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 Natalie Weinstein is President of Natalie Weinstein Design Associates, The Natalie Weinstein Home Decorating Club and Uniquely Natalie, a quality consignment boutique. Enjoy Natalie’s Long Island Focus featured in House Magazine or call: 631-862-6198. |
| The short days of summer seem to fly by. Whether you’re looking back on your July vacation or looking forward to one this month, we can’t escape the fact that shortly, September will mean the beginning of school and work routines once again. Hopefully, you’ve been enjoying your home, the benefits of your outdoor space and the time for entertaining “al fresco.” With today’s more relaxed lifestyle, your porch, patio, and backyard have become a welcomed expansion of your indoors providing the best place for enjoying your summer alone, or with friends and family. It’s not too late to give yourself a little, “staycation” time. If you can’t sit still for too long and relaxing is so unfamiliar that you’re starting to watch the grass grow, be grateful you live on Long Island. In whatever town you reside, right outside your door are many fun activities; from concerts, to art shows, to other events, and of course shopping! Now you’re getting my drift. August is the best shopping month in terms of sales and bargains. Summer sales are all over while white sales abound for linens. End of season outdoor furniture sales can provide welcome additions to your backyard décor. Browsing at local antique and consignment shops can provide a fun day as well as an adventure in discovering that special treasure for your home. Sadly, the internet has made shopping a search and, “Get it done” experience, but you and your home deserve more. Seeing something physically – sitting on a sofa, feeling the fabric, and talking to a knowledgeable sales person, adds the benefit of knowing what you’re getting and makes the process more enjoyable. As a designer, I have always enjoyed watching my clients, even those who told me they dreaded shopping, respond happily to the experience. It’s educational, enlightening and fun – when it’s planned. For me, each clients’ needs, both style-wise and financially, help me choose my visits to the sources which I feel will provide what we need. In other words, I don’t take them to browse at many stores. I take them to where I know they will have the best choices for good purchases. It involves research and my expertise – which is what designers are hired to do although you can do your homework and narrow the field down as well. That’s actually a good use of the internet. I like to meet with my client beforehand to, “set the stage” for our shopping day which most times, is a visit to one source. Beforehand, I prepare a, “look book” of styles, based on their input and review it with them. This gives our shopping experience purpose and direction. I always make an appointment in advance so I know we will be well taken care of when we arrive. (In some places, we are served coffee and even lunch!) In other words, we have fun which is good, since we are also accomplishing the hard work of decision making. Once our decisions are made, we move on to the next item on our agenda without looking back or second guessing the choices we’ve made. Of course, I am the safety net in the process; but if you can prepare for your shopping day, it is more likely you will be successful. So, whatever you plan for the remainder of your precious summer, enjoy it and use it wisely, for it will soon be a fond memory. |
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20 lucky winners will win $500 each in prizes totaling $10,000. 