Caught in a Whirlwind: Part I

So I am going to break the past two weeks up into two posts. The past couple of weeks have been leading up to an exciting install and wrapping up a huge project. The week leading up to an install can be very hectic and I now realize the amount of preparation that goes into it. For the install, a lot of shopping has to be done to find accessories, art, rugs, and lamps to fill the space. I made a shopping spreadsheet for the designers in order to organize all of the items purchased for the install. Luckily, I was able to contribute a few of my shopping skills as well.

I also got to "get my craft on" by wrapping roughly 260 books for a bookshelf display in the home. Pineapple House is known for their creative book displays that basically act as an art piece. They purchase a bunch of used hardback books and then wrap them in coordinating colored paper to create a uniform look. The color scheme for this install was brown, neutral, and orange with a little newspaper mixed in. Basically, you wrap the books like an old-school book cover, unless you were like me and had some of those spandex book covers in crazy patterns.

Becoming a pro book wrapper. 

The finished product.

Photos to come of the finished product in the next post!

I also finished up those CAD plans that I was working on. I worked with the designer to finish up the plans. We discussed the options for the media room in the home and drew out a couple of plans that might work for the space. I realized the importance of saving the changes as a new drawing when the design needed to be changed back to an original plan. Unfortunately, this was learned the hard way and  I had to re-draw the plans since the previous drawing had been cleared. I also sent the contractor for the new home the initial plans so that he could fill in the missing dimensions.

A week is never complete without a trip to ADAC. As I was grabbing some samples, look who I ran into!

Taking a Walk on the Creative Side

This past week at Pineapple House was busy, busy, busy. Stephen and Zach made their round trip to Canada and returned with all the updates from the client proposal. In order to have everything ready for them, I finished gathering all of the memos and printing off tear sheets.

The product of one of many trips to ADAC.

They met with the wife of the household as well as their twelve-year-old daughter, who definitely knows what she wants. Once they returned, Zach and Abby reviewed the changes with me and I got to work on updating the floor plan. Many of the changes had to do with moving the furniture around. The task made me reminisce on the hours I spent playing Sims as a youngster. I used to play it just so I could build a house and arrange the furniture. I also had to make a corresponding furniture list that kept track of the furniture locations of the house they are moving out of and where they were to be placed in the new house. This became quite confusing because I would lose track of the placements and forget that I relocated one piece while keeping that same piece in its prior location on the plan. But needless to say, everything was put in its correct home once I was finished.

I also had to gather estimates for fabric that was going to be used to re-upholster the clients' old furniture. I  learned how to call the corporate customer service of the furniture manufacturers, tell them the repeat of the pattern on the fabric to be used, and then they would tell me how much COM (customer's own material) would be needed. Before doing so, I had to call and inquire about the available stock of the COM. This seemingly easy task became a little difficult when I found out that some of the fabrics were discontinued with no stock on hand. In those cases, I had to look for a sub for the fabric. However, you also have to make sure there is enough fabric in-stock, especially when working on a short time frame because there may not be enough time to have the quantity you need made.

Hours were spent making phone calls and doing price/stock checks. Luckily, Abby had a side project of pulling together a few schemes for a client's walk-in closet. The client wanted either Tiffany blue or a feminine pink scheme. We ran to ADAC to look at fabrics and trims which was very fun. We ended up going super feminine and came up with three options.

A glam, pink option with natural details and a pretty antiqued mirror ceiling.

A casual, blue option with soothing accents.

And my personal fav, a glam blue option with metallic accents and a mother-of-pearl ceiling.

This was my most creative assignment yet and I have to say I wouldn't mind doing more of them!

I'm excited for this upcoming week because we are going shopping for this weeks install. We will be looking for accessories, lamps, and art pieces for the home. We have a small install coming up on Thursday and I'm looking forward to experiencing the whole process. Details to come!

The New Girl

I have come to realize from my many errand runs, that I am can be extremely awkward and clumsy. No, that is not anything I am ashamed of, but it does make things seem a little more difficult, like when I'm trying to find my way out of a showroom at ADAC while the entire staff watches me. I have to ask every time I enter a new showroom where I pick up the memo samples. Most are very helpful, while others look at me like it's a crazy question. Needless to say, I have already made many a trip to ADAC and Lenox. Last week, I dropped off a whole trunk load of return items at Pottery Barn. It took them close to an hour to scan everything in. They asked me, "What happened?" I had to explain to them that all of the items were for an install and the designers had purchased them to accessorize the house, but the client chose not to keep any of it. When an install comes up at Pineapple House, the designers go on a big shopping spree and purchase items that are the "frosting on the cake" for the rooms. Then, when the install comes around they use the pieces that work best and return the rest. I am very excited because we have about three big installs this summer that we will be making purchases for!

My trunk full of Pottery Barn returns.

Admiring the store displays in PB Teen. 

Buckhead Target that is completely underground!

This past week, I have been working on the floor plans for the same house in Canada. It has been very tedious because the house is HUGE, wine tasting room and Nanny's suite included. We have had to transfer all of their furniture from the Canada floor plan to their new home in Boston. Stephen, the owner/designer, and Zach,  the other designer, are heading to Canada tomorrow to give a proposal. So we have been doing our best to gather all the fabric samples and stock/pricing of the furniture.

All this pricing and stock info gathering has allowed me to hone in on my phone skills. I have spent hours calling companies to check pricing and stock, as well as checking on the order status of items. Luckily, Pineapple House has a vast database where you can access all of their account information for each company. I have also answered phones, which can be nerve-wrecking because you don't want to drop the call while trying to transfer it to someone else. Pineapple House values their customers and in our Intern Handbook, they emphasized how important it is to answer each call because you never know who may be calling, especially if it is a new client. 

As far as the social atmosphere at Pineapple House, it is very friendly. You do get to hear about gossip going on with clients. For instance, we found out one couple they have been working on, whose project is almost complete, split up. This was quite the issue since the girlfriend has been making most of the decisions. I have also gotten to know my co-intern Amanda a lot better. We have lots in common and even had lunch together at Whole Foods! I adore that place.

This next week should be super busy as we are getting closer to the installs. The busier the better!

One Week Down

I am proud to say that I landed an internship at a wonderful company called Pineapple House Interior Design. The business is located in Buckhead, Atlanta (where the traffic lives up to its reputation) in an industrial area. I do in fact commute there everyday, adding to the hole in the ozone with my 45 to 60 minute commute one way. But it is worth it.

Sitting in traffic on I-85.

The firm specializes in many areas of design, from residential to hospitality. Right now, most of the projects they are working on are residential. It's going to be an exciting and busy summer because there are a few installations scheduled in the Atlanta area, which I get to be a part of!

I was very excited to find out that I would have my own desk and computer. The office is amazing! It is located in a huge warehouse that houses the main offices, a huge resource library, a drapery room, an artist's studio, and much more. They mostly use AutoCAD for drawings, however I was surprised to find that the 2000 version is used. It's not really an issue though since the main difference is the layout of the buttons. I was outfitted with a brand new monitor this week, which was very exciting. The office has huge windows lining the wall that let in a ton of natural sunlight.

My desk.

The view.

Offices where the main designers work.

Cool warehouse ceiling. 

I report to two of the five designers that work at Pineapple House. Their names are Abby and Zach. Zach has been out of the office because his wife just had a baby, so I will get to meet him soon. Abby is really great. She graduated from Auburn, but she is from the Atlanta area. Everyone that works in the office is wonderful, from the warehouse staff to the people who work in the drapery shop. There is one other intern working this summer with me, named Amanda. She just graduated from FSU and is going back to get her Masters in Interior Design this summer. She is from the Tampa/St. Pete area, so being in Atlanta is a very new experience for her.

We were both basically just thrown into the fire and jumped right into the projects. So far, I have drawn a floor plan and furniture plan in CAD, run errands all over Buckhead, and made purchase calls. I am slowly learning the ordering process and how they keep track of all their orders, as well as finding out pricing and how that whole "designer's price" works. I also learned how work orders are made to the attached drapery workroom in the building. The business is housed in the same warehouse as Pineapple House, but they also provide their service to the trade and other designers. 

The head designer/owner of the company, Stephen, works with all of the other designers, over-seeing the work done on each project. He is very encouraging and discussed with me the plans that I put into CAD. He is a graduate of the Interior Design program at FSU and the Architecture program at Georgia Tech. He has been in business for over 25 years and has been able to really establish Pineapple House as a company. 

It looks like this summer is going to be a great opportunity and I can't wait to see what all it has to offer!

Celebrating Life

"The more you praise and celebrate your life, the more there is in life to celebrate." 

- Dove Chocolate Wrapper

My dad gave me a candy wrapper one day with the quote above written on it. Now, it is taped to my laptop as a constant reminder. The words spoke to me and made me realize how much there is in life to celebrate. No matter what comes our way, we must take those moments and make them something worth praising. It could be a small achievement such as completely organizing that closet that you've been putting of. Or it could be a huge accomplishment like landing that perfect job. Right now, I am personally celebrating the many opportunities that lie ahead. I am pursuing a career that I am truly passionate about. And that is definitely something to celebrate.

[Source: Better Homes & Garden]

[Source: Pinterest]

What do you celebrate?

Outdoor Spaces: A Quick Escape

This may be the weekend weather talking, but I absolutely adore spending an afternoon on my front porch. The best way to spend that time is with a good conversation and a refreshing drink. In Atlanta this past weekend, Sunday stayed true to its name. I was able to soak in the sunshine while relaxing in a rocking chair. As I sat out there, I realized what a privilege it is to have access to fresh air. An amazing outdoor space, whether it be an open air deck or a screened in porch, bring a bit of paradise to our everyday lives.

[Source: Coastal Living]

[Source: Coastal Living]

These spaces do not have to be "outdoorsy," instead they should be treated like another room. They are spaces to express yourself, using fun fabrics and interesting architecture to create a unique environment. 

Punchy fabrics work well with soothing linens. 

Besides being a great place to relax, outdoor spaces are ideal for socializing. On a warm summer night, these spaces turn into the ultimate party room. Lighting adds to the atmosphere, providing a warm and intimate glow.

[Source: Style Me Pretty]

Whether you live in a small apartment with a simple balcony or a beach-side cottage with a large sun deck, opportunities to take in some fresh air are abundant. It just comes down to finding the time to kick up your feet and breathe.