{ Top secrets } behind our multi award-winning interior design process

Creating the design magic doesn’t always come easy and it can lead to all sorts of chaos. How do you select the perfect paint color? Cabinet hardware? Sofa upholstery? I hear you and I’ve got you! As a professional interior designer, I love serving my clients—wrangling design chaos and making homes beautiful! Chances are, I’ve served a client just like YOU and I’m here to help you, friend ?

Sarah Martin, lead interior designer at beautiful chaos

Here are three questions during my design process that I ask to curate beautiful homes reflective of my clients:

1. How Do They Want Their Home to feel?

When working with new clients, I always start with getting to know them. I want to know what their family is like, what their lifestyle is like and how they want their home to feel. THIS IS IMPORTANT—I do not want new clients to show me their pins on Pinterest. I do not draw design inspiration from looks they like! I draw all inspiration for how they want their home to feel ✨

“We love having our children and grandchildren over to our lake home for extended stays. We want our home to welcome them and make them want to stay—yet still feel classy when it’s just the two of us.”

Got it! This calls for durable materials, like white oak flooring and black granite countertops. When the grandbabies come in after a summer swim, these surfaces will hide the sand! Paired with brass fixtures and cabinet hardware, you will feel like the mature adults you are after everyone is gone and the chaos is cleaned up.

2. What does Neutral Mean?

Next, I discover what neutral means to each of my clients. Is it neutral white? Beige? Gray? Each one of us is drawn to various neutrals and it’s good to identify which one you prefer. I strongly feel that the backdrop of your home’s theme should be a neutral { your neutral } and accent colors should come into play with the items you can easily change (like furnishings & decor) in time—based on how you feel with changing trends ✨

“I do not love gray walls. Gray feels cold to me—like a hospital.”

Got it! Let’s paint your walls a warm beige. We can add color with printed area rugs and beautiful furnishings. We will give the neutral-beige walls personality { your personality } by selecting art and signs that speak to you.

Family in Modern French Country Living Room

3. How will they react to the final design?

Lastly, I gauge how my clients are going to feel when I present to them their personalized design. Do their eyes light up? Do they smile and excitedly nod? Do they have a look of relief on their faces—like their chaos was just beautifully wrangled? Home is the most special place in the world. Your home should make you do all of these things. If that pillow you tossed in your cart isn’t giving you all the feels, put it back, girlfrand!

“I’m so excited! This feels so much like me! I get giddy just thinking that this will be my home!”

Let’s do this! Let’s install those beautiful pendant lights that look like the jewelry you have on. And I can’t wait to see you standing in your kitchen as you wear it as well as your favorite outfit!

The most beautiful homes are not always the trendiest homes. They are the homes that invite you in and tell the story of those that live there ? { YOU } are beautiful. Let’s make your home feel like you!

Our design book, Divinely Designed (set to release February 2020) includes 250 pages of design advice, sources and selections. We hope you enJOY. Read Excerpt >