Designer Daze

I hope you all enjoyed my Valentines post. I enjoyed writing it. I thought it might be interesting to write a post on what a typical day is like for me at Moving Designz. I think it was last month when I read how 3 different designers from across Canada spent their days in Canadian House and Home. So I figure why not share with the group? :)

Today is Friday and the end of a long week full of interesting projects, people and new product coming into store...

To start my day I get going a little late, after all it is Friday. I never feel that guilty about getting up late anymore. Once upon a time I did but working 7 days a week I feel I am allowed to enjoy the luxury of walking in late now and again, afterall I am the boss. At least I think I am. Oh what the heck, might as well say it out loud, I am the boss.

The first thing I do every morning is go for my coffee hit/high. It's totally and I mean totally impossible for me to start any day without having 1-2 cups to get me going. I need my caffeine fix, doesn't everybody?

I'm just starting to get myself going with 1 cup under my belt when my cell phone rings at home. It's Sheri (who by the way is always ontime, I'm so lucky because at times I feel I was just born late, I think she knows that by now). Sorry, I digress.

The phone call is from clients who I was supposed to be meeting with next week. Yesterday I left them a phone message asking if it would be possible to meet at their home 10:00am today to review fabrics I've picked out for window treatments and upholstery. (yesterday I was trying to get ahead of the game). I did not hear back from them by the end of my day yesterday so I did not book them in or plan on meeting them. I get their phone number and call them and explain that since it wasn't booked I wouldn't be able to make this morning. Fire out... on to second coffee.

Now that my cylinders are all fired up it's time to head to work. Walk in late 10:30am, people are in the store so I sneak into my office unseen by most and get on to todays business. First up, check email, respond to emails, look at stack of pink message slips on my very cluttered desk. Then I immediately start prioritizing what to do first . This is a hard step but totally necessary.

Once I have this part of my day under control I head out to see what's up in the store this morning and say Hi to Sheri ( who knows I've snuck in thanks to the chime from the back door announcing my arrival). Sales are good so far this morning despite the weather. The store empties out, so we take out the fabric books and analyze my choices,with Sheri, for next weeks clients( the ones from this morning). It's always helpful to me to have a second opinion especially an agreeable one :)

We spend some time reviewing them because they all work and are so beautiful. I call my seamstress and get what I call a guesstimate on the cost of the estimated cost of labour and material for this project. This is a very important step and will be followed up by a proper quote in writing. Getting the numbers on paper and in writing is essential to CYA. Designer lingo for CYA = cover your a#$.

11:30, Yesterdays clients come in to return samples, ask a few more questions and clarification on what we are doing at their home and also their second home. Both homes I've been involved with over the past month. This not so little project started out with choosing finishing details for their cottage but now they are also updating their primary residence and needed more advice. Very nice people, it's a pleasure to work with them. They like everything and that's always a good thing.

12:30, clients leave, Sheri goes for lunch and I take over in store for the next hour. People come and go and I hear stories of what the are doing in their homes and help choose accessories for this and for that. It's really nice meeting people and sending them home with lovely things. No time to return calls. No time to do paperwork.

1:30, Sheri's back, so it's my turn to go and have lunch. Head home, down the treacherous driveway and grab a quick bite. With the weather we've been having my driveway is pure ice, all 300' of it. Getting to the door in high heels is a task in itself! Thank heavens for my butler greeting me at the door with a glass of Pinot Noir and a gourmet lunch. He's such a gem. Just Kidding. Eat quick( leftovers), let dog out and in. Must get back to work for 2pm. I have to get ready for 2:30 appointment in the design center.

2:oopm, Stop at Tim Hortons on way to work, one more caffeine fix to really get me going. I'll have one medium double double please.

2:10, Back at work and hurriedly getting all samples together, along with pricing lists. I have 20 minutes to get my thoughts and plan together and prepare for this meeting. (check email again). In reality, I have been preparing for this all week and coming up with a really cool design plan for this client. She is a friend, a physician and one of the most sincere people I know. I like her and want to make her new office space unique. Mail comes, I receive package of curtain rings for Monday's client. These curtain rings are a story in themselves and I'm not even going to go there. Problems with curtain rings are never good.

2:35, In she walks relatively ontime, after all she is a busy lady and she is on call today. I am amazed she's not later which I had fully expected. She's another lady who launches. LWL. (thanks Nancy Beth). Our meeting is a long one. Lots of decisions, her new space is going to be great. I think having these decisions made will make her life easier.

4:35, Meeting over. Hey, it's Friday and I had a thought I might be able to escape early but since I know we're on a tight time frame I figure I better get this project's Finish Schedule together. One more thing to cross off the list. I like crossing things off my list, lists are important to me and crossing things off the list works for me. For the next couple of hours work on Finish Schedule and furnishings quote. Compose email, attach spreadsheet, send email, and it's time... to go.

6:15, Done the week is over, my day is over, maybe? Leave office, go to store(and I'm not going to say which one but it is Friday night afterall), driveby to check out our latest display window. Feel it might need a little tweaking, pull back in, rearrange window display. I really am too much of a perfectionist. And I know this... but knowing this about myself does not stop the behavior.

7:15, Have one last look around, turn off computer, set alarm, shut off lights, exit back door, head home.

I love my job and enjoy every hectic minute of it and this is my typical day. Tomorrow, yes, I will go back in at my leisure, I must clear my desk and get a head start on next week...

I wonder what my butler will prepare for breakfast...

Have a great weekend!
Susan