As the host of the podcast A Well-Designed Business, LuAnn Nigara is a wealth of knowledge about the business of running and interior design studio, so we wanted to share that valuable information with you! LuAnn is passionate about entrepreneurship and coaching interior designers through the challenges of running their own business. If you’re an interior designer with your own shop, this is the episode for you!
What You’ll Hear on This Show:
- What led LuAnn to starting her podcast, A Well-Designed Business
- What separates the most successful interior designers from the rest of the pack
- Pillars of running a successful interior design business
- We talk about systems and why you should iron them out
- We talk about billing and the challenges of explaining your fee structure
- We discuss a recent episode on LuAnn’s show where a designer’s niche was VRBO
- How to navigate the often confusing world of budgets and billing
- Ways to help the consumer understand the renovation process
- How someone who is looking for a designer can find the right fit for their project and vision
- How do designers get their work published, and what type of difference does it make in your business?
- On my website, should I put where am I located?
- Our pet peeves from the most common mistakes designers make on their website
- Why you should hire to your weaknesses and flaws, and not be ashamed
Decorating Dilemmas:
Hi ladies,
Love your podcast! I’m binge listening right now and just can’t get enough!
Anyway, we are moving into a new home in less than a month. I’m starting to gather ideas for the living room and would love your input. The furniture in the attached pics of the room are the sellers’ and not staying.
The room has a built-in bookcase/entertainment center and fireplace on adjacent walls. I’m thinking of getting a Chesterfield sofa and loveseat to face the fireplace and the entertainment center as it will have a television. I already have two navy blue wingback chairs which are in storage right now, so I don’t have a picture. I picked up a piece of artwork recently at a yard sale for $20. I’d love to put it above the fireplace, but afraid it’s too small (31×25). The artwork has blue, white, green, and gold in it. I was thinking of incorporating gold accents in the room (maybe a sunburst mirror of some sort) and was also considering blue and white ginger jars. I have a few shelves to fill in the entertainment center.
Wondering your thoughts on these and what you would do for a rug, pillows, and window treatments (to incorporate with the honeycomb blinds). Despite all of these ideas I have, I’m really design challenged! Thank you for help with this tall order!
Pam
It is a very large room, and we could see how the windows would be a big challenge. Lucky for you we have one of the top window treatment experts in. LuAnn calls for a drapery line to go all the way up, a see-through sheer Roman shade and then drapery panels flanking it with a repeat on the bottom. The answer is not to have a bigger sofa, it’s to have more seating options. Think about what feels comfortable together, and push it all close up to the fireplace or TV, and you will have a lot of space behind it which may be a great place for a sofa table. Pillows with geometric patterns matching your art would make your project blend together in a pleasing mix.
Show Notes:
Please send in your questions so we can answer them on our next episode! And of course, subscribe to the podcast in iTunes so you never miss an episode. You can always check back here to see new episodes, but if you subscribe, it’ll automatically download to your phone.
Happy Decorating!
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Natalie
If the pictures could enlarge when we click on them, that would be wonderful!