Interior Decor Blog

A GLOSSARY OF DRAPERY TERMS

Every industry has its own language and terms. These words and phrases can be confusing to anyone who is not part of the daily operations of a specific industry, and the interior decorating business is no exception.

To help you understand the terms, acronyms, and phrases regularly used when purchasing drapery, Arlene Best Interiors has created this handy reference guide. Here you’ll find valuable information allowing you to comprehend and communicate your drapery needs effectively.

Fullness.

It refers to the amount of fabric used to achieve the width of your drapes.

Drops or Cuts.

These terms refer to the number of widths of fabrics required to construct your drapes to the requested fullness.

Return.

It refers to the distance from the front of the drape to the wall so that there is no light gap at the side of your drapes.

Overlap.

It refers to how much fabric crosses in the center to avoid light gaps.

Finial.

It is the cap at the end of the decorative drapery rod.

Traverse Rod.

It is a rod that uses a pull-cord to draw the drapes across the window.

Drapery Baton or Fling Rod.

It is a small wand that is attached to the rod and/or drape to allow for manual drawing of the fabric across the window.

Grommet.

It is a large metal circle that is punched into the fabric.

Interlining.

It is an additional flannel-like fabric placed between the lining and the face fabric to add softness or to act as an extra barrier to the elements.

Face Fabric.

It is the decorative fabric for the project.

Training Thread.

It is a basting thread run through the hem of sheers to “train” the pleats from top to bottom, creating a perfect hang.

Valance Board.

It refers to a wood board covered in lining, with velcro on the face, for easy installation and take-down of a valance.

RBS or Rollease.

It is an operating system for Roman blinds that operates with a continuous bead chain.

High-ladder Installation.

It refers to any drapes or sheers that exceed 96" in length or a blind that requires installation above 8'.

Mechanical or Glide Track.

It refers to a drapery rod with a channel for runners, eliminating the use of rings.

If you’re looking for an interior decorator in Stratford, Ontario, reach out to the experts at Arlene Best Interiors. We offer a variety of affordable designs to match every style. It allows us to provide nearly everyone with the opportunity to create stunning interiors even on a budget. We help you understand what’s required to optimize your entire house and rejuvenate your special rooms. With over twenty years of experience in interior design, we have mastered a number of creative aesthetic services, which we look forward to showing you.

NEW IMPROVED FABRICS FOR FAMILY UPHOLSTERY

Most furniture companies are now introducing pretreated fabrics, which are excellent for families with small children and pets. These fabrics are called Crypton Fabrics as a brand name and performance fabrics for other pretreated fabrics. They were successfully installed in hotels, restaurants, senior residence, and even the White House, but are now taking over homes due to their excellent performance.

Crypton fabrics were specially engineered more than twenty years ago to be different from any other textile solutions in the world. Each fabric was encapsulated with patented technology and repeatedly treated with a water-based solution containing a variety of ingredients. As a result, it is excellent at resisting stains, moisture, bacteria, and odor. This textile will protect you from any type of spill without compromising on comfort and appearance.

USP of Crypton Fabrics.

What makes Crypton fabrics innovative and in demand is their unique properties. They are liquid resistant, stain repellent, anti-bacterial, yet soft and breathable. When your sofa or couch is upholstered in a Crypton fabric, you can rest assured that nothing will get through Crypton and reach your new sectional. In case of a liquid spill, you can blot up the stain with a clean, dry towel.

By using a Crypton fabric, you are no longer obliged to go with leather as a way to extend the life and durability of your furniture pieces. The cost of original, top grain leather is much higher than these new fabrics which are softer, warmer and fashion forward with several patterns, textures and colours offered.

Today, there are a lot of furniture companies that carry these fabrics which you may find at your nearest furniture store. While Crypton fabrics are heavily priced, you will get peace of mind knowing that they are safe and sustainable.

If you are not going to use a protected fabric, you can opt for a furniture protection plan like Zucora which is typically purchased with your new furniture. It provides a five-year protection guarantee against accidental rips or tears, pen and ink stains, cosmetics stains, jeans and newspaper dye transfer, household grease, pet and bodily fluids. The cost of this service usually depends on the total price of your furniture purchase.

If you are leading a hectic, spill-prone life, a Crypton fabric may be the perfect option for you. To learn more about pretreated fabrics or interior decorating, get in touch with us at Arlene Best Interiors.

As an interior decorating company in Stratford, Ontario, we are dedicated to providing superior customer service and incorporating functional, and creative decor that reflect the discerning styles of our clients. We render expert advice on interior design, space planning, color consultation and window treatments to clients in Stratford, London, Grand Bend, and Southwestern Ontario for over twenty years.

WHY YOU SHOULD CHOOSE ARLENE BEST INTERIORS!

Whether you’re looking to make your new house a home or refresh your décor, hiring an interior decorator is a smart idea. These experts are creative designers with fantastic ideas that showcase the best parts of your rooms and overall house. Besides the design and color coordination elements of interior decorating, these professionals can advise you on how to set a budget and which products will fit it.

There’s no need to stress over interior decorating any more, provided you have the right specialists to guide you. Usually, to find an interior decorator, you need to put in a sufficient amount of research to find someone that matches your expectations. You need to go through online reviews and speak to people who’ve worked with them.

At Arlene Best Interiors, we are confident about our expertise and will not shy away from giving you references. We will be happy to tell you why we are the top name in the home decorating business, and have been for the past twenty-five years. To get started, here are a few reasons why we stand out from the rest.

Patience: When working with a client this is one of the most important traits to possess. Most new clients have not worked with an interior decorator before. As a result, more guidance and attention is needed. In addition, excellent service beats fast service every time. When you come to us frustrated or stumped, we take the time to figure out what you want and need.

Attentiveness: It is crucial to really listen to clients because most will know what they don’t like but not necessarily what they do like. We are always attentive to your feedback. When new products or brands are introduced to you, we pay attention to your reactions and body language, remembering that this is your home or business that we are helping you decorate and that you should feel happy and comfortable with the final results.

Knowledge of products: We stay on top of new product information and apply that knowledge to keep you informed on the performance of modern fabrics, frames, and materials that we suggest. We have also built up a trusted list of subcontractors, so every job is done right and on schedule.

Time management: We do our very best to make sure that your project is completed in a timely manner and will provide you with a realistic expectation on how long your project will take to complete. With custom furniture delivery time now at ten to twelve weeks, window treatments four to six weeks, and construction anywhere from four weeks to a year, it is vital to stay aware of how much time a project may take. We help you to coordinate all these timelines to get projects done promptly.

Work with your budget: Regardless of whether your budget is large or small we realize that you work hard for your money and you need your dollars to work hard for you. Not everyone can afford custom work, so a great alternative is ready-made products which can be just as impactful at a fraction of the cost. We are happy to come up with creative solutions to make your budget work.

As the best interior decorator in Stratford, Ontario, we ensure that we exceed expectations and always put you first. We possess unique design expertise and ensure you find a style that suits your personality and is within your budget. We believe that everyone should have choices when considering interior decorating, regardless of their budget or project size. Home renovation is exciting, and we make sure you have the best time when redecorating.

HOW ARLENE BEST INTERIORS HELPED A CLIENT LOOKING FOR FIRE RETARDANT WINDOW TREATMENTS

As the best interior decorator in Stratford, Ontario, we have clients that come to us with a wide range of requests. Apart from incorporating these requests, we also need to adhere to several building and fire codes when installing our window treatments and home decor items.

Occasionally we face challenges in meeting these requirements and need to push our imaginative boundaries to come up with solutions.

Keep reading to learn how Arlene Best Interiors helped a client requiring fire retardant window treatments.

The Challenge: Using materials that were fire retardant.

We were approached by a client who wanted new window treatments for a commercial installation, however, due to the provincial fire code, the window treatments had to be fire retardant.

We took up the task, knowing that the fabrics we chose had to be fire retardant or had to go through a process where a fire retardant solution is applied to the fabric.

The fabric that we selected for the main living room worked beautifully with the rest of the decor and space; unfortunately it was not F/R rated and did not meet code. The fabric selected for the 12’ long side panels was a beautiful blend of natural and man-made fibers, and provided the beautiful hang required for this length of drape.

In accordance with the code, the material was ordered and sent out to be treated and then went on to the workroom for construction. The sewing was completed, but when we installed the new drapes, they did not hang the way they were supposed to.

The fire retardant solution tightened the fibres and changed the texture of the fabric, making it thicker and stiffer, resulting in the fabric losing all of its drapability. The stiffness of the fabric caused the drapery panels to encroach on the actual window, obstructing not just the beautiful view, but the entry of daylight.

With an inspection of our work just around the corner, and not enough time to address the issue, we needed to find a solution.

The Solution: Using decorative tiebacks

We neither had the time to remake the drapes, as we had a deadline to meet for the opening of the project, nor did we have the budget to pick a new fabric that was already fireproofed. As a quick solution to the problem we purchased ready-made decorative tieback tassels so that the drapes could now be pulled back off of the windows. This quick-fix was a temporary solution to pass the VIP walk-through.

Once the inspection was finished, we stitched custom-made tiebacks that held the side panels back beautifully, giving them a decorative finished look. It took us approximately two weeks to have the new tiebacks made and installed, which was in time for the public opening of the commercial project.

The Bottom Line

At Arlene Best Interiors we offer expert advice on interior decor, space planning, color consultation and window treatments for clients in Stratford, London, Grand Bend and Southwestern Ontario. Over the past twenty years, we’ve provided custom decor that are professional and affordable and suit every style. If you’re looking for the best interior decorator in Stratford, Ontario, get in touch with us

HOW ONLINE SHOPPING COULD AFFECT YOUR HOME’S AESTHETICS

Out with the old, in with the new is not just an adage, it is a reality. This is why it comes as no surprise that people want to continually upgrade the interiors of their home or offices. While doing so, people try to get the best deal that’s both convenient and cheap. This need for convenience led to home decor products being sold online.

In tandem with the trend of shopping for everything online, shopping for sofas, upholstery, wallpaper and even the kitchen sink has moved to the online medium. This has made the interior decor product shopping experience much more comfortable as you can sit at home and browse through the thousands of website selling home decor. You can leisurely look for a product, find it, buy it, and have it shipped to your doorstep.

While the comfort of shopping from your home is unparalleled, as an interior decorator, online shopping feels like it has taken away the ability to sample what you want to buy. When you look at the photos of a carpet or sofa, for example, the colors you see online are not always the colors of the actual pieces when it comes to the fabric in particular. The patterns you see in those photos are not always what you receive when you’ve opened up the packaging.

I believe that if you’re buying a piece of furniture like a sofa or chair, you should be able to sit in it before you order it. You need to check the depth of the seat and ensure that it’s right for you. Gauge the firmness of the seat or the construction of the piece. When you buy a piece of furniture online, all these aspects are a mystery until it lands on your doorstep.

As an interior decorator, I have to see and feel items that I am working with for my client. A sofa is a large ticket item, and I want to know if it fits my client and is comfortable. I need to know that the rug sample I purchase online is the shade of blue I see and it goes with the drapes that I have purchased.

If you are purchasing items that are hard-case goods, the risk of online shopping is not as high as when colors, textures and build play a significant role in the use of a product. The mystery of what I am going to receive versus what I saw when I purchased online is one of the major problems I have with shopping online.

As a decorator, I work with a lot of different manufacturers and stores. While shopping for larger ticket items with my clients, I am present with them for moral and professional advice. This way my client can see, feel and compare which pieces are right for them and their home. They can see how the colors of fabric, paint, carpeting, etc. all come together so that they can feel what is being delivered to their home and know that it is right for their space and is cohesive.

Online stores can offer you lower rates because they are not paying high rents for space and display purposes. While I agree that shopping online can save you time and sometimes money, it isn’t always the best idea. If you are purchasing smaller items like accessories for your home, online purchases can be fun and easy. However, if you are looking to buy larger, more expensive items, most clients want to feel and touch them, and I still think this is very important. There is nothing I like more than to go shopping with my clients, so, let’s go and find you the best home decor available.

As the best interior decoratorin Stratford, Ontario, Arlene Best Interiors provides professional, affordable decor options to suit every style, regardless of budget or size of the project. If you have any questions about shopping for home decor, please contact us.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS ABOUT INTERIOR DECORATING AND WINDOW TREATMENTS

When it comes to getting your home’s interiors decorated, or getting new window treatments, clients often have a ton of questions but often find answers difficult to come by. As a renowned interior decorator, Arlene Best Interiors wants to arm you with the most accurate information available to help you create the most elegantly decorated house. To do this, we’ve answered some of the most frequently asked questions about interior decoration and window treatments.

1. Why should I hire an Interior Decorator?

If you are the type of person who cannot visualize what space can look like, have difficulty choosing colors and patterns, are not sure how to accessorize your space, then you should hire an interior decorator. They can also assist with making spaces flow from one room to the next, creating the desired look and feel without you having to worry about a thing. Interior decorators save you time and money and put to rest the frustration of not knowing where to start and finish. This can be an ongoing relationship or a one-time thing, depending on your needs and budget. A professional can help you set up a game plan for projects down the road, to give your home or office continuity. A designer or decorator will develop a relationship with their clients, to understand what they like and how to bring their personality out in their homes or spaces.

2. What is the difference between an Interior Designer and an Interior Decorator?

An interior designer will have accreditation or a degree in design. Whereas an interior decorator may or may not have accreditation, just experience from having done this on different projects in the past.

3. How do I know what type of window treatments to use in my home or office?

Choosing the right window treatments depends on the look and effect you want to achieve. If you are looking strictly for privacy, window blinds or shutters may be the way to go. However, if you want to add some softness to frame your windows, then drapery and fabrics are a good complement to blinds and shutters. This is where a decorator can help you with the sizing of your windows, the types of treatments available, and the pricing of custom treatments.

4. How do I know what paint color to choose from?

It is always important to know what type of mood or feeling you want to create in your home. Are you looking for a neutral pallet or do you like color, do you want tranquillity or energized. These things will determine what color pallets you should choose for your space or home. Once you have established this, then the paint colors can be selected from those pallets. After working with new or existing furniture pieces, paint color can be chosen easily.

5. How do I start putting a room together?

Start at the bottom and work up, so start with your flooring or rug, this will set the tone of the room and work up from there. If you are working with a rug which will anchor all your furniture pieces, you can now choose the color and fabrics for your sofa and chairs and table colors. It will now be a lot easier to pick your wall color and from there your window treatments and lastly your accessories, artwork, lighting, etc.

6. What is your fee structure?

We always start with an initial consultation. The consultation usually takes place in your existing home, new home or space you might need help with. This gives you the opportunity to meet us and gives us the opportunity to see the space you are interested in working with. We usually spend one to two hours with a client at this initial consultation, the fees for this vary depending on the location of the home, whether in town or out of the city limits of Stratford. After the initial meeting, if you wish to continue using our services, we work on an hourly rate. However, we do offer packages or project management fees on larger projects. To inquire about our fees, simply contact us by phone or by email.

If you have any more questions about interior decoration or window treatments, get in touch with the experts at Arlene Best Interiors. As the best interior decorators in Stratford, Ontario, we provide customized quotations based on client requirements. We have also been in this industry for more than twenty years, so you can feel confident you're getting exceptional service.

BUSTED! DON’T BELIEVE THESE INTERIOR DECORATING MYTHS!

Interior decorators enhance the inner decors, functionality, and beauty of homes. They make the best out of the smallest space, reduce clutter, and help turn houses into homes.

Most people believe that anyone can work on decorating a house as the internet’s endless supply of videos makes everything looks doable. However, this is not the case, and decorating a house is not something to be taken lightly. Along with these videos and DIY articles online, there are a host of misconceptions being circulated about interior decor. Falling prey to these falsehoods could lead you to make some costly decorating mistakes.

To help you steer clear of these misconceptions, Arlene Best Interiors has debunked some of the most widely believed myths about interior decoration.

1. Delivery time is four to six weeks when ordering custom furniture.

This is not true! Manufacturers are no longer stocking, frames and fabrics in bulk like they used to. Now when you are looking to purchase a new sofa or chairs, the delivery timeline is ten to twelve weeks. So if you wish to have new furniture for Christmas, you really should start ordering it no later than end September.

2. When looking to paint, the best way to test out a color is to use a test board.

I find the best solution is to get some paint samples and test them right on the wall. If you use a board, the paint just doesn’t saturate on the board like it would on a wall. If you are debating on the right color, test it on the wall and handle a side by side test.

The existing wall color effects how the paint is read. Colors will appear darker against lighter backgrounds or lighter against darker backgrounds. Be sure to paint large enough swatches at least 12”x12” to get a proper idea of what it would look like. You should always handle two coats to get a true color. It is also important to prime the wall to block out existing wall color.

3. Pick out the accessories before working on the paint

When redecorating, never paint a room before picking out the bedding and window treatment fabrics. Paint is inexpensive, but your bedding and drapery fabrics are not. Further, by choosing your fabrics first, it will be much easier to pick out a paint color later.

If you’re looking for the best at interior decoration, get in touch with Arlene Best Interiors. With almost twenty-five years of experience as an interior decorator, Arlene is the best there is. She works with very flexible budgets allowing people with different housing requirements to avail her services in the Stratford, London and Exeter, Ontario areas.

For a complete list of our services, please click here. If you have any questions about Arlene Best Interiors, we’d love to hear from you.

COMMON MISTAKES PEOPLE MAKE WHEN DECORATING A ROOM

Once you’ve fulfilled your dream of homeownership, your next mission, is creating a home that’s a reflection of who you are. Right from the colors on the wall, to the kind of furniture and upholstery and decorative items, your new home should be a space that defines you.

However, this purpose often becomes counterproductive as the choices you make don’t match your home. The perfect home decor accessory that you saw at the store looks hideous when put in place, or the world’s comfiest sofa doesn’t fit in your living room. One way of avoiding these expensive mistakes is by hiring an interior decorator.

Interior decorating is a line that takes a very keen and knowledgeable eye. Interior decorators can pick colors, patterns, and textures, as well as have a great sense of how furniture works in a space. They can tell when something is off, whether it's the orientation of a rug or the amount of light in a room. They also know plenty of ways to make a space better than others might not notice or think of.

However, as a homeowner, if you’re planning on re-doing your home’s decor by yourself, there are certain mistakes you should avoid at all costs. As interior decorators, with years of experience, we have compiled a list of three common mistakes people make when decorating a room, that you must avoid.

1. Starting your decor re-do with a wall or paint color. Paint is inexpensive, and as there are so many options of colors, don’t start with paint first! Instead, you should start with a rug and work up from there. Depending on the carpet you choose it will make the rest of the process of selecting furniture much easier. Because now you can choose your furniture fabric colors from the colors in the rug, then once you know what those colors are, you can pick a paint or wall color or treatment last.

2. Shopping for furniture without knowing your home’s dimensions. The second most common mistake committed is when you’re shopping for furniture. You need to know the size of your room and where the window and door placements are. Before you go shopping, do a rough sketch of the room with all the pertinent measurements on it, and bring this to the store along with photos of the room you wish to decorate. This will give the decorator or salesperson a much better sense of the space and make it easier to figure out what pieces will fit in the room and the configuration of the furniture. Based on your photos and measurements, a decorator or salesperson can figure out whether a sectional will fit or what size sofa you can accommodate in your room and how many pieces you can actually use in your room.

3. Hanging a picture too high. People still make the mistake of hanging a picture too high, when they should be hung at eye-level. When a picture is hung too high or low, you need to strain your neck to see them. The general rule is to make the center of the picture roughly five feet from the ground. This will ensure you are neither looking down or up at it. In rooms where people are usually sitting down, such as a living room or dining room, pictures should be hung at the eye-level of a seated person. This means a picture should be hung lower than five feet, but roughly around a foot above the sofa or chair in the room.

To avoid these and other home decoration pitfalls, reach out to the experts at Arlene Best Interiors. We offer professional, affordable decor options to suit every style. We believe that everyone should have the opportunity to work with an interior decorator regardless of budget or size of the project, or whether it is a whole home renovation or a special room rejuvenation. For a complete list of services we provide, please click here. If you have any questions about Arlene Best Interiors, we’d love to hear from you. 

HAPPY NOTES FROM OUR CUSTOMERS

At Arlene Best Interiors, our customers love us almost as much as we love them! Here are a few nice things our customers have said about us recently:

★★★★★

“We weren't quite sure what to do with our basement to make it more livable. We hired Arlene to help us design our living space. She came up with great ideas for the space, some we hadn't ever considered. She set up contractor consultations very quickly, something I know would not have happened without her and I felt the contractors took us more seriously with Arlene at the appointments. She was easy to work with. She listened to our ideas and our concerns and helped our plans match our budget. I recommend working with Arlene.”

-Maya Pande

★★★★★

“Arlene has helped me with my front room, which I call my "card room" and my bedroom and ensuite bathroom. She has original ideas that work well, e.g. she suggested curtains that incorporate three colors, in large horizontal panels, and found the person to make them. They look stunning! She has helped me find furniture that “just suits” and helped me rescue a color scheme I had started, that was not succeeding. She is on time and knows many helpful professionals and resources. She also designed my office space, which has got many compliments, and is a very pleasant locale for me and clients.”

-Marilyn Marshall

★★★★★

“Arlene has been most helpful with planning and executing a plan for our family room. She is easy to work with and has great taste. I am very happy with the final product and it didn't break the bank. The quality is very good with reasonable prices!”

-Shelley Gianino

★★★★★

“Arlene worked with many of the things I already owned, blending in new pieces to create a room I was more than pleased with. She made suggestions that fit my own style and preferences, guiding me as I journeyed through our renovation. Without her help, I'm sure the results would not be as polished or complete. The value she brought to the project cannot be undersold!”

-Susan Bird

★★★★★

“Arlene Best Interiors created and oversaw the renovation of two full baths, master bedroom, large dressing room, upper-level repainting of two additional bedrooms, hallway and staircase. In addition, Arlene remodeled and redesigned our kitchen and had our living room and family room repainted. All new hardwood flooring was added to the complete upper level, staircase, and kitchen. Arlene's flair for color and design far surpassed our expectations of transforming our home from average to elegant. Throughout it all Arlene was patient with our questions and skepticisms. She also had a great ability to work with the tradespeople. We truly love our new home. Thanks, Arlene!”

-jjgeorge

★★★★★

“Arlene helped my husband and me to redecorate a small, older home that we downsized to. She has excellent taste and great organizational skills. She is always dependable, a good listener, and stays on budget. I would highly recommend her for any project large or small.”

-2themoon

If you’re looking for the best interior design services in Stratford, Ontario, let our experts at Arlene Best Interiors give you what you need to help you. With over twenty-five years of experience, you can be confident that we can handle all your interior design needs. Our many satisfied customers have already experienced this for themselves.

A FIVE-POINT CHECKLIST TO HELP YOU HIRE AN INTERIOR DECORATOR

Decorating your home isn’t easy and getting it right when you have plenty of paint colors, fabrics, furniture and accessories to choose from, is a challenge.  Whether you want to try a trendy interior style for your new home or want to upgrade the interiors of your old home, hiring an interior decorator can make the entire process a whole lot easier.

Interior decorators make interior spaces functional, safe, and beautiful by determining space requirements. They start the decorating process with a consultation and then execute space planning with 3D renderings. They also assist you with furniture selection and some even provide you with products such as custom window drapery, treatments, custom bedding and hand painted furniture and murals.

To help you find the best interior decorator, here are five ‘musts’ you should look for in a decorator.

1. Portfolio

If I am searching the web world for a local decorator, I will first look at their website and photos, it is important to me to see what type of style and creativity a decorator  has. Do they work with colors well? Can they arrange furniture and plan space well? Can they accessorize a room? Do they have a good eye for artwork?

The function and flow of a room are very important. By looking at photos from any decorator’s website, you can get a sense of what that decorator's style is and whether it appeals to you or not.

Can a decorator work with some of my existing pieces and incorporate new items, or can I start from scratch and have that decorator help me create a look that is me? You will get answers to your questions just by browsing through your prospective decorator’s portfolio on their website.

2. Excellent communication skills.

Communication is very important, a lot of clients don’t really know how to achieve the look they are after. It is very important for any decorator to first listen to the client to get a sense of what they are all about. Clients usually know what they don’t like but are not really sure about what they do like. This is where a professional can help. There is an enormous amount of product choice and information in the market, and this is where a professional will help to narrow down choices to help the client make a well-informed decision on style and practicality.

By communicating and listening to a client and establishing a relationship with them, a decorator can then establish the personality of the spaces. I want my client’s family and friends to walk into homes of clients I’ve already worked with to feel a real sense of warmth and welcome that reflects my client’s personality and style. Your home should reflect your personality just the way you dress and present yourself to the world!

3. Reviews.

Everyone reads reviews, it is a quick way to find out what people are saying and feeling about your potential decorator's business. We want you to know that the people you are intending to hire, are good at what they do and are dependable, honest and talented.

4. Detail oriented.

When doing a home renovation or redecorating a room, it is all the small details that make the difference. So many things can be overlooked and can get lost in all the decision making that goes with a renovation. It is important to have a decorator that goes to each meeting prepared and on time. A designer should make a list that has to be double checked to make sure the correct item is ordered and the right procedure is followed.

There is always going to be something that goes wrong with any renovation, a backorder item, a late subcontractor or an uncovered problem. This is just the nature of the beast when it comes to renovating, so it is vital to be as prepared as possible. Check and recheck with the decorator whether the list of things that needs to be done has been done to complete the project in a timely manner with beautiful results.

5. Honest.

Let’s face it nobody is perfect, we can strive to be that way and put our best foot forward, but mistakes happen and when they do happen I feel it is very important to be upfront about it so that a solution can be effectively and promptly put in place. I will always give my clients an honest opinion on what product, choice of colors, etc. That is why you hired me! If something’s not right, I will let you know. On the other hand, I expect my clients to be the same with me.

Good relationships are built on trust, respect and a good sense of humor. Life is short, I want my clients to be happy and at ease when working with me and my associates, and know they are getting an excellent product for a fair price.

If you’re looking for an interior decorator in Stratford, London, Grand Bend and Southwestern Ontario, contact Arlene Best Interiors. With over twenty-five years of hands-on experience, I have established a core of trusted craftspeople, contractors and artisans to bring your project to the next level.

I can source furniture and fabrics for custom window and bedding treatments, blinds, and shutters, accessories, as well as hand-painted one-of-a-kind art canvases and murals for commercial or residential projects.