Episode 246: Tool Snobbery, The Five Laws of Interior Design, Our Apologies to Plastic Drop Cloths

SEGMENT 1: Tool Snobbery

Hailey is a very particular person…some people might even say snob. While that may be true, one thing she is NOT a not a snob about is tools.  

  • Good tools can definitely make jobs easier, safer and faster. They are absolutely necessary for professionals or serious hobbyists. 
  • If you are like most DIY’ers, however, there are tools that can make a project easier but are not going to be used on a regular basis.  
  • In this case we do advocate for finding entry level tools. You do not have to buy a $400 chop saw to use it 10 days out of the year. 
  • Don’t let tool snobbery keep you from tackling a project, just find something safe and affordable.

SEGMENTS 2 and 3: The Five Laws of Interior Design

We have come up with our own Laws of Interior Design…while we did technically make these up… they are actually really solid and will hopefully help people who struggle to get their home looking just right. 

  • THE FIRST LAW: IT’S OK TO TRY TO BREAK OUT OF YOUR COMFORT ZONE ONLY TO END UP BACK IN IT. It’s good to push ourselves once in a while but sometimes we try something new only to find out it’s not for us. 
  • THE SECOND LAW: LET THE SPACE TELL YOU WHAT IT NEEDS! Listen to the architecture of the home so your design works it with instead of against it. 
  • THE THIRD LAW: IT’S OK TO GO SLOWLY! You don’t have to figure out the entire design at once. Sometimes doing one color at a time is less overwhelming and can help give you real direction instead of forcing it. 
  • THE FOURTH LAW: NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE IMPORTANCE OF SAMPLING COLOR IN YOUR SPACE! Far too often people pick paint colors without sampling them. Scale, lighting and texture can change a color’s appearance dramatically. It’s worth the extra time to get it right and feel happy about your results. 
  • THE FIFTH LAW: IF YOU’VE GOT A PAINT PROJECT ON THE HORIZON, START WORKING ON COLOR CHOICES NOW! If you are going to put these laws into practice, waiting until the last minute is not an option. Give yourself time!

Also, we mentioned that a number of RepcoLite locations have In Store Color Consultants who will do an in-home consultation should you desire that!

Here are some details:

  • In store Consultations: Always Free!
  • 1 Hour In Home Consultation: $85
  • In-Home Consultants are at the following locations:
    • 17th Street (Holland)
    • Fulton Street (Grand Rapids)
    • Plainfield Ave (Grand Rapids)
    • Chicago Drive (Jenison)

Stop by or call any of those locations for more info!

SEGMENT 4: Our Apologies to Plastic Drop Cloths

Last week we talked about canvas drop cloths and ended up disparaging plastic drop cloths. In fact, we were drop cloth snobs. And so we wanted to give them their time in the limelight as well. There definitely are places they can be handy!

Episode 247: The Art of Purging (the Home!), Primers 101 with Dean Veltman
Episode 245: Organization Skills for the New Year, Making Your Home a Space YOU Love, and Drop Cloths