Construction is a story so Let's start from the beginning...

Being an Interior Design photographer, I am always brought in at the end of the projects. Everything is complete, the walls are painted, the furniture is placed, and the art is hanging on the wall. It is picture-perfect. However, the final product is just the end of a journey of ideas, changes, collaboration, and decisions. It is the last chapter of a story which most of the time the viewer doesn't get to experience from the beginning. How many times have you found yourself looking at Instagram and saying "How did they come up with that idea?" or "How did they build that?". Better yet, "Where did they get those?" or "I wonder how that works?" All those questions are different parts of a story not told and most of the time not captured, leading you to wonder "What is the story behind the design?"

I now have the opportunity to document a project from the beginning to the end....my own project. In this instance, I am not only the photographer but also the client, a designer, and a decision-maker. Having the opportunity to capture a project from different perspectives will not only give depth to the photos but will tell the whole story. With the help of Interior Designers, Architects, and Contractors, I not only get to bring my ideas to life but also a story so let's start from the beginning...

We moved into our home a little more than a year ago. We loved the house at first sight. At the time, we were living in a home built in 1828. I had always wanted an antique home because of the history but at the time we bought it we didn't realize the challenges we would have as our children grew older. The fact that we only had one bathroom with one shower became a challenge as our children became teenagers along with the need for my father to live with us as he became older. We realized that we need to make a change and this home fit all our needs.

Built-in 2008, our new home checked all the boxes however it was very plain and lacked some basic essentials that are needed when living in the country. For example, a generator. I learned we needed a generator the hard way when we lost power and didn't have water because the well pump need electricity for the pump water. Between wanting to make the home feel like ours and being prepared for the next storm, we felt we needed to start making some changes.

Our first project is the great room which is an oversized living room that could never have enough furniture in it to fill it. The natural light in the room is beautiful which makes it the perfect place for morning coffee. However, having the kitchen in another room meant no one ever went into the room. Being a big open space it became apparent that the kitchen and living room should be in the same room. The fact that all our utilities were sitting under the room made deciding to combine the kitchen and living room a little easier. After a year of living in the space, we decided it was time to start on this journey of transformation. Throughout the summer, we gradually traded furniture for scaffolding and a pine knot ceiling for insulation and framing all in the hopes that this room would be filled with friends and family by the first of the year. If not, we know it will be worth the wait when it is done.

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