When was the work done?
Early November 2005. What was involved?
Karen did the curtains and cushions for my living room. Now, she's sourcing lamps for me and recomending paint.
How did you choose Interiors?
Karen was recommended to me by my sister-in-law.
Had you definite ideas in mind before you talked to Karen Tennant?
I had very set ideas. I wanted something very plain - pure silk, no pattern, no tiebacks.
Did Karen introduce new ideas?
Yes, absolutely. First, she asked what I wanted and brought in a whole rake of samples from the van according to my specification. And then my ideas started to unravel - they just didn't work with room. But Karen had also brought in some other samples which she thought might work. And from there, we ended up with something very different that I'm delighted with. But she was very subtle and let me evolve at my own pace.
How did the project run?
Great. Literally, we made the appointment, Karen arrived here with her books. Between Karen and Gary, they did everything, fitted everything.
I contacted Karen at the start of November and I wanted the curtains for Christmas. They pulled out all the stops and I got them.
What was the biggest benefit to you of using Interiors?
Definitely, having her arrive to the house - the pure convenience of it. And the fact that you can see the samples in situ. I had been lugging sample books in and out of various curtain shops. And the minute I got them home, I could see that they weren't going to work. So to have Karen in-situ with her books of samples was brilliant. All she had to do was run in and out to the van. There was no waiting around.
Another thing was that Karen left samples with us for quite a while, so we could see them in daylight and at nighttime. And we could continue looking at them over time to see if we would get sick of them. That was really helpful. If you take a sample book from a shop, you have to have it back the next day.
What's your favourite part now?
The curtains!
Would you recommend Interiors to others?
Without hesitation, absolutely. Karen and Gary are very, very pleasant to deal with. They've done everything on time. And are very subtle in their approach. You still have autonomy in what you choose.
Any tips for other people?
Don't go in with a very set idea. Let Karen explore lots of different options.
And Karen had a really helpful tip for me when it comes to paints. Normally, I go round with my little testers and try them all over the wall. She suggested getting a white card and painting it a couple of different colours. And then moving the card around the room so that you can see how the light catches on different walls.
