Wipe On, Wipe Off. The Story Of An Unusual Restoration

Our Sailboat the 'Au Revoir' last sail day in 2011 before Sandy

 A Story about a Sailboat and Interior Design
The photo above was taken on the last great sailing day of 2011. It was a most beautiful day and probably the best sailing day of the season. It was also the start of a boat renovation project that seemed to expand every day until it was finished. Like home projects, when you revitalize one room, the adjacent rooms cry for the same attention.

The same experience works on a sailboat. When you start to make the teak railings look beautiful, the stainless steel fittings look dingy in comparison. As I started to restore the teak floor, the paneled walls looked dry and dull.

While I work on our yearly sailboat Spring clean-up, I am reminded of the stress, the courage and the hope my clients experience, when they take on a home decorating project. You have to be brave to say yes to making a change. But, the prize is there and the project will be finished, as surely as the yearly maintenance of our boat will be complete.

So, again this season I will work on the railings till they sparkle and my husband Jim will compound the boat till it shines. With every wipe on wipe off I keep the vision of our first day of sail to keep me going. And on that day I know for sure, that all the work was so worthwhile.


M. A. Smith, Ltd., Interior Design
Allied Member ASID
732 690-2030
E-mail: masmith@masmithinteriordesign.com
Website: masmithinteriordesign.com
Blog: bestdesigncoach.com

Start With a Dream And Get Your Spirit Back

NYC's Incredible High Line - it began as a dream!

How You Can Get Your Spirit Back By Starting With a Dream

No matter where you are today, you may feel a lack of enthusiasm, or feel doubtful or anxious about the future. Maybe you are still a victim of the hurricane Sandy or out of a job, a home or a relationship or all the above. 

But at some point you will be anxious to get your life back. Where do you start?  You start with a dream.

Dream of a home that is warm, dry and full of family and friends. Picture yourself in a place that makes you smile. Go through old magazines and tear out pages with photos of that living room or open kitchen that calls to you.

Pin those pictures onto a bulletin board, your refrigerator or place them in front of you at your desk.

When I am working on ideas for clients and I need some inspiration, I have always researched using magazines or the Internet. You have to start somewhere!

Start today! Check out the links below. See if they can provide ideas to give you a glimpse of your new wonderful life and home. 

 

• Pinterest.com - a storyboard experience, create your own or get inspired by others
• HouseBeautiful.com - scores of photos, stories and links to furnishings resources
• CoastalLiving.com - the source for coastal colors, homes and places
• ArchitecturalDigest.com - see what the 'Who's Who' are doing
• BestDesignCoach.com - my other blog to help you with your design challenges

My bulletin board is crammed full of tear sheets that feature rooms, fashion and inspirational quotes. But the one thing that hangs on my bulletin board, that is the most inspiration to me, is a note from my mother. She wrote this message to me and I am now passing the message along to you:

I am proud of you today, 

 I am sure that the future will be great. 

You deserve the best!