Decor Coach

I have tried working with other decorators and I felt that they were either intimidating or trying to push me into a style that they liked but just didn't feel right for me. Then I found Jodi. I have been working with Jodi for two years now. When I first called her I had an entire house to decorate and update. My husband and I had moved into a house with lots of charm but lots of 1980's leftovers (tarnished brass light fixtures, old door & bathroom hardware, and outdated wall colors,) and the need to buy furniture for every room (we sold all our previous furniture and were ready for a new style). I was in way over my head. Not only did I not know how to begin decorating but I was also raising my two young children and I felt completely overwhelmed. I remember not wanting to have even my good friends over for dinner because the house was just an empty shell and I was embarrassed at how it looked. Jodi has such a calming influence and her easy going personality was just what I needed. She helped me determine what style I liked and what my color palette would be. From there we focused on a couple on rooms - the kitchen, which has a sitting area, and our bedroom. At the end of each meeting I would have a clear to-do list. There were big whole house items that I needed a lot of hand-holding with (rugs, light fixtures) as well as all new bedroom furniture pieces and Jodi patiently walked me through all the options (in person, by phone, and email) until I felt confident with which items I wanted to buy. She has taught me so much about how to decorate which has given me confidence and made the process fun (never a word I used to describe decorating before). I can now walk into any decorating store (Home Goods, Pottery Barn, etc) and focus right away on which items I like and I enjoy browsing (before Jodi I couldn't even walk into a large store like Home Goods without a dreadful overwhelming feeling washing over me). Now, two years later, I have almost every room decorated (paint, furniture, rugs, lighting, art, accessories) and I really feel comfortable and relaxed. I love having friends over and I love the feeling I get when I walk through my house. With Jodi I have created a warm, happy, cozy place that reflects my tastes and style. I have recommended her to many of my friends and they have all had very positive experiences with her. Some friends just needed advice on furniture arrangement or help with their family/living room or the smaller accessories that really finish a house/pull it all together. Whatever your needs are Jodi is the most valuable decorating resource you can have. And she has saved me lots of money. The first way was by helping me determine if an item is the right fit before I buy it. Also by sharing her list of resources (where to get the best prices on furniture, rugs, etc). And once when we were on a shopping trip together at Home Goods she found a floor lamp that looked exactly like one at Restoration Hardware that I was considering (but was $200 less). That find alone covered the payment for that day's session! And she has taught me to ask for a better price when buying anything from an area rug to a lamp shade. And speaking of session fees, she is by far the least expensive decorator I've ever worked with (Jodi's hourly fees range from $47 to $60). Happy decorating! Pros: great advice, extremely helpful more

Just call Jodi, the Decor Coach. I can sit and stare at my walls for months, watch HGTV, subscribe to magazines, etc., etc., but I still can't feel confident putting a room together. I hired Jodi for her 3 hour, 1 room session. She went the whole 3 hours and then some. Because we have a somewhat open floor plan, she helped with all adjoining rooms and entry as well. She is very personable and made me feel very much at ease. She can help walk you through any decorating challenge you might have. Ours was a family room. How she helped with our project: FR, Kitchen, Hallway paint; furniture placement and suggestions for when we buy new; suggestions for tv placement; window treatment ideas; sprucing up a fireplace and built-ins; contacts for local contractors that she trusts. That alone is priceless information. When we implement the plans we have, she will come back to help accessorize. (A cat tree is our idea of an accessory before Jodi.) If you need help decorating, you will be pleased with Jodi. If you want to move out while someone else does all the decision making and work, she isn't for you. We wanted someone to be on ""our team"" to help US decorate our home. We feel like we can move forward more confidently now. Pros: Example: best croissants in town Cons: What are the drawbacks? more

Jodie at the Decor Coach has a wonderful approach! She's helping us fall in love with our house again. We've spent about 5 hours together planning a kitchen renovation and selecting a color palette for much of the rest of the house. Jodie is knowledgeable, talented, approachable, and great at determining the client's style and needs. She'll help you zero in on your priorities, make selections for your projects, even shop with you if that's what you need. And she's affordable! Plus she shares your excitement when things come together. This is a great way to get a finished look for your house without using a decorator who is pretentious and overpriced--exactly what I was looking for! more

I had been ""paralyzed"" for years about an empty huge cathedral ceiling wall in my great room. The wall had a gas log fireplace that really did not put out much heat and a boring mantle and a boring plain douglas fir surround. We collect carvings of birds and the mantle was overloaded and not becoming to the beautiful carvings. Also we had lived with plain white walls for 18 years and had a mis mash of furniture (actually somewhat poorly placed furniture) as well as too much furniture to complement the room. Being avid hikers and birders and outdoor enthusiasts my goal was to make this a room to let nature in since there are 4 floor to ceiling windows that look out to the woods. There were so many times over the years that I thought about ""the wall"" and never could seem to gather my thoughts. It all seemed too overwhelming. I had decided this was going to be the year to make a change and get a new FP installed that would provide heat. And while I was at it, I was going to get some help from a professional. But I did not want to pay a lot of $ for a person who decorates and shops for me. All I needed was some advice about interior design. I googled ""interior designer Durham"" and up popped the Decor Coach! Once I found the Decor Coach (Jodi Schavone) I was ecstatic. We immediately made contact in Dec 2008 and she is the person that lit the spark to get me started with the project. She spent 3 hours with and charged a very reasonable consultation fee. It was also very helpful to recieve her packet of general principles of interior design and well as suggestions for resources. Jodi was there the whole time. I emailed and spoke with her by phone along the way and I am happy to say the project is winding down. I know like my house again! She is the best and well worth contacting. I look forward to having her help as I make improvements in other rooms. Pros: Inspires! more

Jodi is awesome and has very creative ideas. I was overwhelmed with how to decorate my home. Now that I have Jodi, I am confident I am making good decisions. She is really making a difference with my home by helping me really use the items I have and providing her expert advice with furniture size, color and various other decorating ideas. She is well worth every dollar spent. She is saving me money by helping me use the items in my home rather than making new purchases. She is doing a great job with training me on how to decorate. My home is going to be beautiful with her help. Thank you Jodi! more

In remodeling my kitchen, I was paralyzed with all the things that needed to be considered. I searched the Internet but all decorators seem to produce fancy rooms - not my style. Then I found Jodi the Decor Coach. Jodi took the time understand what I wanted (being independent, she has no need to push a product). She showed me all the tricks I might use to give my small kitchen the impression of openness and space. She gave me her ?Remodeling a Kitchen Checklist? which showed me what to do when, what to order when ? She had lists of individuals and companies with whom she had experience and could recommend their services for quality and price. Those lists were invaluable. Pros: easy to work with, understood what I needed, expert advice more

We had been living in our home for 2 years with bare walls and mis-matched furniture. I had made some expensive decorating mistakes already and needed some direction. I was concerned that with our small decorating budget, no one would want to work with us. Then I found Jodi, The Decor Coach. She helped us develop a style that fit our lifestyle (kids and pets!) and our aesthetic and budget. No easy feat! She gives lots of designer tips and tricks that can help you in every room of your home. The three hour room consultation was great and her checklists keep you focused after she is gone. Jodi also provides great support after her visit and will even go shopping with you if you are having trouble on your own. She is not about selling you anything-it's all about service and I really liked that. I will definitely use her again and I recommend her wholeheartedly! Pros: knowledgeable, organized, creative more

I have never been comfortable with my decorating skills. I have worked with interior designers on a few occasions, but it seemed like they were pushing me in a direction that matched their sense of style and didn't line up with what I was comfortable with. When I saw Jodi's 'coach' approach where I still owned the project but she provided guidance I thought I would give it one more try, and she has exceeded my expectations. Pros: Jodi's fees are very reasonable more

Have you ever thought what color would look good on your walls? Would it make the room look too dark or too bright? What rug would best show your new leather furniture? Get your questions anwered with wonderful results. Jodi, the decor coach showed me how... Taking into account your personal preferences for color and style, Jodi will inspire you to pick out colors, furniture and accessories to design your own home. She did it for me. more