We’ve all been there – wanting an update in our home or business space. It’s so easy to just jump on our laptops and flip through a magazine and find all kinds of gorgeous ideas that look so effortless. We tell ourselves the same thing over and over: “I can do that! It will just take me a few hours looking online at some retailers and maybe a few weekend hours milling around furniture stores to get that look I’m longing for. It’ll be fun!”
Updating your current design or creating new spaces from scratch is important. It’s about how you – and others – feel and function in your environment every single day. This is your home or workspace we are talking about, your lifestyle, a reflection of your personality. If you’re going to do it, do it right!
At HWd, your space is our passion. Using a design professional is ideal for so many reasons, and here are just a few that I’ve outlined in a handy acronym, “TOMO”:
Time
“I’ll spend few hours over the weekend looking at stores. It’ll be easy!”
To get right to the point: Doing it on your own will take a significant amount of time, while an experienced designer (like me!) will be very efficient and minimize the hours spent on the project by prioritizing and streamlining.
Think of the big picture – getting the overall look idea together as well as the individual pieces isn’t something most people can do in a few weeks. But at HWd, we do it all the time and are extremely efficient at all stages of the process, from design conception and selections to procurement and overseeing installation. We create a realistic timeframe and work towards it every step of the way.
And the “little” picture is just as important. Selecting a sofa, for example, can take you 10 hours of research, store visits, analysis, mind-changing, ordering, arranging delivery, etc. Not only are you going for a certain style, but there are countless details to consider when making your selections – including sizing, proportion in the space, color, functionality, feel. I pull ideas and get you options to consider that fit your budget and the overall style you’re going for in a fraction of that time. Multiply that one sofa decision by each of the components needed to put together a room – paint, flooring, chairs, tables, rugs, window treatments, art, accessories – and you get an idea of the magnitude of the time and hassle that you will save by using a great designer!
Options
“Oh, I know that sofa, and my sister-in-law has that exact rug!”
You want to end up with a gorgeous, original result, so why are you shopping where everyone else shops? Then, how exactly do you create that one-of-a-kind space? By using an experienced designer who “shops the universe”!
When you have a few retailers in mind, you are barely scratching the surface of what’s out there. So many people look at just 3-4 stores they like and have heard of, but all this effort still results in limited options in style; limited options in finishes and details; and limited options in fabrics, colors and so much more. And the result is someone walking into your home and saying, “Oh, I know that sofa, and my sister-in-law has that exact rug!” Even your best efforts to create your very own look will fall flat simply because you simply don’t have the range of options to choose from.
At Holly Witten designs, I collaborate with you to come up with a design vision and plan that’s completely original – one that fits with your day-to-day lifestyle, aesthetic, current pieces you’d like to keep, and countless other extremely important elements. Basically, you are getting a one-of-a-kind plan here. What’s more, I have access to a huge range of furniture, lighting, and décor manufacturers across the country and around the world, which allows me to show clients pieces not seen in the mass market stores and with the options to choose finishes and details that truly customize their own pieces and overall look.
With HWd, you’ll never worry about hearing “I was just looking at that same chandelier for our dining room!”
Money
“I’ll spend too much using a designer. There’s no way it’s worth it.”
This myth just is not true!
Fact: Quite often, my clients spend the same amount – or less – on my design expertise plus all the furnishings for their project as they would have spent had they done all the work themselves and shopped retail. And, remember how much of your very own valuable time is being saved in the process!
Speaking of savings, HWd has access to everything from rugs, furniture, lighting and even artwork at wholesale prices, and I’m able to extend a portion of that huge savings to you.
Outcome
“Holly Witten designs did and amazing job!
I cannot imagine it coming out this beautifully any other way!”
And here’s the big win for you when working with Holly Witten designs – your space is going to look so great, and we have fun creating it!
I work collaboratively with all of my clients to cultivate the design concepts and execute them with the right elements – paint color, furnishings, lighting, décor and art – that give you a one-of-a-kind, pulled-together look that does not come across as cookie-cutter or overdone.
I believe strongly in original designs that are highly functional for your lifestyle and that reflect your personal tastes, all while focusing on quality in elements.
I certainly hope this has been a helpful tool in your evaluation of using a designer vs. going it alone. Please feel free to contact me any time to discuss your project and we can take it from there!
Holly Witten designs. “TOMO” Summary Chart
| Doing It Myself | Using Holly Witten designs | |
| Time | Very Time Consuming for Client | Efficient Use of Designer and Client Time |
| Options | Limited Range of Options and Looking at Same Things Over and Over at National Retail Chains or Local Stores | Custom Design Plan and a Carefully Curated Selection from an Array of Options and Original Ideas from Countless Sources –“Shopping the Universe” |
| Money | Retail Prices with High Markups and Hours of Your Valuable Time | Ability to Purchase High-End Items at a Discount and Fewer Client Hours Saves Money |
| Outcome | “Good” but Not Often “Great”
High Risk of having a Cookie-Cutter Look |
Your Own Highly-Functional and One-of-a-Kind Space, Thoughtfully Put Together in a Fun and Collaborative Process |
