This project was entirely “from scratch” in that with the exception of one small side table there was nothing at all the family was bringing with them to their new home in terms of furniture and décor. In the consultation phase, Sarah shared some images and thoughts on styles she admired, and right away I knew she was going to be a client who spoke my language and would be a privilege to work with. My client Sarah reached out to inquire about hiring me to help transform a recently purchased two-bedroom co-op built in 1960 (and not updated since), into a fresh and custom three-bedroom home for her family, which includes her husband and two young children. I’m not sure which came first the chicken or the egg-but wall treatments, specifically pattern forward ones quickly became the heart of all of my work. That coupled with the co-ops and building approval requirements galore, I got into the habit of creating spaces that had the most amount of impact with the least amount of invasive construction. Growing my career in NYC, it’s not as if I was ever in the position to rip down a prewar apartment building and start from the ground up. I am what I like to refer to as a “person with a preference for cosmetic renovation”. For me, all roads lead to pattern-any potential clients adverse to wallpaper need not apply. However, as time passes and steps are taken up the mountain the circumference becomes narrower and narrower, you learn what you love, what can’t work without and with that little by little you gain agency to work with clients who are in alignment. Imagine being a painter painting someone’s portrait, and before every brushstroke you take you are required to ask for feedback and ultimately permission before you put paint to paper. The thing about interior design that is so different than most other types of artists is that you aren’t selling a finished product, you are in a constant state of pitching ideas which is so counter to any sort of creative process. My first official solo client was in 2014, while I knew I had good style impulses and an “up for anything” attitude-I was so so so so very green-my greatest lessons along the way have not so much been in honing my skills (though I have of course improved), but rather in learning how to work with, talk to, and ultimately select clients. The road to building a career in interior design is much like any endeavor, at the bottom of the mountain you have no experience of the actual climb, the circumference is wide and varied and as a result, you will do anything and everything to start to make your way up. If Caitlin didn’t convince you last week, she will. So when she reached out about featuring this project on the blog it was the easiest “yes”. She’s such a talented actor and as shown by this home (and her other designs – go to her Instagram to see what I mean) has built an awesome design career that’s full of fun, fresh, and boldly patterned spaces. Jess here! Before Megan gets into the incredibly beautiful home she designed, I thought it would be fun to give a little back story to how we know each other:) Megan and I actually went to college together, studying theatre! Now years later, we’ve reconnected through design which is extremely cool and truly wild.
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