nw ladies, their homes, and my good fortune.

Today I had lunch with one of my favorite clients before we headed into the new Room and Board at University Village.  This inspired me to write something about these ladies in my life who have become very important to me! Sometimes, if I am lucky I spend a whole year in someones life and lately , I have been having some very touching conversations with my clients.
I love to see so many different homes and peek into the lives of many families. Each time I walk into someones home and meet their smiling children and their leaping pets, I witness their special “flavor” of family. I try to listen well to understand how they live and I ask many questions. These question sometimes lead to amazing conversations and sometimes tears,  but mostly lots of laughing~
Here is a slice into my job over the years.
I meet families who have never eaten dinner together at a dining table.  I encounter homes without any furnishings. I walk into huge estates and small condos ( i am always sure i have the wrong outfit on!) . I meet women who are recently divorced and some recently married. I meet women who have no say in what happens in their homes and ones who run the show and all shades of in between. I especially love the pregnant women in the midst of a remodel. yikes~( i was one of those myself!) . I hold crying babies, play with  toddlers, meet the inlaws.  Often I meet a woman whose contractor will not listen to her, at all, and they need one more woman’s voice to make her’s sound stronger.
Sometimes, women hire me but absolutely do not need me~ their homes are gorgeous, they have great taste and they just want a friend because they are suddenly isolated in their homes with babies and no adults.  I find myself caring deeply for all of these ladies and often they touch my life in some special way.  I am so grateful.
All these clients have something in common, they want their homes to feel nicer, cozier, and more ‘put together”. Usually they tell me they are sick with the “half-done” homes they live in. Northwest women are women who do not want to be wasteful. They want to use the furnishings that they have~( or they want to do a craigslist shuffle of their stuff)  and they almost all want a natural comfortable, zen  interior, while using materials and products that are green/sustainable. Most all of them want me to help them find a place for their ski gear, bikes, and kayaks more than they want a space for their china collection. These are some seriously cool ladies. A recent client is knitting her stairwell light fixture!  Oh and most interestingly, most of them have real pieces of fine art or cultural art from their travels and will tell you tales of far away places and love affairs.
An overwhelming amount of them just want some peace in their lives, such weary ladies, they’re exhausted! ( from all that kayaking & carpooling?)   I take away things in their house sometimes more than adding new ones. I take away clutter or help them put it away behind cabinets . I rearrange the furnishings for better flow. I help them buy new art and re-hang all of their favorite pieces and take away the meaningless ones. I add lights and focal points-  They are almost all searching for an authentic, beautiful life and a home that reflects them and their dreams.  There is nothing better than achieving this and seeing happy clients at the end of a job. I miss them when we are done and think of how they are doing years later.
Today I received and Amazon.com package I didn’t expect. I opened it and there were two books from a kind, new client of mine. She had mentioned I might like them in our last meeting.
My clients inspire me everyday, even though they are expecting me to inspire them ~ It’s a crazy, amazing cycle that must mean I am doing something right. Phew, that’s a relief!  Society sure doesn’t give any signs to women artists who are self employed that they are doing anything right~ You just have to keep chuggin along-

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