Most people don't realize that a large part of a designer's job is really about problem solving and problem avoidance. So a couple of months ago Steve and I had a great idea for a series of posts called "What we've learned." In these posts, we'd tell you about certain issues that didn't go exactly as planned the first time and how we solved (and learned from) the problem.
Our first post was about vent grilles and registers , and although I have started a couple other posts for this series, I thought it would be fun to hear from other designers about a few things that they've learned.
I'm thrilled to introduce the talented interior designer Marianne Strong from Haven and Home to all of my Velvet and Linen readers!
Hi Velvet & Linen Readers! To say I am excited to be a guest blogger on here is an understatement. I knew from the moment I saw the name Velvet & Linen (two of my favorite fabrics) I would love Brooke's blog and I was right. When Brooke did a post called "What We've Learned", I thought, "where would I even begin on that topic". In the world of design there are a lot of lessons to be learned, often painful. Recently, I had a very near painful reminder of what everyone in this business learns from the very beginning- Measure, Measure, Measure....and then MEASURE AGAIN! It all started with the renovation of this kitchen. My client wanted a table of some sort in the middle of the kitchen where they could eat, but also serve as a semi-island.
We looked high and low and did not find anything we loved, so we decided to have a custom table made from one of my favorite companies, Tritter Feefer. After a few sketches and lots of debate about the finish...(they have AMAZING finishes)...
It was time to decide on the size. We measured and debated the size many times - How wide? How high? Where should the crossbars go? We had stools that we loved on order, so stool height was a big factor in table height and thickness of the top...
So what is the problem? What lesson did I learn in all this you ask? Well in all my measuring I missed the most fundamental rule when purchasing furniture...Did you measure everything carefully, including if it will fit through the door? Oh, that's right, after months of waiting and anticipation the table breezed through the front door but not the doors leading into the kitchen. Yikes...how did this happen?
So, the first lesson I ever learned I learned again that day - Measure, Measure, Measure. Measure until you are sure you are correct down to the smallest degree, and then measure one more time. When it looked like we couldn't get the table in the kitchen, I couldn't believe that after years of doing this I had let this slip by. Thankfully this story has a happy ending, and the table and stools now reside in their new home.
Thank you Brooke for having me over today! I wish this post included a great source to share or something along those lines, but this is really the lesson I remember (and learn) time and time again. Thank you so much Marianne for letting us learn through your experience! xo Brooke
After much thought and consideration, we decided on a size and our custom table was off into production! When it arrived it looked fantastic...
The door in theory was a fourth of an inch wider, but doors are not necessarily precisely even from top to bottom. In the end, my go-to mover man was able to come to the rescue. They lifted and twisted and miraculously squeezed this table through the door. If this table had not gone through the door we would have had to start from scratch - a whole new table. There was no way to take this table apart. It is one piece - no seams, no breaks, no pieces that can be taken off and back on.
Oh, one more thing I had to add... I have also learned to expect the unexpected. The stools, which the height of the table was built around, arrived 2" shorter than listed! In the end, it all worked out though, and that is all you can ask for!
