Everyone in this world can have the benefit and enjoyment of their own food garden, it does not matter where you live. Even if you have an apartment, you can grow in pots on the balcony. This can also work for people living in rented accommodation or with limited yard space. You can grow in pots or like I did, build some raised beds. I will share with you some pictures of my garden.

So what is a raised bed? Simply it is a wooden box made from untreated wood that you plant in. Why untreated wood? I hear you ask. Well when you water your plants you don’t want the chemicals used from treating the wood seeping into your plants. Your raised bed can be any size you choose, it can be square or rectangular. Normally they are raised about 2” to 4” off the ground, mine are about 4”, a little easier on my back. My sister made a great suggestion for those of you on a limited budget or short of space. Get hold of some old drawers and line them with an organic black gardening plastic, instant raised bed on a budget.

Well that’s all from me this week, I’m off to my garden to plant for my friend Darleen. Safe travels my friend.

PS. Last week we talked about decorating my bedroom, and I left you with some pictures. The project is not yet complete, I am waiting for some materials to come in, so stay tuned and I will reveal the outcome very soon.

What many people don’t realize for some, (and that is most) designers, it is very difficult to decorate or design for themselves. I am definitely one of those designers. I mention this only because I don’t want you to judge me on the ‘before’ version of my bedroom but instead judge me on the ‘after’, the results of my work. You can also view more of my work on my website, www.clwentworth.com please find a moment and take a look, and I welcome your comments.
Ok, let’s get started on my bedroom. Let me begin by telling you a little about me and some of my interests. To formulate a successful concept you need to understand the room’s function, and the interests of the room’s parent.

I was a young child during the 50’s, at that time TV was the new ‘big thing’. To keep me occupied my grandmother would put me in front of the TV. I would watch all the old movies, seeing the great ladies of the screen with their grace and style, and the most beautiful set designs. I remember one movie, although not the title, starring Barbara Stanwyck. The movie begins with our leading lady in her bedroom. She is dressed in a beautiful silk nightgown and a chiffon and silk bed jacket. On her finger is a canary diamond and she is talking on the most elaborate telephone you ever saw. Well I fell in love. I have collected things from that era for years, clothes, jewelry and furniture, and finally after all this time I have achieved ‘my style’. I have also collected high thread count sheets, these make a beautiful bed as well as being wonderful to sleep on. Another collection of mine is head shots of African American movie stars of that era (if you know of the whereabouts of any please blog me), along with head shots of all those great ladies. So with all this in mind, I decided to create a room from that era with a modern twist. You can follow the process with the pictures. The first pictures shows the starting point, my bedroom thrown together, bearing in mind I had all these collectibles. The first step was to establish the atmosphere of that era, in this case the 40’s. This begins with paint color and a decorating plan that says restful, peaceful glamour. In the second stage I had my faux painter apply a special treatment on the back walls, you can see this in the pictures. Finally the first almost completed ‘after’ picture, this is just the beginning of completion. Keep checking back for updated pictures as the finishing touches are added and the project is finalized.
Let me have your comments on this room, I’d appreciate your feedback and the opportunity to answer any questions you may have.

These are important questions because they will help you in your process of choosing the right professional, either an Interior Designer or Interior Decorator. There are differences. Although very similar each have specific skills and elements. One of them is both and the other is specialized.

I will try to define these differences for you, here we go.

Interior Decorator.

An Interior Decorator is an expert in upgrading and beautifying an existing space. For instance if you have a room in your home that is due for a face lift, your furniture is sad, rugs are worn and tired, a decorator has the design ability to help you using floor planning and relocation of everything and anything in that existing space. This can include architectural elements as well as the décor itself. They will assist you in selecting the right color for walls, windows, and floor. Properly picking out the right furniture and lighting, in fact everything it takes to beautify that space. They can bring in architectural features that will enhance the particular existing space and depending on their training and experience they can remove walls and enlarge that space into a completely different space. The key words for an interior decorator, DECORATING and EXISTING SPACE. You’ve seen the decorating shows where a decorator comes into a room with color paint samples and fabrics and a crew and voila, in two days you have your dream room.
Don’t you believe it! There are no Professional Interior Decorators redoing anything in two days and certainly not without a crew, and not on a small or limited budget. These shows are for your entertainment.
With a design professional everything is fully planned and orchestrated and they use professionals in every element of their design or decorating projects. From painters to carpet layers to drapery installers. These people are trained to help you make proper choices in your project ensuring a longer shelf life from your investment. Therefore this person is specific in their trade

Interior Designer.

An Interior Designer is also specific but much broader in their scope of work. They have the ability to reallocate space (redistribute space) they have training and expertise in interior architecture. Sometimes they are referred to as environmental designers because of their ability to reinvent an interior environment architecturally as well as aesthetically.
Think of Las Vegas in terms of an environmental designers change. With the help of architects and interior designers they have taken a desert city and created ancient cities and lands, whole different worlds. That is environmental design. These designers are to be commended and respected. With their talent and skill you can visit exciting homes and beautiful places all over the world.
They are also decorators but decoration is the final stage of a project. I like to say that for the designer this final stage is the icing on the cake. A project is approached very specifically incorporating your personality into the design, creating a dream environment that is especially ‘yours’.
In fashion design it is called ‘haute couture’ as opposed to ‘ready to wear’. In fact the word couture means to make to the contour of the body. Well the same applies to your home. A designer can build the interior frame, design the walls, the floors, the lighting and even the furniture to fit the contour of your environment be it your home or your work space.

Both interior design and decorating are important, one is not less than the other, they are specific to the particular type of project you are planning. A final note, these are professionals, they are not people who come into your space and ‘make pretty’ on the cheap in two hours or less!

Thanks everybody. See you next week.

Cheri

This is the beginning of a whole new world for me. My career in interior design is my life, a career that has so far spanned 34 years and been quite a ride. My blog will give me the opportunity to share with you my views of the professional world of interior design. I will welcome your comments and questions.

Together we are going to answer some questions; What is interior design compared to decorating? Is there a difference? What is an interior design or decorating professional?

We will cover such subjects as; how a “housewife decorator” or a creative artist can alter the look of a room. How each of them can impact your life both positively and negatively. How it is possible to produce real financial returns from your investment, to produce aesthetically pleasing, emotionally gratifying and spiritually rewarding results. In a workplace environment this could equate to improved productivity and sales.
How to avoid the treadmill of, “planned obsolescence”. Purchases that are planned to fail, resulting in constant repair and servicing….more cost! This doesn’t only apply to appliances but everything you purchase, apparel, furniture, floor construction. Why is this even important? I am going to show you.

I want to uncover the deception of some TV decorating and Do-it-yourself shows. TV Shows that mislead you into making some bad decisions. Shows that deceive you into thinking you can save money and produce results as good as a professional, without their knowledge and skill. These shows are setting you up for failure and disappointment. The result often being to call in the professional anyway to put things right and incurring more cost. TV shows are paid for by sponsors. Sponsors want to sell more products. They are not concerned whether or not you have the knowledge and skill to use these products.

We are going to examine professional skill as a benefit, an alternative way to achieve the results you want, cost effectively. How by using a professional and understanding their value you bring to the table a wealth of knowledge, experience and resources that produce successful results. We are going to look at the negative and life damaging consequences that can result from not using a professional. How it is actually more cost effective, especially important if you have a limited budget.

This will be a Design Professional’s point of view…..my point of view.

I am excited about blogging and am looking forward to our weekly encounters.

Cheri Wentworth