The Kids Are Moving Out: Now What?
Debbie Talianko has advice for empty nesters, reluctant or eager, on remodeling after the kids move out
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
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Your children graduating from high school and moving out of your home will definitely be marked as an emotional time with yearnings for the good ole’ days.
This period signifies major changes in your home. Now that the kids are out of the house, what do you want to do?
Actually, this is the ideal time to renovate your home and in a design aesthetic that you enjoy.
According to Debbie Talianko of Talianko Design Group, empty nesters are in a privileged position to make drastic decisions involving their house. “They’re anxious because they’ve been waiting 20 years to do this. They’ve been thinking about it for that long, in some cases, and they’re really excited about it,” says Talianko.
Empty nesters, Debbie adds, think of things like, “what kind of life style they expect from their newly found freedom, and how do they want to use the extra rooms.”
“It’s a new chapter in their lives and they’re wanting to do things differently,” Talianko says. Talianko’s firm is set to help these empty nesters with such big choices, such big changes. To start the design process, we sit down with our new clients and present them with lots of questions. “We make sure we don’t miss anything along the way. It’s face-to-face interview time. It’s a session looking at photos together, so that we can really define and understand what our clients are asking for,” says Talianko.
Talianko says that the firm uses Houzz.com, an interior design website, to help clearly define their client’s design style. “In a lot of cases they have their own idea folders, and they can collaborate with us through email” says Talianko. “So, we’re able to quickly zero in on style patterns. We pick up the similarities from one photo to another and all of a sudden their individual style emerges.
“We firmly believe that we should have a well-developed budget before anybody starts spending any money. We try to outline exactly what’s needed. We include all of the product costs, our fees, and construction costs if they apply. We are very systems-oriented and I think we bring a lot of left brain talent to the table,” Talianko adds.
Working with the empty nesters and helping them create their new home spaces is an emotional experience, even for Talianko herself. And this is something she enjoys thoroughly. “I’ve always loved being around people. So I think I have good people skills and I am a good listener.
Our design style is called ‘transitional.’ It’s a style that is fresh and simple but with a nod to the classics.” We call it “Casual Elegance”.
Kids moving out of your homes will definitely sting. However, knowing you can be busy rebuilding and redesigning your home should be enough to bring the smile back on your faces.
If you want a little more information before you take the plunge, you can download Talianko’s eBook, Everything You Need To Know Before Hiring an Interior Designer, here.
Talianko Design Group is located at 55 W Sierra Madre Boulevard Suite 220 Sierra Madre. For more information, call (626) 836-2935 or visit taliankodesigngroup.com.
Talianko Design Group offers several FREE eBooks on popular design topics including 30 Interior Design Tips for Luxury Homes. Click here to download yours today!
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