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Pam DiTomaso, Allied ASID: Posted on Tuesday, January 24, 2012 3:39 PM
As a professional, I thought it to be important that I define who I am and what I do! Here is a sample of my business philosophy I use to be the best Designer I can be for my clients...
1.
I am an artist! What I do is creative work;
designers need talent, skills and experience! Design is not easy; I am paid to
make it look that way.
2. I am the expert!As
the expert, I only want to give you the best
outcome for your project. I will explain
the reasons behind major decisions. The
way I do things is based upon my education and training!
3. Your Feedback is important!With all the information available on the web, your feedback might just
reveal a better idea that will improve the final results! However; not everyone is a designer because
they can identify colors or new products!
Be careful not to spew guidelines; after all, I am the expert and I am
the one with the education and experience!
4. Communication is crucial
Your input is very important so that I have a clear understanding of your
wants and needs; if you have invited me into your home, be prepared to answer
my questions and most importantly to discuss money! Without a clear understanding of what you
want and what your budget is to accomplish that, our relationship is doomed
right from the start! For me, including
my clients usually means they have a great appreciation for the work I do as they
see it develop from a basic idea to the completed project.
5.
Deadlines We know all want what we want as
fast as possible; understand that it takes time for even the simplest project
to be completed. While I work with
timelines, I do not directly manufacture the product that goes into a project. The materials that are available today may
not be available tomorrow; especially when it comes to fabric. For example, the availability of a fabric
being used on your project, could easily become unavailable if the manufacturer
sells the bolt to another vendor!
6.
Respect the contract The contract is important; this is
serious business and the contract we sign needs to be respected by both you and
me. I am a serious professional and I want to be able to provide you what you
want and to be paid at the appropriate times.
I want to adhere to work schedules and timelines; but I can only do that
if you respect the contract by making yourself available when needed, and honor
the payment schedule.
Bottom
line Being a designer is not easy and I
am not saying this only because of the amount of skills you need, but because I
work with all types of clients with all types of expectations; trust me I’ve never had two clients or two projects that were
the same. Challenges and difficulties arise all the time; I like to err on the
side of resolution; you are a happy client and I am able to show off another distinctive design! (It is a win- win situation!) |
Design Connections, TradeShows, Community, Cooking, Dining Rooms, Wall Art, Tile Surfaces, Color Conversations, Living Rooms, Entertaining, Floors, Accents, Holiday Decor, Outdoor Entertaining
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Pam DiTomaso, Allied ASID: Posted on Thursday, October 13, 2011 1:12 PM
Welcome the arrival of fall and Thanksgiving guests with gorgeous
decorations both indoors and out.
Create a Warm Welcome
 Welcome guests to holiday gatherings with a beautifully decorated entry
table. Create this autumnal display by placing golden gingko and bittersweet
branches in a large sculptural vase. Pears piled in a rustic stoneware bowl, a
ready bottle of wine and low dish of nuts are all reminders of the harvest. Don’t
have the DIY savvy?
 Then brighten up
your home for the season like vases filled with fall flowers. Sunflowers and Alstromeria
are great choices because they'll remain beautiful for up to a week. The trick
to keeping blooms fresh is to remove all leaves below the water line and change
out the water every few days.
Brighten Up Your Entry  Variegated croton in saturated shades of green, gold and red surrounded by
vibrant mums and pumpkins give the front entry a colorful fall pick-me-up. Both
plants are perennials and can either be brought indoors to weather the winter
or, if you live in a warm climate, planted to add color to your landscape.
Or
gather dried grass bunches in planters to flank the front door; use a painted basket filled with feathers and silk
greenery as a stylish stand-in for the traditional wreath. Stack foam pumpkins to
create an easy-to-assemble decoration that can be used year after year.
Earthy Elegance You can create this chic table setting using all organic elements for a look
that is both sophisticated and simple. A linen tablecloth and napkins, tied with
humble garden string, paired beautifully with weathered terra cotta urns topped
with moss and tiny ghost pumpkins. A single artichoke at each place setting is
a charming addition and lets your guest know that they are free to enjoy time
together by lingering over this well set table.
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Pam DiTomaso, Allied ASID: Posted on Wednesday, June 29, 2011 12:43 PM
You can take the ease of having an indoor party
outside by having your ingredients and tools in order at your outdoor bar.
You
might even want to consider stocking your bar with its own outdoor glassware
for cocktails, wine and beer. Keep a separate set of bar tools outside to avoid
multiple trips indoors. Be sure to utilize plastics whenever possible...Have you ever had to empty the pool to search for glass pieces? Or had to pull glass shards from the feet of little children?
You'll need the basics in this outdoor setup –
bottle openers, napkins and stirrers. And be sure to place pouring spouts on
all liquor and mixer bottles to keep spills to a minimum.
Choose a bar console that's big on storage
below with plenty of prepping space above. If you wish, add an outdoor fridge
or wine chiller nearby.
If that's not an option, try a galvanized metal tub or
a new wheelbarrow filled with ice to keep beverages cool. A coordinating
ottoman doubles as a casual coffee table for trays of drinks.
Need help setting up your outdoor space? Call us at RyanAlexander Interiors and our design consultant will create an entertaining experience for you and your guests!
786.704.9370
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Pam DiTomaso, Allied ASID: Posted on Friday, November 05, 2010 10:34 AM
At my house Pumpkins
are never carved! They can be colored
and decorated, but never cut into. As an
interior decorator, I am not a fan of watching vegetables decay on top of my
kitchen counter (I like
pretty things!); especially when I can create marvelous treats to enjoy
after Halloween.
 Pumpkin is a member of
the squash family; it is sweet and versatile. I serve pumpkin soup on Thanksgiving and give pumpkin
bread to family and friends all through the holiday season. A few days after Halloween, I cut the pumpkin
in half and remove the seeds. I place the
halves on a baking sheet with about ¼ cup of water in the pan shell side up. Depending on the size of the pumpkin, you may
have to cut it up into ¼’s. Cook it in
the oven on 350 degrees anywhere from 1 to 3 hours (do not allow the water to
completely evaporate; the moisture allows
the pumpkin to soften, so add more water
in small increments until it has finished cooking!). The pumpkin is done when the inside is soft
and the shell or skin is dark and pliable. 
Once the pumpkin is cooked I remove the skin and immediately
use it in a recipe or I divide it up into 2 cup portions and freeze until ready
to use. Because of its versatility you can create a number of pumpkin dishes, pumpkin pancakes, pumpkin bread, pumpkin cheesecake, pumpkin pie; or just about
anything. For recipes to these and other
pumpkin dishes click here. Tips to keep in mind…fresh pumpkin is NOT as sweet as
canned. Taste your recipe after you have
combined all ingredients so that you can add more sugar if necessary. Fresh pumpkin retains the water we used to
cook it. If you are baking, this could
affect the wet to dry proportions.
 At my house
this holiday season; the holiday décor will be in full view minus the pumpkins that
used to sit on the counter top! Instead, you look at your dinner plate and know
anything orange will be edible! |
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Pam DiTomaso, Allied ASID: Posted on Tuesday, September 21, 2010 2:11 PM
Last evening I was preparing dinner:Chicken Francaise with Spinach sauteed in Garlic and Olive Oil. I don't know if you've ever made Chicken Francaise; but between that and the Spinach I was going to require a lot of Garlic.
Being the Italian that I am; only fresh garlic will do! So I dug into the vegetable drawer in the frig and grabbed a head of Garlic. I don't usually mind peeling the skin off of the large pieces; but find that as I work my way through the head, the smaller pieces are sticky and the skins stick to my fingers.
You know when this happens that the smell of garlic will linger on your dainty fingers for days! I find the taste so pleasurable in my meal, but on my fingers, that's a whole other story! (BTW, it took me years to figure out why my grandmother had a distinct odor that was oddly familiar!)
And, that is certainly not the odor I want my clients to smell when I walk through the door. No one wants their Interior Decorator to wave pretty fabrics in front of them only to get a whiff of GARLIC! However, Garlic is a part of my everyday life!
The solution I discovered is to rub red wine vinegar onto your fingers and hands prior to washing them with soap and water. This removes the very recognizable odor! Now when I rip through that head of garlic I can be confident that the only whiff my client is going to get is the whiff of excitement at the pretty fabrics to be used in her design!
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