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Rethinking Your Personal Design
by Janice Lovelace

Love your furniture but the arrangement feels tired? Can’t afford to clear out your furniture and start all over again? Want a fresher look without spending a lot of money? Time to call in an interior redesigner.

The field of interior redesign is a relatively new concept that has been highlighted on HGTV. Several designers from IRIS (Interior Redesign Industry Specialists) have appeared on the “Decorating Cents” program in the “no-cost” design segment. Casey Corwin of Welcome Home Design in Kirkland describes it as “design for the rest of us.” Some call it interior rearranging or “refluffing” according to Kathy Barnak of Authentic Home in Seattle.

Give an Interior Redesigner three to four hours, and then return to a transformed room. You will have a space with a new feel without spending money on new furniture, and it will still feel comfortably familiar with your beloved objects. Diana Young of Sisters Interior Redesign in Edmonds says, “We shop your house by taking the things you already have and rearranging them” – bringing some things out of storage or another room, and removing others. Corwin adds, “I try to add the designer touch to your room by showcasing those items that hold memories for you.” Barnak reflects that the goal is to “make your home more representative of you – a more authentic space.”

The process starts with an initial consult (usually free) when the redesigner comes to see your space, meets you and talks about your style. Barnak asks, “What is important in your life, who lives in the home (including pets) and what activities take place? Is this an entertaining space or primarily for the family?” “When I meet clients, they tell me they have tried rearranging their furniture a number of times but still aren’t satisfied. Still others have inherited a loved one’s furniture, which they want to incorporate” explains Corwin. The owner ends up “at a loss how to make it all work”!

After spending about 30 minutes talking, taking snapshots and measuring, the redesigner heads back to her office to work on ideas for change. She’s back in a few days, at an agreed-upon time, to perform her magic.

Young and her sister Alisa Landreth work together as Sisters Interior Redesign. Landreth loves working with the big pieces, while Young’s forte is accessorizing. “We love helping people see the potential of what they have,” explains Young. “It’s also good stewardship to use what you have.”

The company’s most common clients are blended families or families planning for an additional member. They recently helped a newlywed couple blend two household styles into a new home. One brought heavy antiques and the other light modern furniture. When the sisters worked in this home, they started by clearing the room of all furniture and accessories. Then they tried it in different arrangements. “Sometimes what looks good on paper just doesn’t work when we get back to the room,” says Landreth. “Maybe the TV has to be on one wall because of the cable line, or the computer shifts only slightly because of a phone connection.”

Once the big pieces are placed, they start on the smaller pieces and the accessories. “We try to group accessories to tell a story or vignette. The impact is more powerful when grouped rather than spread out,” adds Young.
When Connie, the wife, returned she was excited about her new look. “I never would have thought about that,” she kept repeating as she walked around the space.

Nancy Tredor, a new mother with a new home, called Sisters Interior Redesign shortly after her baby was born. “I had furnishings from our old home that just didn’t work. I didn’t have the energy or time to change.” She also works from home as a photographer and her rooms needed to reflect her personal style as well as be appropriate for clients. She remembers, “I was overwhelmed at how beautiful they made the rooms. They put up my photography – images I love. It finally felt like home!”

Recently Corwin worked to open up a living-dining area to provide better flow for entertaining – the owner’s main desire. In a little over three hours, the table was moved away from the wall, the couch was angled, pictures were rearranged and accessories were grouped to create a focal point. When Lee, the owner returned, she was amazed at how dramatic the change was and how wonderful “her things” now looked. Her rooms were cohesive and no longer a maze of obstacles to maneuver around.

The redesigner aims to create a space that highlights valued possessions while looking planned and designed. When Sherry Vivier of Vivier Interiors in Bremerton enters a room, she pays attention to where the eye is first drawn. That is the natural place for a focal point she says, so she tries to highlight it.

Training for redesign is varied. Each of the women in this article has specialized training in interior redesign. IRIS provides ongoing professional development for redesigners as well. “Redesign is a natural extension of traditional interior design,” according to Erin Longmoon of Mesh Design in Shoreline, who has an interior design degree. She finds that not everyone has the financial means to get rid of everything they have and start over. “I work within their budget, using their things. There’s no reason not to have good design.” Her aim is to add balance and rhythm to the space with simple and uncluttered design.

Vivier has a background in fine art and started out by staging homes for sale. It was an easy transition to redesign. She became certified in both Interior Redesign and in Staging. Landreth and Young had been decorating locally when they signed up for the intensive redesign IRIS training. “I thought I knew a lot about design, but learned so much about color, light and placement,” Young acknowledges. They are now certified by IRIS.

Who uses a redesigner? Just about anyone. Longmoon says many of her clients are trendy and savvy about design. “A number have watched home decorating shows, so know what they want. They just haven’t been able to pull it all together by themselves.” Barnak notes that her clients are looking for a change, a fresher approach to their home. “As we get older and grow, our style evolves. Clients seek guidance in reflecting their style.” Vivier sees many people in transition. She remembers one client who was recently widowed, and had her redo his living and dining area. “We had picked a few items to highlight that were special. He was teary and said that his wife would have loved it.”

The cost for a redesign varies. Some charge by the hour and others by the project. An average is about $100 per hour or around $300 to 400 for a room/project. “It was the best $300 I ever spent,” says Tredor. She tells her friends, “Do this before going out and spending money changing furniture.”

All the redesigners agree, “Most people don’t realize how great their things can look with just a little rearranging.”

Janice Lovelace is a Seattle-area writer and a child psychologist.

©2005 Caliope Publishing Company