are a ‘one-stop-shop’ and can assist with other design elements such as counters, backsplash, cabinetry colours, and hardware, in addition to decorative elements like kitchen island stools, window treatments, lighting, and artwork.

We don’t just create the layout design for the kitchen, we bring all of the design elements together beautifully.

Design by Claire Jefford Inc. Most photos were by Stephani Buchman.

If you love hearing about the latest trends in kitchen and bath design, read this post from one of my trips to the Kitchen & Bath show in Las Vegas.

What about you? How do you sell clients on hiring your interior design firm over a showroom for kitchen design services?

For more helpful resources to push your business to the next level, see my shop page here.

My helpful resources will help you to get organized and gain more confidence in the way you run your interior design business!

Benjamin Moore Colour of the Year 2024 – Blue Nova

Colour Trends 2024

Incredibly it’s that time of year again. Benjamin Moore’s Colour of the Year 2024 has been revealed!

Blue Nova 825/CC-860

A moody blue with a strong lean towards purple, like a deep, periwinkle tone.

Benjamin Moore Colour of the Year 2024 Blue Nova

And guess what? Blue Nova is a similar tone to colours that I’ve used recently for custom cabinetry on two different interior design projects.

Yes, I am the interior design colour trendsetter. 🙂

First up is my own kitchen design where I selected the cabinet colour Kensington Blue.

Kitchen cabinets Kensington Blue by Benjamin Moore. Design by Claire Jefford Inc.

Kitchen Island colour is Stratton Blue by Benjamin Moore

While Blue Nova is slightly less intense than Benjamin Moore’s Kensington Blue, take a look below at just how similar these two Benjamin Moore colours really are.

Now check out a basement laundry room we designed in 2022. We used the colour Indigogo by Benjamin Moore for the custom cabinetry.

Photo by Stephani Buchman. See the full basement project here.

Although not every colour of the year becomes the next big thing, it will be interesting to see if people will embrace (and really commit to!) Blue Nova in a similar way that I did in these Burlington interior design projects.

Flat-panelled cabinets are Indigogo by Benjamin Moore.

I absolutely adore this colour tone and the way in which my entire kitchen design came together.

But it’s not easy to pull off this colour successfully in design as it is to do with the neutral look of a style such as ‘farmhouse’.

That is why many tend to play it safe when decorating, by using popular white paint colours. But I find safe and neutral to often equal boring or uninspiring.

I say – Give me colour!

In addition to the Colour of the Year announcement, Benjamin Moore has also released their entire Colour Trends palette for 2024.

Benjamin Moore Colour Trends Palette 2024

Look at the Colour Trends 2024 palette and then this image showing the different finishes used in my kitchen.

The paint chips I matched from my Spode wall plates with brass rims create a very similar colour palette. These plates from my mother-in-law were the jumping-off point for our entire kitchen design.

Finding inspiration in meaningful decorative items such as these is a great way to determine how to choose the best paint colour for a project.

Botanical Spode Wall plates on a backdrop of Collingwood Paint by Benjamin Moore

This is proof that you can create an entire room or even a full home colour palette from the helpful downloads I’ve personally created, my Perfect Colour Palettes.

Beautiful rooms showcasing the 2024 Colour Trends:

With the 10 colours found in the Colour Trends 2024 palette, you have a vast number of beautiful paint combinations to work with blue.

More images from the Colour Trends palette for 2024 can be seen below. Photos are courtesy of Benjamin Moore.

Blue Nova 825/CC-860

Benjamin Moore Blue Nova backdrop

Blue and orange are opposite on the colour wheel. You can see how these similar colour tones when combined together in a space can create a striking pairing.

Topaz 070

Blue Nova and Topaz

White Dove OC 17

See my popular White Dove colour review post here.

White Dove with Topaz.

Regent Green 2136-20

Dramatic Regent Green with orange tones hardwood

Painted ceilings can add incredible drama to a room. Here you can see the dark Regent Green ceilings and trim contrasting with White Dove on the walls.

Below is one of our dining room designs where we used the contrasting colour combination of Hale Navy on the ceiling and in the niche while painting the wall the soft, beautiful neutral that is White Dove.

Dining Room Design by Claire Jefford Inc.

When Benjamin Moore announced Aegean Teal as the Colour of the Year for 2021, I already had that colour painted on the ceiling of my outdoor interior design studio.

My studio office design, Agean Teal painted ceiling

See, I am the interior design colour trend-setter 🙂

What do you think of these Colour Trend colours for 2024?

Have you used any of these paint colours by Benjamin Moore?

Comment below, I want to hear from you!

Choosing Paint Colours

If you struggle with choosing paint colours, be sure to check out my Perfect Colour Palettes.

I have over 50 colour palettes to help inspire you.

I also offer collections that showcase a group of 10 similar colours from Benjamin Moore, Farrow & Ball and my newest addition, Sherwin Williams.

In addition, there’s my ultimate collection which includes all 20 of my Benjamin Moore Guides.

Benjamin Moore Collections:

Whites & Neutrals:

Grays & Blue-Greens:

Ultimate Collection:

Farrow & Ball Classic Collection:

Sherwin Williams Neutral 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!

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6 Bedroom Design Mistakes You Don’t Want To Make

Although it’s often the final room to be decorated, the bedroom is an essential space in a home as it provides a private and comfortable area for rest and relaxation.

It is where we spend a significant amount of our time sleeping, which is crucial for our physical and mental well-being.

Additionally, a well-designed bedroom can enhance the overall ambiance and aesthetic appeal of a home.

You CANNOT afford to mess up this type of decorating project!

For this reason, I want to share with you my ‘6 Bedroom Design Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make’.

1. Placement of your bed.

Your bed should be the focal point, a real feature since it’s the largest piece of furniture in the room. Design the space so that the bed fits nicely on a main wall with side tables.

The placement of your bed can have an impact on your overall well-being.

It’s generally recommended to place your bed in a position where you can see the door, but not be directly in line with it, which was the case in our Burlington client’s bedroom when we first met with them to discuss this specific project.

Before: Placement of bed under the windows

Additionally, it’s important to avoid placing your bed under a window or in a location with a lot of clutter or chaos. Overall, the goal is to create a peaceful and comfortable sleeping environment.

Here is my own bedroom where the bed is placed opposite the closet

If you place your bed on a wall with windows, be sure the window treatments aren’t covered up by the bed or covering a heat vent.

Sometimes you’ll want to consider roman blinds as opposed to drapery, which is exactly what we did here in our Burlington client’s principal bedroom.

3D rendering showing roman blinds and possible purple ceiling

2. Inappropriate scale

Scale and proportion are crucial elements in furnishing a space.

Scale refers to the size of individual pieces of furniture, while proportion refers to how those pieces relate to each other and the overall space.

Properly scaled furnishings create a balanced and harmonious environment, while mismatched proportions can make a room feel awkward and uncomfortable.

It’s important to consider the scale and proportion of each piece when selecting and arranging furniture to ensure a cohesive and pleasing aesthetic. This is a common oversight that many people make when decorating.

The image below is a perfect example. The upholstered bed frame is quite grand, but the lamp on the side table next to it is too small in proportion.

This acrylic lamp is too small in scale for the upholstered bed

When planning the decor of our clients’ principal bedroom, we specified a beautiful, king-sized upholstered headboard. We took careful consideration in selecting other furnishings that were similar not only in style but also in scale.

From the installation day of our client’s bedroom, not professionally photographed yet!

The antique mirrored nightstands are a good size at 24″ x 24″.

The sconces are hung at nearly the same height as the top of the headboard and fit nicely between the wall and the bed. Look at all those BIG pillows, plus the large custom storage ottoman!

To achieve good design, always consider how furnishings will relate to one another in both style, as well as scale.

3. Overlooking Storage

Smart storage solutions are important because they can help maximize space utilization and increase efficiency.

By utilizing innovative storage options, we can better organize our resources, reduce clutter, and increase access to important items.

Yes, we love ‘pretty’ but practicality is important too. In this client’s bedroom, we designed the niche area to include a new, beautiful custom dresser built-in.

Before image showing a stand-alone pine dresser

Not only does it look AMAZING, but it also provides a ton of practical storage, including organized jewelry drawers with felt inserts. And functionally, the location of the TV is now opposite the new placement of the king bed.

Our clients absolutely love their new built-in cabinet with the stunning hardware

The design of the unit also has open shelving, which allows for items like perfume to be on display and easy to hand as needed.

Now that the room is complete, it’s like it was always meant to be there!

We designed this stunning custom piece to be finished in Collingwood by Benjamin Moore and the walls are painted Portland Gray. These gray paint colours both have a Violet undertone.

If undertones confuse you, you are not alone, but I can help. Go grab my ‘Fifteen Shades of Gray’ download for free here, to see where I’ve identified various undertones of other Gray paints by Benjamin Moore.

4. The importance of lighting

Lighting is important for a variety of reasons. It can affect our mood, productivity, and overall well-being.

Proper lighting can make a space feel more inviting and comfortable, while poor lighting can cause eye strain and headaches.

In this client’s bedroom, we added four pot lights, two sconces, and a ceiling fan light.

Another key to good lighting design is not to overlook how fabulous dimmers can be. We ALWAYS specify dimmer switches!

Consider layering your lighting to create the perfect, versatile ambiance in your space.

This same lighting strategy can also be implemented using table lamps or pendants over your bedside tables as we did in these other bedroom decorating projects for clients.

Bedroom with a lamp on the side table, designed by Claire Jefford Inc.

Design by Claire Jefford. Photo by Stephani Buchman. See the project here.

As an FYI, the wall colour in the bedroom with the dark gray headboard is Revere Pewter by Benjamin Moore.

5. Looking at items in isolation

This is a huge mistake homeowners often make, and it’s such a costly one too! Buying one item at a time and not looking at the big picture.

How many times have you seen something in a store, purchased it thinking ‘it will go perfectly in my home’ and then it actually doesn’t look so hot?

To achieve great design, we pull all samples of potential fabrics, finishes, wallpaper, and paint colours so that we can view them all together.

Here you can easily see how well all of our fabrics go together

We do the same with furnishings, placing images of items on a mood board, and laying them out to ensure everything looks fabulous and works perfectly.

Finishes shown here from our original client presentation

Mixing different textures and patterns is a goal of ours when designing for clients and ensuring undertones don’t fight with one another but rather complement each other.

6. Overthinking

Do not overthink simple solutions. Instead of fussing around too much with our clients’ bedroom closet, we simply updated the doors.

They had an IKEA Pax closet insert with doors that opened outwards.

With the new room design, we needed sliders and the white shaker-style IKEA Pax doors were perfect!

We also used the IKEA Pax wardrobe system when we redesigned our own bedroom for the first time about 10 years ago. They still work wonderfully to this day.

PAX IKEA Wardrobe

When looking at your overall budget, consider where you may be able to mix high and low, without compromising look or function.

Tell me, are you making of these design mistakes in your bedroom? Comment below to share with us. It’s okay, we won’t judge. 🙂

Follow me for more helpful design and colour tips, I’m just getting warmed up.

If you are planning a bedroom renovation and happen to be near our local area of Burlington, Ontario, reach out to us here, and let’s discuss your project.

You deserve to Live Beautifully in your home. Until next time, Cheers!

Perfect for Pinning!

Don’t miss this series!

Click here to see my Kitchen Design Mistakes Series

7 Ways to Increase Client Conversion

Today I’m sharing 7 ways to increase client conversion to set you up for success with more projects.

Getting your foot in the door for a consultation meeting is one thing, but what strategies can you implement to convert more of those consultations into interior design projects?

Let’s get right to it!

1. Staying ‘Top Of Mind’

Email is not dead.

Stay in touch with regular updates to leads and past clients, so that you are the one who comes to mind as the expert to turn to when it’s time for their next home project.

We have three separate touchpoints for this:

*On the intake form of our contact page
*During the discovery call
*In our questionnaire sent after a paid initial consultation is booked

We like to stay in touch with past clients and leads who have previously inquired with us (but may have never hired us) at least once a month.

These emails are not ‘salesy’, nor should they be.

For example, share helpful tips and advice about recent projects you’ve worked on or industry events you have attended – like KBIS, the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show or Highpoint Market.

This content needs to provide value, something of interest to a homeowner.

Laundry room design by Claire Jefford Inc. All professional photos by Stephani Buchman.

When you share project images, whether it’s behind-the-scenes or a final reveal of a new project in your portfolio, explain a bit of the backstory. Touch on why the client hired you and how your interior design services benefited their renovation or decorating project.

In my Interior Design BOSS Academy which opens for enrolment just a few times a year, we include three examples of these types of emails as one of the many resources in the Bonus Marketing BOSS Bundle: Booked Solid with a Waitlist.

Those invaluable templates and marketing ideas are available in week 7 of my BOSS Academy. This is after the initial 6-week modules where I help you to build a solid foundation for your interior design business.

Learn more and either sign up or get on the waitlist here.

2. Discovery Call Follow-Up

After a discovery call with a potential interior design client, make sure you have a streamlined process for how you follow up with these leads. Don’t just hang up the phone and leave it at that.

We have a standard email template that we tweak slightly to personalize for each potential new client.

In addition, we often send a comprehensive, pretty, and easy-to-read PDF document that lists further details of our services, and the benefits of working with our award-winning Burlington Interior Design firm.

These Canva templates are also included in my Bonus Marketing BOSS Bundle: Booked Solid with a Waitlist, inside my Interior Design BOSS Academy.

3. Preparation is Key

As part of our process and lead up to our paid Interior Design Consultation, we ask clients for photos of their home, and if applicable, sometimes we will set up a shared board on Pinterest.

This not only shows we like to be prepared and that we care, but it also helps us to better understand what we are walking into.

With more than 12 years of experience in running my own successful interior design business, now I’m confident and quick off the cuff with design ideas so I’m fine if I walk into a new client’s home without having seen it ahead of time.

But this wasn’t always the case, especially when I was first starting out. Asking for this information has always been part of my process and it still works for us, even today.

Being prepared for a new client consultation takes more than dressing up and putting on some perfume. 😉

For a recent consultation, clients sent me rough drawings with a layout of their proposed new design plans.

It was very insightful to see what they had come up with on their own. Although, as I’m sure you can appreciate as a fellow professional in this field, I could see the potential for a much more functional and well-thought-out design.

My own kitchen design with plenty of personality and a ton of function

Being armed with this information ahead of time, presented me with the opportunity to come super prepared and show my expertise.

At the consultation meeting, I tactfully educated the lovely couple on some crucial flaws in the design and professional recommendations on how I would redesign the space to make it way more aesthetically pleasing and far more functional.

The jury is still out as to whether or not they will reach back out for further design services, but at least I was fully prepared and they could see the validity of what I suggested.

4. Don’t Hold Back

Although this can be dependent on your interior design business model, I like to give as much value as I can at this first paid consultation meeting.

Some designers don’t do consultation-only appointments and that’s totally fine. For me, I love them!

At a recent colour consultation for another lovely couple, I shared a lot of helpful advice for updating their main bedroom and ensuite.

I also provided ideas of how they could easily update their other full bathroom without doing a full reno, just like we did in a client’s basement bathroom shown here.

Updated vanity, new hardware, artwork & custom roman blind for this bathroom refresh by CJI

They asked about window treatment ideas and appropriate sizing for a chandelier in their dining room. I showed up as the expert, easily proving that I knew my stuff and wasn’t holding back.

A recent story was shared by one of my Interior Design BOSS Academy members. She told me that she joined the Academy because she sees how much I share online for free and thought, ‘Wow, if she gives all of this advice for free, how incredible will her paid course with more access to her be?’

Former BOSS Academy members are very happy with their investment.

Some designers worry that if they give too much away, the clients won’t hire them for further services, but I believe the opposite is true.

There are always going to be people who see the value in what we do and are willing to invest in our services.

Conversely, there will always be those who feel it’s too expensive to hire an interior design professional for full custom design and project management services, but may be happy to invest in a paid consultation-only appointment for ideas and guidance to lead them on the right path.

Either way, my goal is to help homeowners in any way that I can, and ‘holding back’ is not in my nature.

5. Bring Visuals

Never underestimate how exciting it is for a homeowner looking to renovate or decorate, to see examples of what’s involved in the design process.

A tablet is great for showing past projects you’ve worked on – before images, 3D renderings, and the final results. Discuss any challenges you faced and how you came up with fantastic solutions for the project.

We may also bring an example of our Project Site Binder. This includes our Materials and Selections sheet, showing details of all paint colours used in a project, as well as any tiles or hardwood selections and more.

We also have an end-of-client-project folder that includes actual fabrics, wallpaper and paint colours of physical samples that we give to clients so that they have everything together in one place.

There is so much that happens in the backend of what we do that clients don’t see, so sharing this sort of detailed information helps them to better understand what you bring to a project and how you help to keep everything organized for them.

A template of our Materials and Selections document is provided in Module 6 of my Interior Design BOSS Academy.

6. Create a Proposal

If you feel it’s worthwhile, and depending on your business model, take time to draw up a design proposal for their consideration.

I shared an example of mine in the second episode of my Behind the Curtain series and I had quite a few designers tell me afterward that they loved how professional and comprehensive my client proposal looked.

And yes, you guessed it, I also share a proposal template with you in my BOSS Academy course. Don’t start all this stuff from scratch! Learn my proven strategies and business setup with all of these helpful resources already done-for-you!

Samples shown here of items used in my own kitchen renovation

7. Frequently Share on Social

If you ever get stuck wondering what to share on social media, be sure to frequently post to different platforms to show people what you do.

In a story or an Instagram Reel, talk about the process of how you work. Tell a story about how you helped a client and the different ways you benefitted an interior design project.

A client who we initially thought was hiring us for an interior design consultation-only appointment, ended up telling me at this first meeting that she changed her mind after seeing my Instagram feed and stories.

She decided she wanted to hire us for full services and wanted to be ‘hands-off’ to leave everything to the professionals.

You never know when you are going to strike a nerve or hit on that ‘sweet’ spot with someone watching you on social media.

For more helpful resources to push your business to the next level, see my shop page here. Get organized and gain more confidence!