Giving Back to Yourself by Robin Callan for Williams Sonoma Designer Markeplace

Robin Callan discusses “Giving Back to Yourself” in this Williams Sonoma Designer Marketplace article:

Check it out, it’s so very very true

http://www.wsidesignermarketplace.com/content/designer/design_pulse/design_blog/giving_back_to_yourself.html

 Read on for a current project that fits the bill!

Belly of the Beast - Notice the blue drying fans

Sometimes Interior Designers need to put their own spaces on the office schedule board.  One year ago, a pipe burst in our Tahoe Cabin and took 2 of 3 floors with it. Read below for a semi-humorous take on how this has gone down!

Agate Bay Pier

Opening Scene:  Water water everywhere.  Lovely fans & plastic walls go up so the entire cabin can be demolished inside and cleaned down to the studs.

Thought bubble inside Interior Designers Head:  No problem! I’ll send the guys…and voila…restoration in no time

Thought bubble inside Interior Designers Head:  Wow….three months went by. February already?  No room on job board for cabin…will keep winging it….

Since this was my own cabin, and a casual cabin at that, experience went out the window as I “neglected the details”.  Bad idea.

What’s that?  Yes, I KNOW. “Very Bad Idea”

IMPROPER Contractor, Designer Correspondence

POST MORTEM:

After many laughs, sighs, and stern phone calls to suppliers after two – yes TWO – granite counter tops were driven over on the cabin’s parking deck….I finally relented and have put the job on our Board. 

The spec binder was completed.

Proper Form of Contractor, Designer & Project Manager Communication

Floor plans, renderings & videos of the job were uploaded to files that ALL relevant parties can access. JUST like a REAL client!

On Being HUMAN:

It was and is hard to “make myself a REAL client”

•  At the time it didn’t seem prudent.
•  I should have looked up the definition of prudent again.

PRUDENT

1. discreet or cautious in managing one’s activities; circumspect

2. practical and careful in providing for the future

3. exercising good judgment or common sense

[from Latin prūdēns far-sighted, contraction of prōvidens acting with foresight; see provident]

===============================================================================================

A well planned project costs less in the long run than a haphazard attempt by a home owner who wings it.

Insert knowing nod here.

I am no longer winging this one.

Stay tuned as we will check in periodically on this

And if you aren’t a regular consumer of the Williams Sonoma Designer Marketplace Articles/Blog, you should be

Great stuff

Sub Floor Issues after dry out