Judy Olson

Mary walks into a tile store recommended by her contractor to “pick her tile”. She browses for about an hour and finally decides on a beautiful marble tile which has exactly the tones and movement she was envisioning. She takes the sample home with her and falls even more in love. She is so inspired that she starts looking at paint chips, vanity colors, and fixtures. Two weeks later, all selections have been made, all coordinated perfectly with the beautiful tile she selected. Mary returns to...

Many still associate interior designers exclusively with frivolous non-essential things like wallpaper, designer pillows, and extravagant artwork. But that stereotype is shifting thanks to the media, even if the media still contains major misconceptions. People are growing more aware that interior designers are not merely pillow fluffers, but visionaries who carry much more weight on a project than previously assumed. But what exactly do interior designers do in real life? What is it that...

In spite of the struggling economy, I see a strong level of interest in home renovation projects right now. What I’m finding though is that people are growing aware of the rising cost of labor and materials, and are trying to find shortcuts, or less expensive ways of doing what they want to do. Price shopping is nothing new, but this is a different sort of maneuver. This is trying to pursue luxury results with a bare-bones budget. And it’s impossible. Even a contractor who is struggling to...