The year of 2020 has everyone rethinking how they do just about everything…from doing things in person, to figuring out how to stay home…from freely coming and going, to strategically planning so there are as few places to visit as possible…from having a plan and strategy to accomplish a goal, to throwing it out the window because it doesn’t work anymore and coming up with a new plan! It has been one crazy year! But in all of this change, and with more time being spent at home, now more than ever our homes are our refuge, a place where we are working to do, well, just about everything! Making your home function in this new normal really isn’t just a frivolous endeavor, it actually brings a sense of calm, a deeper connection to your living spaces and a way to bring value to your everyday living. Not everyone instinctively knows how to achieve this and here is where we come in…offering you the value of a Virtual Consultation!
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So what is a Virtual Consultation exactly, you ask? In many ways it is very similar to what we would do at an in-person meeting, but we have streamlined the process and made it simple and easy for you to still get design advice to plan for a home project. Here is how it works!
Step 1:
You have an idea of a room that you want to tweak or completely makeover, and send us an email expressing your interest. A free Discovery Call is set up and we chat about your project and what it is that you’d like to accomplish in your home, your timeline, budget, etc. We get to know each other a bit and make sure we connect on a relational level.
If you choose to proceed with a Virtual Consultation, we will then send you a questionnaire via email to get a more detailed idea of your specific needs, preferences, goals, and budget. We also ask that you send pictures of the room, along with measurements of the space itself as well as any pieces that we are using that you currently have. These details give us all we need to get to work and come up with a plan for the design of your room.
Step 2:
Once we have all the information in place, we set a date for our Virtual meeting and I get to work! I come up with a plan and ideas for you, which will include some inspiration images and suggestions on how to make your vision a reality.
The meeting is set up on an online platform and I send you a link to join the meeting on the day and time that we have set up. Any inspiration images or layout ideas are sent to you via email before our meeting so you have time to review them and we can discuss your thoughts in our 60-90-minute Virtual Consultation. If this is more of a DIY project, then we also discuss where you can find the items you are looking for to implement at your own pace.
Image source: Tonic Living
Step 3:
As a follow up to the Virtual Consultation, a comprehensive list of notes will be sent via email with all that we talked about and will include next steps for you. This Presentation will also give you the images and layouts and links all in one handy document! If further services are required, we will also include that information so you have a clear idea of how we can work together and what that will look like. On the day of our meeting, we request that payment be made in full via an e-transfer.
What is the benefit of a Virtual Consultation?
Part of the value in a Virtual Consultations is that it allows us to help anyone, anywhere with their homes and answer their specific questions in a safe and very comfortable manner. It allows you to not feel stuck in design dilemmas and gives you a resource to tap into to solve problems and overcome design challenges. Our solutions are creative, practical, and inspirational! We think outside the box and offer recommendations that will help you to customize your home and make it functional and beautiful to live in. The clients who have already worked with us on a Virtual Consultation have felt like they received the tools they needed to take their spaces to the next level in a way that did not feel overwhelming or out of their ability to accomplish.
The best thing about a Virtual Consultation? Anyone anywhere can use this! From the comfort of your own home, we can meet with you whether you are near or far…with Design expertise to help you find solutions that work.
BEFORE
AFTER
Here are a couple of examples of how we were able to help our clients and the value that the Virtual Consultation had for their home!
Client #1:
New living room design with ideas to make it lighter, solve a large window dilemma with appropriate treatment ideas, and layout options that work as an adult space. All with a low budget!
Inspiration image: Design by Joanna Gaines
What we did:
- Provided 3 layout options to include various furniture arrangements using new and current pieces of furniture.
- Provided suggestions for layered window treatments for a very large picture window
- Recommended adding a focal point to the space, such as including adding a fireplace or art installation
- Selected a paint color for the walls and trim
- Offered advice on where to purchase furniture for their budget
- Provided inspiration images to help them visualize layout ideas and style options for their space
Their thoughts:
“Our virtual consultation went very well! Our Bella Casa designer Emanuela came to the meeting prepared with inspirational designs and floor plan suggestions based on our provided survey and photos, but also with an open mind and imagination. She even had a paint colour ready, which we used and love! We put together our room using her design ideas and taking into account our most important factors in the design of our room: bring in contemporary style & make the room brighter, comfortable and unique.”
R & J Grivel
Client #2:
Take a standard builder kitchen and give it some French flair as the client wanted to paint the cabinets herself. She needed specific ideas on which counters options worked best, what type of back splash would be timeless and give that bistro feeling, and lighting solutions for her under-lit space.
What we did:
- Helped her feel confident to paint the upper cabinets in a lighter creamy color to lighten up the look as all black would be too heavy visually
- Helped her determine that wood counters weren’t fitting with her lifestyle and that a stone material would give her the look of marble without the maintenance.
- Narrowed down what type of backsplash would coordinate with the counters but not be too trendy or not fit in with the desired French theme
- Made lighting suggestions for over her table as well as some ideas of how she can add more lighting to the cooking area.
- Provided Paint color suggestions that worked with her flooring as well as the other rooms of her main floor.
- Discussed upper cabinetry options such as removing cabinets and replacing them with open shelving. Options for replacing wood doors with glass doors and where would be the best place to do that for visual interest.
Their thoughts:
"I had never consulted an interior decorator in the past and when we decided to renovate our kitchen, I reached out to Bella Casa Interiors. Since we were in the middle of a pandemic, I was offered a Virtual Consultation. I was apprehensive about how effective it would be, but so happy with how it went! I was able to show her my kitchen, get feedback and execute the ideas we talked about. When I had questions, she was always available. We are so happy with the details of information that was shared and as a result now have a kitchen we absolutely love!!!"
S & E Savaard
Why can't I do this on my own?
Meeting with a designer…even if it is Virtually…brings value to any project that you are planning for your home. You may be eager to jump right into your redesign project and think it will be easy-peasy to do it on your own, but that is not always the case! First we help you to create a design plan; we can evaluate your space’s specific needs, as well as your aspirations, and help you prioritize what needs to be done, how much it will cost, and the time each step will require. A design professional will know how to make the most of the time and money you have determined for your project, instructing you on which problems to address first and pointing out issues in the space that you might not have thought about. This is what we do for every client and in the end, we save you so much stress and money on costly mistakes. Who can put a price on that?
Now is the time to make your home work FOR you, to make it your haven and tell your story. Don’t settle for things “as is” but do what you can to make it personal, comfortable, and a space that you truly enjoy and love to be in! A Virtual Consultation is the first step to make that happen, and the value you will receive will allow you to enjoy your home even more during this difficult season.
As with any Design project, a Consultation is the starting point and we love to connect and help our clients achieve their design goals! The Pandemic of 2020 has brought us challenges, but we are working around them and still providing excellent service and practical design in the best way we can. Things are not like they used to be and may take longer to accomplish due to restrictions, but that is no reason to put everything on hold! We CAN help you refresh your bedroom, revamp your home office or revitalize dated décor.
So give us a call and let’s get started or refer a friend that would love some design help to customize their home! Gift Certificates make great gift and are always available (wink...wink)!!
Header image: Design by Joanna Gaines-The Mountain House
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