WOW, what a busy few weeks I have had! I have been designing and installing an intense “Designed With a Deadline” project.
A 3 bedroom, 3 1/2 bath home with outdoor spaces thrown in. We signed our contract exactly 4 weeks ago and the client moves in on Monday. That means we have designed, ordered and delivered COMPLETE furnishings, window coverings, accessories and also fully stocked the kitchen, laundry, etc. This is a second home for my client, so we started from scratch. And to top it off, we did it all via email design boards and communication.
While I have pulled off fast projects in the past, this one takes the cake.
So along the way, you can imagine there have been several Oh-No’s and Uh-Oh’s as we work to make our tight deadline. Just so you know, no job is ever perfect – no matter what timeline you have. In this job, we have had two major issues:
1. Our side rails for the beds ALL arrived damaged from the carrier – Since we had to expedite these custom beds in order to have them in time, we used a freight carrier that isn’t our norm. Afterward, we found out they can get things to you quickly, but they don’t just carry beautiful furniture on their trucks.
There is usually a chance your great items for a client are stacked next to heavy equipment that just rubs against your furniture all the way. Needless to say, when these beds arrived and we only had 1 business day to react, here’s what I did!
Then I calmed down and called my upholsterer and BEGGED him to work on Saturday in order to repair my beds! Then, I called the fabric companies and had a new fabric (thank goodness it was in stock) overnighted for Saturday delivery to the upholstery shop. I will pick them up on Monday after lunch for my 7:00 pm Monday deadline for installation. WHEW!
2. The legs on my dining table were off 2″ and the chairs we ordered wouldn’t fit – Although we had originally selected a dining chair that would have fit perfectly under our dining table, they weren’t available in time. Our second choice (remember when I talked about having a Plan B?) is a great chair, but it is off just a little. What to do?
Again, I called my local furniture maker and BEGGED again. I am sure I will owe favors all over town after this job! He has remade the base of the table, made a new stretcher and re-painted the table to be picked up on Monday afternoon as well.
I have such wonderful sources and suppliers that make emergencies like these disappear, and if you work with a designer, you are not only paying for great design, but fewer headaches. My client will never know the stress that came from this, only the beauty that we create in the end. I always say that interior design is an extreme sport, and this week has been proof.
This week I will give you more insight into my latest “Designed With a Deadline” project.
I would love to hear your Design Dilemmas, so please comment here and if you need a solution, I will answer your question in a future post!
