By April Force Pardoe
In the summertime, everyone relishes longer days and more down time. If you also want to make changes in your décor, a designer can help you save precious 
moments so you can spend more time enjoying the things you love.
The Readings’ family room project shown here involved hundreds of decisions.
The clients wanted a warm and cozy space in their new home for family gatherings. The large room required a custom-size rug, a choice they accomplished by combining two different rugs and finding a vendor who could make that happen.
The custom built-in was designed to hold the family’s art collection and involved decisions on wood species, stain color, trim details, sizing, shelf placement and lighting. And the next step was conveying all of this information to Summerhill Cabinets the custom builder that created this stunning piece. At one point we even contacted the Smithsonian for advice on the proper lighting for stone sculptures.
If you would rather spend summer days with family and friends hiking, walking on the beach or gardening than finding affordable, durable and color-
coordinated fabrics for your family room, you might consider enlisting a professional. Among other things, we know:
– Where to look for reliable furnishings, materials and crafts people, saving you countless hours researching products, brands and contractors.
– What materials and fabrics will suit the traffic in the space as well as your family’s habits.
– How to plan a space and get it right the first time.
– How to prioritize purchases so you can build the look you want as your budget allows.
– How to look at both the big picture and the small details so you don’t have to spend your time finding the perfect items for your space.
Find the designer who’s right for you by asking friends and acquaintances for referrals, searching professional organizations such as ASID and NKBA or visiting local show houses.
April Force Pardoe, AKBD, is an award-winning residential interior designer and owner of April Force Pardoe Interiors. She works with clients who desire stylish interiors but are overwhelmed by the process and too busy to take it on themselves. She presents solutions to her clients’ design challenges and makes sure all of the details are taken care of so they can spend time doing the things they love. Find out more at afpinteriors.com.
