WHY I HATE FIXER UPPER

I CAN HEAR THE COLLECTIVE GASP NOW…But hear me out on this one.

WHY I HATE FIXER UPPER

I don’t hate Joanna or the farmhouse style or even the shiplap. What I can’t stand is the unrealistic expectations this show (and basically every other HGTV show) gives clients.  That said client then turns to me and says “LET’S RENOVATE—I’M READY! I have $10,000 for design, labor and materials and need it to be done in 4 weeks.” And where does that leave me? Being the bad guy, the bearer of bad news, the one to crush the expectations of my client before we even get out of the gate.

The truth is, renovations are hard. They are complicated, time consuming and expensive.  It takes an incredible amount of time and attention to detail to plan, source, price, order, (reorder after 1st choice is no longer available), receive, inspect, schedule installers, oversee installers, (reorder 2nd choice after it arrives broken), and stage everything for those pinterest-perfect reveals. <—- These shows, they skip ALL. OF. THAT.  All of the hard work that gives incredible value to the designer-client relationship is just breezed over like it doesn’t exist. Like it isn’t necessary to get from A to B.

It’s a hard pill to swallow and makes watching these shows almost unbearable to me ( I imagine it’s how my attorney father feels watching Law + Order ).  I bust my butt for my clients, to make sure no detail is forgot, every grout color is the perfect selection. This labor of love is my business and my business is a huge part of my life. I can’t stand to see it passed over by every HGTV show ever.  Let me tell you that all of that “stuff between A & B” I just mentioned, are the things that make your reno go off with out a hitch. All of this effort is what ensures your budget is in check, your layout is perfectly functional, all the colors coordinate beautifully, that your furniture will actually fit through the door. The stuff between A & B is the MEGA VALUE of working with an interior design professional.

YOUR RENOVATION WILL BE TIME CONSUMING BUT IT WILL NOT BE ALL-CONSUMING, WE WILL CARY THE LOAD FOR YOU.

Anyone who is considering working with us should know: Your renovation WILL be time consuming but it will not be all-consuming, we will carry the load for you.  There will be crazy expensive decisions to make, but you will make them confidently and with ease as we guide you through the process. There will be head-spinning details to go over like how the tile will come together and transition at an angled ceiling, but we will counter with equally detailed drawings and instructions for installers to ensure perfection.

As entertaining as C & J might be, and as giddy as all that ship lap might make you feel Fixer Upper is not based in renovation reality. Don’t make me be the bad guy by busting all your farmhouse reno dreams– start out by chatting with us about next big project.