Charity Work

I want to state that it is not my intention to offend anyone with what I am about to say it is just my opinion. As an Interior Designer and Private Quarters Comfort Consultant I must build relationships to grow my business. One of the tools I use to do this is my weekly e-mail news letter. This let's you get to know me better and tell you a little about my product. What I like about e-mail is that you can delete or unsubscribe. It is not like sending unwanted mail or calling on the phone. a person has a choice if they want to learn more or not.

Last week at my charity committee meeting I was asked not to use the rooster for business e-mailing. Now I am all for Charity Work and giving back to the community but I believe they have to work with us as business owners also. I am there giving of my time and money so I can help support the work they are doing. I believe that all the volunteers that are helping should be able to teach us about what they do so that we may help them get more business. After all I am trying to get to know more people so that I may pass them on to my friends and family. If I don't know what they do I cannot refer them to people I know. That is just the fact.

Health, Safety and Welfare

When I received this e-mail I knew that I had to let other people know. I also did a little research and this story cannot be veryfied but if you are having any of these issues below I beleive you should take action. As an Interior Designer most people think that all we do is choose paint and fluff pillows. This is just not true, when I select materials for my client I must always be thinking of the health, safety and welfare of what I am specifying. It is my job to make sure that what I am putting in a home or office is up to code and safe, after all my name and reputation is on everything I select.

Here is a story of a persons whose house burnt to the ground because of the plug-in type room freshners. I am not sure if the story is true or not but if there is a chance it maybe true I would want to make that choice for myself. An insurance investagator said that was the cause of the fire. He has seen more house fires started with the plug-in type room freshners then anything else. He also said that in every case there was nothing left to even prove that it ever exsisted. When the investegator looked in the wall plug the two prongs left from the plug-in were still in there

This person had one of the plug-ins that had a small night light built in it. She said she had noticed that the light would dim and then finally go out. She would walk into the bathroom a few hours later, and the light would be back on again. The investagator said that the unit was getting too hot, and would dim and go out rather then just blow the light bulb. Once it cooled down it would come back on ....... This is a warning sign.

The investagator said he personnelly wouldn't have any type of plug-in fragrance devices anywhere in his house. He has seen to many places that have been burned down due to them.

If this might happen wouldn't you want to know?

Being Myself

When I go on a first meeting with a new design client I am always nerveous. With so many shows on TV that have Interior Designers on them you are not quite sure what someone is expecting. For me I have to be who I am and just be myself. This week I had an incredible first meeting with a potential new client. They welcomed me into their home and made me feel very comfortable. By being myself it was not only a great meeting but I got the project and left their home with a handful of gifts from where they work. This was very unusual for me and a first. You know you have made a connection when you leave a person's home feeling like part of the family.

Staying Motivated

Even with the hope of a New Year it isn't easy to stay motivated. This week I lost a very big design project, they gave it to the contractors designer. Wow what a surprise that was when I didn't even know the contractor had a designer bidding for the job. It is not necessarily about your ideas or how well you connected with the client but it is about who you know, that is just the cold hard truth.

So you pick yourself up dust yourself off and move on to the next potential client. For me it is not trying to figure out what I did wrong which is always my first thought, but it is about how I can stay motivated.

A few of the things I do is stay current with new design materials, styles and trends. Anytime I can attend seminars on information or education in the design industry it is important to me to fit that into my already busy schedule. I show up to my weekly networking groups it is an opportunity to build those relationships, remember it is not what you know but who you know.

I find new way's to better myself as a person, by doing at least one charity project. giving back is very important you will find the more you give the more you get back.

Any questions or comments please feel free to contact me at valeriepugliese@yahoo.com

Color of the week is Orange

First of all it appeals to a great number of people it denotes affordability and it makes you think of the fall season also such holiday’s as Halloween and Thanks Giving. It can also stimulate the appetite.

Combines the heat from red and yellow to make it the hottest color

Interiors will be glowing, vital and energizing

Shades & Tints
Orange - Fun, whimsical, childlike, happy, glowing, vital, sunset, harvest, juicy, tangy, energizing, gregarious, friendly, loud
Peach - Nurturing, soft, fuzzy, delicious, fruity, sweet, inviting

Color RED

Red Causes the most diverse reaction of all the colors. It signals excitement, danger and sex. Can causes sense of smell improvement & increase in appetite. Speeds up the perception of time. Evokes physiological response in increased heart rate and rapid breathing

Interiors done in red will be dramatic and provocative

Shades & Tints

•Bright Red - Exciting, energizing, sexy, hot, dynamic, stimulating, provocative, dramatic, aggressive, powerful
•Bright Pink - Exciting, happy, hot, attention-getting, energetic, youthful, spirited, fun, trendy, wild
•Light Pink - Romantic, soft, sweet, tender, cute, babies, delicate
•Dusty Pink - Cozy, soft, subtle, dusky
•Mauve - Soft, subdued, quiet, sentimental
•Burgundy - Rich, elegant, refined, tasty, expensive, mature
•Fuchsia - Bright, exciting, fun, hot, high energy, sensual
•Brick Red - Earthy, strong, warm, countryTerracotta - Earthy, warm, wholesome, country, welcoming

Designer tips on Staging

First I want to say that I am not a stager I am an interior designer. There are many differences between a person who stages your home and a designer who designs your home. Someone who stages usually carries an inventory of furniture, accessories and art work to select from. Home Staging is the art of styling your home for the buying audience. A designer is someone who helps you after you are in the home to give it a custom personal look.
I just want to share a few tips on what a home owner can do to make their property more attractive to prospective buyers.
CLEAR CLUTTER -- Begin by clearing away the personal clutter, including everything from paperwork to photos to collections. Remember that the potential buyer needs to visualize themselves in the space, and your particular brand of "lived-in" may not match up with theirs.
CHECK FURNITURE FLOW -- There needs to be enough in place to suggest proper scale and capacity within each room, but not so much that traffic flow is hindered and architectural elements are obscured.
TONE DOWN -- Neutralize walls and floors to create a backdrop for buyer imagination. Replace patterned wall coverings with off-white paint, and install low-grade tan wall-to-wall carpet.


Any Questions or Comments

My Philosophy for Designs by Valerie

As a professional designer I have the education, experience and expertise to create the best design for you. I will give you a variety of options through which you can achieve your decorating goals. I want my clients living space to accommodate their needs as individuals or as a family. Color, furniture and attention to details are always part of my design. If I choose a color palette for you it must be consistent. Each room is not a separate entity they need to work together as a whole. I want to share my passion with everyone and I believe that all people with all budgets deserve good design. A good reputation is earned through creativity and quality service.