Let’s be honest… we’ve all done it. We’ve all made regrettable mistakes in our home design choices. As a designer, I’ve made mistakes. It’s aggravating, inconvenient and a waste of our hard earned money. So, let’s just refer to such mishaps as “lessons” in design.  May I Suggest Designs by MCS is the product of such “lessons”.

Long before the start of design school, before my passion was ignited, before I made the decision to assist others by crafting the best use of space, color, and light within their homes, I had decided opinions regarding such mishaps. As I drove through neighborhoods where construction was taking place I was filled with excitement. If I saw a trash gondola in the driveway, I would note it and do a weekly drive-by to check on progress. However, I was frequently met with disappointment regarding design selections such as front doors, shutters and color. I was often left with the thought: why go to such effort and expense to not achieve the look of quality? Why skimp or select shutters that are too small/wrong scale when you’ve invested so much? Where is the value in skimping?

It was during this time that I toyed with the idea of leaving notes to homeowners/ builders regarding their “designs gone wrong”. In my mind the notes would say something like this:

“What a lovely job you’re doing on the home at [STREET ADDRESS]. I have enjoyed watching your progress, but would like to offer critique… May I Suggest… (yes, this is the origin of my business name!) you replace the beveled glass Victorian style front door with a more modern door to mesh the architectural style of the home with your new construction.”

Now, I’m not a pushy person, but there are a few times when a loving critique is needed. Right? You’d want someone to save you time and money if possible, wouldn’t you?

For example, when making an exterior color selection for your home please paint several color choice boards and examine them at your home throughout the day in varying lights before you decide on the small paint chip in your hand at the paint store! Additionally, if you’re home as the painters get started, go and check the color before the entire house (or room!) is painted. You never know, you may walk out or drive up to a grape colored cottage rather than the would-be brown you chose from the itty-bity paint chip. Color’s fickle like that, and making the wrong choice is a highly visible sign you didn’t do your homework. Where’s the value in that?

I realize  we make decisions based on the size of our pocketbook or time constraints, but that’s no excuse for not getting it right. It’s like my momma always told me, “if it’s not done right, where is the value in that?”

There are times when a consultation with a knowledgeable professional is worth its weight in gold. They’ve been there and understand where you’re coming from; they’ve done their homework and more than likely made mistakes along the way. This is where their value is evident. A good designer saves you TIME and MONEY by helping you avoid the “lessons” they’ve gleaned along the way.

For example, if you tell me you like the rustic chalet look I will do my best to convey that through all aspects of your home.   From exterior selections to the dog bed Rover snuggles in every night; it’s about creating conceptually cohesive living spaces along side my client. In addition to my vision to execute our concept, I also know which colors will work well with the rug you inherited from your Aunt Polly and that the popular Pinterest D-I-Y of gluing stacked stone on the apron of your bathtub is not only inefficient, it’s cost prohibitive. I’ve been there, done that, and bought the tee shirt.

As a child my favorite toy was my dollhouse. I would constantly rearrange furniture within the rooms and occasionally use chairs and footstools to create additional living spaces for my miniature family. Sometimes the kitchen would be in the attic (a regrettable design choice)… However, even at a young age I saw endless possibilities in how to create functional, beautiful AND cohesive living spaces; a lesson I still apply to my designs today.

Contact me to find out how we can combine my “lessons”, with your love of the Greek Islands, Paris, or your favorite pink sweater, into a launching pad for your next home renovation/ redesign.   If you get a note in your mailbox that says, “May I Suggest…” know it’s my loving critique, and I want your design decisions to reflect the very best your pocketbook (and design) has to offer. Let’s do some homework together, so that we get it right the first time and avoid suffering from a design “lesson”.  There’s value in that!

Xoxo-

mc