Tip's and FAQ'S from Paul

Thoughts?

What does your home reflect about you? Does it say anything…
Does your home work for you? Is it functional? Comfortable?
Do you use all areas of your home?
What changes would you make? Why?
Is your home designed for the 90% of the time it is used for?
Do you think about why you have the furnishings you have in your home?

Just Good Advice

Keep it simple. If in doubt do white with one other color. Good thing for people to grasp here is judicious use of color. Complementing colors and accents will work well.

Art and accessories can stand on their own and can be rotated.

Have a plan and stick to it or you will end up with a hodge-podge of things.

Get big sturdy pieces before filler if on a budget.

Leave a couple of walls blank at first. Collections take a while to acquire and they will eventually make the home more personal.

Everything except for linens and specialty kitchen items are now readily available here. It is no longer worth it to bring stuff in. plus it helps support your new local economy.

Living Rooms

Nesting tables are a great option for a side table. They are stackable and can be moved around to hold beverages, books & used to dine on or in front of the TV while watching your favorite movie.

Use an ottoman as a coffee table to kick your feet up. Try a tray on top to hold drinks, candles and books.

Install floor plugs and phone jacks to keep hidden unsightly cables stretching across the floor.

Patios 

Create living areas outside. Try upholstered, slip covered sofas and club chairs in Sunbrella Fabrics for lounging outdoors and entertaining. We spend large amounts of time out doors in Cabo. Make it cozy. Fabrics are softer than iron or aluminum.

Glass is high maintenance always needing cleaning. Try polished marbles for tables or an old antique door.

Use colorful candles for lighting.

Aluminum furniture can be more expensive but is zero maintenance! Salt and harsh weather can be brutal on wood and wrought iron.

Bedrooms              

Try lined curtains. The sun can be strong and will keep your company sleeping in!

Duvets are a great option. Use them as coverlets in the hot months and add a down fill in the winter. Add a foot bench for a place to keep the bedding off the floor and a great place to lay a robe or to tie your shoes while sitting if there is no room for an easy chair.

FAQ'S 

How do I know how much to spend based on the size of the condo?
Most clients spend between 10% and 20% of the purchase price on the interiors A simple small condo can have a budget of $20,000 for a one or two bedroom unit with all the basics. Condos in the $250K to $500K range can be furnished for $30,000 to $75,000 USD. Homes and condos from $750K to over one million usually have a greater attention to finishing details and require interiors that complement the craftsmanship and quality these homes have. The budget can range from $80,000 USD to $250,000 USD.

What is budget of the interior design based on?
I first interview the client and ask them for an amount they would like to spend as well as their needs, style and preferences. I supply a budget proposal with an itemized accounting and itemization that is used as a keystone to help the client see in writing where the funds are allocated and for what furnishings and accessories. It does not usually include electronics, high end art work, linens (towels and sheets) or kitchen items. It does include furniture for each area of the home, accessories, window treatments, patio furniture, rugs and bed coverings. Clients can use this budget to decide what area can be adjusted, if necessary. It helps me stay on a budget and tell them, ‘you can have a teak armoire rather than pine but it will be an additional $500 USD or the silk curtains are $1K more than the lined canvas ones.’

What should I take into consideration when furnishing a rental vs a live in home?
When you are competing with other units in a complex or development for rental income, make it as nice as you can afford to do. The nicer it is, the property manager is more likely to rent your unit when compared to one of equal size and you will have more repeat business. Durability is a factor. Use slipcovers to protect the fabrics from high usage. Use blackout curtains to keep the light out and reduce fading and help with the utility bills by keep the temperature down. Get sturdy furniture that can handle people that are not as gentle as you would be to your own furnishings. Dry clean frequently. Have an owners’ lockup closet for your valuables and extra set of linens. Don’t put things in the home you are worried about breaking. Use Sunbrella fabrics outdoors that resist fading and staining and that can be washed with soap and water. Allocate a budget to replace things as needed to keep your home updated and fresh. Keep it accessorized with great artwork that is less likely to get damaged and remove clutter. Keep place mats and coasters handy.

What fabrics don't fade in the strong sun?
All fabrics will fade in Los Cabos. We live in an extreme environment. Therefore, dry clean, use heavier window treatments that reduce sun damage, use solar films that can be applied to windows. Acrylic Sunbrella fabrics are a great option for outdoors. I do not like them indoors. I prefer washable slipcovers. Just recover as needed indoors.

How long does it take to custom order our furniture?
It is difficult to find just what you are looking for off the floor that will go with the interior design concept you may have. So custom ordering is the best option. Custom furniture can take on a good day 8 weeks up to 12 weeks in Mexico so it is best to plan ahead and start as early as possible. The benefit is that you are going to get exactly what you want rather than settling for something that is not your first choice.  

How do I pick out what colors and prints I want?
Take a risk! Try something you may not normally have at home. This is your vacation home so make it fun and a reflection of your personality. I always tell clients to pick out one fabric for a room and I will pick several options of complementary fabrics to tie it all together. It is not just the fabric but the wall colors, the furniture style and finish and adding accessories and art for each room and to integrate all the rooms so that it flows. It is great when we can add different materials such as glass, wood, marble and wrought iron!

What if my business partners and I don't have the same taste?
They never do! It is almost impossible to get partners to agree on everything so go for the 80% rule. It’s like any relationship. If you focus on the 20% you can never come to an agreement on (you are talking oranges and they see apples!) the partnership will be counterproductive. So concentrate on the reason you got into the partnership in the first place. Express your areas that you feel strongly about (re: your own bedroom), let each partner pick a corresponding area and leave the rest to the designer. It should be a fun endeavor. How many people would like the problem to have to furnish their Los Cabos dream home?

Do you charge for your first meeting?
No. The initial consultation is on the house. The fee structure is established on the project and at the stage it is at, the client’s needs and my level of participation.

How do you charge for your services?
I charge a retail price structure in the store for those who come in and purchase off the floor. I charge an hourly fee for consultations for assistance in the design formation and conceptualization phases. I can work in conjunction with builders and architects on the floor plans, selection of surface materials and space planning. Fees vary based my involvement. For interior design, I work on a cost plus basis. I charge a fixed fee on all wholesale purchases made that can save you time and money.

Do I have to use a Designer's services for everything, or just as needed?
I can assist in all areas of the design process or aid in a specific area such as kitchen and bathroom design, paint colors, installations, etc.

Do you work with any particular style(s)?
My job is to bring out the unique style of each client. But if I am given a free reign, I tend to be more eclectic in style. I like to mix it up.

Why do I need an Interior Designer if I already have an Architect?
An architect often thinks and is trained on the aesthetics of the home but not who is living in it or how it is to be used. The designer takes it one step further. What are you going to be using the home for? What are your hobbies? Your life style? What does your family unit consist of? The designer can review the plans to be sure the furniture that is going to be used fits in the spaces. Do you need a dining room for 12 if you will have mainly 6 people? The other rule is to design around the home for the 90% you will be using it not the other 10% over Christmas or Thanksgiving holidays when it you have overflow which can tend to make it cluttered the rest of the year. Pull in a chair from the guest bedroom or have a couple of folding chairs handy in the closet.  And finally, make sure your home is not only beautiful in form but that it functions for you. Does it? The job of the designer is to be sure it does!