+ Why should I hire a decorator? Can’t I just do it myself?

Yes, you can do it yourself. But it will be a lot more efficient (and fun!) if you have an assistant. My job is to help you make decisions that work for you and your family, to recommend resources so that you don’t end up in the black hole of the internet for more hours than you have, to narrow down your options, and to give you feedback based on my experience with other families. Really, my job is to help you spend less time decorating and more time enjoying your family. And I’m pretty fun. I promise.

+ I’ve heard decorators get a discount off retail. Do you get a discount and will you share it with me?

Yes. When I get a discount, I will extend it to you. I will charge for my time to place the order and invoice you for the product but I will not keep the mark-up.

+ I really want my living room/bedroom/kitchen to look like this one room that I saw on Instagram/Pinterest/insert magazine name here. Can you help me with that?

Copying spaces designed for other families generally does not result in a great fit for your own family. Can we start with something you love about that particular room (like color palette) and work it into a plan for your family? Yes, we can. Can we find a table similar to the table shown in the photo of the dining room you love? Yes, we can. Can we recreate the airy feel of that bedroom you love? Yes, we can. But, even though copying is said to be the sincerest form of flattery, we will draw the line in the same place your grade school teacher taught you in English class: we will not copy another person’s work word for word (or in this case, pillow for pillow).

+ I’m embarrassed to have you over to my house. Can we just talk on the phone or via email?

Friend. We all have messes. We all have too much stuff. No judgement. Let’s just get down to it, ok?

+ Why do I have to pay for ten hours up front? I really only need an hour of your time.

Let's talk. If you really only need one hour, let me know. We can do a one-hour consult for $175.

+ I just want your help with one room. How long will this process take?

Broken record time: decorating is a process. Often times (and I’m not saying this to freak you out – trust me, it’s actually a good thing), a one room project bleeds into another room and sometimes another. That said, most of my clients tend to use four to five 10 hour packages before they slow down into a package that they use for one off questions here and there. In other words, there is a learning curve to this process and my ultimate goal is for you to grow out of needing me. My hope is that by working together, you will learn your own process (that doesn’t include endless Pinterest rabbit holes) and trust your own voice. And you can always call me when you want a second opinion.

+ Do you have any free advice?

Of course! I give free advice all the time on Instagram. You can also check out a few things I’ve had to say about decorating on Hunker and House Beautiful.

+ What’s with the snail?

A snail is the perfect representation for Animal Cracker Studio in so many ways. As a symbol, the snail reminds us of several important ideas that relate to home (and my personal design philosophy):

1. The snail carries its home wherever it goes. It has what it needs, no more, reminding us to keep our spaces simple and functional.

2. The snail travels slowly, reminding us to disrupt the frantic pace at which we often feel we are expected to constantly carry on. Slowing down allows us to listen to our intuition and make decisions about our homes that are consistent with what we really want. This makes for longer lasting purchases, less waste, and more contentment in our homes.

3. The snail is an excellent natural example of the Golden Spiral (design nerd alert!). In plain language, the shell of the snail reminds us that everything in nature has balance and proportion, and that we can look to the natural world to inspire our surroundings.

4. The snail is irreverent, just like my approach to design. She doesn’t take herself too seriously, she goes with the flow, and she gets where she’s going on her own terms. Creating a home is a process, not a race.

5. Did I mention the snail is also delightful? And, in my own humble opinion, all homes should be as full of delight as we can make them.