While on styling and redesign jobs I’ve found it’s best to first keep my pie hole shut and let the client 
describe what they want from me. It can be hard trying to keep my personal style preferences from spewing out of my mouth. What, what, what you say??? Isn’t that what I’m supposed to be doing, telling the client what styling selections they need to make their home oh so fabulous?
Let me explain, this post is about the client's preferences for a certain style and me helping them achieve this look for dwelling not staging to sell. Yes, you still have to ask all the pertinent questions before going to the job. When a client calls for advice on how to help them style their home it’s up to me to take their vague idea of what style they have in mind and then I explain how I can help them.
When I get to the home they’ll still have lot of questions about the process and that’s no problem. I go around the home and ask what they like or may not like about certain pieces that they already own. It helps us determine what style they feel drawn to.
The past few jobs frankly had me scratching my head. My clients have told me previous people they've hired counseled them to get rid of what they already owed and loved and were advised go down the stylist’s chosen route. Kind of impersonal and can you say a cha-ching route to boot?
Let’s just say that route led to a dead end for the previous stylist.
Sure the client may not have all the pieces they need to complete the look they are trying to achieve, but we work around what they have and make notes for the future purchases.
The Pottery Barn look is still popular and trying to make that happen with 3 red monkeys, a bowl of left over pebbles and shells from a cherished family holiday, mismatched furniture, a series of collectible lighthouses isn’t going to be easy. But it can be done using my crafty ideas and a list of suggested future purchases will complete the look!
So by remembering to shut your pie hole first and listening about their preferred style you’ll help them achieve that look they long for. Hey it’s all about them!
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