AbbeyK — On Interior Design

This Renovation Is Not an Optical Illusion

2012-05-31T18:39:55-04:00

The basement remodel is nearly complete. This is for my client whose house was featured on This Old House (R) a few years ago. Floors are in and cabinets installed. Before and current are attached. I promise you: it's the same space with similar camera angles!

Bet you couldn't tell it was the space. Amazing what a team of structural engineers, crew to rip up the floor and put in a new water line from the street, great contractors, wonderful finish guys and cabinet makers, my clients and I can do when everyone cares and works together!

Now onto finalizing decor! I am happy with this project.

A True Decorating Nightmare, in my Sleep, that Is

2012-05-20T11:17:00-04:00

I woke up this morning shaking.I had a nightmare and it was all about decorating. It's kind of funny now that I think of it.

A new client has me come in to redo a good portion of her home. A good project with a very nice budget. Seem like nice people. While we were discussing dimensions and what they wanted to do, another woman comes in to the room and starts talking decorator speak: seat heights, ottoman height, crown of the seat, technical stuff about fabrics. I am not introduced, rather ignored by both client and this woman. She's clearly a designer. I am thinking: what is she doing here? Have they hired 2 decorators?

To ease the uncomfortable situation, I put my hand out and say, "Hi. I am Abbey Koplovitz, I don't think we've met."

Then the wife starts yelling at me, "Don't talk to her. You may not speak. Stop talking."

I turn to the husband with horror, "No one gets to talk to me like that." Then to the wife, "I don't think the communication between us is positive. I don't think I can work together. I will send you back your balance for the remainder of your deposit and retainer along with an invoice for the work done to date."

The other decorator says nothing. It's crazy uncomfortable.

Now I am trying to leave but the husband is convincing me to stay, blocking me with his body. He really wants to work with me. I say that I am sorry. I cannot work with them. I am desperately trying to leave, but I cannot find my shoes. I am searching through their very large house for my clogs. They are no where to be found. I can also not find my rain coat and it's pouring out. I am stuck. Tons of contractors are in the house milling around like aunts. A pre-school class is going on in the kitchen. (This is a dream, after all, weird things happen.)

My friend, Paul appears, and he's making the gesture of hand below the neck. Cut it off, he's telling me. Finally, I find my shoes and my jacket.

As I am leaving, the wife says, "Her rates are better than yours, anyway."

I say, "You get what you pay for."

And then I wake up.

What's Been Going on at AbbeyK

2012-05-14T18:26:13-04:00

Oh I've been a bad, bad blogger. So much going on -- all good. But change has a way of slowing you down as you bring in the new. I have made a commitment today to be more active blogging. I miss it actually.

Here's what we are up to:

1) Our whole house project in Needham is through Stage 1. The main living areas have all been ordered. Clients are moving in next week. Blinds will get installed just in time for the first night's sleep over. I am so glad the blinds are ready. That's a relief. Next up: secondary spaces, art, and accessories. In due time.

2) Reno in Newton is through rough inspection. Last week, we reviewed dimensions for the dining room table, and altered them slightly to give the room more breathing space. This dining room is going to be not just a little fab, but incredible. Below the room shot, you can see a picture of the rug, the finish for the table, blue grass cloth for the walls, and the fabric for the A. Rudin dining room chairs. The patterned fabric will go on the host and hostess chairs and the side chairs will be upholstered in the textured fabric. Not shown are a Keith Fritz custom table (oh joy) and the ivory and camel wool fabric for the window treatments which drape like buttah. Full-on heart palps for this room. We have to pick a chandelier and it's done. Most of the rest of the house is also ordered and we are very excited.

3) This Old House basement has had undergone quite a transformation. Below you can see the same vantage point framed up and with plastered walls. We're waiting for flooring, cabinets, and lighting be installed. Getting rid of all the poles holding up the house and putting in steel beams in their place for support allowed us to reclaim a very large room which was mostly unusable before. We're making decisions on furniture now.I must say that Tommy's Silva's crew keep the cleanest job site I have ever seen. Impressive.

Other smaller projects, clients doing finishing touches, a new client here and there and the phone ringing off the hook.

New and exciting things are sure to come in. And it's always fun to see what unfolds.