"Downsizing while keeping your personal flair"

A former client of mine, Pat, contacted me to say that her husband had passed away and she was downsizing her home of ten years to move into a condo. She is eighty-three years old and no longer wants to continue upkeep of a home that is now too big for her. Since we worked so well together previously decorating her home, forming a great relationship in the process, I was hired to downsize her home and became her Interior Decorator for her new space.

It took a lot of planning, including assisting her in deciding what home possessions she would keep and what she needed to part with. Moving from an 1895 square foot house and 600 square foot garage filled with personal treasures to an 1100 square foot condo was an emotional task. After packing her belongings and putting them in storage we began the next phase. I sat down and asked her what feeling she wanted for her condo.

“Mary, I loved what you did with our house, and now the condo will be my final home. I need your help,” she told me. She went on to tell me that she loved French interiors and she wanted her condo to have a “Wow” effect when people visited her. She wanted them to feel comfortable. I knew from when I worked with her before that she loved romantic styles and beautiful accessories. Her pride and joy was a fireplace screen that was a gift from her husband and was now to be incorporated into the fireplace in the condo.

This interior-decorating project was not just a job; it gave me great warmth to see my 83-year-old friend/client’s gleam in her eyes when it was complete. Getting her condo ready to move in required me to hire and manage painters, electricians, flooring installers and other tradesmen. After our final walk through Pat and I sat in her living room she said “Mary, I sit in my living room in front of my fireplace and look around and see what you did for me. I’m home.”

I decided to write this submission because years ago as a custom tile maker I was published in Architectural Digest and after this project I was compelled to share this Interior Design story that really was dear to my client.

I have included a couple of pictures of before so you can see the transformation of the after, which I also included. Thank You for your time.

Best Regards,
Mary J Frieson
Brandon Paige Design
Claremont, Ca 91711
(909)367-9748