City park landscaping with water fountains

How We Worked on the Presidential Palace of a Soviet Republic President

 

Working with international clients presents a range of new challenges. You have to consider issues such as logistics and cultural differences. Here are some tips on how to manage such projects properly.

 

Working with local clients comes with its advantages. You have an easy point of contact that you can actually visit when needed. Minor emergencies get dealt with quicker and cultural differences aren’t an issue.

But international clients present more challenges. Suddenly, you don’t have the luxury of heading over for a visit whenever you need to. Time zones, cultural differences, and the time required to travel combine to make such projects more difficult. Clients must choose carefully to ensure they work with companies that can actually provide the service.

This line of thought led to the president of one of the former Soviet republics getting in touch with us. He’d taken ownership of a brand new summer palace and he wanted our help to make the space sparkle.

The only problem? We had to work to a tight deadline.

Outfitting the Soviet Palace

Our new client wanted us to deck the entire palace out with regal rugs that emphasized the luxuriousness of the building.

Moreover, he needed those rugs in place and ready for a huge conference that he was preparing for.

It was a monumental task made all the more difficult by this strict deadline. All told, we had two months to get the work done.

At first, we didn’t think that we could. We even told the client as much and told him what we could do instead. But he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. As they say in the movies, he made us an offer we couldn’t refuse. We took the job and prepared ourselves for a couple of months of hectic work.

We immediately increased production at our rug manufacturing facility. Our profit-sharing idea offered all of the motivation that our rug-making team needed to work as hard as possible to achieve our goal.

All of this, mind you, while we were developing rugs for other clients.

Things were going well until we ran into another problem. The country’s airport was so small that it wasn’t able to accept the big freighter that we needed to use to deliver the rugs. Our Soviet suitor had the answer though, as he chartered a small plane to fly back and forth. This plane picked up and delivered so many different rugs that we almost lost count. We even had to come up with a new way to fold the rugs so that they wouldn’t get creased in smaller crates.

In the end, a combination of our hard work and that charter plane’s relentless journeys helped us to deliver the rugs on time.

Unfortunately, things didn’t go as smoothly as we’d hoped from there. Our client’s inexperienced staff sliced into the crates and immediately damaged the rugs and carpets that we sent.

Always willing to go above and beyond, we sent one of our people on the next charter plane. So, not only did we make the rugs, but we repaired them too. All of this while meeting the tight deadline that we didn’t think was possible.

It just goes to show what a lot of hard work and the right kind of motivation can achieve. We’d impressed an international client of high standing. And we’d enhanced our reputation as a company that can get the job done quickly and to a high standard.

 

The Middle Eastern Healthcare Center

The success of this international project helped us to develop our reputation outside of the United States. Suddenly, clients were appearing from all over the world, hoping to get their hands on some of our work.

Soon after the Soviet job, another international leader got in touch with us. The head of a Middle Eastern country, he had recently undergone treatment in an American hospital. In fact, this treatment had gone so well that it had saved his life, which left an enormous impression on him.

Upon returning home, he immediately set his staff to work on building a healthcare center that would replicate the one he’d received treatment in. Over the course of a decade, his team constructed this center in the middle of a desert. It is a stunning building.

So, where do we come into the tale?

Our desire to work with more international clients brought us to this man’s attention. We spent five years attempting to secure his business. Once we had it, we got to work on the job at hand.

In the end, we developed stunning carpets for the center’s prayer rooms and banquet hall. We also created the carpet for its world-class receiving rooms. A combination of luxurious wool and silk carpets really made the center stand out, ensuring it achieved the regal air that the leader wanted.

Today, that healthcare center is among the most renowned in the country. Treating some of the most high-profile people in the Middle East, it’s a testament to the determination and hard work of everyone involved.

Working with International Clients

 

So, what is the point of this pair of stories?

We want you to know that we understand how to work with international clients. We’ve been there and done it. Most importantly, we’ve delivered exactly what we promised every single time.

Along the way, we’ve learned a few techniques to help us work with people outside of the United States. Here are just a few of the things that we’ve learned.

Tip #1 – Communicate Constantly

 

This is an important tip for any major project. But it becomes vitally important when you’re working with an international client. Constant and high-quality communication lets your client know that you’re ahead of the task. This keeps them feeling confident in your abilities, as well as ensuring you highlight issues ahead of time.

Things have gotten a lot easier since we worked with the Soviet leader. Back then, we had to rely on the telephone and snail mail to keep in touch. Today, we have email, text messaging, and video calling. We can even take a picture of whatever we’re working on and send it instantly to a client.

As a result, there’s no excuse to not stay in touch. International clients want to hear from you. After all, it’s not like they can just hop in the car and visit your location. It’s through regular communication that you’ll keep the client on board and assure them that the job’s going as planned.

Tip #2 – Deal with the Logistics

 

Unfortunately, communication isn’t as easy as picking up the phone and making a call. There’s also the issue of time zones to concern yourself with. In our case, we dealt with clients who were several hours ahead of us in the United States. They were often ending their working days by the time we’d started ours.

As a result, we had to work out the logistics of working with these clients.

Making a phone call or sending an email at the wrong time may lead to a delay in the response. This delay can set you back several hours, or even an entire day. If it happens repeatedly, you create massive delays in the project. That’s not something that you can allow when you’re working to a tight deadline. We time our communications to ensure we get a response as quickly as possible.

Deliveries also present an issue. As you saw in our work with the Soviet republic leader, all sorts of logistical problems can crop up. Solve them early so you know that your deliveries will go off without a hitch. In our case, that meant chartering a plane in collaboration with our client. We don’t always have to go to such extremes when working internationally. But the logistics of deliveries are still a key concern.

Tip #3 – Learn About Cultural Differences

 

The Middle East is a completely different place to the United States. You don’t need us to tell you that, but it’s an important point to make when working with international clients. What you do at home won’t always go over well in international territories.

Even something as small as the way you greet your clients can have a major effect on the relationship. When working internationally, we make it a point to learn about any important customs that we should uphold. This allows us to create a good foundation for the relationship from the start. From there, we can build.

It’s especially important to familiarize yourself with professional etiquette. You need to know how it differs between countries. For example, we spent a lot more time on personal conversation before getting down to business with our Middle Eastern client. We also discovered that it’s important to greet elders before everybody else. It’s a little sign of respect that goes a long way.

Learning about these small cultural differences shows that we’re willing to go the extra mile. This impresses clients who may have a few options open to them.

Tip #4 – The Legal Side

 

Most businesses have standard contracts for their work. But you can’t always use that contract when working with international clients. You have legal issues to consider in both countries, so sending out your standard contract isn’t enough.

This is an important tip for both the business and the client. Sorting out the legalities, and any changes you need to make, allows for the whole process to run smoothly.

If you don’t you run the risk of creating delays in the project that can cause problems later on. With a time-sensitive project, such as the Soviet project mentioned, such delays can ruin the project.

Hire an attorney who can help you to spot issues early on. This protects you in case something does go wrong. It also informs you of any regulations that you must meet in order to do business with the client.

The Final Word

 

We take pride in the exceptional quality of the rugs and carpets that we produce. But we take even more pride in our ability to deliver that quality to every client, no matter where they may be in the world. Through decades of experience, we’ve developed a process for working with international clients. This ensures that everybody gets what they need.

This means we’re here to help you, no matter where you’re reading this from. If you’d like to find out how, we encourage you to do the following:

  • Check out a few more of the projects that we’ve brought to life.
  • Read some of our blog posts to find out more information about us.
  • Contact one of the designers at Dream by MJS Interiors to arrange a free consultation.

We welcome every challenge that comes our way.


Elegant media room design with a velvet sofa and unique chairs

Unique Interior Design Tips

Unique Interior Design: What Do Love Hearts, The CEO of An Oil Company & His Mansion All Have In Common?

 

Unfortunately, not every client will come to you with simple interior design requests. Some have unique demands that require a more bespoke service. We’ve worked with such clients and developed a few methods for meeting such requests and coming up with amazing home decor ideas.

Hearts aren’t exactly an uncommon thing in interior design. A few subtle uses of this iconic shape can really add a touch of homeliness and love to any room.

 

But there are some people who get fixated on such simple designs. Not that this is a bad thing, of course. Interior design is all about creating things that suit the client’s tastes and interior design needs. But unique requests that revolve around such specific desires do come with their own challenges.

One such example comes from a client that we worked within the Midwest of the United States.





A Heart-Shaped Box

The head of an oil company, this client has a pure fixation on hearts. Practically everything in his life came back to this simple design, in one way or another. His desk and swimming pool both used the iconic design, but he wanted to take things even further. He wanted a special carpet that featured his favorite design heavily. Now, this was a unique interior design request!

 

But this wasn’t a small job. The client lived in an enormous house and wanted wall-to-wall carpets. Moreover, he wanted the colors of the hearts on the carpets to change based on where they were in the house. Blue and green were the colors of choice for the hearts nearest to the windows, whereas the classic red hearts lined the fireplace. Cognac-colored hearts were to surround the bar, for obvious reasons.

 

That wasn’t all though. He wanted the hearts raised up, to make them even more prominent. Furthermore, he didn’t want any sudden color changes. As you walked to different areas, he wanted the hearts to gradually shift to the colors of those areas.

 

We could already see that this was becoming one of the more unique jobs that we’d ever worked on. And then we got to the other rooms. For the hallways outside the bedrooms, he wanted a banded carpet that featured cross ribbons throughout. Much like with the hearts, these cross ribbons had to change color based on the room nearest to them.

 

Then came the powder room.

 

Our client referred to his wife as “ladybug”. It’s a sweet little pet name, but it became the center of the design for the powder room. The room needed a raised bathtub, with ladybug designs lining the top steps. More ribbons flowed down, which created a strangely ethereal ascent to the tub.

 

All very unique requests, we think you’ll agree. But the client then told us that money was no object. In fact, he was so wealthy that he maintained a private plane containing sculptures from some of the world’s leading artists. Work from Rodin, Marino Marini, and Jean Arp had all found their way onto his plane.

 

This was clearly a man who got what he wanted and we wanted to deliver on his exact interior design need. exactly what he asked for.

 

Our carpet makers got to work and we produced every carpet exactly to the client’s specifications. Our team installed them all and the house looked just how the client had asked for it too.

 

Unfortunately, in this case, our client’s enthusiasm for unique design had gotten the better of him. Think of it as an “eyes too large for your stomach” situation. Except this time, it related to interior design.

 

With his unique interior design demands met and installed, the client decided that the ensemble wasn’t for him after all. He emphasized repeatedly that we’d delivered on every single demand that he’d made. But seeing it all in place had led him to the realization that he needed something a little more refined. In the end, these carpets that we’d created especially for him got replaced with something a little more traditional.

 

It’s perhaps a slightly sad end to the tale, especially given the amount of work that went into the project. But, as the client said, we’d delivered exactly what he wanted. We guess the reality of his unique request didn’t quite meet the vision that he had in his head.

A Trip Through Oz

This isn’t the only time when we’ve worked on a project that required a more unique perspective. Another client called us into work on his property.

 

This client had taken control over a gorgeous old mansion that the previous owners had converted into apartments. A lot of work restored the building back to its original splendor, but now he needed a designer’s touch. Simply put, he needed an amazing interior decor idea!

 

That’s when he called us. Much like the previous client, this particular person wanted a rug to meet some fairly unique stylistic choices. You see, he was a collector of many passions. But perhaps the greatest of all of this was his love for the classic tale of The Wizard of Oz. His collection was so enormous that he had dedicated an entire room to it. Naturally, he needed a suitably-themed rug to bring it all together.

 

Our team went to work on an Oz-themed rug that pulled all of the classic characters together. It featured Dorothy’s house, Toto, and the witch, as well as Dorothy herself. But the tornado that starts the entire story was the true centerpiece.

 

This story has a happier ending than our previous one. The client loved the rug and used it to pull together his collection remarkably. We also later discovered that he had a penchant for decorating rooms in the style of his collections. He had another room dedicated to items from the Normandy. Moreover, he’d installed an Art Deco rug into the room to complement the design of the ship.

 

We guess that it always helps to have a theme in mind.

Our Top Tips for Unique Designs

These stories teach us that clients aren’t always going to come to you with simple ideas. In fact, they’ll often have very unique visions of what they want to achieve with their interior design projects.

 

We relish the challenge that such projects offer. Plus, we’ve come up with a few methods that ensure we deliver exactly what the client wants.

Unique Interior Design Tip #1: – No Judgment

This is a BIG one for interior design. You have to realize that the client has their own tastes, interior design needs, and vision for the project. Judging them for those tastes not only has a negative effect on the client, but it also means you’re not going to work on the project much longer. They’ll just find somebody more willing to work with them.

 

Even something as simple as a laugh at the wrong moment can irreparably damage the relationship.

 

Thankfully, we’re very interested whenever a client brings a unique request to us. We’re not going to judge them for what they want. Instead, we’ll try to figure out a way to bring their ideas to life. Of course, it doesn’t always work, as was the case with our Midwestern client. But it’s all about delivering the project that the client asks for. Moreover, it’s about not entering into the project with preconceived notions of the “right” way to do things.

Unique Interior Design Tip #2: – Provide Your Feedback

Having said that, we are the interior design experts. As a result, we have many years of experience under our belts. This gives us a good idea of what works, and what doesn’t when it comes to your carpets.

 

Respecting the client’s right to have whatever they want for their design does not mean that you can’t offer ideas. The key is to do so without telling the client that they’re wrong. No client has a “wrong” idea of what they want for their project. They may just need a little guidance in regard to how to bring it all together.

 

When we approach projects like those mentioned above, we put thought into what we bring to the table. The client hired us for our skills, so we must put them to use during the project. This usually involves providing alternative suggestions. The client won’t always go for them. If they have a very specific idea of what they want, they’re unlikely to change their minds. But at least we offer a few options for the client to mull over.

Unique Interior Design Tip #3: – Detailed Planning

The larger the job, the more planning and thought have to go into its execution. This is especially the case for the more unique and bespoke jobs. We’re not just dealing with the logistics of designing and installing a rug or carpet. We also have to make that rug or carpet to very exact specifications.

 

Planning involves constant communication with our clients. We don’t want to leave any room for errors or misunderstandings. Instead, we use the planning stage to ensure that the information we have is correct. This also gives us the chance to test out the designs and make sure the client wants to go ahead.

 

The planning stage also allows us to set deadlines and outline how we’ll work with the client for the duration of the project. It’s all about improving client confidence so that we can place our full focus on the work.

Unique Interior Design Tip #4: – Absorb Yourself in the Request

We don’t have expertise in the subjects behind every interior design request we take on. Take the Wizard of Oz example above. We certainly knew of the film, but that didn’t mean we had the same passion for it as our client.

 

However, the rug we designed had to demonstrate the same level of passion that the client had. If it didn’t, it wouldn’t have fit into a room that’s so obviously dedicated to the subject matter.

This requires a great deal of learning on our part. We find out as much as we can about the source material and the little unique pockets that can inform the design. We also try to feed off our client’s passion. Anything that they tell us can go towards achieving success with a unique project.

 

We love what we do. But we also try to love what you want!.

The Final Word

Working with unique interior design requests presents an interesting challenge to us. It pushes us to figure out ways to mesh our design principles with the passions of our clients. We’re happy to say that we rise to meet that challenge, more often than not.

 

Perhaps you have a unique idea of your own that you want to try out, but you don’t know where to start. That’s where we can help. If you want to bring your very own unique interior design ideas to life, we encourage you to do the following:

 

  • Have a look at some of the projects we’ve worked on in the past.
  • Read some of the articles in our blog to discover what we’ve learned.
  • Talk to the team to get your project started today.

 

We look forward to taking on whatever unique ideas you have in store for us. Learn more about our outstanding Houston decorators here!

 


Home office interior design

4 Design Tips for Living Rooms & More

4 Design Tips We Discovered After Working On John D. Rockefeller’s New York Apartment and The Oval Office In The White House

With decades of experience in interior decorating and as living room designers, we feel well-placed to help you figure out how to maximize your room’s potential. In fact, we’ve done just that for some very prominent people. Find out more, with a few of our tips, in this article.

 

It all started with a client in New York.

We received a call from a client who was preparing to marry the man who owned New York’s largest apartment. At 37,000 square feet, it was a behemoth of an apartment that had formerly belonged to John D. Rockefeller.

Our client wanted us to help bring a new touch of style to the apartment. Working alongside Mark Hampton, one of New York’s foremost decorators, we got to work. Mark took responsibility for the overall look and feel, while we handled the rugs.

It was when we met Mr. Hampton that we made an interesting discovery. Hampton was also working with George H. W. Bush on some decorating work in the White House. Our work with this client had opened the door to working with the President of the United States. It was an opportunity that we wanted to grab with both hands.



Our Work in the White House

Hampton told us an interesting story about a White House tradition that we hadn’t heard about before. Apparently, it’s a tradition for a President who has left the office to leave a gift for the new President.

Ronald Reagan had left the gift of a rug for the incoming President Bush. But there was a problem. The Bushes just weren’t the biggest fans of the rug that Reagan had chosen. Worse yet, the rug dominated the entire Oval Office.

The President wanted a replacement, so we got to work. Little did we know that our rug would become a source of controversy between two first ladies.

We installed the rug and immediately had to deal with the media. The press wanted to know why the Bushes had replaced the gift that the Reagans had left behind. All we could tell them was that the Bushes weren’t the biggest fan of the rug.

Our exact quoted ended up in a newspaper report:

 

We didn’t think much of it at first. We were just happy to have worked with the President of the United States on an interior decorating project. Besides, our new blue rug gave the room a brand new feel that the previous beige number just didn’t quite manage.

But as it turned out, the replacement of the rug sparked a supposed war of words. According to the media, Nancy Reagan and Barbara Bush were at loggerheads because of the replacement. Our career-changing interior decorating job had sparked a mini-war between two of the country’s most powerful women.

We still think that the new rug that we installed gave the room an extra level of gravitas. We just didn’t expect all of the controversies that it caused.

Swimming in the Sea of Tranquility

 

They say that any publicity is good publicity. Our work in the White House may have gotten some media attention, but it also opened the door to new projects.

That’s what led us to Tranquility. A truly stunning property, Tranquility took up 50,000 square feet of space. The property also offered 210 acres of land to the lucky owner.

As usual, our area of interest was the interior. We entered the house to find an absolutely amazing staircase that was a true replica of the staircase on the Titanic ship.

It wouldn’t be an understatement to say that the work ended up being a “titanic” undertaking.

The house’s owners contracted us to install rugs throughout the property. They also gave us a specific request – no seams.

Luckily, we hand-make our designer rugs at our own factory, so it was a request that we were more than able to fulfill. The rugs we installed had leafy borders and a gorgeous damask field. They really added an additional touch of elegance and class to the property.

It was no surprise to us when the property went on the market with an asking price of $100 million. It eventually sold for about $60 million and has likely increased in value in the years since.

Choosing the Right Rug for Your Home

 

You may wonder why we’ve gone into so much detail about some of the major projects that we’ve worked on over the years.

We want to set your mind at ease and let you know that we know more about contemporary rugs than most. These projects weren’t just a lot of fun for us to work on. They were also recognition of the skills that we bring to the table.

That’s why you should trust the advice we have to offer when it comes to choosing the right rug for your property. Here are a few tips to keep in mind if you’re looking to get a rug installed.

 

(Rug Design)

 

 

Tip #1 – Choose the Right Material

 

It’s not just the visual quality of the rug that you have to keep in mind. The material used to make it is also extremely important. In fact, we recommend picking a material before you start thinking about colors and patterns.

Think about how you’ll use the rug once it’s installed. Is it a purely decorative piece that will see very little footfall? Will you rest the furniture on it? Or, do you have children and pets who are going to run all over it every single day?

The answers to those questions determine the type of material you pick for your rug. Here’s a rundown of some of the options:

  • Wool. One of the most popular rug materials, wool gives the rug a nice and cozy feeling. It’s an excellent choice for large rooms because it prevents heat from leaving through the floorboards. Plus, it’s durable enough to withstand a lot of footfall. Wool also has some flame-resistant properties, though it’s not completely fireproof. The big downfalls to wool include an inability to handle acidic stains. If you spill a glass of wine on a wool rug, you’re going to face a big struggle getting it out. It can also shed, which may aggravate allergies in some people.
  • Wool Mixes. Mixing wool with another fiber, typically man-made, usually gets rid of the shedding problem. However, it also lowers the rug’s durability. The rug won’t fall apart in short order, but it won’t be as strong as 100% wool rugs. On the plus side, a wool mix rug keeps its shape better than a regular wool rug.
  • Jute. Another natural fiber, jute doesn’t have the same strength as wool. However, it has a rustic appeal that means it works well in traditional rooms. It’s also an ideal choice for a room with a lot of neutral colors. There’s nothing quite like the sensation of bunching your toes up in a soft jute rug.
  • Sisal. This natural fiber has a lot of strength, making it a good choice for rooms with heavy footfalls. It can also handle heavy furniture resting on it with ease. But it’s not a big fan of water. Spills have a habit of staining this material, so you may not want to drink while standing on it.
  • Polypropylene and Polyester. Both of these materials are man-made. They offer better stain resistance than wool and are usually quite tough. However, both tend to lose their shape slightly if you place or drag furniture on top of them. Polypropylene is also a flammable material, so it’s not recommended for rooms with fireplaces.

 

As you can see, each material has benefits and drawbacks. Think about the room and your own needs. The material you choose influences the look, feel, and price of the rug. As always, we’re here to provide advice if you’re unsure.

Tip #2 – Choose the Right Color

 

Once you’ve made a material decision, it’s time to think about the rug’s color. Your first port of call is to think about the colors that you like. After all, you’re going to live with this rug for years. If the colors don’t appeal to your eye, you’re going to end up hating the rug. Make a list of the colors you like most.

From this list, choose a set of colors that match well with the existing furniture in the room. For example, if the room already features a lot of colors, you may want to choose something more neutral to offset it. But a patterned and colorful rug may serve as a great centerpiece in a neutral room.

It all comes down to whether you want the rug to blend into its surroundings or stand out from them. How the colors contrast with the ceiling, walls, and floor may also play a part in your decision.

Tip #3 – Size Matters

 

Have you ever seen a small rug in a large room?

It looks completely out of place. When it comes to rugs, size really does matter.

The size of your rug depends on the size of your room. However, you generally don’t want to leave more than 10 inches of space on each side of the rug. This may change if you’re layering, of course.

As a general rule, bigger is better. A small rug looks strange in the center of a large room. In fact, it pulls your focus onto the rug so much that you almost forget how much space the room has to offer.

Tip #4 – Think About Maintenance and Pile

 

Every rug requires some maintenance. There’s no getting around it. The question you have to ask is how much maintenance do you want to do?

The material and the pile of the rug determine how tough it is to clean.

A low pile rug with a flat weave is much easier to vacuum. It’s usually sturdier too, which means you can take it outside and beat the dust off it.

High pile rugs feel more comfortable underfoot and have a luxuriousness to them. But they’re also much more difficult to clean. In some cases, you’ll have to send it off to a professional to get it cleaned. They’re also more likely to wear out under large amounts of footfall.

Be honest with yourself about how much effort you’re going to put into maintenance. There’s no wrong answer here. We can help you to create a rug that suits your space and needs.

The Final Word

As living room designers, we’ve installed custom rugs for some of the most influential and affluent people in the world. Now, we want you to enjoy that same level of quality service. If you’re ready to give your space a brand new spark, we recommend that you do the following:

We’re here to bring your interior design dreams to life.