Its tax season!
Doesn’t that make you smile? No?
Me neither. My favorite part of my job is designing pretty things and putting fabulous colours together, the numbers and budgeting are the least appealing and tax season just fills my head with those awful numbers. I am so thankful that there are accountants in this world who are rock stars with numbers and tax forms – they can just take the pile of papers and run away with them!
I know that I have many clients who feel the same way about decorating, many people have asked if they can just move out and have the project done for them.
The choices and decisions are overwhelming and most people can only visualize a finished room and not the individual choices. I have learned to recognize that ‘glazed over’ look that clients get when they have been offered too many choices or can’t grasp a vision of the finished project. Clients will often begin to massage the bridge of their nose or begin to sigh…a lot. This is often a good time to take a break or resume the appointment at a later date.
I’m sure that I get that look with my accountant during tax preparation!
The real desire to flee and put everything behind me is probably written all over my face as I sit across the desk from this valued professional and I’m positive that I am sighing. A lot.
When you are planning a renovation or building project, take it easy on yourself. Recognize that you may not have all the answers and be kind to yourself if you can’t visualize every element of your home. Working with a designer will help you to keep things in line and it gives you a guide through what can be a very difficult process.
The best advice I can give clients who are decorating is to stay in the moment, try to keep focused on what is currently happening.
Sometimes it is helpful to take notes or capture moments with a picture to help you remember the things you have chosen. If you are working on your kitchen design, try to refrain from skipping upstairs to contemplate what colour you will paint your master bedroom or what kind of furniture you will buy for your living room.
Too many facts swirling around in your head will only make the decisions right in front of you more difficult.
The most common request I receive is people who have completely forgotten what their decorative items look like shortly after they have been chosen. This is very common and trust me, I am used to hearing this request from clients – it is not a big deal at all!
It is human nature to protect us from moments of stress and even though you think that you will remember all the colours and lovely things you have chosen for your home, you probably won’t and that is perfectly okay.
We all have our strengths in life and we all have things that we do not excel at and it is wonderful that we can rely on professionals to walk us through those processes that we don’t enjoy. I look forward to walking with you through your design project and maybe one of you out there can help me understand tax law in return!
Kim Wyse is an interior designer with Carpet Colour Centre in Red Deer.
