A Day in the Life of a Decorator
Author: Cheryl Cousins
Interior Transformations Today
I have fabrics to find and colors to coordinate; clients to meet and vendors to greet. I need that cornice board hung this high and the installer will be here at noon. The furniture is being delivered tomorrow, so the hardwoods need to be finished today. If there was ever a job that was pure joy, this is it. I’ve said countless times and many of my colleagues agree and share the same sentiment “this is what I was born to do”! There is such power in purpose. We are created to fulfill a purpose and I’m grateful for the talents that I’ve been given. One of my redesign and staging students gave me a plaque recently that said “at the end of my life, when I stand before God, I want to be able to say that I used everything that he gave me”. How true that is!
I was thinking recently about my middle school days and Home Economics class. I remember Mrs. Brennan; she was such a kindhearted woman. She labored to teach us girls (the guys always opted for shop) the beauty of making a house a home. There are some who would say that making a house a home is no big deal and that the Interior Design, Decorating and Staging professions do not make much of an impact in the world that we live in, but I beg to differ. For all of the great minds that make amazing medical discoveries, unearth philosophical truths, manage major corporations, judge supremely by the laws of the land or put space shuttles into flight, there is a common factor; at some point, they all go HOME. I don’t know if they still teach home economics in school, if not, it might not be a bad idea to bring it back. Now, I’m not advocating that we revoke women’s rights or that women should resign themselves to being stay at home moms, ironing laundry and cooking homemade meals from scratch. If that is not what they aspire to, then so be it. However, I do think that it is a good idea to teach (and not in a gender specific way) the skills that go into making a house a home.
I remember fondly my childhood home. My mom was very creative. She worked joyfully to make our New York apartment the best that it could be and she accomplished it with every makeover. Way before television brought us HGTV’s Decorating Cents; she was doing interior redesign – creating a beautiful home using the things that we already owned. She could truly transform trash to treasure and I’m sure that I am who I am, and that I do what I do fully because it’s my purpose and partly because of her influence. I learned the ways of womenfolk by watching her and the sheer joy that I get from transforming the homes of others is soulfully rewarding. Some days are long and some jobs exhausting but as one of today’s leading public speakers once shared; “you know that you’re doing what you are destined to do when you lose all track of time while you’re doing it.
Creating beauty – it’s my thing! I’m honored that my clients appreciate what I do for them and I’m happy to be able to give an interior transformation to anyone who desires it. If you feel the pull in the direction of decorating, follow your passion. It’s there for a reason. Looking for a someone to help you create a beautiful space or start your own business to share your talents. Call me.
Be Inspired.
About the Author: Cheryl Cousins,