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Today, I’m pulling fabric swatches and textile books en mass all over my office for three new local clients. I’ll be running the South Orange County trifecta between Ladera Ranch, Mission Viejo and Rancho Santa Margarita a lot over the next few weeks or months, but it’s worth the trip.

I love it when there is a challenge as it makes me work a bit harder and I generally find something more unique. My first challenge is to make suggestions to a new client who is set on blue carpeting for her daughter’s room. I need to find fabrics to keep her daughter placated while making the mother happy as well. Another designer told the client she couldn’t do blue carpet. I would rather find a way to make her vision happen. If my client wants blue carpet, she can have it. But instead of the harsh royal blues of the 70’s, this will be a soothing and rich room with soft blues, corals, rusts and soft yellows as accents.

The harder challenge will be to see if I can sway her to a coral carpet. She actually found the carpet, and I do like it, so all we have to do is switch the concept. We’ll have the blues on the furnishings instead of the floor. I believe she will enjoy either look and it will just be a matter of flipping the coin. It is her decision and I’m sure whichever one she picks, she will be the happiest camper when it’s finished. I’ll do some before and afters, so I’ll be back to you in a couple of months after all the drapery treatments are complete.

My challenge in Ladera Ranch is a tad easier as the client is open to most of my suggestions. She kept repeating “I never thought of that!” So, I’ll be having some fun tomorrow solidifying the groupings of silks, or faux silks, in luscious colors, damasks, velvets, soft chenilles, and a couple of very cutesy prints for the kid’s rooms.

My thought here is to tell all of you to step outside the box when putting textiles and colors together. If you are planning on staying in your home for awhile, swing for the fences. Get a little crazy and really add something that you will be so thrilled with rather than safe.