“The price of the decor is not what dictates the value of the room. It is the manner in which it was designed for the people who live there, on the budget they have." JoAnne Lenart-Weary

Welcome:

Chances are sometime in the last month, you have looked around your home and contemplated rearranging furniture, perhaps updating the paint color, maybe purchased something new for your room. Bottom line, designing our homes is a never ending process. We continually change and evolve. We become exposed to new inspirations or our needs change. But no matter where you are in life, those changes can be good or bad...depending on how they are included in the space.

I have been going into other's homes for over 40 years. I saw early on that a room with an inexpensive sofa could be just as inviting as a room with an expensive sofa. In fact, I have seen people who threw so much money at a room and still get it wrong. It's not the stuff...it's the style and the attention to great design.

With that said, here are 5 (and a bonus) reasons why you should listen to my advice.

1. Been there and done that.

 I have had the pleasure of transforming rooms in 39 states and 4 countries. I came from a family who are all blessed with the gift of visualization. We can see the potential of a space before it happens. Most of my clients don't have that natural gift. By the same token, I wasn't blessed with the ability to sing...we all have our strengths.

2. This has never been just a job to me.

I get as excited today about decorating a room as I did 40 years ago. I can easily get distracted visiting friends or visiting new places because I always want to rearrange it, or change the color. My Husband will often lean in to remind me to quit redecorating their space.

3. I am a Decorating Detective and Coach.

Your home is such a phenomenal peek into the lives of the people that live there. The photos that are displayed, the titles of books on the shelves, the indentations in the furniture from frequent seating...all of that tells me about their lives and the ways they live in their homes.. I help people discover their Decorating DNA, (their Darn Near Always) so they can identify their style. I don't care if you call it Modern Farmhouse, Transitional, or Traditional, what I really need to know is what line, shape, and form they are attracted to.

4. I'm not a Design Snob.

Listen, I have been in this business for over 4 decades and have met many who think because they were blessed with an ability to "see" a room, they are the arbiters of good taste. Don't let anyone bully you into spending more than you can afford. I get as excited for my clients purchasing a $1000 sofa as a $10,000 sofa. Do the best you can on the budget you have and know their are tradeoffs. That $1000 sofa will probably only have a 3 year shelf life but as long as you know that when you start, let's create the best space you can...on the budget you have. That may mean we do ready made drapes instead of custom...that's okay. You might have to make compromises, but let's be smart about where to splurge and where to save.

5. Good design is the key.

Understanding design foundations and principles are key to a fabulous space. It's not what you have but where you place it that impacts a space most.Understanding the concepts of balance can change the dynamics of a room, because our bodies tend to mimic what we see. Sitting or standing in a room filled with symmetrical balance, you will tend to stand or sit more upright, than a room with more asymmetry. Joining our Decorating Dabblers Club or the DIY Academy, will arm you with a solid understanding of design foundations...taught by your truly, me!

Bonus Reason to listen to JoAnne

It's all about the emotion! It's not the way a room looks, but how it makes you feel that matters most. All of that is impacted by placement, color, design principles and elements. Let me teach you how.