Ode to Thomas Jefferson, designer

Thirteen years ago today, I had an experience that showed me my interior design career was different. I designed many model homes. However, the Windward Model was my first million dollar home. I had a decent budget to decorate the model. I loved working with the builder to evaluate the floor plan, select everything from paint colors, tile, cabinetry, and floor coverings inside and out. As I work on a design project, I get a "feeling" for it. It is more than an artistic sense. It is as if I begin to "see" the prospective owners. Here's how this gift played out for the Windward Model.

Accessories can be the fun part of decorating a model but choosing the accessories for the Windward Model was a little challenging when my design assistant and I butted heads about a few paintings that I chose. One was a print of by Anthony Butero's "Bath," a picture of "a naked fat lady" and the other was a print of the portrait of Thomas Jefferson by Rembrandt Peale. I envisioned the Butero in the guest bath and TJ in the study.

The model sold before it was completed and a meeting was set up with the prospective buyers. I'll never forget that meeting. I met the buyers at the model with the presentation board, which carefully showed the furniture, fabrics and wallpapers as well as the furniture floor plan. I also had a separate folder for all of the accessories chosen for the model, including copies of the "Bath" and "Thomas Jefferson."  The meeting went very well. The buyers loved everything. I wondered if they would like the ones my assistant and I did not see eye-to-eye about.

The Realtor walked in and pulled Mrs. S. away just as I pulled the accessory folder out. I remember saying to Mr. S, "I don't know if you like Thomas Jefferson or not, but I saw this painting going in the study to inspire you." To my surprise, Mr. S. replied, "Not only do I like Thomas Jefferson, but I was born on his birthday." I knew in that moment why the picture "spoke" to me.

It gets better. The Realtor and Mrs. S. rejoined us, and the Realtor said, "Happy Birthday, Mr. S." Simultaneously, Mr. S. and I laughed and replied, "Happy Birthday, T.J.*"

The Windward Model won five awards and was one of my favorite projects. Every now and then, I get the same kind of feeling when I work with a client. It's a special connection that touches my heart and soul.

*Thomas Jefferson, who lived during the time that the British Isles and colonies eventually converted to the Gregorian calendar, instructed that his tombstone bear his date of birth in the Old Style and his date of death in the New Style.^[21] At Jefferson's birth the difference was eleven days between the Julian and Gregorian calendars; thus his birthday of 2 April in the Old Style is 13 April in the New Style. (Wikipedia)

Family Room - Windward Model