If you're lucky enough to be a friend of Steph and I you could be eligible for the friends and family designer discount.
My friend Vienna approached me with such enthusiasm for our work that I knew I had to help her with her first apartment. On our first meeting we found a few big key pieces that we really loved, but low and behold it was just too damn easy and it turned out most of the fabrics were discontinued. Which did not go over well with Vienna and her expectation on lead times. She was moving in not even a week later and wanted furniture asap. But her desire for good quality pieces mixed with her willingness to pay a pretty penny made her realize that some things are worth the wait.
So we went ahead and ordered this gorgeous Bernhardt piece and shaggy Moroccan rug from Gilt as a starting point.
After some time Vienna eventually approached me about scouting out some possibilities from One Kings Lane. So I put together a quick spread of what I thought would work with the rug and media console we had already purchased. A combination of items that proves you can get it all in one quick swoop...
BUT Vienna's a smart girl! And she quickly realized that this wasn't the way to go for her. A few reasons why...
1. She didn't know the quality of the sofa and chairs or where they came from
2. She couldn't see any swatches of fabrics or finishes
3. And she didn't want to make quick decisions because of OKL's auction based structure
On top of it all, if she didn't have me guiding her in the right direction, with my experience and knowledge of scale, pattern, balance, color etc. how would she or anyone for that matter feel confident on creating there own room in a box from OKL. A few random special pieces or fillers is okay, but I don't recommend someone purchasing an entire room of furniture off the internet unless consulting with their designer first.
All too many times upon first consultation we have witnessed homes that are decked out with a random selection of furniture. Pieces passed down or items that were purchased on websites like Gilt or OKL and thought to fit its designated home, never really came together in the grand scheme of things. And now here we are, Dalliance Design to the rescue. The dream team that will end up putting the puzzle back together, creating not only something you will love but will save money in the end. But I digress, back to Vienna's project...
Our next purchase was a sofa from Vanguard furniture, from the Michael Weiss collection, in a warm taupe herringbone texture. Minus the button tufting and the nail heads...because when you have a designer you can customize.
Next stop, picking a paint color! And figuring out our cocktail and side tables. I'm thinking a simple lucite cocktail could go nice with the Bernhardt console. Either way we will need to pick out some kick ass printed pillows and/or stools to bring the whole scheme together.
To be continued...
