Penates Way

It was a pleasure working with you both on selecting new colors for your adult family home. Using the perfect color and a few lighting changes brought cheerful ambiance to the shared and private spaces, as well as made the way finding easier for people with low vision. It does seem paradoxical that such cost effective, simple changes can have such a profound impact on people and your business. I am glad that everyone can see your wonderful senior home care in a whole new light!

Thank you, I love helping creative independent women with the remodel key to their Castle! Making designs that last through the ages of all the changes with family and friends is top priority for a successful investment in your home. As always, it was a pleasure working with you. I am glad you still love your kitchen!

Thank you! I loved pulling together the thousands of details on your major remodel so that everything fell into place to make your house your Home. Helping you put your personal stamp on your spaces brings me joy, while tracking the details of custom cabinets, fixtures and finishes. It was truly a pleasure to work with you!

Dear J.E., I did send an email in hopes that we can come to an understanding of your disappointment, but you did not reply.
We began our work on April 13 2015 with an introduction, overview of scope, signed letter of agreement, measurements, then began space planning and gave referrals to organizers and movers. At this beginning I gave you an introductory discount of one hour.

We met again in May to review a multitude of conceptual floors plans, and I spent time reviewing furniture pictures with you that you had found online, through your buyer’s club resources, and reviewed your existing inventory of furniture. By that time you had engaged the services or the organizer I had referred to you, and had donated some furniture to the charity of your choice.

I did more space planning and furniture reviews for you in July with email follow ups.

It wasn’t until late August that you sent me an email that to say “you have been kinda changing ideas about things”, and you asked me not to put any more time into the project. In October you did successfully use a window film resource that I had referred to you and then in December wrote the above review.

In our initial meeting, you made it clear that you intended to buy your own furniture through your buyer’s club resources where you had paid a substantial membership fee (totaling less than the entire design fee for my services). You clarified that you only needed design assistance for space planning and to figure out what furniture to keep, donate or discard before buying any new pieces. Since your home is inherited, you found yourself in possession of many more pieces than suited your new lifestyle. Together we explored how you really wanted your lifestyle to play out in your house to make it feel like YOUR home.

Throughout this process I repeatedly offered to go with you to look at furniture and evaluate it in person and you consistently said you preferred to think about it further and explore more on your own. You had shown me your musical instruments in the unfinished basement which you played with your friends in a band. We found a way to layout your sunroom for everyone to play together in a beautiful sunny space. We spent a substantial amount of time considering options for social furniture arrangements in your dining room so you could play card games at the table and watch sports. You described often how you and your husband preferred to use the living room and former dining room – now sun room and music room.

I listened carefully to your heart’s desire, your lifestyle, your creative endeavors with music and your social aspirations to have your friends come to an inviting and joy filled home. I made numerous furniture layouts which we condensed down to 5 finalists so you could take the time to evaluate the multiple aspects of your lifestyle while deciding which pieces to keep, which to pass on to your nieces and nephews, and which to donate. I spent time reviewing furniture that you looked up on line and asked for my advice, indicating to me that you still wanted to take charge of finding furniture yourself rather than letting a designer be more assertive with design ideas. We had explored and fine-tuned the plans down to individual pieces and vignettes that would most support your life style as per our agreement.

Making changes in your home to support your own creativity and social aspirations takes courage. I am a collaborative designer who helps creative independent women who have put their personal signature on their home with my help. It has worked well for many clients as I support their expression in their home. Trusting a designer is an integral part of trusting yourself enough to know what you do well and what you need help with in the remodeling process.

I do hope you have brought your musical instruments up from the basement into your bright and sunny room, and that you have purchased the tall game dining table for socializing with your friends, and that you have found the perfect sofa for your living room. I can just picture it now, you with your friends playing music with furniture that is just right shape and size for them and for you, helping themselves to comforts of your home with drink and appetizers, gathering around you for sports, games and music.
Sincerely,
Michelle Molloy

Thank you! I love doing designs that last and am grateful that you enjoy your home for so long.

Thank you, I love working with creative, innovative women and enjoy supporting them in all the details of their visionary projects.