Wendy Glaister joins Eric G for a lively chat about the art of interior design, where we dive into the nitty-gritty of how designers pinpoint your unique style and aesthetic. Picture this: you’ve just bought a new home, and the walls are blank canvases just waiting for your personal touch. But wait! You have no idea what your style actually is. That’s where the magic of a designer comes in. Wendy emphasizes that each person has their own design aesthetic, but often they struggle to articulate it. She shares her fascinating process, which includes sifting through inspiration photos with clients to discover hidden preferences that might not be immediately obvious. It’s like a treasure hunt, only instead of gold doubloons, you find out that you really love mid-century teak furniture paired with industrial chic lighting. Who knew?! As we giggle our way through the episode, Wendy reveals that the biggest challenge for designers is often to ensure that their personal style doesn’t overshadow the client’s vision. She recounts her own experiences with clients, where she plays detective, figuring out what they truly love. It’s a delicate balance of guiding without imposing, and Wendy’s insights are not just valuable for designers, but also for homeowners who might feel overwhelmed by decision fatigue. We touch on the importance of working with a designer to avoid costly mistakes—like painting a room three times before landing on the right shade. Trust me, no one wants to live through that drama! By the end of our chat, we’ve uncovered the beauty of collaboration in design. Wendy stresses that a good designer will always prioritize the client’s needs and aspirations, making the process enjoyable rather than stressful. So whether you're a first-time homeowner or someone looking to refresh your space, the takeaway is clear: don't hesitate to bring in a designer who values your vision. After all, your home should reflect you, not someone else's Pinterest board!

Takeaways:

• Interior designers have a unique ability to uncover your personal aesthetic, even when you can't articulate it yourself.
• The conversation emphasizes the joy of collaboration between homeowners and designers to create spaces that truly reflect individual styles.
• Designers aim to make their clients' visions a priority, ensuring the final outcome is uniquely theirs, not a reflection of the designer's own tastes.
• Finding a designer who understands your needs is essential; the right relationship can transform your home into a space you'll love for years to come.
• Trends in design shift rapidly, and what’s 'in' today could be 'out' tomorrow, making timeless choices essential for long-term satisfaction.
• Investing in quality design and furnishings pays off, as it not only enhances your space but also saves you money in the long run by avoiding costly mistakes.

Links referenced in this episode:

• AroundtheHouseOnline.com
• WendyGlasterInteriors.com

Companies mentioned in this episode:

• REI
• Houzz
• Turlock
• Galerie Finesse
• Urbanite

Thanks for listening to Around the house if you want to hear more please subscribe so you get notified of the latest episode as it posts at https://around-the-house-with-e.captivate.fm/listen

If you want to join the Around the House Insider for access to the back catalog, Exclusive Content and a direct email to Eric G and access to the show early https://around-the-house-with-e.captivate.fm/support

We love comments and we would love reviews on how this information has helped you on your house! Thanks for listening! For more information about the show head to https://aroundthehouseonline.com/

Information given on the Around the House Show should not be considered construction or design advice for your specific project, nor is it intended to replace consulting at your home or jobsite by a building professional. The views and opinions expressed by those interviewed on the podcast are those of the guests and do not necessarily reflect the views and opinions of the Around the House Show.

Mentioned in this episode:

Made by Contractors for Contractors check out Instabid.pro

Turn 3 hours of manual estimating into 5 minutes. Real material prices. Real labor rates. Professional PDF quotes delivered instantly. To find out more head to https://instabid.pro/

Instabid

Check out the smartest hardware with Baldwin

Baldwin Hardware, known for its luxurious solid brass craftsmanship, has partnered with Level, an ASSA ABLOY Group brand that combines advanced technology with timeless design. This collaboration pairs Baldwin’s iconic style with Level’s innovative engineering—featuring a hidden battery housed within the bolt— to set a new standard in secure, stylish, smart-living.

Baldwin Hardware

Evolve Stone

We tell the story of Evolve Stone and how they are made in the USA. To listen to the complete episode: https://player.captivate.fm/episode/ef96f15d-b960-44a8-9522-1c3fa56c7cb7/ To find out more and order your free samples with promo code ATH26 head to EvolveStone.com

Evolve Stone

Made by Contractors for Contractors check out Instabid.pro

Turn 3 hours of manual estimating into 5 minutes. Real material prices. Real labor rates. Professional PDF quotes delivered instantly. To find out more head to https://instabid.pro/

Instabid

Episode 2241 — Real Design Starts with American-Made Tile: Inside Daltile | Made in America 250

Great design starts with great materials. In this episode of our Made in America 250 campaign, Eric G digs into what makes American-made tile the right choice for your next project — and why Daltile has been a go-to for designers and pros for decades. As a Certified Kitchen Designer with 35+ years in the industry, Eric uses Daltile in his own projects, and in this conversation he breaks down how the right tile elevates a design, what to look for in quality and selection, and why manufacturing here in America matters for the products going into your home. If you haven't experienced Daltile, you need to check them out — from kitchens to baths to outdoor living, they've got the surfaces to bring real design home. Learn more at daltile.com. https://player.captivate.fm/episode/07a8c105-8e88-40eb-b8f1-a5340d6a3518/ In this episode: How American-made tile elevates your next design project What separates quality tile from the bargain-bin stuff Why Daltile's selection gives designers and homeowners more to work with Daltile is a featured brand in the Around the House Made in America 250 campaign, celebrating the American manufacturers shaping real design.

Daltile

Episode 2240 — Prep Like a Pro: Tile Secrets with William White of Ardex Americas | Made in America 250

Great tile starts long before the first piece goes down. In this episode of our Made in America 250 campaign, Eric G sits down with William White from Ardex Americas to break down the prep steps the pros never skip — and the shortcuts that cause tile jobs to fail months down the road. As a Certified Kitchen Designer with 35+ years in the industry, Eric uses Ardex on his own tile projects, and in this conversation you'll hear why. William shares what proper substrate prep really looks like, the products that make or break an installation, and how American manufacturing keeps Ardex at the top of the trade. If you haven't heard of Ardex, this is your introduction — give them a try on your next project. Learn more at ardexamericas.com. https://player.captivate.fm/episode/69c7e03f-1852-4481-9a23-ccd389961aec/ In this episode: Why prep is the difference between a tile job that lasts and one that fails The prep products the pros trust before every installation What makes Ardex an American manufacturing standout Ardex Americas is a featured brand in the Around the House Made in America 250 campaign, celebrating the American manufacturers building better homes.

Ardex

Whether you’re camping, tailgating, or running backup power near the RV, weather can change fast. A generator still needs to run outside, but rain and snow can put your power plan at risk. GenTent helps protect your portable generator while it’s running, without blocking airflow or access to controls. Keep your power ready for the trip, no matter the weather. Visit gentent.com/ericg.

Gentent 2026

From coast to coast, it's the nation's number one home improvement radio show and podcast with certified kitchen designer Eric G. And co host John Dudley, a former contractor and online technology expert.

Delivering real fixes, smart tech and trusted advice.

Remodels, repairs, energy savings, smart homes, diy.

We've got your answers.

It's around the house.

Dive in and get inspired.

Welcome to the around the House show, your trusted source for everything about your home.

Thanks for joining us today.

I'm Eric G. John Dudley is out on assignment doing stuff and we have Wendy Glacier B in the studio.

Wendy.

Hey, Eric.

Hi.

Thanks so much for having me back.

It's great to see you.

Always so much fun and I love that we're talking design today.

Cuz this is one of my favorite subjects and it's talking about those clients because everybody has their own design esthetics, every person has their own style.

In trying to figure that out from the designer point of view and making it their home is really, I think, what sets a designer apart from many others.

Because that I think is the largest challenge.

Because as designers, we're people too, right?

We have our own styles.

And my funnest challenge was to make sure that my client never knew what my style was.

Agreed.

Yeah.

I always say if somebody walks into a house and they say, oh, Wendy must have done this, I would just fall apart.

I would be so disappointed.

Right.

It's so true.

Because, you know, I don't want to make fun of other people out there.

There are plenty of television networks and shows out there that have one style that they focus in on.

And I think it's also dangerous as well, because a designer is a brand.

You're a brand.

When I was designing a lot, I was a brand.

You know, we have our own brand, but if we pigeonhole ourself into a style, I guarantee that style is going to come in and out.

And what have you done to yourself?

It is very limiting.

I mean, I think people really like the comfort of those limits and I think that's why they have a signature look.

I mean, a lot of the named designers that you see with beautiful published books and all those things, they do have a look and people hire them for that, which is great and I'm happy it works for them.

I just think it would be hard for me to just to only work in one area or one genre of design and not have the opportunity to learn more or less, seek out new things or try something new.

I, I think it would kind of get old after a while.

For me, at least.

Yeah, good point.

Because my style personally leans into more of that mid century modern slash, you know, more contemporary style.

But anytime that I got pulled into another project with a completely different style, it pushed my design skills and it made it way more exciting for me.

Yes, I think you, you have all kinds of new opportunities to discover new ve, new materials, new ways of applying those materials and different products and all kinds of neat things, even different ways to apply lighting principles to the different styles.

And so you're constantly challenged and being forced to grow professionally.

And for me, I really enjoy that.

I think it's worthwhile.

So I love to do really high contemporary, sleek, sexy stuff.

And then I love to do like a French country, like what you were just talking about.

It's just as meaningful to the client because you are, you're making their, their aesthetic, their dream, their vision, number one in your mind and in your practice.

And I think it's great for people who want to have work with a higher level interior designer to know that that person sees and values them enough to make their priorities their own.

And it's just fun.

I think too, it helps you kind of make friends with those people period of time too.

You know, for homeowners out there that are going to hire a designer and you know, I say the, the, the smartest plan on a remodel is hiring a designer to come in.

It's going to save you money in the long run.

It's really one of those things that, you know, all it takes is for you to have to paint a room three times and have a painter go in there, that you probably could have paid for that designer to come in and at least do a color consultation and help you with that because it's cheaper than, you know, the 3x of the paint job and all of that, plus the, the frustration of changing three times as well.

It's just so much easier on the process.

But I think it's challenging too for a homeowner, because many homeowners out there and you know, they have their style, but they can't even describe it, you almost have to just walk in and go, I see your style and your home, which could be even conflicting.

Yes, usually.

Actually, I find every time we start a new engagement with a client, I spend an hour with them in their home or over zoom and kind of walk through their space with them and get a sense of what they'd like to accomplish.

And I always ask them to get some inspiration photos of things that they love and that they don't have to relate at all.

Just different pictures of rooms that they find interesting.

And then we kind of go through it together and I create a design inventory.

So what are the commonalities between all of these different images that pretty much drill down what their aesthetic is and the things that they value in their space?

And it's cute because inevitably they'll say, oh my gosh, I didn't even notice that was in every single picture.

It'd be like me saying, I'm going to go do my taxes and turn it in.

It'll be fine.

Well, I don't understand the nuances of any of that, and I don't want to screw up on something that important.

So it's kind of the same.

Everybody has a gift mix.

So I'm happy to help with the design part.

It's so funny because you also have that house that kind of deserves a certain style.

True.

And, you know, you and I are on the West Coast.

And there's, you know, generations of homes that just didn't exist out here as we see it.

Let's go.

And maybe you don't have the right house for that project or it can.

Be done, but you really have to understand that you're devoting yourself to quite a process, for sure.

Gil Schaefer is an incredible architect who's world renowned, and his specialty is taking these old homes and remaking them for today's families and lifestyles.

And his collection of work is so beautiful.

And each project is very distinct.

And I think I did a really fun exercise with a friend of mine who's a designer and out of Boston, Debbie Daly.

And she does a lot of older homes in that area.

And we talked about all the challenges and opportunities of design in Taco used to do.

And it's really interesting to see, you know, what does she come up against stylistically and how is that different from California?

Very different.

But the approach can be very similar to how you want to solve those challenges that come up.

So I think when you're working with a designer who has a lot of experience and does put the interest of the client first.

You arrive at different solutions than maybe if you were working with someone who has a very distinct look, a curated look, which on Instagram is very meaningful, right?

Yeah, it's very meaningful to have a curated look on Instagram.

But I've been really, really cautious to make sure that, you know, there's a flavor to what you see on my Instagram.

No two projects alike.

So it can be regionally.

And it comes down to referrals too.

Right.

So all of a sudden you can be doing two projects in the same neighborhood, in the same era houses.

And all of a sudden it looks like you've dove on social media into this whole new style world.

But it's just happenstance that you're.

That's what you're working on today, huh?

Yeah, it does go in cycles for, for sure, definitely.

And I think the other fun part is, is how fast trends are changing now.

But you know, back in the day before we had the Internet and that kind of stuff, a project before hit the magazine could be two and a half years old.

And so it took a while to get out to people.

And I had projects that I'd done that, you know, they're like, wow, when did you do that?

Two and a half years ago.

And I had one house that I did, that was the house that REI was founded in.

Even then it took, yeah, almost, almost three years before it made it out into a magazine and got featured because it just took that long.

And nowadays, you know, your clients sharing up your idea board before they leave your parking lot at your office and the styles out there.

So, you know, I always say that I can tell the styles are probably towards the end when it starts to show up in Target and Home Depot.

I like say that is correct.

You know, 10 years ago everybody was talking about oil rub bronze.

Oh, that's the new brass or the new chrome or the new brushed nickel.

Or all that around the house.

We'll be Right back where we help you find your style in your home.

To find out more, head to Aroundthe House online dot com.

See you after the break.

Welcome back to the around the House show.

To find out more or contact the show, head to our new updated [email protected].

Now let's get back to talking about how designers help you find your style with Wendy Glaster from Wendy Glacier Interiors.

And the styles out there.

So, you know, I always say that I can tell the styles are probably towards the end when it starts to show up in Target and Home Depot.

I would say that is correct.

You know, 10 years ago, everybody was talking about oil rub bronze.

Oh, that's the new brass or the new chrome or the new brushed nickel or all that stuff.

And then, you know, all of a sudden, now we're into that white oak and black hardware.

Well, that's kind of run its course.

Yes.

You know, and it's hard, too, because, I mean, it was everywhere.

I would have, you know, young families coming to me building their first home all excited, and they'd bring a stack of pictures that all looked exactly the same.

And it was all rift white oak, which is three times as much the cost as an alder cabinet.

And they just could not understand how their cabinet budget could be so high.

And I just said, well, it's, it's just the variety of wood that you're choosing and you want inset and you want, you know, you're looking at these homes that, A, are not in our area, B, the wealth index is very different there than it is here.

And it's just not, it's not apples to apples, and it would just make so many people sad.

And I remember this one cute little gal, she was pregnant with her second little boy, and she wanted the perfect kitchen.

And we worked so hard to get it done.

Her husband is a sheriff, and so a lot of us kind of went in on this together as a thank you for all of his service.

And I finally convinced her to do an alder cabinet instead of a rift white oak for the island.

And all of a sudden, she started seeing the really pretty stained alder islands showing up.

Wendy, I'm so glad you didn't let me do the other.

And it would have been so much more money and da, da, da, da.

But it was just like, just in good conscience.

I can't, I can't ask you to spend money like that when I know in like a year people are going to get tired of it and change their mind again.

So it is so crazy out there.

And I, I was just doing some looking yesterday, doing some research, and I'm seeing big, big publications.

And I'm just going to call Houzz out for that, going, yeah, minor kitchen model, doing a nice, you know, cabinets, countertops and stuff is average $48,000.

And I'm like, what are you talking, Are you going to IKEA and doing an 8 by 10 kitchen and putting laminate on it?

I mean, really, that's, that's not accurate.

You know, if you're paying for something to do this, we're not just in a kitchen model.

We're not talking.

It can get six figures very, very quickly by the time you, you do that.

And I think that's one of the issues that we see out there is, is that with all the information that we have out there on social media and, you know, people, oh, I gotta have this couch.

Great.

That's a $17,000 couch.

And they were hoping it was going to be a $600 couch they could buy on the Internet.

Well, I also, I feel like there are those manufacturers that represent their furnishings in a space that is not typical of a, of a regular American home.

And so people purchase these things, not understanding scale and proportion and texture and color, and bring it home to their cute little townhouse and it eats up their whole room.

And there's.

I calls all the time, Wendy.

I bought all the things from the magazine exactly like it was, but my room does not look like that.

Why?

Like, well, let's talk about finishing and, and scale.

And, you know, it's, it's hard because in a sense, I am there to protect them from things happening like that.

I really want people to love their space at the end, selfishly, because I, I want them to have great feelings about me and my team and everybody that, that we got, you know, that we work together on this project.

But that also means really having some hard conversations about what is and is not feasible.

So, like, for example, I have a returning client.

I did a commercial building for them, and they had me come and look at their home because they had a very distinct vision for what they wanted moving forward.

And they, they described it to me in detail what the vision was.

And there was no way that home was going to work.

And I've never had to do this before.

But I told them, I said, I just, just, I just think you have to move.

And I'm sorry.

Like, you know, would have been a very profitable job for me to do, but it never would have gotten them where they wanted to go and they would have lost out on the opportunity they have to live in this gorgeous place they found.

So sometimes, you know, the truth is hard to accept at first, but in the long run it does make things easier.

To your point about when you have seasoned designer working for you with you then.

But you can save a lot of money and heartache and grief because it's their job to protect you.

And then it can be a lot more joyful experience than it would be if you tried it all alone.

You know, we've got listeners and friends and people that are out there just getting their first house and they're maybe getting out of that tiny apartment or condo, getting to their first house, and they just start jumping online and buying stuff.

And it's so tempting.

You can be doing it at 11 o' clock at night while you're trying to go to sleep and wind down.

I think the most expensive piece of furniture you buy is the online Amazon couch that shows up in the 22 boxes that you have to put together.

Because I haven't seen one yet that doesn't deserve to go in a dumpster in six weeks to six months.

You know, the first time you've got six people over sitting on the couch, something breaks, people are on the floor and you're throwing money away.

And it's like I, if I could get a message out for people, it's a flag that I'm kind of waving more and more is be intentional when you're buying furniture and buy a piece that's going to last you more than a year and oh, it's cheap.

I'll get something later.

Well, do you have a truck to go take that to the dump in?

Because that's kind of your next move, you know, with that couch.

And it's just, why load up the landfill?

Why go spend hundreds of dollars when you could have just spent a little bit more and had something that lasted you through the style, which could be a, you know, eight to 10 years.

Yeah, that and also I think really well done.

Thrift stores have some beautiful pieces that like thrift stores.

And also I have some friends who have an art gallery in a town real close by called Turlock.

And their art gallery is the gallery Finesse.

And I love it because they import all kinds of beautiful things from all over the world and they have this little set.

I love it so much.

I still don't have a place for it yet, but I'm hopeful.

But it's this little French parlor set love seat and two chairs and an ottoman and this wild French velvet upholstery.

Cool.

And you look at it and think that would be very uncomfortable because it's kind of low to the ground and da da da da.

But you sit in it and it is so well proportioned, whether you're tall or short or wide or narrow or.

And it's just the neatest thing because you.

It's such a great demonstration of how really well built furniture does stand the test of time.

And maybe the proportions are not the same as they are now, but if you have a smaller townhome or a pretty, you know, primary suite that you'd like to furnish but not a lot of room, that's the perfect thing for it.

Oh yeah.

And you can get it for a song relative to.

I mean, you could get it for the equivalent of what you'd probably pay for the Amazon sofa.

Exactly.

But it's antique and it's perfect and it feels amazing.

And there's a story.

I wouldn't say a lot of thrifted upholstery is good.

It's not you, you know, I mean, you want to make sure there's not things in there, but if it's a reputable store, you can find some beautiful things.

And it's so much fun.

I have a favorite shopping place here in Portland.

It's kind of across the river from downtown on the east side.

But it's an old, originally an old Packard dealership.

So it's two stories and so it was a car dealership.

Huge.

Takes up a whole city block and it's called Urbanite.

And they have probably 25 or 30 different thrift store people inside of it with furniture, with art.

You know, for a while there, Alec Baldwin's kids had a place in there where they were putting in places from their like estate in Paris or whatever that they were closing out and just wild stuff.

And you can go in there and find that mid century built in, you know, that was the entertainment center of then that just had the built in radio record player and was so super cool.

And reasonable prices around the house.

We'll be right back.

Welcome back to the around the House show.

To find out more or contact the show, head to our new updated website ataroundthe house online dot com.

Now let's get back to talking about how designers help you find your style with Wendy Glaster from Wendy Glacier Interiors.

You know, and it is just one of those places where you can go in there and buy a.

Buy buy your favorite record from the 70s or turn around and buy some beautiful furniture that's been well cared for that will last you forever.

And every time you go in there, there's something different because there's enough traffic in there that they're moving stuff.

And every time it's like a really great find.

And so it's really fun to go look at that kind of stuff.

So, yeah, oh, I'd love to go there.

That sounds great.

But yeah, I think special little places like that really are a designer's best secret because I can source fine European art at the Galerie Finesse and I can source the most beautiful original, you know, vintage mid century modern pieces.

And you know, there are pieces that have been signed or furniture pieces that have the stamp from the manufacturer.

All these neat things that I just think it's, it's fun to bring in things that have a past and a story when it's possible because then it's unique to you and to your home and to your environment and then it doesn't look like everybody else's.

And that is essentially the point of having a designer is, yes, you want a beautiful home, you want to be protected and make good choices, but you also want something that no one else is going to see anywhere else too.

And that's just a really fun way to go about it.

It's like a treasure hunt.

It is.

I picked up off of Facebook Marketplace, another great place to find stuff.

But a dry bar to go in your house.

And it is so cool.

It is that classic almost boomerang bar looking thing with the carved pieces on it.

Totally cool.

150 Bucks I'm refinishing because it had been, you know, it was just well used.

But even for what back then would have been an import, inexpensive import piece.

And I don't feel bad doing it because it's not a name brand, it's not one of the big name brand pieces.

So I can kind of have make it my own with some fun and not feel like I'm destroying a piece of history.

But yeah, you won't get in trouble with Antiques Roadshow.

Yeah, I don't, you know, but they're not wrong.

That dining room table was gorgeous.

Oh, yeah.

I cleaned it all up before he came down here.

Well, that was 250, 50,000.

Now it's 10,000 because you cleaned it, you know, and it's just some of that stuff.

It's like you gotta slow down.

Careful.

Yeah, gotta slow down.

I did a deep Internet search.

I mean, I was Google imaging search.

I couldn't find a single example of it.

So I found it was kind of a knockoff of some like old Broyhill stuff and some of that cool stuff back in the day.

But I don't feel bad about modifying that.

I do feel bad about taking some of the more vintage pieces that are gorgeous and I, I like to kind of leave them as their own.

Now if it needs, you know, needs upholstery to it, that's where you take it over to your upholster and have them fix it up and do something and have it restored.

And then it's like a new piece again, except just probably much more better built.

Unless you're getting into the higher end stuff.

True.

Yes.

I would say that's very accurate.

And I think that's something that people, it startles people when they look for fine furniture, what the cost is involved.

But if you look at how that thing is put together and all the hands that touch it and the quality of the material.

Deal.

It's like if you get a bid for a bathroom, right.

You're gonna see some, some contractors just give you a number.

Oh, your bathroom's gonna cost blank.

That's other contractors, you know, put it all out and bullet the whole thing out.

And then you can say, oh, well, I might not be in love with this number, but at least I understand.

Same thing with furniture and with artwork.

If I think if you are interested and you want to learn and you want to understand more, it does become more meaningful and interesting, certainly.

And a part of the fun, really.

Yeah, tough.

Especially when you get into the expensive stuff because you really have to get experts involved and.

Is this a real thing?

Are we paying for a real thing?

Is this a, a knockoff?

Is it a copy?

Is it something that's similar?

What are you dealing with?

And so that can be its own special world.

When you get into artwork.

Yeah.

There are a lot of interior art consultants that work with designers that, I think that, you know, when you're talking about really, really high end art, that's not a bad idea.

Yeah.

If you don't have someone locally, then you definitely need to seek those people out.

I got a buddy that used to work in Southern California that was a.

He was a low voltage guy back in the day before they were integrators and smart home people.

But he would go around and do that stuff in Southern California and he told me a story that he used to go around and Jack Nicholson would call him up because every time that he would move his art around, they would have to move the alarms, move the lighting, change it all around and he would just call up and Jack would be there to T shirt and almost his underwear.

Changing stuff around in the living room, waving his arms around, put this over here.

And they would be getting into the systems to make sure things didn't go off and, and then changing things around and interesting.

I'm like, that's a whole new world.

You know that stuff because you know when you've got guys like that that can go out and get something that you would see in a museum in a, in a major city, it's sitting in their living room.

That's a whole other level of art that most people don't even get to touch.

So yeah, yes, it is, it is.

I think it's been sort of fun for me because there have been a few occasions when I've worked with clients and they really needed good looking artwork.

Like they had beautiful furniture and their.

The scale of the rooms was really well proportioned, high ceilings, the lighting was just right, but it didn't have any good artwork.

And it didn't matter what you put in there, it just fell flat because it was.

Just had to make a statement, it.

Wasn't special and everything else was.

Yeah.

So it was really fun because we started them on a path of fine art collecting with the gallery finesse.

And so, you know, every birthday or anniversary or Christmas, they would seek out another piece for the collection.

And it was so much fun to see their enthusiasm.

And then, you know, each, each piece has a special meaning and it started to tell their story because they really loved going to Europe with their girls and they like to buy pieces that reminded them of their trips or scenes of places they had been together.

So it was a lot of fun to see them put that together.

And then on the other hand, I have other clients have a very contemporary art style and design or like an eye for very, very high contemporary stuff.

So that's been fun because there are a couple of local artists that do some gorgeous things.

So we've done commission work with them and the clients get to know the artists and it's the.

This big thing and it's just for them and it really enhances the project overall.

So that's been a lot of fun too.

I've dabbled in it for my house.

You know, I get things, I see stuff that I like.

It's not, not really meant to Be an investment.

I get it because I like it.

And.

But it's fun to go back every few years and look and go, what's this worth now?

And then you see it at an auction and you're like, that's cool.

That's tripled in price, you know.

Yeah.

I'm so smart.

Look at what I figured out.

That's cool.

Yes.

There's a photographer.

So when my son was really little, gosh, he must have been like two.

I did this fundraiser for a local like charity sorority thing and for the tree foundation locally.

So we had this big event and party and people auctioned off like paintings or photography of trees or whatever.

And Roman Lawrence is a very famous photographer now, but he was just starting off back then and he had this beautiful photo called the Two Hearted Oak.

And nobody bid on it.

And so I bought it.

Hot dog.

And I think I bought it for 250.

Okay, nice.

Now I can't really say what it's worth a lot more.

We'll just say a lot more.

So.

But it makes me so happy that like, oh, I saw something that meant something to me and it really worked out.

I mean, how often does that happen?

So it's, you know, fun little things like that that make a difference and it's a fun thing to talk about.

I bought a piece that was a.

And they had found some of them and put them up for sale on ebay.

They had been in a storeroom and found some, put it up.

I picked it up for the hundreds of dollars and now, you know, 20 years later, it's worth a lot more.

You know, some of that stuff where I'm like, wow, that really gone up in value and it's so cool.

It's in good shape still.

I'm now getting to the point on some of these things and I'm like, I really need to get a better frame for that.

And yeah, there's some stuff I need to do on this stuff.

And by the way, if you've never been out to a professional quality frame shop and spent money on that, hold onto your wallet in your purse.

It is not inexpensive.

No, it, it's, it can be as much or more than the piece.

Yeah, yeah, yeah.

I learned that recently.

I want a price on this.

And you gulp.

Okay.

Yes.

Are we hand carving this or what are we doing?

You know, I know it had been probably six years since the last really big piece I'd had done and my son got a hold of a Mon.

No Montana jersey.

Yeah, I think Joe Montana anyway, for my husband.

So I was gonna frame it for the man caves.

I went into the framer, we worked it.

The UV glass, the little fillet, the mat, the whole thing.

It was beautiful.

Holy Toledo.

It was like three times what the jersey itself cost.

You could have probably paid for him to show up.

Yeah, you probably could have paid for Joe Montana to show up and do a public appearance at your house.

For the price of the frame, it.

Would have come close probably.

Yeah.

So I can't.

But at that time, you know, I was already down that path.

You're on the road.

And I just thought, well, but that's the last time that's gonna happen, I think for a long time.

So it just adds up.

So just be prepared out there when you're out going.

I'm gonna take this down to the frame shop.

Yeah, breathe heavy first because you're gonna, you're gonna choke.

You're gonna choke.

Yeah.

It's not polite probably to say, but you know, Michael's or hobby lobby, they do have really good sales.

And some of the experts that they have in their frame shops are really talented people.

So if you would like something that's a more approach, still want it to.

To make sure it is professionally done.

They do have good options there.

I've been impressed for some clients.

Different little projects we've taken in.

Yeah, that's a great tip because.

Yeah, that stuff adds up quick, you know.

Yeah.

And they've always got a coupon.

I've always got something.

They always got something.

One thing Wendy, I want to talk about too is, you know, when you, when you're designing for people, it seems, and this is maybe a trend over the.

So many times when I've gone in on the design side of things, people just have too much stuff.

Yeah, that's the problem.

Problem, you know, and you, you know it.

Client tastes are client tastes.

But you can have, you know, 40 pounds of mud in the 10 pound sack and less can be more most of the time.

So, yes, I actually, I spent some time with a client in Arizona last week styling her space.

She had downsized and moved into a brand new space across the country.

Her place is beautiful.

I'm really happy for her.

But she is a person who has a lot of space stuff and a lot of interests and a lot of frames and a lot of photos and they're all different.

And it was hard to explain why I was staging these different areas the way I was.

Without sounding like I didn't like the way she did things.

It's not that I don't like the way she does things.

It's that there were so many things you couldn't see the individual things to appreciate them.

And that's pretty much how I went about trying to explain it.

And then, of course, the visual triangle, when you're putting accessories out, you want to see kind of a triangle because the eye likes that, and you want to see different textures and greenery makes a difference, and all those little design principles that can make a bookcase sing or scream.

I was trying to explain those things, and I do think she got it.

And I even taped a little tutorial for her that I think I'll probably put up later, but just to try to explain why we need some visual emptiness next to something that has a little more powerful statement being made and just to give it air around it and space for people to appreciate it.

So it is.

It can be tough.

And that's why I really love working with a professional organizer, too, because I can't.

She's awesome.

I don't always want to be the person who's giving the bad news, like, no, you can't do this.

No, you can't do that, because that's just really a trap.

People get sick of hearing you say no.

Yeah, yeah.

But sometimes they need that no, even though it's tough.

So, yeah, it's.

It's.

It's just I pray a lot about saying it in a kind and loving way that they can receive it in the spirit in which it's intended and not feel criticized or, you know, put on the spot.

Yeah.

How nicely can you say, I don't think this is going to give you the result you're looking for?

That's really good, Eric.

That's what I need to say.

That's.

That's what.

That was one of the ones that I would use.

That was the one in my back pocket that I was always throwing out going, I'm not sure this is going to get us there.

And here's why.

That's really good, you know, And I.

Tie it back to not my goal, but their goal, you know, and that's kind of how I've always done it, is like, I don't think this is going to get you what you want, which makes you be a little more of a savior of the situation versus the criticizer, you know?

Yes.

Excellent.

Excellent.

I will employ that in my next endeavor.

Yeah, that one works.

One of the biggest challenges I think out there is color because so many people, let's say in their 20s or 30s, came up with their.

Figured out what their color palette is that they like.

Yes, it can be really dated when you go 10, 15, 20 years down the road.

I think, I think that can be challenged.

It can.

If you've been invited there to give them a refresh, then that can be a jumping off point for a conversation about a different color palette.

If they have an artwork collection and you see a common thread of color through the pieces that you think you could call out and have it be a little more aesthetically acceptable or pleasing, then you could do that.

I am struggling right now.

I have a client who, who, who really wants a different color on the wall.

Desperately wants it to be brighter.

Actually, they don't know about the color.

It's more about.

I just want it to be brighter.

Where we're putting in sexually a 10 foot window and a 12 foot slider and we're painting the ceiling and we're changing.

I mean, it's going to be brighter no matter what.

Even if the room was painted black, it would be brighter.

But you know, when you have a room like that with so much natural light, you can't have a stark white paint or you'll go blind.

Yeah.

And so it's been a hard thing to try to explain.

Let's wait on the color, let's get the light in here and then make a choice.

Because I don't want to keep telling them, no, you can't have a brighter color.

But they can't because, I mean, all their little kids will have.

It's going to look like an office building.

Yeah.

Put office carpet in it.

Yeah.

Oh, my gosh.

I laughed so hard.

About a month ago, I was on one of the designer Facebook groups out there, and this newer designer goes, I found the most beautiful white color.

I can't wait to use it on a lot of projects.

What do you guys think of Navajo White?

And I went, oh, my gosh.

We went full circle.

And I'm like, are you kidding me?

Are we back full circle now?

We have gone back usually.

I mean that does happen.

Look at gold.

You know, gold hit the, the 60s, 70s, 80s, 90s, died out and it came right back again in a different phase.

So.

Yeah, and it's kind of fun.

It's so fun when colors come back around.

As a designer, for me it's been hard because I really had gold was the one that I had to really let my death grip loose of because I had spent so many decades getting rid of it of that cheap builder grade, not even quick set handles, but.

Just that it was like a dipped shiny gold mess.

Shiny gold, yeah, whatever that was.

And I was going to brushed and I was just like, I can't do it.

It took me like six months of going, having to let that go.

It was, it was all me.

But I had to let it go before I could get excited of it.

And that really changed how I look on.

Okay, wait a minute, minute.

These things always come back in a new thing.

A few years ago now we saw the, the 60s, 70s colors popping back up at the, you know, design and construction week down there.

And now we're starting to see it's, it's almost on schedule now.

It's, we're getting into the later 70s colors, into the dark greens.

And I'm like, okay, yep, when's that coming in?

And I'm like, are we jumping now to the 80s and the 90s?

Are we're going to see, you know, dusty blue chickens on the wall again or what are we doing here?

Well, you know, Pantone did have that dusty blue and love was the color, color of the year three years ago.

Yeah, I thought I was gonna die.

I'm just like, what?

No, this is so mean.

You can't do this to me.

I, I mean, I love last year, but.

Yeah, last year I think Pantone came out with that other beige color.

And I went, oh, yeah.

And I, and I made fun of it on the episode when we talked about colors because I said.

But I had.

People will probably correct me now in this, in the comments, but to me,.

I think I called it the honest truth.

Yeah, it's been a rental for 10 years.

Beige, you know, that's what I was going to call it.

So.

Yeah, it's true.

I know.

I think that's the thing is just when you have the privilege of designing for a lot of different kinds of people with different kinds of esthetics, it keeps it fun and interesting and fresh because everything does come back around.

But you need to use it in a fresh, interesting new way.

And a lot of times, that's with the application of different technologies and different kinds of lighting and different arrangement of items or shown in a different way.

And it is always a challenge to keep growing and learning, and it's so much fun to do that.

And it's just so kind of people to trust you and I with their homes and the look of everything that surrounds them every day.

And it's just a real privilege.

So I'm really grateful that I have so many different kinds of aesthetics.

I get to work with different kinds of people that I can.

And for the homeowners out there, you know, all you guys in the audience, this is for you.

Don't be intimidated trying to hire that designer.

Find the right one that.

That works with you, that collaborates with you, that will help guide you through the process.

You will always end up with a better project.

I've never seen one where it went completely sideways, that I was like, oof.

If you've got that good relationship, it just amplifies what your aesthetic is and really, really pulls it off versus you doing the best you can.

Use their expertise to get you across the finish line.

Because I think it's.

It's super important.

And there's so many times that I go into projects and they're like, oh, I just did this.

I'm like.

In my head, I'm like, I wish she would have consulted with a designer for an hour to get on the right direction, you know, especially when picking out hard surfaces that you're not going to redo for a number of years.

The shower tile, the bathrooms, the countertops, the stuff that you're putting the investment in, and expensive furniture.

Work with people so you get the right thing the first time.

Agreed.

Yeah.

You know, I think sometimes people are intimidated by designers, and designers have earned a bad rap.

And some of it is well earned.

It just depends.

I think the thing is, if you're worried about hiring a designer because you think they're intimidating, or they're going to look down on you, or they're going to not respect your budget or all those different things, then they're not the designer for you.

You, but there is a designer who is for you, who can work with you, who will put your mind at ease and guide you through the process.

So I would just say the.

The biggest thing in selecting a designer is that you believe that they have your best interest at heart, that they understand they are working for you because it is a service industry, and that they are Willing to be kind and explain the whys and hows of the choices that they're asking you to make so that you can feel safe asking questions and wanting to know why and saying, you know, I don't think I.

We talked enough about this thing or that thing, and I really want to revisit it so that you can enjoy it.

Because it's not something you're going to do every day and you should enjoy it.

And there's a lot of money at stake.

So I just, I don't know.

I just respect your own intuition and your own feelings about the people that you meet.

Don't settle for someone that you.

You don't really feel comfortable with.

And then I think you'll really enjoy the process.

Yeah.

Do a little research on where they come from.

There's a lot of different paths to being a designer, whether you went through the college or a trade school or, or whatever you did to get where you are.

And at the same time, there's a lot of people out there that, well, they couldn't hack it in real estate or, or making coffee for people.

Now they put a designer hat on and now they got TV shows.

But anyway.

But they have a great skill set with their personality and they have a great support team.

Absolutely.

Which are designers that are doing that for them.

So, yes.

There you go.

And everybody gets to make a living.

Absolutely.

Wendy, thanks for coming on today.

How do people find you if they're like, oh, my gosh, I got to get Wendy here on my big project going on, or even not a big project.

Every project can be a big project depending on what you're doing.

But how do people find you?

WendyGlasterInteriors.com and Glacier is spelled G L A I S T E R. And it's that you can use that for email, for my website, for Instagram, to see all the things that we're up to and the places that we're going and people that we get to work with.

And thank you so much for having me, Eric.

It's always a real pleasure.

It's fun.

We just had design time.

We didn't have John in here.

So you get to slide up into the co host seat today.

And thanks for taking the time.

Thanks for making the time.

I appreciate it.

Have a great day.

You too.

I'm Eric.

Eric Chi.

Thanks for tuning in to around the.

House.

Make it through fall show.

Yeah, but it's a wide and roll, not.