Being A "Motherless Mama", but not really..

Some of you know that 13 years ago, when I was 24, I lost my mama to brain cancer. While we were "In It" It was horrible, and painful, and heart wrenching. Its a pain that I never thought I could get through..ever. A pain that I don't want anyone to have to live through..ever. The crazy thing about grief is, you DO get through it, really..you do. But you come through the other side, with all sorts of titles depending on your relationship to the person. My sister and I were "Motherless", my dad was now a "Widow", my grandparents "Lost a child too young"  my aunt lost her sister, I mean the labels and titles and people effected goes on forever. It would be VERY easy to get stuck right there, and not move on, for  good reason. ( and I actually believe that A piece of us will always remain there)  Its a deep, deep, sad place to be. BUT this post is uplifting...what..you don't think so? ;) The reason I feel so blessed to have lived through my grief, is because, I am now included in a large number of "Motherless" mamas...who find their love and support and "Mothering" from other sources. Is that my choice, NO, its my BLESSING! truly.

My mama, my older sister and me as a baby

I look around, and I see, Women who nurture me, and support me, show me unconditional love, help me see my highest self, are my biggest cheerleaders, listen deeply when I cry, hold me when I need them to, Laugh with me, argue with me with passion and love, and deeply care what is happening in my life. So although, no one will ever fill that hole that will remain until my last breath, there is a WHOLE team of "mamas" that continue to build that ladder that helped me climb out of that hole. I DEEPLY DEEPLY LOVE YOU AND THANK YOU. HAPPY MOTHERS DAY TO EVERY SINGLE ONE OF YOU!!

My dream and my PRICES!!!

Oh my gosh! I cant believe its actually been an entire week since we've last connected!! Well, the reason is, Design Thoughts is now a viable, happening design business!! I jumped right in, here in Nashville, and I decided to get serious about what I love. Its taken some vulnerability, some searching and some major meditation, but its happening! Here are the things that I decided I absolutely love.

1. Being a mama, and a wife  (of course)
2. Connecting women ( Like minded women to create support for eachother)
3. Interior Design
4. Writing

Here are the things I'm not so excited about..

1. Not being with Liam
2. Not doing what I love / working but not loving it.


My dream, was to create my own hours, so I can be present with my son for the next year, until he starts school, but also honor the things, OTHER than mama-hood, that feed my soul! So I decided to go out on my own, and advertise my interior design/styling services!! I did it with intention, and have now started with my very first client under my brand of "Design Thoughts"!!  I am currently being paid to shop for amazing antiques that have meaning!! ( hello DREAM!) On top of that, I also reached out to a local yoga studio, to see if I could rent space to hold A Sisterhood Spirit Circle each week, well, they were totally into it, and now, each Tuesday, I will be gathering women in circle, to weave a web of support! That is happening under "LIFE.designed" ( for more info, you can visit www.kimberlysalter.com) , and I also still co- facilitate "Moms Just Being" ( a Facebook community for mamas) began a new blog called LIFE.designed with a matching Facebook Page, and I still have Design Thoughts Blog and Facebook page :) whew !! Things are ROLLIN here in NASHVILLE!!!!!!!!!!

Anyway..I realize this is getting long winded!! MY WHOLE POINT to this post is to tell you to go after what you dream of! If its going out on your own as a designer or an interior stylist..maybe I can help. I want to share with those of you out there, that are thinking of going out on your own, and have no idea where to start with pricing. I searched ALL OVER for a starting point , and NO ONE was sharing the info..its like some little secret, and I don't get that.  Of course, this pricing is based on my experience, so you may need to adjust it a little  (Higher or Lower) but at least it gets the conversation started. Don't let pricing stop you in your tracks! I have had my own clients in the past, (as side work) and I have been doing interior design for 17 years (always for firms) . I have a degree in Interior Design also, but I think if you are good at what you do, this is a great place to start as far as pricing goes. This is the sheet I hand to my clients after my first meeting with them, which by the way, I offer a free 1 hour consultation. Thats what Im comfortable with, I know other designers that charge for a consult, and thats great too, whatever works for you.

Design Services

"We shape our dwellings, and afterwards, our dwellings shape us." - Winston Churchill

I love Interior Design!  I love helping people create a home that reflects their life!

Please see which package is right for you.

"Design with Me" Consultation Package

This is for the person with a vision!! You know just how you would like your space, you know your own style, and you have all, or most, of the parts and pieces to your design selected, you just need a little guidance to "tie" it all together. You will be in charge; I will be by your side to help!!

Examples:

I will provide:

Furniture arrangement

Helping you to "Style" your space with items you already have.

Design Suggestions (Paint, accessories, accent pieces, and artwork) including mood boards

Comparative shopping (you like Expensive, I find something similar for less and you buy it)

I will use my experience and contacts in the industry, to help your vision come to life.

You come up with a budget; I make sure we stick to it.

You Coordinate Professional installation services.

$350 base, per room up to 6 hours

After 6 hrs $50 per hr

"Full Service Decorating"

"HELLLLP" is the first thing that comes to your mind when you look at your space. You probably know a few things that you like and don't like, but you need someone else (me!) to help you create a vision that fits perfectly into your space.

This package is for the client who may be "too busy" or the client who feels lost, OR maybe, quite frankly, design just isn't your thing! Well, ITS MINE so let me help you!

Examples:

I will provide:

Comprehensive Floor Plans

Photoshop, mood boards and rendering to help you "see" our vision

Sourcing and installation of all Furniture, Accessories, Lighting etc

Design In a budget conscious way that you are comfortable with based on initial conversations

$85 per hour

“A La Carte Design”

Neither of the above options fit for you. Build your own package!

Base price $100 per room

Look for Less Comparative shopping -$100 up to 4 hours

Paint Selection-$50 per room

Mood Board (you have everything selected, but want to see it together) $125 per room

Room Styling (re-styling your space with things you already own)- $125 per room

Organization prior to styling:  Keep/Save/Donate -$135 up to 4 hours per room. Hourly rate of $35 per hour

After 4 hours

Autocad Drawings- Price based per job

NOTES:

Upon initial conversation, I will send via email, an exact outline of what Design Thoughts will provide for you based on the option you select, along with a short questionnaire for you to fill out. Also, an outline of what I will need from you.

Pricing:

Pricing listed above for both options.  If I am traveling to you, you will be billed at half time rate for exact distance time. Pricing based per job

I will pass on all trade discounts that I receive.

I accept Paypal, cash, and personal check.

None of these options fit into what you are looking for? Or you have questions? Email me at ksdesignthoughts@gmail.com

Call me at

Thank You for considering Design Thoughts!

I look forward to creating with you!

Kim Salter

Owner/Designer

I hope this helps you a little!! so tell me!! Are you out on your own? do you share your prices? why or why not...
Have a GREAT rest of the week!!
~Kim

Pinterest Inspired : Paint your Own

Happy Tuesday!!

We moved into our rental house here in Nashville close to 4 months ago now. Making it our "own" on A single salary budget (Although I JUST started with my first Nashville design client, so that's changing now) , has taken longer than I had hoped, but I am learning new ways to make design happen on a budget, which is totally my thing!! 

Our fireplace room, has become the catch all room, we stack, store, and pile things in here, any frames or pics that I haven't gotten around to hanging, ahh, just stick on the mantel...Well, I decided to start organizing!

As I was trolling Pinterest for awesome styling ideas for fireplaces, I came across these pictures.
I loved the striped artwork, and knew I could do something similar. I always keep blank canvasses around, and I find its the best way for me to satisfy that URGE for something new in my home!! We dont always have the extra $200 to go our and buy a new piece of art, so I do it myself!!
Our fireplace is dark red Brick, and its in a room that has wood paneling. That will change ( the paneling, not the brick) in time, but for now, I needed to add some color!

SO I painted something to do just that..add color !! I LOVE the way it turned out!!  We have a very short distance between the ceiling and the top of the mantel, so for now, I switched it to horizontal. Actually though, as I look at this picture, I am starting to totally dig the vertical again..ahh the art of Styling!! Stay tuned tomorrow as I walk you through how I styled the rest of the mantel, using things I already have!!

Enjoy your day!!!

Love, Kim

Nashville House: Painting Liam's Room

The time has finally come!!! I have started to paint Liam's room!!! YAAAYY!!! It was a little intimidating at first,  we are using 4 colors, 2 of which will be a large stripe with a smaller stripe in the middle!! I started this process by telling myself it wasn't going to get done in one day. It will be a process, and I will need to "go with the flow"...SO on Saturday I started with the first stripe! it took forever, but once I let go of perfection, and relaxed, I eased into it!! The orange is actually going to be the pin stripe, but I think it will be easiest to tape it off and point over the whole thing with the light blue!!

I chose the colors based on his bedding ( from Ikea) and this was my initial thought ( above picture) then I added the aqua blue that you see at the bottom of this bedding. SO the coloring will be: Dark blue on Bottom of wall, 6" stripe of Light aqua with a 1" stripe of Orange, then Green above. 

I am only on the 1: stripe right now, and its taking forever! but I cant wait to show you when its finished!

In this pic, you can see the orange stripe, but more importantly....the SWEET SCORE i got from "thrifting" in my neighborhood!! $13 for that little table!! I will be sanding and painting it with high gloss paint..but I am waiting until the room is done, to see what color I need more of!! Stay Tuned!! hopefully by next week I will have some progress ;)

*Just added this...Aqua stripe done! Hoping to peel away 1" painters tape strip in the middle to reveal beautiful Orange :)

***Another addition! Love how the stripe turned out! 

**Another Update...Loving it all around!!

Happy Monday!

~Kim

LIFE.designed ~ Note to Self

Naked walls be gone! : Wall Art

We were super lucky when we moved into this Nashville house! The "master" bedroom was already painted a great saturated Teal, and I LOVED it immediately!!  We decided to leave the color. Its been over three months now, and well...MY WALLS ARE NAKED Y'ALL!!!! I have piles of pictures sitting around my house that need to be hung! Today I got motivated and picked 2 of my favs that I KNEW I wanted in our bedroom! It always makes me so happy to get something up on the walls! Its so important to surround yourself with things that have meaning!

Here is the boring blank wall!! FYI..the color is Behr SW9 Teal Stencil in Eggshell. Perfect teal!

The color adds a "kick" to the room, but it for sure needed more, so here it is with just the 2 pictures...both originals from me :)

I know its only 2 pictures, but it always amazes me, how adding just 2 little pieces of Wall art, can make such a big impact on a room!! Cant wait to hang more!!

*im totally obsessed with saying Y'all now that I am in the south, so bare with me as I use the crap out if it in the next few months :)

Happy Friday!
~Kim

The Bloom !

The great Nashville Bloom :) !! It was really fun moving here in December,  knowing that once Spring came, I would be surprised with fresh blooms all around this new yard. Well, at least I was hoping that is what would happen ! About 3 weeks ago...Spring color started showing her many beautiful faces around here! Such a gift to wake up every other day, to find a new tree has bloomed, or a new bunch of Daffodils or Lilly's have bloomed in my yard!!! Its something that I find SO fulfilling  when I can fresh cut flowers right out of my yard and put them on my table!! Total spring Bliss :) here are a few from around my home!!

In Nature

On my table :) JOY!!!!!