Designing woman and all that Jaz
Acclaimed American interior decorator Billy Baldwin often told his clients to be faithful to their own tastes, because nothing they really like is ever out of style.
Bridgewater certified interior decorator Jasmine Patterson said her greatest satisfaction is building relationships with her clients and helping them create stylish spaces they can enjoy for many years.
Following graduation from Ottawa’s Algonquin College, Patterson launched Jaz Decor in 2013. She re-located from the nation’s capital to Truro two years later, then moved to the South Shore in 2017.
Patterson offers many inhome decorating services, including pick-her-brain hourly consultations, colour consultations, room packages, kitchen and bathroom design, wall coverings, custom blinds, and draperies.
“I go to the clients’ homes. Depending on the level of consultation required, I would take samples of paint, fabrics and other materials, look at the space, then discuss what clients like or don’t like,” said Patterson.
“For the design package, I provide a free initial consultation, which takes no more than an hour. If the client is happy with my suggestions, and chooses to refresh more than one space in the home or wants more finishes or a design concept, we proceed to the next step in the design process,” she said.
“I enjoy working with many different decorating styles and I love being challenged. My clients range from young people starting out in their first homes to seniors wanting to refresh their living space,” she added.
At the end of the designpackage consultation, clients receive a detailed reference binder, which helps them navigate through the renovation or decorating process, whether they do the work themselves or they hire a contractor.
Included in the binder are any necessary sample boards, 2D Autocad drawings, 3D drawings, a shopping list, budget, specification sheets and any other relevant material.
Though most of her clients are situated on the South Shore, Patterson provides decorating consulting services remotely from her Bridgewater home to clients in other regions, including Ottawa.
According to Patterson, wallpaper is making a comeback, although the legions of irritated homeowners who have had to scrape off layer upon layer of stubborn oldtimey wallpaper might need some convincing.
“Accent walls are popular these days. People cover one wall in a room with an eyecatching wallpaper, or maybe just the top half of a wall above beadboard wainscoting,” said Patterson.
“Hanging and removing wallpaper is no longer the frustrating job of the past. We use a brand of wallpaper whose designs are printed on a backing with a special prepasted adhesive. It smooths effortlessly onto a wall and removes in full strips when it’s time to re-decorate,” she said.
“What has improved is the paste, and even if you purchase an unpasted wallpaper, it’s easy to work with. Also, I plan to try a new peel-andstick paper in my daughter’s room. It works like a sticker. You peel off the back, stick it on the wall, then smooth it out. It can be removed just as easily,” she added.
Patterson said many of her clients have hung the wallpaper themselves, and no one has expressed any concerns. She said she can recommend a competent paper hanger if clients don’t want to tackle the job.
The uncertainties and restrictions of the pandemic have not adversely affected Jaz Decor’s business growth.
“I feel sorry for the many businesses that were forced to close or cut back their hours of operation, but I was fortunate to see my business increase during COVID,” said Patterson, who is married to a paramedic and is the mother of two young children under the age of three.
Kathy Boehner of Martin’s River has high praise for Patterson and her decorating capabilities.
“Jasmine helped me design my beautiful and functional kitchen, which I had waited 20 years to do. I had a long list of wants, and Jasmine was very patient and listened to what I wanted. She even helped me convince my husband that a kitchen peninsula was a good idea,” said Boehner.
“She picked out tiles for me to choose from, and provided options for lighting and inserts for the cupboards to make use of every bit of space. We worked together to design a kitchen I love,” she said.
Candace Higney and fiancé Jeremie Gauthier are first-time homeowners who purchased a fixer-upper in Dayspring last September. They have no experience renovating or decorating, so they contacted Patterson after hearing from some of her satisfied clients and seeing examples of her work.
“Originally, we asked Jasmine to check out our house and give her opinion on how we could maximize our space in each room, as we planned to gut renovate most of the house and start fresh,” said Higney.
“After receiving her help, we were able to lock down our new layout plans and start remodelling,” she said.
Higney said they are doing most of the renovation work themselves, with help from family and friends.
“Over the past several months, we have put a lot of time into demolition and reframing walls. About a month ago we reached out to Jasmine again as we were ready to tackle the kitchen,” she said.
“The kitchen is quite large, yet the space was not utilized as optimally as it could be. Jasmine helped us plan our dream kitchen. She listened to all our wishes, took precise measurements and designed three different layout concepts for us to choose from. She then contacted local suppliers and showed us sample flooring and tiles to give us an idea of how it would all come together,” she added.
Higney said Patterson provided her and Gauthier with quotes for cabinets, countertops, flooring and lighting to help them get an idea of costs and where to start purchasing the necessary building products.
“Jasmine has been extremely reliable, caring and dedicated to being there for us every step of the way. She has shared so much knowledge about design. We are young, inexperienced renovators and Jasmine has made us feel more confident in our abilities. We couldn’t be happier with her consulting services,” said Higney.
For more details about Jaz Decor, call 902-514-2539 or email jazdecor@live.com.