Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

At the junction of augmented technology and French savoir-faire, DS 4 truly embodies two words: Refinement Engineered. Long established as a premium car marque in France, DS Automobiles, newly arrived in Ireland, embodies the spirit of avant-garde, innovation and excellence.

And as an emblem of a new generation of efficiency, DS Automobiles latest creation was imagined with plug-in hybrid E-TENSE technology. Making the DS 4 the perfect choice for those in search of personal expression, individualism and flawless aesthetics.

We ask Eilish Rickard, interior designer and founder of Eilish Rickard Interiors, to try out the DS 4 and let us know what made a lasting impression.

My favourite feature of the DS 4 is, not surprisingly, an interior detail. The supple leather on the interior of the doors combined with the concealed handles and subtle, sleek hardware make them such a joy to use every time you get in and out of the car.

I use my car as my second office as Im often on the road for more than half of the day between site visits, client meetings and sourcing trips. The easy-to-use Apple CarPlay, navigation, music and projected dashboard in the DS 4 make the driving experience seamless, comfortable and reliable while I take calls and go to and from appointments.

I also use the car to ferry the kids to and from activities. For this, the large boot is really practical as well as the adaptive features of the car like the Matrix LED vision system and the Active Scan Suspension. These features scan the terrain ahead so I never have to worry about the ever-changing Irish weather and terrain as Im multitasking with the kids and taking work calls as they come in.

My own personal aesthetic in three words? Classic yet contemporary.

There is something so effortlessly chic about French design and style; I really admire French female style icons like Carla Bruni and Jane Birkin for their strong feminine looks that are so timeless.

My favourite French find is an elegant historic hotel, Le Vieux Castillon, in the mediaeval town of Castillon-du-Gard in Provence which we visited for a long weekend. It was picturesque, with stone facades and swaying cypress trees full of character and history.

My dream road trip would be to drive through the French countryside, Provence or Bordeaux, getting lost in little villages, stopping at flea markets, maybe stumbling upon an antique shop or two, just being inspired by the stillness and quaintness of these little towns that are so unaware of their beauty.

For driving I like to wear loose clothes in natural fabrics to adapt to various temperatures between the car and places youll be getting out; I love linen for shirts and cotton for trousers which crumple less.

To keep the kids happy on long drives we usually give everyone a chance to choose their own favourite songs on Spotify, we play a lot of I Spy and, of course, eat lots of treats!

I listen to everything in the car. As I am on the road a lot I will alternate between radio, podcast and audiobooks. There is nothing like getting lost in a good book on Audible when stuck in never-ending traffic. My morning commute to work is always the radio for the news and then its music all the way to keep the energy up!

My car rules? Dont get into my car unless youre handing me a coffee! No rules really as I would be the first to break them.

I might be something of a master boot packer. For my interior design business, we always have a lot to pack into the car. Were often flattening the back seats to fill the car with furniture and accessories for shoots. We use giant, clear zip-up bags so we dont lose or damage items in smaller bags/boxes and it means there are fewer trips to load and unload the car. Since the bags are clear I can see whats in each bag immediately.

Guilty secret in the glovebox? Snacks! I have to keep the sugar levels up while on the road.

I always keep make-up essentials in my car. I use the rearview mirror to see what Im doing when fixing my make-up before a meeting. I will also always have gum, wet wipes and perfume in case any meetings run over and I have to freshen up before the next appointment.

My favourite thing about driving is freedom. The freedom to go and see my clients wherever they are or attend to any projects needs and really be there and be present on-site, theres no substitute for it. Email and phone just cant communicate the same things when it comes to design and construction, you need to see and feel a space and show your clients samples, fabrics, and materials in the actual lighting and space they will be going in.

Introducing the DS 4 where French luxury expertise and augmented technology meet. Its all in the design details and innovative tech.Visit dsautomobiles.ie for more information. Prices start from 36,300.

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Road to Perfection: Interior Designer Eilish Rickard tries out the new DS 4 - image.ie

IF YOU hate redecorating your home, you're not alone.

Although the idea of it might be fun and the end result is always nice, the actual process of stripping wallpaper, moving furniture and hanging picture frames is exhausting.

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But if you always want to your home to look chic and stylish there's one thing you can do - pick a timeless style the first time you decorate.

This comes after a viewer asked interior designer Phoenix Grey to shares some tips, they said: "Can you do some styles that are timeless?

"[I'm] remodelling my home but don't want it to be dated after a couple of years."

According to the pro there are four interior styles that will stand the test of time.

Although the pro admitted this isn't his personal style, the timeless look will age well and goes above trends.

He said: "It gets bonus points on it's beautiful detailing and the retaining structure to it's architectural roots.

"It honestly has the most beautiful character to it."

You can spot this style from the feminine features like curving lines luxurious feeling.

Phoenix explained: "Mid-century modern has to be on this list because it was significantly recognised in the 50's.

"It defined so many characteristics of design styles we see today."

If you're a fan of a more masculine feeling space, love muted tones and wood and graphic shapes, this might be the style for you.

Although elements of this style are constantly coming in and out of fashion, they'll always look timeless and posh in any home.

"I may get some hate on this one, but contemporary style is more timeless than it's not," the pro said.

The "clean and understated" is easy to adapt if you do ever want to change small elements in your home.

"The style itself draws to many influences from all the other design styles, creating a timeless look."

This style is known for its natural elements and ruggedness.

It usually incorporates wood, stone, and even leaves for an un-polished finish that still looks cohesive.

Phoenix said: "It's practical yet natural and an earthy organic pallet will always be timeless regardless of what style and design you use."

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Im an interior designer & there are four styles that will NEVER go out of fashion perfect if you hate re... - The US Sun

A Las Vegas wedding did seem a little too simple for one of the most famous couples in the world. In exciting news, Jennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck will reportedly celebrate their marriage with their kids, family members and close friends near Savannah, Georgia this weekend, according to multiple outlets.

Lopez, 53, and Affleck, 50, have apparently planned out a days-long celebration, with a ceremony for around 100 people taking place on Saturday at Bens private estate in Riceboro. There will be a rehearsal dinner Friday and a barbecue picnic on Sunday, according to Page Six. The pairs children J.Los 14-year-old twins Emme and Max with ex-husband Marc Anthony, and Afflecks kids with ex-wife Jennifer Garner, Violet Anne, 16, Seraphina Rose, 13, and Samuel Garner, 10 will be in attendance alongside Bennifers parents and siblings, including Afflecks brother Casey Affleck. Friends like Matt Damon, Jimmy Kimmel, Leah Remini and Drea de Matteo will reportedly also be there.

Lopez is expected to wear a custom couture Ralph Lauren dress, and Vogue magazine will document her bridal weekend. Interior designer and event guru Colin Cowie is planning the lavish celebration while life coach and podcaster Jay Shetty will officiate, reports Entertainment Tonight.

Afflecks 87-acre home Georgia, which he bought in 2003, has plenty of space for entertaining. According to Homes & Gardens, the mansion is 6,000 square feet and features classic furnishings and pinewood flooring. Two other structures, the Summer Cottage and Oyster House, are also included on the Hampton Island estate.

Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez have a storied history.

Lopez and Affleck have a storied history together. The pair first dated in the early aughts and got engaged in 2002 but called off their wedding in 2003, in part due to excessive media attention. They officially ended their relationship in 2004 and went on to marry Anthony and Garner, respectively, before eventually finding their way back to each other in 2021 following Lopezs split from former fianc Alex Rodriguez.

Affleck proposed to Lopez in April 2021 with a green diamond engagement ring and they got married in Vegas at the Little White Wedding chapel on July 16, 2022.

We did it. Love is beautiful. Love is kind. And it turns out love is patient. Twenty years patient, Lopez wrote on her newsletter, On the J.Lo. When love is real, the only thing that matters in marriage is one another and the promise we make to love, care, understand, be patient, loving and good to one another. We had that. And so much more. Best night of our lives.

This weekend sounds like it might just top that day, Mr. and Mrs. Affleck.

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Jennifer Lopez And Ben Affleck Will Reportedly Exchange Vows This Weekend In Georgia - Scary Mommy

News Photo by Darby Hinkley Esther Ableidinger, Julie Wiesen, and Katie Wolf pose in the center of the Community Labyrinth, located west of the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center in Alpena. Currently a walkable template, it will be completed by May 2023.

By DARBY HINKLEY

News Lifestyles Editor

ALPENA Passersby along the Maritime Heritage Trail in Alpena have likely noticed some commotion in the lot behind the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Center.

A large, round cement slab there now contains a labyrinth painted on in purple, thanks to donations from local businesses.

The labyrinth is currently just a template, but by next spring, if fundraising is accomplished, it will be a completed stone masterpiece, according to the three women behind the idea.

We started this, and it was just three people getting together who wanted to do a project, said Esther Ableidinger, one of the three women who coordinated the project. This idea originated years ago from Jewel Lancaster.

Lancaster works at Alpena Community College. She had brought up the idea of a labyrinth on campus, but it never came to fruition at that time.

Julie remembered all these years, Ableidinger said of Julie Wiesen, another of the tenacious trio that started this project. The third is Katie Wolf, liaison to the Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary.

Julie said, Well, what about a labyrinth? And we thought, What? And, look at this. Were making it happen, Ableidinger said.

Wiesen said they wanted to provide something that the community could access for free.

Go big, or go home, is what we said, Wiesen added. She said the conversations with Lancaster, a counselor at ACC, occurred about 18 years ago.

The 11-circuit round labyrinth is modeled after the 13th Century Chartres Labyrinth in France.

The Community Labyrinth in Alpena is 46 feet across. It takes about 900 steps to complete the walking meditation course.

You can come at it from any denomination, Ableidinger said. But there is some sacred geometry in there.

Its a way to clear your mind by engaging your body in a simple task.

If youre having a bad day, you can walk around it a couple of times to clear your head, she added. Maybe youre thinking of something thats troubling you, and the path keeps you contained. It focuses the mind, it relieves the mind and body of stress and outside influences, and, as you follow the path, its almost like youre being hugged, and you dont have to think of anything else.

There is one way in and one way out. Of course, there are no walls, so its not a maze you can get lost in.

In a labyrinth, you go in to find yourself, Ableidinger said. In a maze, you go in to get lost.

She noted some benefits of the labyrinth.

It focuses your mind, creates calm, relieves anxiety, she said. Its shown to be so beneficial for mental health.

The conversation started between COVID, and not really too far away from January 6, Wolf added. Just, all this feeling of unease. We were thinking How can we give back? How can we do something thats positive for the community?'

She said they wanted to do something in which people could come and feel at peace, and at ease with themselves.

Hospitals often adopt them for surgeons to focus, but also for patients, and practitioners to come and clear their mind, Wolf said of labyrinths. Since the 13th Century, people have drawn on these as a way to seek inner peace.

Other northern Michigan labyrinths are located in Petoskey and Traverse City. There are many more across Michigan and the U.S.

In-kind supporters include Alpena Marc, LLC, Lafarge, Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, and local volunteers, including the Thursday Night Wine Ladies, who helped paint the template. Jeff Gray, Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary superintendent, and Jeff Konczak, owner of Alpena Marc, LLC, were instrumental in getting the project going, Wolf said.

We have to do some fundraising, Wolf said.

The total cost for the project will be about $130,000.

Each stone is going to be individually cut, she explained. So, its a lot of craftsmanship.

Nathan Wiles is the designer. Wiles is the founder of Innate Creations, an educating labyrinth building and design company. Wiles utilizes skill and experience from his former career as an interior designer and project manager to help create his labyrinth builds and workshops.

We did check to see if we could get the stone locally, but it is a very precision process, so local vendors dont do that kind of work, Wolf added. The thing about that stone, is it is permanent. Itll last forever.

To donate, send checks to Community Labyrinth c/o Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary, 500 W. Fletcher St., Alpena, MI 49707, or online at http://www.cfnem.org under the Great Lakes Maritime Heritage Riverfront Park and Trail Fund and note Community Labyrinth.

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A place to find peace; walk the new labyrinth - Alpena News

She may only have had $100 in her pocket when she moved to Austin right after high school, but in her heart, Veronica Ortuo knew her creative spirit would guide her to success. Ortuo tried a bit of everythingfrom touring as a musician in her early 20s to studying fashion design in college. There was no denying her artistic ambitions.

Ortuo then started repurposing vintage garments and selling them on a 3rd party online marketplace. She enjoyed it so much, she created her own online store and then opened her own boutique in Austin, Las Cruxes, where she could sell her creations and offer a space where others could come and express themselves through their own art.

Her family, immigrants from Mexico, supported her pursuits in any way they could. Her father even built shelves for her first store since there was no money for a renovation. I got my survivors mentality from my family, Ortuo said. That was instilled in all of us. We had to learn the worth of a dollar and work hard for what we had.

The connection she had to her local art community was strong, but Ortuo was given the opportunity to expand her creativity and do some interior design for a store owner in Detroit who liked what she had done with Las Cruxes. It was a difficult decision, but after her first interior design side gig, Ortuo closed the physical location of Las Cruxes. With the reliability of her wireless network and the support of her community, Ortuo kept Las Cruxes alive and thriving as a a digital creative services platform and started her new venture, Casa Veronica.

I felt like it was my opportunity to focus on one thing for a while, Ortuo, 36, said. I decided it was time to move on. I felt like 10 years was a good run. That chapter in my life ended very organically.

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When the pandemic hit in early 2020, Ortuo was forced to pump the brakes a bit on Casa Vernica but didnt want to lose momentum. So, she began taking ceramics courses to add to her creative repertoire. She knew incorporating e-commerce on the website of her new enterprise would drive traffic. Plus, she could show off some of her ceramic work, which matched her interior design aesthetic.

With no money coming in, I had to figure out what I was going to do, Ortuo said. When I started taking ceramics classes, I knew I was going to be very serious about it. Two years later, I feel very fortunate that what started as a side gig became something I love.

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Here are five tips and tricks Ortuo has offered to help other creatives master the Sideconomics and get a better handle of their business plan and finances. She hopes her advice can give everyone a way to move forward in their career while also celebrating their culture.

1. Have Confidence in Your TalentHockey legend Wayne Gretzky said it best: You miss 100% of the shots you dont take. When Ortuo started thinking about opening Las Cruxes, she didnt have any capital. She wasnt even sure how she would pay a storage facility $150 to store her merchandise. I was 25 years old and was wondering how I was going to pay my rent, she said. I couldnt even get a small business loan.I was scared, but I decided to do it. A lot of it was trial by error. She added: I depended on my family and friends for support at the beginning and am happy they were there for me.

2. Network, Market, & ConnectTheres no way Ortuo could do what she does with Casa Vernica, and do so on the go across the city of Austin, without her cell phone and a reliable wireless network like Cricket Wireless, especially because of how much she is able to use her social media platforms to reach out to potential customers. Instagram and Facebook are such amazing and free tools, she said. Its great just for exposure and to connect to other like-minded people. Ortuo also uses a mobile accounting app on her phone to keep her business organized for tax purposes. Then, theres the mobile payment apps, which allow her to sell her artwork when she decides to have a pop-up show somewhere.

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3. Save and Build CreditAlthough Ortuos credit wasnt where it needed to be to start a business, she was able to get a small loan from a friend who believed in her vision. She encourages young entrepreneurs to save as much money as they can and to set a goal. Set the amount you need and then open your store, she said. If I could go back, I wouldve saved more money and built my credit, so I could get at least a $20,000 loan. That wouldve helped me drastically.

4. Hire a Grant WriterThere is a lot of money out there to help small business ownersif you know where to look. Ortuo said hiring a grant writer could lay the groundwork to expand a business. Grant writing is an extensive process, Ortuo said. You need to be very detail oriented. In her experience, Ortuo said there are grants available at our fingertips, especially for POCs and business owners in marginalized communities. People should take advantage of those grants, she said.

5. Set Your Pricing CorrectlyOrtuo admits that although determining pricing wholesale vs. retail cost can be intimidating, business owners can make it easy on themselves if they stick to a customized pricing system that works for them. For example, if it takes her seven hours to make a ceramic lamp, Ortuo pays herself $35 an hour ($245) and adds the cost of supplies and a lampshade. The wholesale cost equals $325. From there, she multiplies that amount by two to come up with her retail price of $650. Prices will be lower once I decide to make molds for my pieces, as that will speed up production, she explained. But as of now, this business model works best for me and keeps my demand steady and not over-saturated.

Sideconomics is a Remezcla initiative presented by Cricket Wireless that offers valuable insight and advice from successful Latine entrepreneurs who transformed their side jobs into sustainable main gigs. Crickets reliable network connects customers to their passion projects and support systems to help the Latine creator community thrive.

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Interior Designer & Artist Vernica Ortuo Has Found a Way to Turn Her Side Hustle into a Creative Business - Remezcla

The 50 States Project is a series of candid conversations with interior designers across the country about how theyve built their businesses. This week, New London, New Hampshirebased designer Cicely Beston tells us about how family has shaped her business, why she believes money is only uncomfortable when its not discussed, and the charging formula that saves her time and money.

Did you always know you wanted to be a designer?My mom has really been my guide into this. Shes an interior designer now, but she was a florist and then had a retail store while I was growing up. Then, in a very roundabout way, she was basically given a large, multimillion-dollar commercial project when I was a freshman in college, and it was baptism by fire. I would come home, and we would do design boards together and go down to the Boston Design Center. This was back in the day when we would literally pin fabric and cutouts on big corkboardswhich, ironically, I have gone back to recently with great joy.

So you had a front-row seat to watch her figure that out.Exactly. It was a high-end retirement community. The woman running the project took my mom to High Point Market, and thenyou cant make this stuff upwas like, OK, this project is yours, because she was moving to the Cayman Islands to start an offshore womens bank.

Thats a new one! Did that early experience help you realize this was what you wanted to do professionally?No, it was more roundabout than that. I was an art history major in college. After working for Simon Pearce one summer, I moved down to Greenwich, Connecticut, to open a store for them there. My mom had a big retail store in New Hampshire at the timeit was like Crate & Barrel or Williams-Sonoma before either of those were bigand I moved home to help her. I got really into merchandising, so my mom started to let me do all the buying. I was 22, going to New York four times a year. And one day, a guy walked into the store when I happened to be there, and after looking around, he goes, I just love how everything feels and looks in here. Who put all of this together? And I said, Well, actually, me. He said that he was building a house in Portsmouth, New Hampshire, and asked if he could hire me as his interior designer.

Im a yes girlI always joke that I need no tattooed on my forehead because it doesnt come out of my mouthso next thing I knew, I was working on this new-construction, ground-up interior design project. His then girlfriend, now wife is a very prominent architect in New Hampshire, so I got to know her through the project, and it was wonderfultotally soup to nuts. He was recently divorced, and all he brought to the house was his toothbrush. I helped him design the house, and then all of the interiorseverything down to the dishes. I got lucky, because I got to do high-end, ground-up builds from the get-go.

From that moment, you were hooked?Shortly thereafter, I got engaged and then married, and my then husband sponsored me to do a designer showhouse in New London, New Hampshire. My mom and I did it togetherby then, she was getting more into interior design after that big commercial projectand thats when I started getting phone calls and picking up projects.

What I remember very specificallyand this is what has been really important for me to remember this past monthis knowing that I wanted a job where I could first and foremost be a mom. I had always wanted to be a mom who dropped my kids at school and picked them up every day, and who could take them on every field trip. I knew my job could not take me away from them, and interior design was perfect for that. So I always worked from home, and as my business grew and grew, I took my kids with me. I knew I was in trouble when I took Aiden, my oldest, to a job site right after he learned to walk. It was like, Well, this is dangerous. So after that, I had a nanny for 10 hours a week who would stay home with him when I had to go to job sites. But I always just told my clients, If you want me, Im a package deal. I have a baby strapped to my back. And it worked. For a long time, I did two to three projects on my own every year, and then usually one with my mom.

Did you have separate businesses?Yesher focus was originally retail, and then as she got into design work, it was more decorating, and I dont say that disparagingly. People would come into the store and buy furniture, and she would work with them, whereas I was really learning the construction end of the businessplumbing schedules and lighting and cabinetry and tile layouts and flooring. And then when we came together, I brought that skill set, she brought her great design eye, and we were a good team.

A porch with a cozy seating arrangement and expansive viewsBuddy Sanborn

You mentioned that from the beginning, you were working on high-end new builds. What was the scope of those projects?A few of those early jobs are on my website, but I was always bad about having my work photographed in the beginning. I think the smallest was probably 4,000 square feet, up to an 8,000-square-foot house. For the most part, these were all second homes. There were a few smaller-scale renovation jobs, too, but I didnt start by helping a friend design a powder room or anything like thatit was big stuff from the get-go. I dont think I realized how rare that was at the time. It was just what was there and what I was doing.

Is most of your work still secondary properties? How do you find that those clients needs or wants are different?Very much so. Where we live in New Hampshire was always a sweet spot: We live exactly an hour and a half from Boston, and we have beautiful lakes and mountains here, so a lot of my projects are lake houses and ski homes. When COVID hit I mean, its insane what has happened here with the real estate market.

For me, its so important to focus on how the spaces live. Im a form-follows-function designer anywaythats how I start all my projects. Its really understanding my clients lifestyle and then talking about what its going to look like aesthetically. Whos going to live in the space? How much gathering space do you need? How many bathrooms? Are there dogs in and out? Where do we put wet bathing suits? But having built my own primary residence, its really not that much different. Clients are not more budget-conscious because its their second homeif anything, I think theyre less budget-conscious. The only thing I always try to make them aware of is that these homes should be places where they can come up and not think about their house. Its important to put all that thoughtful infrastructure into place so that this really important quality time is seamless.

What does a full project load look like for you right now?I have a couple. I usually get involved in the preliminary design and development stage with the architect and builder, and have a voice in how everything gets selectedfrom analyzing and editing the floor plans, to understanding the systems of the house and how its going to function, and then building up from there. I specify all of the hard surfaces and always keep in mind the end function of the room: Are the windows too low in case I have to put furniture in front of it? Are the moldings going to work for window treatments? Are my clients left-handed or right-handed when designing a kitchen? Are the countertops high enough? Then it goes all the way through to developing the furniture floor plans and designs and the whole sampling process and purchasing and installing.

Shades of white envelop a comfortable bedroomStephanie Dollof

I know youve had a lot of changes in your personal life in the past month that have changed the way youre thinking about your business. Where are you at right now?Being an entrepreneur, your life and your work life dont separate. I dont want to overshare, and this is quite a lot, but on July 6, I had a mastectomy for breast cancer. That was a big deal. Ironically, my assistant had gone through the same thing and had just finished her treatment in April, so the silver lining in that was that she totally got it. Jackie is also so much more than my assistantI mean, shes like familyand she was like, OK, weve got this. We had it all organized so that we could put the business on hold for two to four weeks.

As I was recovering at home, I was thinking a lot about work and where it fits into my lifeespecially because I have three children of my own, ranging from age 13 to 20, along with two stepchildren. And then, two weeks post-surgery, my ex-husbandwhom I co-parented with very closelydropped dead of a heart attack on his 66th birthday. He died without a will, and its all very complicated, but there isnt anybody else to make arrangements, so it is falling on my shoulders. Ive spent the last three days making all of his service arrangements. Finally, I can talk about it today. The shock has worn off, but its just devastatingand its devastating to see my children going through this, and to know what theyll always go through.

So what Im trying to decide right now is what my business should look like and how many projects I should actually take on. Last year, my project load grew to about 35to the point where I had to categorize them as majors and minors. It was pretty much a 50/50 split. I grew my team, I grew my office, and I actually opened a store in 2020because everyone should have opened a retail store in the pandemic. What it taught me, even before all of this in the past month, is that it was too much for me. I think my sweet spot is four to seven majors and trying to weed out the minorswe all know it takes as much time and energy to design a powder room as it does an entire houseand it may even be fewer these next few years as I find myself a single parent and really needing to be there for my children.

You mentioned growing your firm. What set you on that path, and what does your team look like today?After my divorce, I was actually considering going into medicine. Ive been an EMT, and Id always loved medicineI was a pre-vet major in college before I switched to art historyso I was enrolled in school to become a physician assistant. I was sitting at the kitchen table one day with a design board on one side and my anatomy and physiology books on the other, and my boyfriend, whos now my husband, was looking at me going, What are you doing? You cant do both. And hes like, Youre really good at this, meaning the interior design. Give it a run. So I did.

What did that look like for you?At first, it was going from working out of a small home office to getting an office and a shingle on Main Street. At that time, I was working with a pretty big construction firm on a project here in town, and one day I was giving my paperwork to their in-house assistant when she asked me, So, who helps you? I was like, Me? And she said, We should talk someday. That was Jackie. She had been the assistant to a very prominent local interior designer who had retired a few years earlier. I talked to her, and it felt good. When I first hired her, I remember being like, OK, I think I can afford you four hours a week. And within three weeks, it was full-time and weve never looked back.

What changed?Its just allowed me to grow. In the pandemic, we moved our office a few miles, from Sunapee to New London. Then the building were in had a vacant retail space, and thats when I decided to open the store, which meant I needed to hire someone to help me run that, and I found this incredible young woman who has just been a rock star.

After that, I started working remotely with an interior design graduate student. She was living in Florida at the time and helping me with my CAD work, and then I hired her full-time and she moved to New Hampshire last fall. Unfortunately, that has not worked outshe didnt want to work full-time, and I really, really needed her to. At about the same time, I had hired another woman who had been working for an interior designer, but she only wanted to work remotely. We tried it, and it just wasnt a good fit. So we got as big as five of us, and Ive now scaled it back down to the three. But I get a lot of supplemental support, especially right now, from my mom. Shes now living in New Mexico and running stores there, but she lives in New Hampshire in the summers. And my husband has a very full-time job of his own in development, but he helps me with a lot of my construction projects as a project manager and supports me in my relationships with the subcontractors. Ive found through this time that Im not a good manager. I dont really like delegating, and I was finding that the bigger the team got, the less design work I was doing. And so Ive gotten pretty comfortable with the idea that I only want to scale the business so far.

Does that mean just taking on fewer projects and really choosing to do less?Yes. Well, maybe not doing less, but taking on the right projectsand really taking my time to vet the clients first. Ive gotten a lot more clear about that: We now have minimums for projects that we will take onand those have gone up significantly in the past six monthsso that we can insulate ourselves to only be available for the right big projects.

A gleaming kitchen features a textured backsplash patternStephanie Dollof

What makes a project the right fit these days?Ive gotten really clear about that through COVID. I think before Id have been ashamed to declare it, but Im very clear now that, honestly, it is people like myselfwho are my age, 48 or older, and who are building homes to support their family. They have kids and dogs. Theyre educated and like to travel. They like to be outdoorsy. I understand where theyre coming from, and I feel like I know their lifestylesI may not live it to quite the level that they do, but I get them and they get me. Ive always said my business functions on two key pillars: trust and communication, and the latter begets the first. Having done this for more than 20 years now, I can see that the few clients where weve had to go our separate ways were not my demographic.

How do you start to build that trust with a client?Communicate, communicate, communicate, and then document, document, document. That means making sure theres a long and lengthy intake discussion, and being transparent about pricing and talking about it early. Money is uncomfortable only if its not talked about, so I like to say, OK, this is what it costs. Once weve agreed to that, were going to move forward into design. And then once we get through that initial hiring agreement phase, Jackie takes care of the money. She does all the billing, and if they have a question about an invoice, they talk to Jackie. Thats worked really well, especially right now, and I think having that infrastructure also develops trust. Clients can see that this is a business, and it has the proper formats in place to take care of them.

When you decided not to be the person having conversations about invoices, what changed for you?It gave me freedom. And I shouldnt say I dont talk about moneyI understand they are making huge investments in their family and in their lives, both financially and with their time, and I try to understand what theyre comfortable spending money on and how much. As long as you know your boundaries ahead of time, they trust that youre not going to be bringing $15,000 end tables into the picture if its not appropriate or comfortable for them. Thats something I try to establish early on: Do they value quality? Are they name-brand shoppers? Or do they not care?

Name-brand shoppersthats such an interesting distinction to make. Do clients like that want that cachet, or is it about reassurance because its a brand theyve heard of?It can be both. But either way, those are typically not my ideal clients. Quality is important to me, and not being splashy. So if someone comes to the table [with different values], they usually get weeded out early on.

A lively wallcovering welcomes guests into the foyerCourtesy of Cicely Beston Interiors

How have you approached billing for your work?This is one of the things I think about the mostand this is one of the reasons I try to pick apart your podcasts and these 50 States Project articles! My favorite way to bill is commission: just a flat fee based on the cost of construction, which then gives me a furnishing allowance, and then my design fee is built into that. Right now, my design agreement lays out the scope of work and what they get for my fees, but I do currently offer an hourly fee for the smaller projects. As I try to weed those out of my business, though, Im transitioning back to just a flat fee formula again.

How did you arrive at that model?I hate billing hourly. Youve heard so many designers say the same thing: It might take me four hours to find a piece of trim, but it might take me 20and I dont want to tell you that. Sometimes things just fall into place, and other times youre searching and searching and searching. Years ago, I found this old formula that dictated that the furnishings allowance, excluding mattresses and window treatments, should be 20 percent of the cost of constructionthat allows the figure to scale to the level of the buildand that the interior design fee should be a percentage of that furnishings budget. And Ill tell you, it seems arbitrary, and I dont always explain that thats how Im landing on my numbers, but after using that formula on several very large projects and then trying to keep track of my hours, it works about the same.

Do you also charge a percentage markup on the product?We do. Ill be honest: Before, when I had very low overhead and it was just me working out of my home office, my margins were much lower. Now I have to look at this and go, This is not a hobby job; I have a team to support. So weve just run the numbers and landed on a percentage that keeps us all afloat. I also explain to my clients that my markup on furniture is a little higher than on construction items like tile, plumbing or electrical, because I have true wholesale accounts for the furnishings. Because of my retail store, I have stocking showroom pricing, and my higher markup is only applied to the things were getting at true, deep-discount wholesale. And so I do explain that to them, and I think they get that its different than if I was taking you into the design center and marking up something thats already been marked up.

I used to be a totally open book. Im not going to give clients my wholesale invoices, but again, it goes back to that level of trustthem understanding they have hired me as a trustworthy established professional, and then we go from there and usually the conversation is over.

They just see what its going to cost them.Yes. I know some designers go to retail and then discount it, but I dont. Its just, This is what your stuff will cost. But in the paperwork ahead of time, it is spelled out: Furnishings are marked up X, plumbing is marked up X, cabinetry is marked up X. There are different percentages depending on the cost that I get on that item and what I feel is fair to mark it up.

How does having a retail arm impact how you shop?I go to High Point and try to use all of my own wholesale vendors as much as possible. I havent gone to the Boston Design Center in two yearsand it has really miniaturizedbut I know my showrooms down there. For fabric and wallpaper, it feels like were back to the old model of reps coming to see me or sending me books, and then lots of online memo-ing. Back when I was in retail and doing a lot of buying, this was my favorite thing, so Ill just look endlesslyif I have this image in my mind of this bed that Im looking for, I look through all my wholesale accounts first. Ill just keep looking, and Ill find it. I also do a lot of antiquing, and then I have a lot of custom stuff made. Probably, about 30 percent of what we source is through custom workrooms and craftspeople. One of the nice things of having lived in the same area most of my life and having this be a family business is meeting people and developing very long-term relationships.

An inviting hearth beckons after a long day on the slopesStephanie Dollof

What kind of local design community exists? And what kind of community have you built for yourself?New London is very interior designdense. Where my office and store are located, theres literally another interior designer across the street, and then another one within the building. There are also several established architecture firms right in our town. I think it speaks to the clientele that we have, because were all really busy.

I do a lot of my own construction projects, where I will bring in painters, electricians and plumbers, and having had those relationships for a very long time, I can tell my clients, We trust these guys. My kids go to school with their kids, and theyre going to return your call on Christmas Eve if your boiler goes out. That is the nice part about living in a small community.

Where do you see the opportunity to grow?Well, before this past month, I had actually hired [luxury brand consultant] Rachael Bozsik to help me rebrand my businessI was going to do a virtual two-day intensive, but Ive had to put that on hold until April. The concept, though, was to establish myself as the preeminentmost experienced, most trustworthyinterior designer in New Hampshire. Her way of doing that isnt about getting published in AD, necessarily. Its about getting interviewed in the Sunday edition of The Boston Globe for your knowledge of the construction industrygetting me published in the articles that my clients are actually going to be reading, and establishing my expertise there. Thats where growth is going for me.

Im also changing how my store works. Right before I went in for surgery, I was in the process of moving my office to a new building in town. My property owners were very unfriendly people, and I had the opportunity to move into a gorgeous historic building that was just renovated by the client of a very dear friend. Its three times the square footage for a third less rent, so I get to expand my showroom, expand my design library, and have more office space. And better light!

Wow, thats amazing.Im very excited about putting the showroom back together once I can lift more than 10 pounds. In the process, Im moving away from the retail model, so its going to be more of a showroom. My post-pandemic hours had been Wednesday through Saturday, but now were probably going to be Monday through Fridaymaybe even just Tuesday through Fridayand its not going to be cash and carry. This is going to be about coming to try the sofa, look at the finish of a table, and then you order it. It's more to support the design business.

Is that a more sustainable model than holding inventory for a cash-and-carry store?Yes. Its the same thing as being more patient for the better, bigger projects. Youre not going to be getting those everyday instantaneous sales that are gratifying. Its a little bit slower, but I think its a lot more thoughtful.

The new space came about kind of in conjunction with my cancer diagnosis. I signed the lease on July 1, and my surgery happened on July 6. Then all this happened, and its like, OK, sometimes the universe really is watching after you and pushing you in the right direction. Its the right thing, I think, to support me, my family, my team and the business at this time. Its going to be pretty cool to be in our own building, too, and were really going to be able to graciously host our customers and clients.

What does success look like to you now today?I know more than ever that its taking care of my family and my team. That means running a well-organized business, and it means accepting help. And now, success for me means trusting. I havent stepped foot in my office in a month, and its all fine. Success is having a team, having a family and having my business be a large part of supporting that [balance,] both financially and in the time that I get to spendwhether its taking my daughter to her riding lesson and cooking my family dinner every night, or working late some nights and them understanding that. Its very clear to me now what success is.

That elusive concept of work-life balancewhat does that mean to you?Itll never go away. I like that the business is always in my mind. My family actually embraces that, but I think I do need to have better boundaries. And its probably simply just back to a lot of the other questions, which is taking on the right projects and the right clients, and not saying yes to everything, so that there is a little bit more work-life balance.

Its funnymy husband and I are starting the last little renovation project in our house, and part of it was going to be a pretty big home office, but weve recently decided were not going to do that. Its going to be a screened porch.

Thats such a beautiful representation of that mindset shift.It is. There will still be a little home office, but its tucked in the corner and its not so prominent. The kids know that Im always workingIm always checking emails and talking to clientsand they really love and support me. Theyve all said how proud they are of me, and that means a lot. I became an interior designer to become a mother. And these two major life events have given me a lot of clarity about how important the business is to me, but also how I just have to sort of reprioritize it a little bit. I feel like a good mom that I can show them what it is to run a business, but also be a mom first.

To learn more about Cicely Beston, visit her website or find her on Instagram.

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Why this New Hampshire designer is turning her shop into a showroom - Business of Home

Dana McMahan| Special to the Courier Journal

Im not a real interior designer, I just play one on Instagram.

Kidding. I didn't study design but have designed and renovated around a dozen kitchens over the last few years. Each has been unique, but my favorite project so far has been the complete, to-the-dirt renovation of the kitchen in a big, old Victorian in Beechmont that my best friend and I bought two years ago to "flip." (Thats air quotes because we poured every ounce of love and attention to detail into this kitchen and entire home, for that matter that we would have in either of our own homes.)

There were certainly challenges designing a kitchen with someone else, but the finished space which we wrapped less than 24 hours ago as I write this is truly a dream.

We cooked the inaugural meal there last night (lemon and summer squash risotto with a burrata and carrot salad) and as much as Ilove my own kitchen, I have to admit I have some burning kitchen envy over the one we designed together.So, how did we do it?Here are five tips to help anyone thinking of tackling their own kitchen renovation.

This may break some real estate rules, but we knew that for the look and feel we wanted a nostalgic glam that is luxurious but inviting we had to embrace rich color.

To set the stage for a space where you can't help but feel happy, we chose a vibrant hue from British paint company Farrow & Ball called Scotch Blue. It's a deep, decadent color and every other element from the matte white range to the brick chimney positively pops against it. Yes, it may be a bit unorthodox in a sea of white kitchens, but look: paint is one of the easiest things to change if need be, so we threw caution to the wind and are thrilled with the outcome.

Home of the WeekThis home was named 'Best Farmhouse Remodel' in Louisville. Take a peek inside

Now, a word of caution: with the super saturated walls, things could easily veer overboard. Following Coco Chanels wisdom to look in the mirror and take one thing off, we dialed everything else back, leaning toward warm whites and greys everywhere else with some pops of complementary colors in the marble countertops.

Tell me I'm not the only one with a kitchen where dance parties erupt on the regular. When friends gather at my and my husbands Old Louisville home, it's not uncommon for the night to end with us taking turns yelling at the smart speaker to play our favorite songs. So ensuring there would be room around the island in this kitchen for not just cooking together, but any type of entertaining was a top priority for me.

There are minimum clearances you ought to have between different parts of the kitchen, but I would swap counter space for more generous walk space any day of the week so we very intentionally sized and placed the counters to allow an abundance of space around them that far exceeds requirements.

When I visited the ceramic tile show in Bologna, Italy, last year, large format tiles were all the rage. It was a little intimidating to think about working with massive, two-feet-by-four-feet, tiles for the kitchen floor, and to be honest, the tile installers weren't our biggest fans when they saw these behemoths.

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But the result? They make the kitchen feel spacious and open, where a smaller tile could have felt busy and served to shrink the kitchen visually. We also set them on an angle at the recommendation of the tile designer (who happened to be a friend of my partner on this project), and that unexpected look gives the kitchen a fresh and contemporary feel.

In my home kitchen, I was lucky to find a floor model red Bertazzoni range for half price and was blown away by the impact the racy Italian design had on the space. (Side note: I'm still waiting for someone to explain why such a small country has so much of the world's most beautiful design!). The range was 36-inches, and even though that reduced my counter space, it has been well worth it for the ability to cook up a storm on the six burners.

So I knew it had to be 36-inches for this space, and as the crown jewel of the kitchen, it had to be Bertazzoni, this time in an elegant matte-white finish. Its so sleek yet means business for food lovers with its beefy knobs and heavy-duty grates. In fact, I have loved my experience with my own range so much that I teamed up with them on a brand ambassadorship. But even if I hadn't swapped content creation (watch out for this kitchen on Bertazzonis social media channels!) for a trade price, I'd have made room in the budget for the splurge. A gorgeous range is the single element that, in my mind, takes a kitchen from lovely to absolutely swoon-worthy.

You may likeSouth Louisville 'hidden' gems: Here are 6 must-try restaurants, things-to-do in Beechmont

A fortune cookie I recently opened read "great things are made of little things."

As we were making and sitting down to our dinner at the island the other night, Michael and I both kept finding ourselves delighted with decisions we'd made along the way because we took the time to think about the little things, a lot. Whether that was the placement of light switches, how and where to template the marble counters for the absolute perfect pattern, or little niceties like pull-out drawers in base cabinets to make it easier to access things, we treated even small decisions like they were much bigger.

Use your imagination from early on in the process and really picture yourself using the kitchen. Walk around it. Envision cooking in it and welcoming friends. Ask yourself where will they sit? Where will you put groceries when you come into the house? Where will you mix a drink or peel your vegetables? Where does your phone charge?

Design it for the way you live, for the look you love, and you'll end up with the kitchen of your dreams.

Tell Dana! Send your restaurant Dish to Dana McMahan at thecjdish@gmail.com and follow@bourbonbarbarellaon Instagram.

Courier Journal columnist Dana McMahan and her business partner, Michael Downey, renovated this kitchen inside a sprawling Victorian in Louisville's Beechmont neighborhood. Here's what you can find inside:

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5 kitchen renovation tips to end up with your dream cooking place - Courier Journal

It looks like there's been a slight detour inJennifer Lopez and Ben Affleck's wedding festivities.

On Aug. 19, the couple wereseen accompanying Ben's mother,Chris Anne Boldt, at a local hospital inSavannah, Ga. In photos published by the Daily Mail, Jennifer walked alongside her husband as the Oscar winner's mom was being pushed in a wheelchair by a medical worker.

Pictures taken from earlier in the day also showed an ambulance arriving and leaving the venue where J.Lo and Ben's wedding celebration is to be held this weekend.

A source previously told E! News that the "Marry Me" singer and the Tender Bar actor, who tied the knot in an impromptuLas Vegas ceremonylast month, have been hard at work "putting the final touches on everything" as they prepare to celebrate their recent marriage with friends and family at a lavish bashin Georgia.

A second insider noted that the weekend-long affairis being planned by interior designer and event plannerColin Cowie, with lifestyle guruJay Shettypresiding over the actual ceremony.

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Jennifer Lopez Visits Hospital With Ben Affleck and His Mom Ahead of Wedding Weekend - E! NEWS

Baltimore, Aug. 18, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Our homes and workspaces are extensions of ourselves, and should therefore work well for us both aesthetically and functionally. However, all too often these buildings dont serve us well and dont look like our ideal spaces. Eastwing Architects exists to change that.

Eastwing Architectsis a leading architectural company offering custom designs for residential and commercial spaces. The expert team there can handle everything from dreaming up fantastic additions and renovations for existing spaces to designing brand-new construction projects.

Eastwing Architects believes that client collaboration is key when it comes to creating designs that are beautiful, practical, and unique. This client-focused approach to design means that the Eastwing team actually understands every clients individual needs, vision and budget, ensuring that they build meaningful, productive relationships and leave clients satisfied.

When you work with Eastwing Architects, you will end up with a dream space that has been carefully crafted to express your personality, highlight your values, and enhance your daily life. You can view a variety of residential and commercial projects that were designed by the company on itswebsite.

Creating inspiring new spaces and breathing new life into existing buildings

No matter whether you need to construct a new building from scratch or make architectural alterations to an existing space, Eastwing Architects has the design skills and knowledge you need.

The Eastwing team love working on additions or renovations to existing buildings, because it is a more sustainable approach to architecture, and more cost-effective for the client. It also presents an exciting challenge for the architects, as they have to analyze existing structures and systems and utilize their creativity in order to transform the space and realize its full potential.

Eastwing Architects also relish the chance to construct a building from scratch. Though this is a less sustainable architectural option, the freedom to create a carefully designed space that is truly tailor-made for the client is exhilarating. It is a chance to create a fresh space that truly compliments a clients style, personality, and values.

Innovative residential and commercial architecture

Because Eastwing Architects is highly experienced in both residential and commercial design, the team there can efficiently cater to a wide variety of architectural needs.

For residential projects, the firm aims to make clients feel truly at home in a space that truly reflects their personalities and style. Making good use of their considerable skill and expertise, the Eastwing team will working closely with the client at every stage of the project in order to create something truly special. From renovations and additions to crafting new constructions, youre in safe hands with Eastwing Architects.

In its commercial work, Eastwing Architects strives to create spaces that are unique and welcoming. After a consultation to understand the clients vision and goals, the team will work tirelessly on design work, interiors, construction, and even branding. The end goal is to maximize the impact of every dollar invested and create a space to be proud of a space that encourages business to grow.

If youre in need of a reliableresidential architect in Baltimore, MDorcommercial architect in Baltimore, MD, get in touch with Eastwing Architects today.

More information

Eastwing Architects is a firm offering client-focused residential and commercial architectural design services. Based in Baltimore, Maryland, the company works hard to provide high-quality additions, renovations, and new constructions to its clients. You can find out more by visiting the website ateastwingarchitects.com.

Source:https://thenewsfront.com/eastwing-architects-are-helping-residential-and-commercial-clients-to-create-their-dream-spaces/

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Eastwing Architects Are Helping Residential and Commercial Clients to Create their Dream Spaces - GlobeNewswire

Once-in-a-generation advances in commercial technology will fundamentally strengthen the U.S. economic and security posture in space

Policy makers are right to expect the national security establishment to find ways to fully leverage the innovations and investment in commercial space capabilities like launch and imagery.

But far less obvious and yet more profound is a very real revolution that is well underway: the wholesale overhaul of our national security space architecture into a hybrid design that effectively integrates the best of commercial and government investments.

This transformation of our national security space architecture is prompted not only by the amazing and innovative developments in the commercial space sector, but also by the realization that our adversaries are determined to displace the United States leadership in space and target our currently vulnerable space based capabilities if conflict arises on Earth.

These twin motivations are driving a once-in-a-generation series of changes that will fundamentally strengthen the U.S. economic and security posture in space.

Those leading the redesign of our national security space architecture in both the intelligence community and the Department of Defense are quietly but effectively utilizing three distinct approaches to capture the best of commercial space capabilities and adapt them to our national security needs.

The first approach is to augment government developed capabilities with commercial products and services. Recently, the National Reconnaissance Office awarded the largest contracts for commercial imagery in its history. When combined with exquisite imagery provided by government developed sources, this approach will dramatically increase intelligence capacity and provide the U.S. the ability to share with the world what we see from space without disclosing intelligence sources and methods.

Another far less visible approach being employed is to take advantage of the innovation and venture investment in commercial space technologies while adapting them to national security needs. The next generation of intelligence satellites now being developed will use flight proven hardware bought from commercial spacecraft manufacturers and adapt it with government payloads in order to lower cost and speed deployment.

This is not merely a plan. The first of these hybrid satellites are already being tested in space, having gone from idea to orbit in less than three years, a fraction of the traditional timeframe to develop and launch a new capability.

By radically lowering the cost of these hybrid satellites, we can afford many more of them which not only improves the technical performance of the constellation but also dramatically increases architectural resilience. Proliferation of many more hybrid surveillance satellites makes it harder for adversaries to track, target and disrupt or destroy our spacecraft in the event of conflict.

The final hybrid approach being utilized is the incorporation of commercially derived business models by traditional defense firms. The proliferation of commercial space providers has created a highly technical aerospace workforce that operates more like a Silicon Valley startup than a large defense contractor.

In order to fully capitalize on this, we are seeing large defense firms partner with or acquire space startups and allow their commercial best practices to flourish in order to rapidly experiment and develop capabilities, while the established defense firm provides the government with a proven ability to perform classified integration and delivery.

Combining the reliability and the assurance of the cleared defense industrial base with the speed and innovation of our space entrepreneurs is another hybridization approach already showing positive results.

As good as they are, current commercial space capabilities are not a replacement for government developed national security capabilities, nor should the U.S. be content to rely exclusively on commercial solutions for national security. Doing so may save money, but effectively reduces our technical capabilities to what anyone (including our adversaries) can acquire in the marketplace.

However, by quietly and creatively blending the best practices from both commercial and defense sectors in order to produce hybrid space capabilities, we can increase our economic as well as national security.

John Paul (JP) Parker served as U.S. intelligence community space executive from 2018 to 2022, and previously served as a special advisor for space, cyber and intelligence to the Vice President of the United States.

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Op-ed | Why a hybrid space architecture makes sense for economic and national security - SpaceNews