Services

Abigail and Josh purchased a small home In Teaneck, NJ, intending to build an addition on the rear to better accommodate their boisterous family of seven. The process went awry very quickly. Every logistical issue seemed to go wrong -- issues with the contractor, structural problems with the original house, massive delays due to the pandemic, permit related problems, frustration with their architect...the list is too long to detail in short form. Abigail asked originally asked me to help her select finishes and furnishings, but I ended up involved with every aspect of the project. 

When we began discussing the project over coffee in her kitchen, she had only three specific ideas for what she wanted included in her new home: robin's egg blue cabinets, banquette seating in her kitchen, and a Jack and Jill bathroom for her three daughters. She had very particular opinions about how the house should feel and function, but she couldn't articulate how all of these ideas worked together, nor could she identify her style preferences. We spoke in general terms about what she did and didn't like about her current space and how her family functioned, and I started collecting inspiration photos to help her better define her style, but though she wasn't very happy with the architect's initial plan, she didn't send them to me until months later -- after they were filed. 

The plans had huge issues. Every. Single. Room was WRONG.  To begin with, the kitchen had no pantry, only one sink, dishwasher and oven for her kosher food prep, it was cut off from the family room, the banquette only seated five, among so many more organizational problems. There were unnecessary hallways running in multiple directions on both floors. The family room was narrow and oriented the wrong way to fit enough seating to accommodate their family movie nights. The guest bathroom had a tub but she wanted it to be handicap accessible. The mudroom had no storage. The master bedroom was unnecessarily huge. but its closet was too small. There was no office for her husband. The shared bedroom had only one closet, The bathroom layouts were dysfunctional. The second floor laundry room smaller than her son's closet. There was no linen cabinet. The list goes on and on. The plans were clearly broken, so I set out to fix them. I redrew the floor plans, and I met with the architect to address how my new layout fit into the structural and mechanical limitations of the property. The process was long, but nearly every dysfunctional problem was solved, which made Abigail (and me) enormously happy. Her new home is bright, airy, spacious, and works for her busy lifestyle.  In the coming weeks, I'll add more stories about Abigail's house and how I adapted it to her family's unique needs. Check back soon!

Steve and Kath

While shopping for another client, I met Steve while he was wandering the aisles of a local tile warehouse. The store's employees were overwhelmed with customers, so I offered to help him. We started talking about his tile project, and the conversation quickly became much larger. Steve and his wife were working on preparing to list the house he was renovating on Airbnb, and they needed help with selecting the remaining finishes and furnishing it with everything from beds to silverware. Steve runs a successful construction company that specializes in outdoor structures like porches, decks, and pergolas, and his wife manages their family of seven, plus she was working on two other Airbnb listings, and completely outfitting a three bedroom home is not a small task. 

With a limited timeline and a tight budget, I got right to work researching Airbnb owner blogs and websites for recommendations on the tried and true brands and strategies that work for Airbnbs. The next week, I met Steve and Kath at the property, listened to their vision for the finished project, took measurements, and assessed the unique character of the house and its surroundings. Within 24 hours, I had created a budget and a working list of every item the house needed in Google Sheets to keep everyone up to date on what was happening in real time. 

Some of the specific recommendations I made came from my experience staying in Airbnbs all over the country with my own family. Kath originally wanted to maximize the number of beds in the house, and she was considering bunk beds, but I recommended that they put twin beds with trundles into the home's third bedroom instead to broaden the room's appeal for groups of only adults. We decided on a sofa bed for the living room, and the master bedroom received a pull-out chair bed that a couple with a child could utilize if needed. Every furnishing surface was selected for durability and ease of cleaning in addition to style, and I bought the best mattresses I could find within the budget to ensure that the all important comfort rating hit the highest possible mark.

Situated near Lancaster County, PA, the house is located about halfway between Philadelphia and Hershey, and they were hoping to draw people curious about Lancaster, who might also want to access to Philly and Hershey Park during their visit. This means the house will primarily draw families, so all of the chairs and accessories in the house needed to be kid safe and family friendly. Stocking little things, like games, a portable crib, and a sippy cup can make a huge difference in a family's experience in the house. Seating and space were maximized by using a bench on one side of the dining table to accommodate kids and adults, and I purchased only the sturdiest chairs the budget would allow. The project came in under budget, and it included every item on their list and more. I'll keep me eye out for the 5 star reviews!

More Stories to Come

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