Tuesday, November 23, 2010

A picture may say 1000 words but not a complete story

Have you ever seen an amazing-looking promotional photo for something on sale at a store, and then when you went to see it in person you were terribly disappointed?  If you answered yes, then you'll certainly understand what I am going on about.

I was recently criticized for taking on a certain project (still in progress).  Someone saw the "before" photos and told me I should be ashamed that I am involved in tearing out a beautiful, new-looking bathroom; the terms "wasteful", "environmentally and economically irresponsible", as well as a few others were harshly directed at me.

(The businesswoman in me maintains that even if this project was purely frivolous, if not me then some other designer would have the contract.  But that is not the point...)

In a luxury home, does it make sense to have only  a small en-suite bathroom with a tiny shower when there is room for significant enlargement?  In a luxury home, does it make sense to have an en-suite washroom outfitted with mediocre quality finishes and fixtures?  Does it make sense for the owner to want to invest a bit to increase the property value?

Yes, the bathroom looked lovely as it had been - if it were in an average home.  But where it was is comparable to placing a thrift-shop futon in a room with an Austrian crystal chandelier, a hand-woven silk rug, and museum-quality original art.

So although a picture can say a thousand words, make sure they are the right ones before jumping to conclusions.

No comments: