Tchochkes

Vicki Blakeman has been voted ‘Best Interior Designer in Ventura County’ from 1996 to 2006. What I could not find on her website was by whom she was voted. Her publications page was not working when I was researching this post.

As you know, a few weeks ago I wrote about Vicki’s work here and here. Admittedly, these were not complimentary critiques and also admittedly - never thought she would come across them (yes, I am that stupid…)

She sent this while I was in Omaha for work and I have been deliberating since on how I should proceed with it.

Vicki wrote:

I came across your blog (because you had looked me up) and to my surprise found several unflattering critiques of my work. I wonder if you looked at the whole website or just my before and after photos. Did it ever occur to you that the job of an interior designer is to create for clients–not just for herself? If you want to see what my design looks like for myself, go to living areas page 3 right, 5 left, and 7 both which are all pictures of my own home. Also 4 both shows a home in which I had a free had to create (this is also on before and after) and is very much my taste. Interior design work is an amalgam of the designers taste, the clients taste and wishes, (like the things you didn’t like in the red dining room were all the clients own belongings that she wanted to keep) and the budget you are allocated. Anyway, I take my work seriously and wanted to reply to your critiques. Vicki Blakeman

Fair enough. I went to Vicki’s site and in this post are ‘3 right’ and ‘7 both’. These are pics of Vicki’s home. She’s done rather well for herself.

As these are truly representative of her taste I thought I would give my critique on these. Basically, the only thing I don’t like in the first picture are the twigs. I just have a thing against twings in a vase. It’s an interior designer thing that annoys me. The room is large, elegant, beautiful wood floors, great piano. It’s a fine room. I wonder about the choice of chairs instead of a sofa or loveseat anywhere. I also think it’s kind of safe and impersonal and I prefer more color.

The inlet photo with the statues is too formal for my taste, but basically lovely. It’s for the home that wishes to double as a museum. Not for someone with a two year old who grabs the peanut butter out of the fridge, gets a spoon from the drawer, comes to you, and says ‘open’ (I dread the day he learns how to open the jar on his own.)

The final pic is finely staged.

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