Timber and Tide

"Virginia, I wish we could have provided you with the results you wanted. You hired us to assist in your downsizing to a 450 sq ft apartment. Before we began the project you and I engaged in a detailed interview where we discussed your preferences, style, ideas for your space, needs for aging in place and for living comfortably with three pets in a small space. We began the project with a list of eliminating excess furnishings, de-cluttering, organizing, purchasing furnishings with hidden storage, building a custom bed, sourcing custom made pillows, cushions and bed linens, sourcing unique items from antique stores such as 10 ft shutters to construct a wall between your living space and your kitchen, sourcing durable fabrics and rug that will stand up to the wear and tear pets, painting some of your remaining furniture, sourcing curtains and rugs and lighting fixtures. We discussed the scope of the project and your timeline and we discussed the fact that custom pieces take longer to find, build, craft etc. We all agreed this process isn't as quick as it appears on HGTV - even for a 450 sq ft space - especially with custom furnishings and third party vendors. At every opportunity, I sourced items for you that were on sale, I passed along our trade discounts, I didn't charge you for the full amount of time we were on site. You and I discussed that the custom made pillows and cushions and vintage/antique finds would take longer and could be more expensive so I wanted to save you as much as we could on as many aspects as we could - such as the new rug, drapes, furnishings etc. And we were always very transparent in the cost of the decor, cost of sub-contractors and cost of our time and expertise. I brought sub-contractors to you and never charged an oversight fee - unlike most decorators. We consulted you on all purchase decisions prior to purchasing anything. We hired a furniture removal company to remove the items you and we had determined needed to go. Yet when they arrived, you decided against removing several of the items which resulted in a cluttered space and a change of the scope. We re-organized and de-cluttered your bathroom, kitchen and hall plus closet. We moved unrelated items up and down the stairs and assembled outdoor furniture without charge because of your back pain. You and I purchased curtains for your 5 windows. You did not want custom drapes so I found a 40% discount for you for dupioni like curtains. You said you loved them. I offered to have them hemmed so they would not pool on the floor. You declined. We had to bring in our handyman to hang them. He hung them and made a couple of custom shelves for you while there. You tore down the curtains and threw them away. If you had told me you didn't like them, we would have returned them and gotten a refund for you. I came to your apartment 2-3 times a week while working with you. On days that I wasn't at your apartment, I was sourcing items online or via antiq"

"Thank you Brenda! We look forward to seeing the final results of your custom window treatments! - Audrey"

"Thank you Mrs. H, It was a pleasure working with you and your family. We were happy to help you create a beautiful home. - Lauren"