We are making some big changes this July.  The best part about my job is showing people their images.  I love when I set up a slideshow and hear all the oooh and awww.   I love working with clients to create wall art for their home and products and gift that they cherish.

Here comes the under construction part.

While I love working with clients to turn their images into amazing products I don’t love having to haul my samples and presentation from home to home to living rooms to dining rooms to screen-in porches 😉 it’s a lot of work.  Let’s just file that under “ain’t nobody got time for dat”.  I want my clients to get the full image viewing experience in an environment that is really comfortable for both of us and does not involve transporting samples in my Jeep 😉

Last year when we purchased this home David and I knew that we would transform the downstairs room and finished basement into Appletini.  I have a great room located just next to the front door where I can host clients and have their image review sessions.  Just off of that room is steps to my finished basement where I have my studio.  My studio is set-up because I hosted some portrait events there but is also in need of a make-over.  But no jumping the gun.  Our first make-up is the image review room and the studio will shortly follow.

AppletiniPhotography_1996

My office is located in this space and I have been working down here since taking the business full time.  I have painted this room, purchased some furniture and then stalled.  With having a wedding and taking the business full time I have not had time to focus on it.  The time is now!  Over the next 4-6 weeks I am giving this room a complete makeover and can’t wait to share my progress here.

AppletiniPhotography_1997

Here is the list of must have:

  1. Floors – if nothing else gets done it has to be new flooring!  The old carpet in this room has to go!  In the living room where you enter our home there is lament and we plan to continue that lament downstairs so the house has one consistent flow.  Although Madison seems to think the carpet is purrrr-fect 😉  I got a pal that is great with installing and is willing to teach me, can’t wait!!
    AppletiniPhotography_2001
  2. Step it up – I am not sure what the heck is going to happen with these steps.  I am dreaming of painting them white and adding a pattern to the front of them like here.  However I am told sometime stairs are really ugly and I gotta pull back the carpet to find out.  So I have play this one by ear.  Ugh, no amount of photoshop could hide that dirt…yuck!  Like I said in number one, those floors gotta go!!AppletiniPhotography_2004
  3. The office – I actually painted this room 4 times.  Hahahaha but seriously, if you follow me on instagram I was trying to ombre my walls but it just didn’t work then I tried chevron but I couldn’t focus, it was too busy.  I also painted chalkboard which I like but I painted dry/erase paint upstairs in the kitchen and like it much better.  I plan to paint once again.  I don’t think I will paint the entire wall using dry/erase just a little section.  I think that wall could be valuable space for a shelves, an area for the printer, etc.  I have folders that I use for each session and would love a system to keep them in order. AppletiniPhotography_2002
  4. Seating – did you see that pretty couch that I bought for this room??  Unfortunately I am not sure it is going to work with the positioning of the projector and screen but we have to see.  If it doesn’t work I plan to move it into the studio and purchase some chairs that are comfortable, take up less room and are easy to move if needed.  I like the idea of a couch in this room so clients can see the scale of what wall art looks like over a couch so I am going to try really hard to work it in.AppletiniPhotography_2003
  5. Product Display – see all of these beautiful products?  I need more and I need proper displays.  I can’t wait to order some clusters and different images on different textures so I can show my clients their options. AppletiniPhotography_1999
  6. Lighting – the boob light must go.  Yes I said it, I have a boob hanging above my desk.  Hahaha you have any boobs in your house?  I don’t have a very large budget for lighting so I will be relying on my pal pinterest for some clever ideas.AppletiniPhotography_2000
  7. Mini fridge/snack area – I absolutely want to have lite snacks when clients come over.  I already have a pretty nice mini fridge but I need a surface area to lay out refreshments.
  8. Sales Presentation equipment – time to step up my display game.  This is where my husband comes in, I am sure he will have a great time shopping for my new gear.  Not really sure what we are doing here but I know we are doing something.  😉
  9. The Bathroom – this was one of the first rooms I painted when I moved in.  It used to be sponge green, like boogie green.  I love the blue, I love my Andy Wharol print that I got on the streets of Dublin but the space is pretty empty.  I need to add some art to the walls to balance out all the samples hanging on the wall in the viewing room.AppletiniPhotography_1998
  10. Decorate – Since I’ve moved in this house I keep getting rooms to 90% completion.  I have closet full of home décor that needs to be sorted.  I need to finish this room off with some decoration, make it feel like home.  I would love to add a house plant in this space, maybe use some of my vases for fresh flowers, maybe a coat rack, I have great pieces in my upstairs closet that need to come out.

 

There you have it!  Wish me luck and send me liquior…hahahahahaha  I will keep you up to date on my progress and how things come off of my to do list.