Category Archives: Business of Design

Thursday Style Points: Beta Testing Decorate Like A Pro System To Achieve Excellence

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Thursday Style Points: Beta Testing Decorate Like A Pro System To Achieve Excellence

On the heels of the Design Bloggers Conference I can tell you there is nothing like a group of Luxury Interior Designer Friends to hold you accountable!!

There is nothing like a good solid kick with a Prada heel to keep you sharp ;)!

LOVE THAT

The kick is always preceded & followed by some soft words of GENUINE encouragement. We know we are made better because of each other. Her strength is mine and mine is hers.

We are beta testing even our Free Webinar with a group of women who hold me to the highest standards in both Luxury Design AND Business Ethics. They are an amazing group & tomorrow they will beta test so YOU get REAL VALUE even in this Free 1 hour Webinar & Free 1 hour Q & A

Decorate Like A Pro Package Image

I PROMISE we will have a live Video link soon. For now, if you want to get your email added go here: http://decoratelikeaprosystem.com/  This is a BETA TEST SITE so you will be in on the ground floor. Seriously! Only my Mastermind Group has had access to this so far!!! The next live Webinar will not be for two weeks, but if the last test was any radar, the spots will fill quickly. As in really quickly.

Do you have anything you need to “beta test” before it goes out to the world?

Who holds you accountable in your home? In your decorating? In your design? In your life?

Do they hold you to the highest standard with love so you can achieve excellence?

My mother repeated a saying that she wrote down before she died a decade ago…I have it framed:

“Sandwich any constructive criticism with two THICK slices of praise”

she followed it up with “praise to achieve greater heights”

I look forward to the constructive criticism of women I RESPECT with all my heart and look forward to making this excellent for YOU.

Thursday Spotlight: My Accountability Team

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”

xo Ann

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I am running on travel fumes & want to check in so you know we are jammin’ behind the scenes.

If you know of a fabulous Social Media Intern who wants a job, I am all ears! Just message me at ann@couturechateau.com. Really not kidding. We have gone entirely remote with our work force so time zone is not necessarily an issue & this is one area we are now light in

Send cover note & resume link. It’s a great opportunity as we are rolling out some big stuff in 2013 & 2014 :).

Monday Matters: Design Bloggers Conference!

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Monday Matters: Design Bloggers Conference!

It’s Monday Morning – thank God for a Starbucks in the Hotel

We are safely ensconsed at The Hilton Universal City, Los Angeles – a stones throw from where my LA office was for two years, so am happy in context. Southern California clients are so fun! A fabulous treat.

For the next few days I will be attached to my computer learning from some  old friends & new mentors. I am always grateful for what I call business fellowship ;)…a wonderful group of like minded people who challenge me to be more than I am…breaking my preconceptions, challenging my comfort…

Learning-Quotes-the-more-i-live

My deepest hope is that this time will produce lasting fruit, the kind that brings blessing to you & yours & our fabulous team at Couture Chateau & soon to be official Ann McDonald, Inc.

growth quote

Life is full of risk…here’s to stepping out…what will YOU step out on? If I can do this, you can! Here’s to the journey togehter in this thing called life…

And yes, the pink luggage made it ;). It just happens to match my scarf today!

luggage

So, yes, a bit of whimsy. A girl has got to have her pink!

What does your week look like?

A bit of work?…what are you working on…the house..yourself…all those Monday questions…it’s a fresh start for the week…

Is there a bit of risk you are taking this week? What is it that might challenge you? Are you willing to try?

 And I HOPE there is a bit of whimsy!! What is your proverbial ‘pink luggage’ this Monday morning?

Monday Matters & so do YOU!

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”™

xo Ann

Frugal Friday: Ah, The Joys of Code…Kind of Like Decorating…

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Frugal Friday: Ah, The Joys of Code…Kind of Like Decorating!

So if you’ve wondered where we have been this week – why we missed yesterday and are a tad late today, blame it on the “bug”

No, not my flu – though the voice is STILL gone much to the joy & delight of everyone in my house & office :)….

You will be happy to know we are immersed in code, as in computer code

We are preparing to launch our first PUBLIC Information Products under the banner of “Ann McDonald” and are attempting to get the proverbial House in Order so that things don’t go buggy…

Decorate Like A Pro Package Image

Let’s just say the speaker phone in the office has been used 24-7 on those live chat hotlines, my DEAR friends in Mastermind have been GRACIOUSLY testing, entering emails, sending me the exact email they get back…Ditto Ann & Christina…my 20 something hip “in” testers one from the heart of NYC & one from the heart of SF who are honest!! You guys deserve the world…

oh the joys of “error 404”!

Smile. Call Tech.

Pray.

Smile. Call Tech again. Pretend not to hear the nice young gentleman on the other end roll his eyes…it’s Ann McDonald and her Team again…..

Smile. Pray. Drink more coffee.

Frugal Friday? Why here? Because in the interest of keeping YOUR costs down, I am trying to keep OUR costs down.

May today be a blessing to you.

Here’s the QUESTION of the Day:

What is /%postname%/

IF you answer that in the comments correctly…I will probably offer you a job…!

Deciphering & using code properly is kind of like Decorating. There is a ton of mess in the underbelly & on the public face it’s all pretty & user friendly!

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”™

xo Ann

Sunday Stewardship: Rest, Recuperate & Redecorate :)

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Sunday Stewardship: Rest, Recuperate & Redecorate

There is nothing like a nasty case of the flu to force REST

I/We are still down for the count, popping up every so often when our meds kick in!

I must say, the best meds are the home made Hot Toddy’s…image linked. Thank you to Franki for suggesting some brandy! It has most definitely helped! Image linked to ehow’s…”How to cure a cold with Brandy”!

My Doctor assures me I will have a voice again, though my children are loving the silence 🙂

My Webinar recording…not so much loving the silence……..

Hard to talk with no voice….my teenage son has volunteered to “use” the gaming headset we bought to record our webinars but I have hidden it in my office! I don’t want more of my business supplies to end up in the vortex of “play room hell”!

As far as RECUPERATE goes, the best part is what I call visual feasting

Have you SEEN this month’s House Beautiful?

I have been LOVING reading every part of this month’s issue!! The features, articles….all of it…speaking to me right now…image linked

OMG, delight to the heart & eyes

And the REDECORATE part?

Well…nothing like spending a week in bed to make you want to redecorate your room, is there….!….

How fun would this be? Image linked.

Honey, what do you think of green? It’s the color of the year you know….

Image linked.

This would never work in my house, but I do LOVE the sleek style. Maybe if I ever have a desert home….

Sunday Stewardship. I like the redecorate part the best.

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”™

xo Ann

Thursday Spotlight: A Friend & Fellow Designer Denise McGaha Speaking @ Southern Living Showhouse!

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Thursday Spotlight: Friend & Fellow Designer, Denise McGaha Speaking at Southern Living Showhouse in Austin, Texas

Topic: Creating Your Interiors On A Showhome Deadline

Denise is beautiful, smart & oh so fab at design!

Denise McGaha is the real deal. She just gets it. I count her as a dear friend who will speak the truth & listen with an open heart.

A powerhouse Designer from whom I glean much, Denise specializes in creating on a deadline

The Southern Living Showhouse in Austin, Texas

This weekend she is scheduled to speak at the Southern Living Showhouse in Austin, Texas

This is one of my favorite designs by Denise. She has a keen eye for scale, color & balance. This image was featured in Design Guide. Image linked.

If you are anywhere near, you should make your way over. If I could just wrangle that private plane I’d be on it…

Denise is also in my Mastermind group with Tobi Fairley

Still recouping in my pale pink, trying to save my voice & heal from this nasty flu, may this be a blessing to you today!

This is a great pale pink. I use it line drawers, linen cabinets, undersides of desks, closets…

Spotlight: Denise & Southern Living!

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”

xo Ann

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Tomorrow? My friend and fellow Designer Heather Harkovich…lead Designer for Southern Living Showcase in Austin, Texas & owner of Heather Scott Home

Wednesday Style Points: Can’t Rock Them When You’re Sick…or Can You?!

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Wednesday Style Points: Can’t Rock Them When You’re Sick…or Can You?!

Holy Toledo Batman, this flu season stinks!

Pardon my French but we had a busy week planned & most of it’s shot…re-schedule a video shoot, re-tape a Webinar, Mastermind Telecall, A 3-Day Conference…and the best laid plans…

So I learn daily that someone else is in control which I know in my heart is a good thing

Ha! says the Lord. Take a chill pill Ann. OK, I’m listening God – I’m just really excited about what we have coming out & want to carry on.

There IS delight in knowing all we have to do is plant the seed. It’s up to someone else to make it grow….

Style points – still on my brain even as I am surrounded by Nyquil, Vapo Rub & Vitamin C. How silly is that. A designer still cares about those things even when down for the count.

That said, these pale pink rooms are delighting me right now. May they be a delight to you as well.

The soothing pale pinks are helping me right now…hope they are a blessing to you – and equip you to take a deep breath & enjoy health!

Check out some pretty pale pink spaces  = a style point.

Image linked via House Beautiful.

And with this, I am back to resting. I know when I’m beat! Hope you are spared…

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”

xo Ann

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All said, I am grateful for solid assistants. We are still testing our Webinar with a select group at the end of February. If you sent in your email, you should receive instructions by Friday of this week. There are no more tester spots available but at least one 1 Hour Webinar will be made available for free to any and all who like. We are delighted to share this growing process together and walk along side in this thing called life. Our first Formal Product Launch will be available for purchase in March!

women shopping - fashion logo version 2 (non-editable web-ready file)

Frugal Friday: Do You Ever Wish Someone Would Explain How Decorators REALLY Decorate?

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Frugal Friday: Do You Ever Wish Someone Would Explain How Decorators REALLY Decorate?

Do you ever wish you could go behind the scenes to hear how projects come together, what tips & systems decorators use that they are not sharing?

Do you ever wish someone would explain how the whole “trade vs retail” thing works and why the light fixture your decorator specified is the same one you found on line?

Do you ever wish someone would give you simple, practical, non-phd level counsel & tools you could actually USE?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, then we have something fun coming for you.

Finally!

Over the course of the next few weeks we are:

1) AUDIO RECORDING a FREE Webinar

2) VIDEO RECORDING a series of three FREE Video Trainings

3) VIDEO RECORDING our first ever Video Blog

4) Consolidating our first ever publicly available Information Product as part of my Design Systems Simplified Program. The FIRST Information Product we will have for sale will be the one below:

women shopping - fashion logo version 2 (non-editable web-ready file)

THIS particular Information Product is the compilation of a ton of work, some fabulous testers & an extension of our In House, In Person Seminar we held in October of 2012

It is designed for EASY use, EDITED for content – not a ton of fluff & will be in Webinar Form, the same way we teach & work with Full Service Clients.

Like I said, FINALLY!

Stay tuned: March & April are the roll out dates

🙂

Make sure we have your email so you can receive the FREE products, with actual information – not fluff.

If you haven’t seen my short 1 minute video yet about this series of products, “Design Systems Simplified” then check it out here:

Happy Frugal Friday!

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”™

xo Ann

Send your email to Ann@Couturechateau.com to be placed on our never sold, never traded, uber private mailing list to receive the most up to date release information on all these products & to receive our Video Newsletter Blog, starting in March, 2013.

Wednesday Style Points: A Video From One Of My Favorite Sources, Custom Made!

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Wednesday Style Points: A Video From One Of My Favorite Sources, Custom Made!

You know I’m all about custom

Our tag line is “Live a custom life. There is only one you.”™ after all

As we are working like dogs getting our First Ever Webinar product completed, throwing in some travel & clients, this week has been a bit hectic & it’s only Wed 🙂

Enter style points.

Custom Made has style points.

Be sure to check out their video & let them know you love them as much as I do & that you heard it from this little blog called Couture Chateau by Ann McDonald. If I weren’t working here, I’d find a way to work there!

Do yourself a favor – inspire your day & WATCH the Second & Third Videos as well as the first…you will be blessed….

Also, if you need a refresher on Why To Buy Custom, read the article below. It is from the heart…..by this Designer I know…;) written for a company she thinks is pretty awesome…

Image Linked –  ORIGINAL ARTICLE LINKED HERE

My Top Three Myths About Purchasing Custom

If you go to the original article in October, you can see photos of some of our Client’s custom details.

As the Founder of Couture Chateau, I tackle myths about custom daily. The truth is I love this discussion because it opens a door to share my passion for the intentionally made. Here are the three things I hear most from my clients and what I tell them in return.

1. Too Expensive. Beautifully crafted items can be costly. However, ‘custom’ is one of the few true value exchanges left in the world of manufacturing. It’s the place where consumer and creator are most closely linked. This value exchange translates into magical aha moments; we realize a part of us and our vision for living is being made manifest by the hands of skilled designers, craftsmen and women. It is pure delight when we see our dollar glean that value. Everyone wins.

2. Takes Too Long. Not all custom products take a long time. A custom cupcake, for instance, takes one afternoon. A custom piece of furniture with custom fabric may indeed take up to 6 months, but the beautiful part about that process is the thought in every detail. We live in a “now” society, but the things we truly value, we wait for. With custom, the process is interactive and wait time becomes part of the product. Once we realize this, it’s the start date that delineates ownership, not the delivery date.

3. What if I hate it?! It’s not returnable. For over 20 years I have observed that the process of engaging skilled fabricators who make items to size and scale vets most of these issues. It’s the intentional interaction between thoughtful use and production that causes us to self-select function, form, purpose, detail, color, scale and price. The quick impulse purchase is often the regrettable return, rarely the custom.

When I started out, my passion was to honor the individual craftsmen and women I encountered in the luxury design trades and find a place where their skills would be curated by enthusiastic patrons in everyday life. What I have delighted to discover is that the story of how a custom item is created is often its most treasured attribute. The relatable process transcends social boundaries and is cherished by creator and curator alike.

As we say at Couture Chateau: “Live a custom life. There is only one you.™”

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Have a Style Point Day !

xo Ann

Monday Matters: Getting My Desk Aligned With My Heart So I Can Design With Clarity

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Monday Matters: Getting My Desk Aligned With My Heart So I Can Design With Clarity

Monday morning. Ahhh….

I do love my city by the bay. As wacky as it can get…there is still beauty rising each morning. A hope for the new day.

Oopps…lots of things that didn’t get done around the house this weekend

Lots of small things that were left behind on the desk

Working on the Webinar…If you haven’t seen our Video, make sure to watch it HERE

Monday matters.

Good coffee helps – and since you know me, so do good shoes!!!

I know when the over the knee boots come out, it means business! I dragged my favorite pair to Arkansas last week for Mastermind & they always make me feel more empowered. Silly but true. 🙂

What is on the docket for your week?

What is on the list for your home?

Are you buying some fun Valentine things to set the table with?

So simple & fun, especially with kids around. Image linked.

Cards to those near & far who need to know you love them?

Me? A bit of travel, Tahoe & elsewhere to meet some clients

I love the drive. About 3 hours – a great cup of coffee & lots of thinking time when my cell reception goes out. Any project in Lake Tahoe is inspiring to me.

A bit of this & a bit of that

I need to clear my desk, make sure it aligns with what my heart is telling me about our venture outside these four safe studio walls….& designing with clarity these Systems so they make life EASIER! Not burdens or rules or regulations, but adaptable, scalable customizable systems that set you free.

Monday.

It’s the good stuff.

Because we are here.

“Live a custom life. There is only one you.”

xo Ann

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THANK YOU to ALL who have contacted me or commented on this phase of  my business. Overwhelmed with joy & marvel at the abundance of blessing. We are testing one of our first webinars with a small live group at the end of Feburary & will have systems available in March/April.

I am so excited about the clarity of mission here:

To equip you in an overwhelmed world

To embrace the custom you & be intentional about how you DESIGN YOUR LIFE

So you may steward the opportunities around you & find your calling in the clearing…

If you haven’t emailed us to let us know you want to be on our mailing list, do so. I am working to be FEARLESS, so can you. It’s the word for 2013. Ann@Couturechateau.com.

 

Sunday Stewardship: Find Your Life Envelope; So We Can Steward The Design Part Easily!

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Sunday Stewardship: Find Your Life Envelope™ So We Can Steward The Design Part Easily!

Stewardship

It’s all about making sure you take your ten talents & make 10 more

I know YOU have talents. And gifts. And fears. And HOPES. And DREAMS.

Do you ever feel overwhelmed and can’t cut through the noise to create a meaningful life?

Do you ever wish you could take back the reigns of your life & really DESIGN it so you have no regrets 10, 20 even 60 years from now?

I know I do

I know my clients have

The core of my Design Business has always been about building a COUTURE LIFESTYLE.

Sure we pick the right sofa (remember the Frasier example)

But the process is about equipping to take control of our homes, intentionally, so we can live out the life we are called to live. Where ever you and I live. From India to Canada, US to China…UAE to France…it matters not.

If we are to live a life of meaning, it must be intentional.

But it must be OUR – YOUR intentional. Not the catalogs, or the prevailing wisdom, or current trend.

Check out my video on our new Design Systems Simplified Products. THIS is what I am working on.  It’s the process that equips us to get there. I hope it excites you the way it excites me.

It’s all about cutting through the noise of life and getting to WHO you are, WHERE you are and designing your custom life from there. Whether it’s an apartment or a 22,000 square foot home.

Design Systems Simplified. Come on the journey with me. For the first time ever, I am opening these very private doors and sharing the soul behind the brand. I created this company because I needed to live it. May it bless & equip you, may I have the honor and privilege of walking shoulder to shoulder as we discover YOUR custom Life Envelope™ so you can get on with the living.

If you are interested in our products & services after watching the video, email me: Ann@Couturechateau.com

These new to market “Design Systems” will not be publicly available until after March. Our Full Service Clients use them every day.

Our mailing list is small and intentional. Our mailing list includes those who want to make a difference with their life. I hope it includes you.

 “Live a custom life. There is only one you.”™

xo Ann

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Mission: To EQUIP those in an overwhelmed world to design their homes & lives with intent and purpose so they can live the custom life they are called to

How: simple repeatable scalable systems designed from 20 years in the trenches of luxury interior design