We recently moved into a new carriage home and, for the most part, placed our furniture where it would fit, not where it may look best, because we simply did not know that. We needed decorating assistance; we didn't want to do what we had always done which was waste time and money doing things ourselves and being dissatisfied with the results. I searched for someone who could assist us. I read tons of reviews of decorators and looked at many decorating websites and still I never found someone I felt was right. I was looking for a professional who would not make my home into their idea of what my home should be. Rather, I wanted someone to guide me, to use our things as much as possible, to make our new house a true home in which we felt comfortable and happy.
Then, I read a review on Houzz of Picket Design and how Mandy Ayers took on a job to make an older woman's new space in a senior living facility as lovely and as much "her" as possible. That review convinced me to call Mandy. And that was one of the best calls I've ever made.
Mandy's abilities as a designer are impressive and inspiring. She had ideas, suggestions and plenty of mood boards to send us to illustrate her thoughts about each room as we progressed from one space to another. She showed us furniture, curtains, pillows, wallpaper, paint, and more before we ever took a step, so we knew what we were choosing, where it was coming from and how much it would cost.
Mandy's creativity is, apparently, endless and her ability to take a small, or large, space and transform it into a delightful area is really impressive.
Small space example: before, our laundry room was a white box with a giant washer and dryer dominating. Now, it's a happy and bright area, actually looks bigger with the wallpaper Mandy chose, and is decorated with the perfect color and size table, with drawers, she found for that space. She also decided to place our washer and dryer as close together as possible to make room for a narrow broom closet, which we really needed. And she found it. And it does. No more brooms, mops, vacuums or detergents in view. Every area of that small space is now usable and attractive yet nothing looks cramped or crowded.
We're still putting the finishing touches on our large space, the living room/great room/. Our biggest decision so far has been to close off the opening from the second-floor loft area to the great room below. A word to wise, do this in construction. Unless you want to hear everything that happens upstairs downstairs, including someone turning a newspaper page, close that off and give yourself an extra wall in the loft. The only view you'll be losing, unless you are standing right next to the opening, is of the ceiling lights in the great room. Mandy assured us that we would not regret this and boy, was she was right. The office and second-floor bedroom now have much-needed quiet and privacy and the loft area appears larger with the extra wall space.
In short, Mandy is that person with whom we feel so fortunate to work. Super-talented, professional, creative, understanding along with being friendly and kind. We were blessed to find her and I know you will be as well.
