Sometimes you have to remind yourself that there is always a light at the end of the tunnel. Sometimes you have to remind yourself DAILY. This is where my husband Kyle and I are at as we wrap up Summer and transition into Fall. We’ve been dealing with water in our basement these past two months and I’m feeling much empathy for my clients.
As an interior designer, my job is to make the renovation process as stress-free as possible. I take that job seriously. But, the fact is, renovations will always be hard. Home is intended to be a place of refuge …. a place where we can retreat to … where we can set down our guard and be ourselves … where we can where sweatpants without apology! A renovation will always disrupt that feeling of refuge and retreat. There’s really no way around it.
As an introvert, I recharge at home with only close family or friends around. Pair that with my love of design, my attention to detail, and my Hyper Sensitive Persons Disorder, and you’ve got a recipe for renovation disaster! Where I normally would take a clients’ renovation in stride - one step at a time - I find it’s not so easy to do when it’s MY basement that’s torn up … and it’s MY home office that’s been displaced to the living room sofa!
So I’m finding a new appreciation for what a designer brings to the table. Sometime’s it’s easy to undervalue what I have to offer. Design flows naturally out of my interests, giftings, and personality traits. This makes charging for my services really challenging! How do you put a monetary value on something so innate and personal to yourself?
But I’ve been reminded that it’s really hard to keep your head clear and above water (pun was a happy coincidence!) in the midst of a renovation. My aim with every project is to bring a sense of calm, peace, and clarity to the decisions being made. While I can’t undo the chaos that the physical environment will be subjected to during a renovation, I can offset it by bringing a different climate to the project.
To all of my fellow renovators, I want to remind you (and me) that there really is a light at the end of the tunnel! It’s hard to see when you’re in the thick of a renovation, but each decision made brings you closer to the end … closer to the light! On days when it feels dim, step away and hug your spouse, call a friend, confide in your sister, or cry to your Mom … whatever helps. Then, when you’re ready, make another decision and then another!
We got this, Friends!
Ps. Tell me about your past reno stories or your future reno dreams!