Best of Houzz 2019!

There is a secret recipe to designing your dreams & making them a reality!

Passion is a start, but it won’t keep you motivated when times get challenging or you begin to feel overwhelmed. In those moments you need to dig deep and stay committed to your dream. You also need to have the integrity & grit to follow through even if it feels overwhelming, scary or uncomfortable. If you don’t push through, you won’t be able to design that dream!

Part of my dream for Home in Harmony is for my client’s to know that they are the center of our world. We don’t want them to just like their spaces, we want them to LOVE their homes! I know that when I return from one of my trips away I want to pinch myself because I love every inch of my space. I want my clients to feel that way about their home! It should be a nurturing nest that rejuvenates and inspires you to be the best you can be!

Our clients must be feeling our commitment, love, meticulous tendencies, and integrity because Home in Harmony just received Best of Houzz 2019 for service! In this week’s article let me explain why these 4 ways of being are integral in designing a life you love. Help us celebrate by going to Houzz and following our page! You can also see our latest design project labeled Hingham!

Last Monday, Boston was having a snow storm that was creating havoc with the flights going out of Logan International Airport. The first leg of my flight to CA was delayed by over an hour which meant that I was not going to make my connecting flight in Phoenix. As I realized there was little chance we would make up time in the air my American Airlines App was telling me that I had been rebooked on a 3:30pm flight the following day. I knew this did not bode well for my 8:30am design client meeting in San Diego! The 3:30pm flight would get me in hours after the scheduled meeting. I began searching my options (thank goodness for inflight wifi!) to see what, if anything, I could do.

Option 1 was to stay in Phoenix overnight and catch the 3:30pm flight the airline had already rebooked me on. Of course, I would make the best of it by finding a beautiful hotel! My search concluded that The Phoenician was a great option. I always love checking out luxury hotel décor and the spas at this type of resort are usually a great resource for bathroom inspiration!

Option 2 was to figure out what the last flight was that headed to San Diego, knowing that I would continue on without my luggage. It would be me, my pocketbook and laptop. At that late hour, I would have to find a 24 hour pharmacy to pick up a toothbrush, hairbrush and a few other essentials.

As uncomfortable as it was… I chose the option #2.

Why?

There were a few drivers that led me to my decision.

First, I knew my 8:30 a.m. client had a limited window that she had rearranged to see me before she was flying out to Nashville the next day. I was making the trek out to the West Coast and although I thoroughly enjoy sitting in a luxury spa being pampered, I love designing beautiful spaces that recharge my clients!

Designing beautiful spaces is my passion & definitively my purpose! This love, excitement & commitment guides my inner GPS that keeps me moving me towards my dream, even when things get uncomfortable.

What drives you even when it is uncomfortable?

Can you name it?

Because of Home in Harmony’s growth & expansion, we recently hired a new design assistant.  I knew that she was the right fit when we started talking about time commitment! I told her that it might be a good idea to put a structure in place so that she didn’t feel like she needed to be at Home in Harmony Headquarters all of the time and that I didn’t want her to “burn out”. She insisted that this was energizing her and she could eat, sleep and breathe design. (Don’t worry, I won’t let her actually do that!) But, it was so refreshing to be in the presence of someone who feels as passionate as I do about my craft! I know that working actually nourishes my inner spirit. It is important to find something that uplifts and energizes you.

What energizes you so that you could do it all day?

I am often asked what subcontractors I use for painting, electrical, plumbing, flooring, etc. I am very choosy with whom I will refer. That said, I have a go-to hardwood flooring guy (let’s call him Alex) that I am always happy to send client’s his way. Alex and his team go above & beyond when they are installing or refinishing hardwood floors. A few years ago, they were doing my home… they had arrived at the home to inspect the finished product of their work and to ensure that after 3 days it was fully cured (dried).  I will never forget how respectfully adamant Alex was about the floors not being fully dry and he did not want us to walk through the house in our socks. He didn’t want any dust from our socks to ruin the beautiful dark finish. We respected his wishes because he was so meticulous and proud of his creation! He was a true craftsman. True craftsmanship is becoming harder & harder to find.

What are you meticulous about in your life and proud to do?

Integrity allows you to be in a mindset & spiritual space of alignment. When you are in alignment things gracefully flow and the people you connect with feel your sincerity. Coming from a place of integrity allows those that surround you to feel a sense of trust & security. This is a game changer for every relationship in your life! When people trust you, they know that you will do what is right in all circumstances. You have their back. You say you’re going to do something, and you do it. Without excuses.  This is a foundational pillar of the Home in Harmony business model. Integrity. Integrity is one of my favorite words.

Are you in alignment with your integrity?

These 4 concepts guide, move and fuel me as I lead Home in Harmony and as a team, we navigate the world of interior design and travel along this path striving to be the best we can be for our clients, the homes we make an imprint on and the lives we touch.