STEP BY STEP: Problem Solving
Step by Step documents the projects that I’m juggling alongside setting up my interior design business, Kate Kerin Interiors. My clients Joanna and Pam have kindly agreed to being the subject of this blog, and I thank them for sharing their projects with our readers.
Petersham Project – bathroom reno
The last fortnight has been all about… tiles. As a rookie designer I expected to be learning a lot, but if I’m honest this was a steeeeeep learning curve!
Apartments are tricky to deliver to, even ones like Joanna’s which have level access and a lift. Our tile order is relatively small (about half a pallet), but the logistics company quoted well over $600 to bring the load up to Joanna’s second floor apartment. This felt unreasonable to me (our tapware from The Blue Space is going to be delivered free of charge, as is the gorgeous custom vanity from Three of a Kind). I just couldn’t bring myself to agree – but Earp Bros kindly offered to keep the tiles in their showroom for a while.
Although my lovely husband (known to many of you and referred to in this blog as Handyman Pierre) offered to hire a Go-Get van and deliver the tiles himself, Joanna was keen to use someone with full insurances. This was a very sensible request and one I was keen to accommodate. Stephen, our builder, offered his own courier but he couldn’t fit our schedule. We decided to post the job on AirTasker and see what came up. A couple of sleepless nights and two false starts later (Taskers who told me they had insurance turned out not to… grrr…) we found Lee. May I just take a moment to acknowledge how wonderful Lee, from Hove Services is? He swept in (after immediately providing current public liability and workers compensation certificates) and made the pick up and delivery so easy. He unloaded the tiles by hand and brought them up to Joanna’s apartment in batches, assuring us all the way that “this is what I do” and making our day.
So… I have learned not to take delivery for granted. Delivery to apartments is tricky and can be expensive. Having a trusted delivery guy is paramount. Just because someone says they are insured doesn’t actually mean they are. Having clients with a sense of humour and trust in what I do is vital. And Lee is a hero!
Tune in next time when we will hopefully have good news from the Body Corporate.
Greenwich project – Seniors’ Resort refresh
Next step in Pam’s northern Sydney apartment refresh is the entry foyer, which is linked through an open-plan layout to the kitchen, dining and then living room. The entry foyer is the first thing a visitor to the home sees, and is spacious and well lit with a wall of glass doors facing out to a large, sunny terrace. It features a beautiful antique Japanese screen on one wall, as well as a pair of antique Chinese opium-den chairs made from rosewood, with inlaid marble features. These stunning pieces are lovely and unique, and reminders of a life full of travel and discovery. Pam’s late husband David had chosen a bold and geometric round rug for the space, which was a terrific contrast to the very dark (almost black) floorboards but the colours are no longer appropriate. There is some other functional, but not particularly beautiful, furniture such as a coffee table, a console and on the remaining wall, a small oval-shaped mirror. The coffee table is strategically positioned in front of the very fragile screen to avoid people brushing up against it. Pam decides to replace all of the furniture as well as the rug and the mirror.
I mentioned in my last entry that we had noticed an unusual brass coffee table at Contents International Design. Called Adele, this table has a solid brass top with holes in it, and an asymmetrical shape. As soon as I saw this table I was convinced it would look stunning against the dark wooden floors, underneath the dark Japanese screen. It’s bold and modern, and unlike anything else that Pam has owned. It’s a true departure from the style she and David had cultivated and I’m not sure if she will be comfortable with it. I’ve left the decision entirely to her – there are other, more traditional options available and as long as we can add a touch of brass to complement the side tables we’ve already purchased, I will be happy.
After a couple of weeks, Pam calls me and says “Let’s do it!” I am so proud of her willingness to embrace change and to trust my design aesthetic. I check that she’s absolutely sure, and then we head out to purchase this lovely centrepiece of the foyer. Happy days!
We have agreed to replace the small mirror that sits between two opium den chairs with something a big grander to balance the stateliness of the chairs, and I’d like to carry the brass theme through. After substantial online research I have located a mirror shop (there are surprisingly few physical mirror shops left in Sydney; most are now online). I have taped up the outline of a few size/shape options onto the wall, and we have a good idea of what we are looking for.
A couple of hours later we have purchased an interesting mirror, larger and more in keeping with the scale of the wall and the chairs. Once delivered, Handyman Pierre works his magic and hangs the mirror for Pam. The foyer space is now nearly complete and looking gorgeous with its splashes of brass and interesting design features. All that remains is for us to locate a rug with the right colour scheme…
Kate Kerin Interiors specialises in working with residential clients in Sydney, particularly older people who are downsizing or live independently in lifestyle resorts. Contact Kate for an initial consultation to talk about your project.
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