S1:E12: Decorating Help + more

Call or Text our Hotline and leave a message : 18594121572
Download our Mobile Shopping App

Store Instagram:@housebyjsd
Online Store Instagram: @housefloral
Facebook: House by JSD

Shop Online @ Housefloral.com

Transcript

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 0:00

Look at

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 0:00

Good morning.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 0:01

ahead of schedule this

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 0:02

Aloh

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 0:04

know who I am? You know who I am today?

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 0:07

ho,

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 0:07

I'm Billy Joel.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 0:08

Oh,

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 0:09

I'm

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 0:09

God,

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 0:10

the piano man singing in the microphone, smelling like beer. That's how, that's how I hear, that's how I hear the voice of Billy Joel. That's, his voice sounds like this to me. Did you know that?

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 0:22

wow,

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 0:24

Billy Joel is

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 0:25

I'm glad

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 0:26

Jersey Boy.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 0:27

that's how that sounds,

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 0:29

Wow. Ladies and Gentlemen, Billy Joel.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 0:47

I don't know how we're all recovering this morning. Last night we had a special little event at the store, a local magazine that's here that does like local events and things that basically puts pictures of people at events at places in their magazine every month their preview party at our store, we hadn't hosted it in probably 10 years, maybe. Last night

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 1:06

Yes, 10 years. And let me stop you there. Multiple people said, I love how you do this year after year. You always have the best one year after year. And I went, uh huh. I didn't have one person tell me. I had about Five people tell me that one. Uh huh. I just got I just went with it. It's like uh huh. Okay, whatever.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 1:23

It's okay.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 1:24

the, um, the funny thing for me

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 1:27

It's a truth

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 1:28

of it, I was, um, it started at five and I was still in the office. I was still trying to like take care of emailing somebody for perspective job and sending an email out to some of the

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 1:38

Okay, stop their perspective Jeremy's lost yet another employee. He has to replace that said employee. So that might tell you something He either steals my employees or he runs other employees off So he's looking for another one anybody the podcast listeners of the tens of tens of listening

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 1:55

He's not leaving us willingly. His wife and he are moving back home to where his family's from. So, he said he didn't want to leave

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 2:01

And he's like, I know,

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 2:03

as a master

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 2:05

I won't, I won't. Everybody wants to know where you are. And it's like, I never see Jeremy more. That's what he's behind the computer. Was that all he does? And I was like, well, it was kind of important. Yeah. It's kind of more important than anything at this point, but yeah. So I was just, Oh, okay. He's still with you. Yeah. He's still here.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 2:26

well, last night I was still there and I was like, I was kind of, I don't want to use the word dreading to go out front, but I don't do a lot of like, attended events anymore. Like, I don't, I don't, Ever since, I don't think it has anything to do with COVID. I think COVID allowed me to realize that I don't like large groups of people, ultimately is what it came down to. And, um, so Stuart comes into the office last night and looks over the door, looks over the door and looks in and he goes, you know, there was a large part of my life where I thrived at these kinds of events and these are like the things that got me going. He goes, I think that that time of my life has gone. I said, well, I can tell you it's gone for me. Cause I, it's like that turning on the switch having to be like, you know,

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 3:06

That's why.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 3:07

there last night. I did.

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 3:08

How lovely it really was. It was. Yes.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 3:11

it's interesting.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 3:13

Well, it's just a

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 3:13

Well,

Jeremy's going gray

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 3:14

It's a lot after a busy day. To keep, keep steaming forward. You know. Jesus.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 3:21

Yeah.

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 3:22

let's talk about hair color for men. Hair color for men. So, there's some worry about you, Jeremy.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 3:29

So what

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 3:31

Hair color. Not hair. I don't have the hair. He got lots of hair, right?

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 3:35

does have

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 3:35

People worried about you, Jeremy. They ain't worried about Stewart. They all know he's old and gray, but you, the young one. And then they,

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 3:42

I

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 3:43

oh man.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 3:43

young one, you

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 3:46

the lighting from, where is, is his hair getting gray? And I was like, oh honey, he is getting old. I said, this job is killing him. So I need you to color your hair because people. It

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 4:00

Jeremy's dad had the most luscious silver that there was So he's

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 4:06

that story. He had silver hair, but it wasn't lush.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 4:09

well, it was always

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 4:11

was a pretty color. It was a pretty color.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 4:13

It was always combed. It was never unkempt. So

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 4:16

that's true. That's true. He was very, uh, vain about his 17 hairs that he had on top of his

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 4:21

now he had more than 17

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 4:24

he always wanted to make sure they were in the perfect spot, and they were. Uh, but no, he had beautiful, uh, white gray hair. So I'm hoping that's what happens with mine. The funny thing is,

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 4:32

I don't think so. I don't, I don't think so.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 4:34

I'm

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 4:34

Yeah, you're there.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 4:35

there.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 4:36

getting there You're

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 4:42

but I'm okay with it. I'm okay with it. I like salt and pepper hair on men. I think it looks really good. I like, actually, I like salt and pepper hair on anybody. Truthfully, I think it looks really good and I'm fine with gray silver hair.

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 4:52

I would love that too if I had hair. You know, Ian's obsessed over not losing. And this is my son and he was obsessed over not losing his hair. So he even works at a dermatology clinic to take pills. So we won't lose hair. Right. And he's sitting at the table and I'm sitting there. He's like, yeah, my hair's doing great. He said, I can't stay. I can't, I couldn't live with myself if I lost all my hair. And I'm like, um, I'm, I'm, I'm sitting right here. I'm here.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 5:15

shoveling mashed potatoes in across the table looking at him. Hehehehehehehehehehe

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 5:21

uh, I guess I don't exist anymore. Oh, well, nevermind.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 5:25

Well I kinda had the same kind of thought earlier in life Cause my mom's father was basically bald And I think my dad's dad was really thin hair But they say it comes, they say it comes from the mom's

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 5:37

Yeah. The mother's the

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 5:38

It lie, it lie.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 5:40

mother's

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 5:40

papaw had your hair, Derek. It lie, look, your hair, your head of hair. People have to look up your head of hair. That's what my grandfather died with on my mom's side. That, right. He had the pompadour. I'm telling you, he looked like Conway Twitty meets you. I would think, I didn't pull on my papaw's hair, but yes, I would think so.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 6:02

Well, my entire

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 6:03

Yeah.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 6:03

dad's family has very thin hair and then on my grandmother's On my mom's side of the family. Everybody's got really thick hair except for my grandfather So, you know what? It's gonna stay as long as it stays,

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 6:13

Yeah, why are we talking about your hair? We don't care. Hey, did you all, so we, let's go, let's go back to, well, let's go back to the party, the event that we had, and it was good. Now, with that, I really did have a good time. Uh, you know, I, I, I stacked the decks and got people to come that I wanted to, to, to go, and they showed. They showed up, right? Hey. Um, so. However, did either of you get cornered by at least one crazy? I did.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 6:37

No. Yeah.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 6:41

that podcast and we're asking questions about it. And then I had, um, three separate people say that they wanted to join our team. I said, for what?

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 6:52

That, that that's not like sexual or anything.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 6:55

No. God. The store. They want to work in the store.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 7:01

Well, Dwayne's the one that takes care of the hiring, so, for the story.

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 7:04

We're gonna fire some people.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 7:07

Oh, God. Lord. Okay, so

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 7:09

everybody, it's, we're in a good place. We're in a good place. Kids we're, that's a joke.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 7:13

let's

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 7:13

Billy Jones. Billy Jones coming back. Billy Joe said that was a joke.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 7:16

let's to the, the, uh, the point of this podcast. Last week, after we recorded our podcast, we

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 7:23

do, do, do these podcasts have a point?

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 7:25

Yeah. Well, I'm

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 7:26

Really? Okay.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 7:27

look, the listeners are gonna hear today and they're gonna be like, damn, he was determined to try to keep these bitches on track and that's what I'm gonna do today. Uh, we're gonna see, we'll see.

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 7:36

What's the word of the day? What's the word of the day? I think today's the word of the day is bitches Every time we say the word bitches somebody gets a point

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 7:46

Oh

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 7:46

gets a

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 7:47

my god. Who, who gets

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 7:48

every other point. Yes Somebody

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 7:51

Okay.

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 7:53

they you remember they say they get the point they get the point

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 7:57

They.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 7:58

okay,

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 7:58

Them.

Interior Design Insights and Client Stories

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 7:59

that last week that we had a they, Jan, who we love dearly was in store last week. And, uh, we've known Jen for a long time. She's been a long time customer and I did her daughter's wedding. And, you know, we have a long connection. And so she had mentioned to me when we were doing the wedding, that she would like for me to help a little bit at the house and, just get the house fluffed up and fixed and some things to make her happy. I was like, yeah, sure. No problem. Like, give me a call when you're ready and we'll go from there. So she was in the store and she was like, well, you know, I told you that. I wanted to do some work on the house because I've been listening to this podcast and I'm hearing Stuart talk about this 22, 000 square foot house and I just don't think that my project is big enough. I think that I'm too small of a fish for you. And we're like, Oh my God, no, not like this. That's, that's, that's like an extreme, right? Like that's, that's not our average customer. Um, and so after we walked her back off the ledge and we're like, Hey, no, this, you're, you're the perfect kind of like this project is a lot of what we do. So I started wondering like what Reasons would we give people like that when and why and who should hire an interior designer or decorator? Okay. So in preparation for this, I started looking yesterday and so I found a Reddit article, um, that I'm going to start with and then we'll go from there. So you know what Reddit is, Dwayne?

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 9:20

Yes

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 9:21

Okay, all right. I was going to

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 9:23

I have it on my, I have an app on. Look, it's, it's, it's a way to,

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 9:26

Well.

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 9:27

it's a way to voice your concerns or a bitch about something, you know, I'm going to have that app.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 9:33

is

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 9:33

So I see Reddit is doing, it's like a blade about something.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 9:35

is true, you know, it's kind of

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 9:38

The one thing Dwayne can't administrate. Yeah.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 9:41

All right. So the feed started with this woman writing a help plea basically she goes. Hello all i'm not sure if If you can really help me or i'm just hoping that you can i'm trying to convince my husband to hire an interior designer the problem is they're a little bit more expensive than we anticipated. We plan quite a significant renovation in our house, as well as redecorating the entire main floor. We have an idea how to do this, but in my opinion, this won't work as well as it could with some body who knows what they're doing. my husband, on the other hand, quote unquote, cannot imagine what they could offer to surprise him and that they would really make a difference. Hence. I hear I am. Can you help me try to convince him? So

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 10:25

DIVORCE

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 10:29

I'll give you the two first, the two first comments, and then we'll go from there. The first one said, just start suggesting crazier and crazier ideas until he's suggesting you bring a designer in

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 10:41

okay. Stop. Stop. Did you see balloons just floating through his head and

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 10:44

just shot across your face, Jeremy.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 10:47

You see him again.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 10:49

No. I see you putting up the peace sign.

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 10:52

fingers, thumb

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 10:54

Oh, there's some

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 10:55

bubbles, balloons.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 10:58

thing with Apple I don't know what it is or Mac products that when you do certain like Things like in the

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 11:05

Oh, there's balloons.

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 11:06

There's your balloons.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 11:07

see there's stuff that pops up. So sorry. Yeah, I don't know Yeah, that's

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 11:11

That's completely unnecessary and disturbing.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 11:14

yeah, I don't know how to turn it

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 11:15

Wow. Hahaha.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 11:18

Um, so okay,

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 11:18

Okay. Okay. Yes.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 11:20

crazy until he realizes that you're insane and you need to bring somebody in. And

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 11:25

Love it.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 11:25

was, I convinced my husband to let me quote unquote, freshen up the bathroom and purposefully did a horrible job knowing he would see it a lot because that's where he sits the most on his throne.

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 11:36

Oh, wow.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 11:37

to get a designer after that.

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 11:45

ways into it. I was hired by Edith and George. Okay. Older couple who she had her some sass and she went to, she worked at a teller's a bank cause so, I mean, she had lots of jewelry and lots of bracelets and she showed up and looked good every single day, but she loved to spend every dollar that she could get ahold of. She would. Go out to eat. She would dress up. She wanted to decorate. So I'm decorating the house and all this kind of stuff and George is being cantankerous, as we would say. He was being resistant for some upgrades that she was wanting to do when I was guiding her. He wasn't ever ugly to me. He just really didn't want me in his house, but that's okay. I'm there for Edith, not you. George, right? So I said, how are we going to get this done? He won't let go of any money. She said, honey, I will get my way. She said, I have figured this out. I ain't been married for 35 years and not figured out how to manipulate this man. And I said, what are you talking about? She said, well, for example, she said, I look good on his arm and he knows it. She said, he don't look at no other woman in their ass. Cause he look at my black ass is what she said. That's her words, not mine. Right. And I said. Oh, honey, honey. Good. And I said, well, okay. She said, so for example, I go out and buy a new pair of shoes. I'll go out in the driveway and scuff them up a little bit. She said, and he'll say, are those new shoes? And she'll turn them on. She said, George, I've worn the bottom of these off. Look at these, how scratched up they are and everything. She said, this is what's driving me crazy. I've wore these 12 times. We've gone out to look good. You've commented on 12 times, how good they look. Yet today you don't even damn remember them. Right? She said, I am tired of dressing up and looking good for you, and you don't even notice. Are you looking at other women? She said, I just turned it on me, just making, and he'll just say, Ada, honey, I'm so sorry, and he'll get, he'll go out, buy me another new pair of shoes the next day. And I was like, you are evil, and I love it!

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 13:41

I mean, that's a

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 13:42

Wow.

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 13:43

Mm hmm.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 13:44

Mmhmm. Mmhmm.

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 13:45

it good?

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 13:46

Hmm.

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 13:51

her house.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 13:54

What are some, we'll do some general like bullet points of like why do you think that it's a benefit of having, hiring someone to come in and help you?

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 14:03

How many times have you painted a room and it's been the wrong color, right?

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 14:07

yeah, that's the

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 14:08

Get, get the color right. Right there, there.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 14:11

Mm hmm

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 14:12

mm-Hmm.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 14:13

lights

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 14:13

don't buy Lowe's paint.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 14:15

But thank you

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 14:17

I definitely think, I think we can probably like put that whole idea of that under insight or experience. I guess we'll say it that way. Like when you work with someone who's been around, he's done it. know, multiple homes, multiple clients, you know, you don't know everything, but you definitely have a good handle on when you're walking like off a cliff into a disaster.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 14:38

Right,

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 14:39

your, this is a waste of your money. You're going to hate this in five, in three years. Right. So I think that that's really, uh, a really important thing that we can bring to it. And then, I guess that same kind of idea is when you work with Contractors, I guess, as far as like, if you have experience with that, cause we all know,

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 14:57

well that's gonna be my question

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 14:59

they can be a handful.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 15:00

be a handful so that's gonna be my question to the Person who wrote in to pose back to her husband if they're gonna do a big renovation did they interview a contractor? And get their ideas to do their innovation. It's the same thing on how to finish the backdrop as to what they've already started or going to

Contractors

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 15:22

Well, it sounds like old boy Bubba. He knows everything. He could be the contractor himself. He's just too busy.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 15:27

No,

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 15:27

It's like shut up You don't know what you're doing.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 15:29

hiring a

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 15:30

Shut up

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 15:30

for a renovation, so they're trusting another,

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 15:33

to hire somebody

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 15:33

yeah, they're trusting another trade to do that.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 15:36

when they bring, they're going to have some contractor come in and they're going to build a wall. They're going to put something somewhere where it doesn't make any sense for the flow. They're not going to put the electrical plugs where they're going to need to, because they're going to put them where. How many of these, the code says you need to have, and that's all you're going to have. You can put the light switches. Think of those big ass houses you've been in Dwayne. You always complain about the light switches, where they put them. Cause

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 15:56

right in the middle of the wall

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 15:57

Or,

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 15:57

right in the middle of the wall

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 15:59

or behind

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 16:00

thing right

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 16:00

Now I'm not gonna throw contractors under the bus, but generally Generally, generally, most will do what's the easiest or least resistance, a. k. a. if the switch is in the middle of the wall and that's the easiest to get to, that's where I'm going to put it. How many times have you seen a thermostat? You've got a 12 foot wall and you've got a 18 inch wall, we'll put the thermostat over here on the 18 inch wall cause you can't do anything with it. And don't put it in the middle at the 14 foot wall. But Lord behold, if Gary puts it in the middle of the 14, obviously there's a Gary that did this to me. And I had him come to blows. Basically. I said, you either, these are my words because I told him, Gary, do not put this thermostat. It was a spec house in my father in law built. And I said, do not put this in the middle of this wall. Put it. over here to either corner, either side. I don't care, but don't put it in there. Do you know I went in and it was the middle of the wall? And I said, you have to move it. And he said, I'm not moving it. And I was like, no, you're moving it. I've told you this.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 17:02

rip it off

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 17:02

And he said, I'm not moving it. And I said, you're fucking moving it. And you're now moving it on your own time. Right? I said, I'm not even paying for you and you're not listening to me. And he goes, you know what he does? He goes and calls and, tattletales on my phone. My phone line. He said, you told, he cussed at me and cursed at me and told me this and my phone calls. He's, what's going on? And I said, well, you told me. To make this house perfect. And you told me to, act as a foreman on this job and general contractor, and that the trades had listened to me and I had not one, but four conversations of where to put the thermostat. And this is what he did. And he said he wasn't gonna move it. Well, I don't know if he needs to move it. And I said, tell you what, you've got a decision to make right now. You either tell him to move it, or I walk. Are we clear? We moved it, right? And that's what you deal with, right? That's what you deal with.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 18:01

a lot of times, because they're all, they usually have multiple projects going on and they're trying to get as much as they can get done. Plus we also know that if there's like a general foreman or like a, uh,

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 18:10

What'd you see?

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 18:11

Like

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 18:13

I'm gonna say,

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 18:14

they're not there a lot, it's a lot of the subs, right. If they've subbed it out or whatever. And so getting communication from point A to point B is

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 18:20

Oh my gosh.

The Art of Compromise in Interior Design

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 18:21

So that's

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 18:22

Well, the other thing, you know, we set a certain fee as interior designer. But I swear, I think we should charge more because half the time I'm the therapist between the couple, right? So.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 18:31

We

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 18:32

Not only are we picking, right, we're picking up pretty things, 80 percent of the time, it's like this, because design is, you're trying to act as a compromise between these two voices and you have to wiggle room and you can't always be on one side or another. You have to figure this out. And it's like, ultimately, is it cheaper to hire an interior designer or to get a divorce? Which one? You, you call it kids. You call it. I don't care. Right? Yeah.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 18:56

getting rid of half of everything or

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 18:59

Yeah,

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 18:59

fees for six months?

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 19:01

yeah, we were looking a lot cheaper now, aren't we? Yes.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 19:05

That's especially true when you're building a house. There has been

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 19:07

lord.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 19:08

because if you've never built a house, that can save a marriage. There for that for sure because it is there's so many questions so many things that you've got to figure out so many things And it can be incredibly overwhelming. So you think you get overwhelmed going into a paint store? Just look at paint colors when I imagine having to pick out every finish for the house at one time

dwayne_1_05-09-2024_085655 19:26

Well, and you get tired and you're in at the end of this and you're Way past your budget and you're out of money and you're still having to make decisions And you get a point of I don't care Well when you get to that point boy, you're gonna mess up right walk away from it and i've said You know, well, let's put this project on pause for a couple of days I said because you're gonna make decisions that you're you're gonna have to live with the rest of your life And you're potentially going to regret them. So part of it design is it's about picking up pretty You And it's making it functional and all this stuff. But part of it's also about know when to dial it back and know when to say, you don't, you don't need to spend that much money on this, what about this? Or to say, you know, that looks cheap. If you've got any more money, let's spend it over here. It's it's, I don't ever say that I'm ever like, if somebody gives me a budget, I'm not necessarily going to say that I'm going to spend the budget, right. But I'm going to fit it within that budget.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 20:53

Ooh, wow.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 20:57

What is it? What is

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 21:05

Well, no, it's, it, it, it is calling in the, calling in the help when you need it. If you're sick, you go to the doctor. If your tooth hurts, you go to the dentist. If you need new glasses, you go get new glasses.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 21:28

it? No.

Personal Projects and the Impact of Design

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 21:42

Uh, there's a couple actually. Um, yeah. Well, Lord, what do you want me to talk about it? I mean, I think it's because the, the person who hired me for the job, I had never met before it was just word of mouth, word of mouth, word of mouth. She never lived in the state. She's buying something in the state. Of Kentucky. And, um, we talked on the phone two or three times. And then a couple of days later, I got a message and she said, you're hired. Here's the code on how to get in. Let me know when it's done. Send me two pieces of inspiration, which was daunting. Cause it was not a very big space. But it was a space that I thought I could read off of her pretty well just off the conversation and um, and it worked and now we have become friends like we talk on Facebook or every now and then she'll send me a funny text message or we'll do something like that, you know, and it's like just a random person now became a friend because she do. Allowed me to help her and her house, right? And it wasn't, like I said, it was not a huge project, but it was, it was a small condo that was going to be very personal to her. So I got to do that. That's cool. Oh, we don't want to know yours. Whoa,

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 26:30

Unless, unless you hire one of them bitchy designers.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 26:35

and they are out there, right? Well, that's what I, yeah, that's what I, that's what I coined the, um, the upsell design. Like if they instantly come in and are eliminating 14 things out of your house without even knowing what you want to do, they ain't the right one because, you know, just like Duane just said. Some of the pieces may be great pieces. They just might be in the wrong spot. So you got to review the entire project before you start telling them what to get rid of or what to add. And don't just, you know, a designer shouldn't walk in somewhere and be like, Oh, clear the room. I mean, well. Okay. I mean,

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 28:02

what you want to do from the

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 28:03

right now, if you say my goal is to start from zero, but most people don't let me tell you, I just know,

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 29:00

uh, yeah, well I have so many. I really do. I I've

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 29:05

Oh God,

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 29:05

but I do have one if you'll let me get to it. No, I will from

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 29:19

he, I think he,

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 29:20

from, from a bitch like you. Yes.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 29:23

Oh, ding, ding, ding, ding, ding.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 29:26

Um,

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 29:26

I think he meant there are so many that stand out, not so many that he's overwhelmed.

Client Expectations and Budget Realities

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 29:33

When you, when you said that, I instantly started thinking I was trying to go through and there really are so many spaces for so many things. Uh, clients and couples that I've worked on that I really have enjoyed. But the one, the one that sticks out for me, and it may be just because it was at the, kind of like the beginning of my design career was for a client named Stephanie and she had a very stressful job. I can't remember what it was, it was just her. And. We did a little bit in the living room, but she was like, I really want to do something in the bedroom and she's like, I really want to do something in my primary to make it like my little retreat. I was like, all right, fine. So I don't remember it being a, like a gigantic budget or anything like that, but we made it her little, like she had like a little foyer entry into the bedroom and we grass cloth that. And we put a little, she, she wanted very feminine. So we have a little crystal chandelier walking into that. So it's like this, it was, you know, French doors walked into the bedroom and she's, we, she loved it. We had grass cloth behind the bed and we got a new sexy bed and rugs. And, and actually this is a good, Uh, also connection about the money, you know, one of the things I read, was that designers will save you money. And at first I was like, I don't know what in the world you're thinking about because I always start trying to tell my clients, I'm whatever your budget is. I don't care what it is. I'm gonna spend every penny, but we're going to put it in the right places. Right. Which is ultimately what we've talked about. So on,, Stephanie's, bedding, I was looking for inspiration and I found this fabric that I just love. Just fell in love with it was so beautiful. And it actually started the whole room. And I can't remember if we've discussed this here on podcasts before, but so if we have, forgive me, I'll tell you the story again, this beautiful fabric and I was like, Ooh, I want to do something like that. And then I had it priced out and it was 297 a yard. And I was like,

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 31:17

too.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 31:18

okay, well. That's not where, where, where, that's not where we're at and that's not where she's at. And so then I use that to do like a jump jumping off point for other, you know, that was the starting inspiration for the room. And then to go from there, find out what, how I can interpret it in a different way. So I took it with me to her just to show it to her, but like, this is where, where this started, but you know, it's very expensive and So then we tried to reinterpret. She said, well, how expensive was it? And I was like, well, it's 297 a yard. like, what were you going to do with it? I was like, well, I was just going to do some shams for the bed. And she's like, well, how much do you need? And I was like, well, I was only going to do the front. So you only need like a yard and a half. And she goes, let's do it. And I was like, oh, okay. All right. Well, that's not why I brought this here one to show It was just really so to see where it started from it's like what's beautiful because I love it I love it mixed with everything else. She goes. Let's just do it. So we did it. We put it on her her bed and My reason the point of telling you this is not to say hey 297 your fabric my point of the story is to tell you that the 297 a yard fabric was made into shams. We did as little as we could and So we just did the front of the pillows, but then those also were on the bed next, next to some 10 linen, uh, shams from Tuesday morning that we had some trim on. And so it was like that, like, look, figure out where we can put it right with me and then know it where you can put it with something else to do it. So that was just like a perfect example of like, well, this, this really sets the room. Like this really gives the whole look. And then we can some really. Inexpensive linen backups, figure out where to, where to put the money. Right. And she ended up calling the, where she loved it so much. She called it club bed. Yeah. Club bed. She said that she never wanted to leave club bed.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 33:02

That's cute.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 33:05

So yeah, do you tell your clients the same thing? Like I'll say your budget is, I don't care, but know where you want to be and I'm gonna spend

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 33:13

Sure.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 33:14

But I'm gonna figure out where to put it. Yeah, because it's, yeah,

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 33:45

No.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 33:47

yeah,

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 33:48

Right.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 33:48

know, well, I think that you also go a little bit further than what the, but like, it's important to know, like the budget, but I remember you telling me this story that there was a client that had you come over, they wanted to do the house you walked in and the floors were pickled. Do you remember? Like it was a pickled gray, pink color. You probably don't remember this. I just, I just, because when you told me when you said the next part, it really shocked me and I was like, Oh, he's right now. So you were right. You just don't remember. Um, you went in and they wanted to do this major, you know, well, some renovation and then really overhaul the design of the entire house or the, like the main floor or something like that. And it had this horrible pickled. So if you know what pickled means, it's very beachy, but it's like gray washed, but it's pink. It has a lot of pink

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 34:37

Yeah, it has a very pink, pink undertone. 1986. It was very popular.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 34:42

Yeah, eighties. It was very, it was very eighties. So that was the color of the floor. And I can't remember what their budget was, you know, and I don't even think if you mentioned at the time, but you told him, you said, well, we can do whatever you want to do to the house. But unless we fix this floor. is ever going to look right. So spend your money and fixing the floor. And if that means you don't call me back for two or three years to fix this, that's the way to do it. And I thought that was the most, you know, honest and upfront, like do what you can with what you have. And then when you can get to the rest of it to make the rest of it, do it that way. So I don't, you know, people get really skewed on this HGTV instant reveal, like everything gets done. And that's, and that's just not how it works for a majority of people. Right. And so fix, you know, if you got to do it in pieces, there is no problem. There's no hiccup with that. Like, get it right.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 35:32

Right. Well, they ain't cheap.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 35:44

I know that.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 35:45

They ain't cheap. You were committed to those shutters.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 36:46

That's why you've been pushing them damn shutters.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 36:50

Everyone of your shutters should have a client nameplate on the back of it. Generously provided by No, don't burn it. Groundhog Day.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 38:39

What'd you say? Stuart?

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 38:40

Groundhog Day.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 38:45

we are consistent,

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 38:47

We are We are consistent.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 38:49

some people got some tips of, why having someone helping you with the project is helpful. Um, cause I really, I think all the three of us see it every day, that it really can change how a project goes or how the outcome ends and it's, you know, I think mostly. Well, 99. 9999 percent very positive. I mean, I don't think any of us ever walked away from something that was thought, well, that was a disaster. but I love working.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 39:13

Oh, I have fired myself before.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 39:15

Uh,

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 39:16

podcast. Mm hmm. Ha ha

Bringing us joy

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 39:18

Yeah. Lord, God, do I have one too? Um, okay. So this week I wanted to end with something that we did. I don't know, maybe the first or maybe second podcast, but it was things that brought us joy. Um, if there was something that had come and so I'm going to go first. There is this Instagram account and I have to be honest, I don't know if that's where it started or if it this came later, but it's called disappointing affirmations. And I meant to share this many episodes ago because this has brought me so much joy. So what disappointing affirmations is, you know, how, like, so many of those of these images that you'll see, and they'll have texts on it. It's all very inspirational. Right. So it's like, you know, you can do it or, you know, reaching for the dreams, you know, all those kinds of things. Well, this is the opposite one. So. This, so for example, this is a beautiful picture of like an ocean and it says this too shall pass and then some other bullshit will come and take its place. It never fucking ends.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 40:17

ha ha ha.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 40:20

I, this, this has brought me so much joy. And they've now made a book. Um, where's the, hold on, I'm trying to find, oh, this one. You are not the same person you were a year ago. You're even worse now.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 40:35

God.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 40:37

Okay, I'll read you two more because they are just so, they're so funny. You're doing the best you can, which is kind of embarrassing. Oh, hold on, there's the other,

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 40:49

Uh

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 40:52

I mean, um, there's something else we're like, there's no one that you can, there's no one you can rely on more than you, what a fucking nightmare. Like that's, I mean, well, yeah, so there's just, but there's so much. And so they bring me so much joy. And so in the office. The girls have now learned about this. And so we talk about them often because, you know, it's just funny to have that kind of like, you know, funny, honest, ironic look at how life is sometimes. So, right. So there's mine. Who wants to go next?

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 41:30

What bring Uh What brings me joy?

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 41:34

Yeah, something that's brought you joy.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 41:35

I mean You know, there's quite a few things, but I think my favorite time is because I wake up, Hey, Hey, Hey, I wake up pretty early. Um, and I always have coffee and that is like my 15 minutes in my robe, because you know, I love a good robe. If any listeners are out there, you can send a good robe to 1148 industry road. Um, but anyway, uh, yes. And that's. I sit and I think about what I did yesterday. And I think about what I'm going to do in the morning, you know, what things I might have to do or how I can maybe correct something I did wrong the day before. So, but it, it makes me happy to just sit there and reflect, Oh, never for you. So, yeah, I mean, it's, it's something simple. It's something little. It's just, um, it's just a quiet time, you know?

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 42:49

I think you probably enjoy that a lot because you've got the little one that once, once she gets going, all hell breaks loose,

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 42:55

Yeah. I mean, she rolls. Well, okay.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 44:23

meanwhile, you enjoy your rides home, I'm listening to NPR and Stuart gets up and joys in the morning and I don't roll out of bed till I got her. You know, takes multiple products, but you know, Hey,

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 44:41

Maybe you should try it.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 44:42

had a really good. Okay. I'll do that. Well, they can see my cloth. right. Well, I think today was an excellent podcast guys. I think it was very

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 44:58

good.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 44:59

Well, hopefully people learn something and we haven't scared them away.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 45:01

Answered our, um, right. I hope no, it's fine. Right. Well, and.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 45:33

we have Preacher Dwayne.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 45:34

Preacher Dwayne and. we'll, we'll leave her with this word of advice to you that, um, you know, I am a designer living with a contractor, remodeling our own home. And it hasn't been, um, it's been great, but I have, uh, learned that I need to sometimes listen to other people's opinions on how things are built.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 45:58

Okay,

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 45:59

I know. Well, because usually I'm the one that goes in and has to change and be gruffy with the contractor and say this, this, this, and this. And, um, I, I, I may be overstepped a little bit, so I need to apologize to my contractor. I have been. And I, yes, and I apologized the other night. And, he is. hey, it'll be painted today, carpet goes in tomorrow.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 46:28

okay. Well,

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 46:30

we are.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 46:31

my God. All right. Well, ladies and gentlemen, ladies and gentlemen, that

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 46:34

Alright.

jeremy_1_05-09-2024_085720 46:35

have a lovely day. See y'all later. Bye.

stuart_1_05-09-2024_085720 46:39

Bye.