Pamela O'Brien

The Gentleman Client

We are going to start a few segments on a possibly under-served market in the world of home and office décor and interior decorating - MEN!  Since many of the listeners are guys, I wanted to discuss how here at Room Redo, we really enjoy our "gentleman clients."  Although, they may not immediately come to mind for your everyday home decorating project, many men really enjoy getting professional help for their homes and of course, in commercial projects, men are often the contact point for remodeling, new construction and office upgrades.  Sometimes men call so they can lend a hand at home if their wives are busy or unavailable and often couples like to work on home projects together.  We have many appointments where both the husband and wife want to be there involved. Other ways we work with men is after a life change, such as divorce or having their children visit more often.  These gentlemen want to have a nice, comfortable space for themselves as well as their friends and families.  Many times they are either too busy or not really interested in shopping and putting together a home.  Room Redo is a great answer to their needs.  We put together a wonderful new home for them with minimal effort on their part.  Add the office decorating projects and you can see how the "gentleman client" is really a great market for Room Redo.  We take excellent care of the guys and love working with them.  Please see below the before and after shots of a successful project.  We helped this busy hotel executive by completing decorating and out fitting his new apartment in a 30-day period while he traveled extensively.  He lived there happily for nine months and called us to help him select and furnish his new town home.
After	Before

Faux for All - Decorative Paint for Home & Office

Last week I had Robin Clark, professional artist and muralist with Wallflower Studio on the show.  In the home décor and interior decorating business, one of the most exciting projects is faux painting and murals for your home or business.  It is completely custom work, it can look however you want and it really helps make your home or office shine as well as stand out from the other properties.

In our decorating work, we have used Robin to create fabulous ceilings with metallic finishes in Houston high rises, precious nurseries and children’s retreats all over town, magnificent murals in art niches in Camp Logan, fabulous powder rooms galore, master bathrooms in Pearland and a host of commercial projects.   

She has even created a mural of movie stars which disappeared behind an automated screen in a media room and created a tropical bamboo mural on grass cloth in a downtown wellness clinic.  The possibilities are endless.  Think about adding a little faux to your home or office and start enjoying the response you’ll get from friends and clients.

Bathrooms Are Big Business And Homeowners Profit!

No longer just the “necessary room” bathrooms are becoming destinations in of themselves. Clients want them to be restful, tranquil and spa-like or well-appointed and luxurious. Some of the specialty features we see more and more include: audio/video systems; small coffee and wine bars for beverages and snacks – especially nice for new parents who have to get up frequently during the night; air jets in all the tubs in the household with large, luxurious tubs in the master bath; multiple shower heads, including heads for steam and rain baths; large showers to accommodate more than one person; lots of natural stone on floors, counters and walls; accent mosaics out of stone, tile and/or glass tiles – often a combination of all three; and decorative metal tiles for added punch.

At Room Redo we like to focus on a comfortable, relaxing environment in a bathroom. I also believe they should be easy to maintain so that they feel luxurious but are also easy to keep clean. Bathrooms need to function well. I am seeing “double” – i.e., lots of double sinks, double vanities, separate showers, baths and water closets so that busy couples and families can all get ready quickly and easily.

The master bath has always been one the rooms in the home that people like to splurge on when they could. Now we just have even better products and more dramatic finishes. The trend is to use serious decorations just like you would in any formal room. I like to use a nice area rug, not just bath mats and also interesting art. Window treatments add glamour and soften the windows and look great above the garden tubs and in the separate water closets.

I think the bathroom is one of the only private places left for most people so they want to be able to really relax and enjoy the time they spend there.  How nice to have a lovely place to begin and end your day.

Room Redo Quick Tip: The Bathroom Business

Previous topics included better bedrooms and also, the business of design, or, in other words, how to use your design and décor as a marketing tool.  Those two topics blended nicely because with my recent trip to Vegas, I saw first-hand how luxury hotels use their style to attract a lot of clientele.  In fact, who knows better how to decorate a great bedroom than a five-star hotel?  Now, of course, we cannot ignore the master bathroom.  Today we want our bathroom to be a sanctuary, a destination in the home that feels welcoming, comfortable and luxurious. There are so many fabulous new options, surfaces and products to use in your bathroom.  At Room Redo we take pride in creating beautiful bathrooms that pamper you and offer you a place to relax and unwind or prepare for a new day.