My whole design world shifted on the bleachers at my daughter's lacrosse game

While sitting in the bleachers at my daughter Hanna's lacrosse game on a chilly May morning, I was approached to design a room at a local designer showhouse. Voice inside my head "Whaaatttt!?, I can't do that." But I quickly remembered what I learned in B School from Marie Forleo, to take something on even if you don't think you are ready. Now what do I do? So I ignored the fear and I said "YES ,I would be interested in doing that!"  I definitely surprized both Christine and myself !

Next step later that week was a walk through at the Showhouse in Cutchogue, NY and choose the room I wanted to design. The home is an old farmhouse circa 1835 which was given to the North Fork Designer Showhouse commitee to raise money for local charities CAST, NFAWL, Maureen's Haven and scolarships for local high school seniors, all great causes. There were 12 designers and 12 interior rooms to decorate.

I attended the showhouse last year and remembered an upstairs sunny room that would be a perfect artist's studio. We toured the house and I chose that space to design. The wheels start turning, I'm dreaming about color, where to hang my art, window treatments, I decide I want to print one of my designs for the fabric on the windows. In my head I got it all figured out. Not sure how I will get it all done in time but I will make it work.

Next thing I know the phone rings and it's Christine, telling me that there were 7 designers that wanted my room and they did a lottery and guess what, I didn't get it. But they were offering me the front porch or half the kitchen. Ughh disappointment sets in. I tell her I want to go see the spaces because I am such a visual person. I needed to get over the fact that I didn't get the room I wanted and figure this out.

As for the Front Porch it's a nice space but I can't hang my art outside. Option 2 half the kitchen, what's that all about? It was basically the eat in kichen area, they wanted to keep the rest of the kitchen as is because they were using it for the Raffles they sell to raise additional funds for the event. As well the space got new appliances, marble countertops and the cabinets were resurfaced last year and the commitee wanted to be green and not create unecessary waste.

So my decision was made take the kitchen space. After all half a kitchen is better than no kitchen at all!

Best decision I could have made.

Have you ever felt like you weren't ready to take a new project on but were glad you did?

Look for my next blog post for part two of my Showhouse experience......