My Design Philosophy and Inspiration on Danze.com
Hey there...I just returned from an amazing vacation to NYC and am slowly getting back to reality. There was so much to see and soak in while in the Big Apple which I will share with you over several posts in the next few days, but in the meantime, how exciting! My Featured Designer interview on Danze.com just went live...check out the full interview here.You may be familiar with Danze and not even know it. They offer a very nice collection of bath and kitchen fixtures in a variety of finishes. Learn more about them here.In the meantime, here's a little insight into my design philosophy and where I find inspiration. Enjoy...Q: What’s your design philosophy?Only live with what you absolutely need and love. I’m the epitome of the anti-hoarder. If you don’t need it, get rid of it. I hate buying in bulk because I don’t like storing things. I’d rather buy just what I need and get more as I need it rather than having to store 12 rolls of paper towels that saved me a few bucks and lasts for a year… not a good enough reason for me. Also, it’s very important for your home to reflect the personality of the people who live there. Sure, it’s nice to have a beautifully decorated home, but if it lacks any identity to the folks who live there, it’s just a generic space. Homes needs soul…don’t be afraid to personalize it while you’re living there. If you’re going to sell…that’s a different story.Q: What’s the best piece of design advice you’ve ever given?Enjoy your home while you own it. I’ve worked with so many clients who don’t invest in upgrades while they’re living in the home and then they’re forced to when they sell the home. By then they feel gipped because they’re doing everything to benefit the new owners. There’s no one to blame but yourself. At some point, you’re going to have to put forth the financial outlay so you may as well enjoy it before you turn it over to someone else. Oh, and hire professionals to help you…DIY only takes you so far, especially if you’re not really skilled in that department. Hiring a Designer is an investment that will ultimately save you money because we have the expertise, the knowledge, the resources, and the connections that you don’t. We can help you achieve better results, faster and maximize your budget… at least I know I do and can.Q: What's a recent project in which you’re especially proud?I’m really proud of the renovation for resale project I just completed because we literally transformed an entire house within 2.5 weeks. We got so much accomplished in such a short period of time and we maximized every dollar of their budget and despite some resistance, the house looks amazing, the homeowner’s are doing a great job of maintaining the home (which was a concern) and they’re going to reap the rewards big time. It’s guesstimated that they’ll sell for around $100K over asking and that would not have happened if they did not invest the time, money and the effort into transforming their house into a home buyer magnet. The pictures and the blog posts that document the progress is available on my site at alicetchan.com. Besides that, I worked on a HGTV reality real estate series where we transformed 8 homes in 5 months. Each project was 3-4 weeks in length from demo to reveal and included:7 gut kitchen renos1 kitchen cosmetic makeover4 gut bathroom renos2 bathroom new builds2 bathroom cosmetic makeoversPurchased materials / décor for 47 roomsMy staging budget was $2500-$3000/house and each house 5-7 rooms each; average 6 rooms/houseIf I can do that…I can do anything…bring it!Q: Where do you get your inspiration?I find commercial spaces very inspiring – hotels and resorts, especially and retail stores and restaurants. I often see something I like that I want to adapt to a residential application. Inspiration also comes from the clients and the budget…or many times the lack thereof. My creativity and resourcefulness goes into overdrive when I’m trying to squeeze every dollar out of a very finite budget. It’s not my favorite thing, but I apparently have a gift for it…lucky me!Q: Do you specify Danze?I have specified Danze in the past. I’ve actually used the Parma collection quite a bit. The clean lines work well with any design style and it has a timeless quality that won’t look dated in just a few short years.See the original interview here.
