2021 It’s been quite a year…one that was supposed to be “back to normal” was anything but! But it has been a fascinating ride, nonetheless.
My Top 12 Takeaways from 2021
Patience is not just a virtue, it is currently a necessity. Some things are worth waiting for, and opting for quick and cheap always backfires in the end.
Appreciate people (and don’t forget to TELL them you appreciate them!). Our local craftsmen and installers are absolute GOLD. Our drapery and upholstery workrooms, cabinetmakers, handymen, and installers are ah-MAY-zing!! They make our job not only possible, but enjoyable!
Builder spec plans are meant to appeal to everyone and as a result are ideal for exactly no one. We’ve worked with some wonderful builders this year who were willing to modify plans to our specifications and make a better product perfectly suited to our clients.
Plywood and building products are apparently on par with gold bullion and maybe we should start stockpiling these in the garage…
Travel, at least non-luxury-level-travel, is not glamorous. But it is still worth it to see new sights, reconnect with old friends, and meet new people and we are SO grateful it is possible to travel safely again - at least intermittently. Also, getting an empty seat next to you on the plane is right up there with winning the lottery.
You can, in fact, get a weeks worth of clothing and technology into a 20” carryon suitcase and one ‘personal item’. I am a packing ninja.
Virtual consults are one of my favorite ways to spend 2 hours. I can provide a ton of value in 2 hours, offer professional advice, prevent catastrophic mistakes, and make life better for someone…and everybody is happy.
Gathering with loved ones in person is not to be taken for granted. We SOOOOO missed this in 2020 and are SO grateful to have been able to share these moments in 2021.
Smart home technology can be really useful. We can now yell at Siri to turn on Christmas or turn off the living room lights…I’m no longer getting my gymnastics credits diving behind furniture to pull the plugs on the candles, but I’m okay with that!
As evidenced by the popularity of green as the color of the year pick by nearly every major paint manufacturer (read about it here), the great outdoors is STILL really great even though we can have people over inside again. I am still loving walking in the local arboretum and marveling at the show of all the seasonal changes.
Shared laughter is the best medicine, and life is full of opportunities to laugh.
Work-life balance does not happen by default. I have learned I need to make intentional time for the things and relationships that are REALLY important, not just the things that seem urgent or squeak loudest. Still a work in progress…
Speaking of squeaking, at this time last year, we were battling a squadron of mice that had taken up residence in our kitchen. Ugh. After several weeks of removing all the drawers in the kitchen every night and bleaching the counters every morning, we acquired a pest control contract. Our exterminator is now on speed dial and I am happy to report that this year “not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse…” is an accurate statement! The current lack of rodents in my house makes me unspeakably happy.
On the work front this year…
If one word can sum up a year, the word for this year would be “busy”. 18 projects and 16 consults, over 400 yards of fabric, 26 custom furniture and reupholstery pieces, 10 bathrooms, 18 rooms of custom window treatments, dozens of custom pillows and cushions, and 102 blog posts…no wonder I’m tired! We had a record number projects and are so grateful for all our wonderful clients and vendors.
We *mostly* wrapped up some long term projects and started a dozen new ones. Supply chain issues continue to plague the design industry and patience is a necessary virtue for designers and clients alike. I dread the weekly spate of emails with new delay notifications and having to update clients. Most of my update emails start with “please don’t shoot the messenger”, because this really is beyond the control of anyone, least of all me.
We finally received our clients Sunbrella fabric for a beach house reupholstery project (after waiting for SEVEN months) juuuuust in time to get it done and delivered for the summer season, and the parts and pieces for the drapery panels for a window wall that has been on the drawing board for months finally arrived and got installed.
We’ve had a hand in 14+ bathroom projects over the last 2 years and will finally, hopefully, get some professional photos of some of them in the coming month(s)!
And I REALLY need to do my own primary bathroom over…which *may* show up as a one room challenge project this coming year…there are so many possibilities, it’s hard to narrow it down to which project to do, but I’ve had the plan for this one in the back of my mind for a looong time.
Speaking of the ORC, we participated in two more One Room Challenge events this year with our spring Pocket Patio Makeover (reveal post here) and our fall Dressing Room Do Over (reveal post here). In our never-ending quest to practice what we preach and improve our own living space, these two projects created a lot of joy for us.
We’ve made countless selections for new build and renovation projects this year, and redesigned builder plan kitchens and baths into more personal and functional spaces.
We’ve designed custom built-ins for entertainment centers, family rooms, and library spaces.
We’ve designed living spaces, home office spaces, and sleeping spaces.
We’ve designed and installed thousands of square feet of custom window treatments.
Roman approves of our hardware choices
We’ve hung hundreds of pieces of artwork and styled acres of shelves, mantels, and tabletops to refresh spaces and make new houses and downsized condos into personal and fresh yet familiar homes.
Working with our local painters and upholstery workroom, we’ve upcycled, reupholstered, and custom designed dozens of pieces of furniture to give new life to well made and beloved pieces and create new pieces without the many-months-long wait of ordering new.
Our virtual consultations that we introduced in 2020 continued to be popular and allowed us to help clients around the country in 2021 with color selections, furniture arrangements, artwork and accessory placement, window treatments and lighting, and so much more. All my projects are my favorite project when I’m working on them?! But virtual consults are a particularly quick and satisfying way to make life better for our clients.
We participated in our first event as a ‘Design Hound’ this year, which meant we got a delightful mystery package of ingredients and wine sponsored by Signature Kitchen Suite and Gentleman Farmer Winery as well as specially designed recipes to prepare for the event. The virtual cocktail party was a great success on all fronts! See the recap and delicious recipes here.
Design Edge Boston
We attended the new local Design Edge show and the venerable High Point Market for the first time this fall and they were such incredible experiences! Not only did I finally meet so many of the reps and CEO’s behind the brands that I specify, I also had the joy of meeting many of my online friends and colleagues IRL for the first time - definitely a highlight!
Highpoint Market
Attending these trade shows allowed me to report on the upcoming design and furniture trends from first hand information.
See the Design Edge recap here and the Trend Reports from Highpoint here, here, and here. I’m looking forward to attending KBIS, the Kitchen and Bath Industry Show, this winter and sharing all I learn about what’s new for those spaces here on the blog.
I also had the opportunity this fall to tour two custom upholstery furniture factories and chat with the owners, which was fascinating. We have ordered from both of these companies for many years and seeing the quality and care that goes into every step of the production process up close re-confirmed our trust in these manufacturers.
In December we decorated for commercial Christmas projects once again with our team of elves to deliver some Christmas cheer. And we shared some of our favorite tips to make holiday decorating easier and more beautiful. From how to make a perfect bow, to holiday decor for the foyer.to the best approach to a beautiful Christmas tree!
And throughout the year we continued to share our favorite recipes and entertaining tips via this blog. Hospitality has looked different this year, but blessedly, we were able to actually safely host people in our home again and that has been such a renewed source of joy. Oh how I missed gathering together in person! And this from a world class introvert! LOL.
We are made for connection and we’ve had to find creative ways to connect over the last 2 years. Thank goodness for technology and science. But there is no substitute for in person connection.
Looking ahead…
We look forward to 2022 with mixed emotions, if I’m honest. The other day I saw someone write, 2022 can also be said as 2020 too….GAH! We surely hope not! We are so weary of this pandemic that just won’t go away, of the seeming irrevocable fractures in our society, and all the losses from both of these things.
But we see new possibilities on the horizon as well, and that is exciting. Possibilities for recovery, for hope and healing, and for new adventures both from a business and personal standpoint.
The one thing in this crazy adventure called life that I can control, is my attitude. So I choose to plunge headlong into 2022 in a spirit of adventure with an attitude of wonder, gratefulness, and joy for all the blessings, large and small, that God continues to bestow.
