DONE WITH GAINESVILLE...

... For work at least. I can't even tell you how good it feels to be done with this project!! So many little details + demanding install schedule + extreme Florida heat/humidity = not fun for Rebecca for the majority of August/September. In the end, the project looks great and I think that the staff/residents are very pleased. Check out the pictures of the project - for this one we purchased, installed and even designed some(oo-la-la) of the furniture for pool area, lounges, leasing office, fitness center and the apartment units. Definitely a large undertaking - again, I am just excited to be on this side of the finish line!!

Below are the pictures of the model units that we furnished and decorated - I think they turned out pretty well! There were 500 apartments in all that we put furniture in.

One thing that I have learned since I graduated and started working in interior design... every time I think or especially every time I say "I don't do [insert undesirable design-related (or unrelated for that matter) task here]" I find that it is somehow miraculously added to my job description for that day, or sometimes as a permanent fixture. After Calico Corners, I added "window treatments" to this list. After this project, I would like to add the following items to my job description (in addition to any normal interior design tasks including purchasing & punching furniture):

1. Delivery/On-site Contact - when items (like furniture) are shipped to a site, they come on a large freight truck and you will have a delivery window... sometimes days... sometimes hours or when it will arrive. I was the contact for these truck drivers when they were headed our way... definitely a new experience. The day that one of the drivers recognized my name/# on the order and when I picked up his call and heard "Hey girl, I am headed your way" I realized that this could not be good...

2. Semi-truck/traffic Director - this jobsite was so tight that we would have to block traffic on University Avenue to back the 53' semi-trucks by the church. I would usually get the task of waiving it into the lot - safety vest and all... attractive, I know.

3. Water Girl - When the temperature was 105 degrees outside and we had a deadline to meet to get furniture off freight trucks and into buildings, I made runs for water or in this case GATOR-aid :).

4. Trash Superviser - One week of the installation I had several furniture vendors sharing the same dumpster... in this case, I had to keep an eye on the level of the trash in the dumpster so that we could get it dumped/returned, etc. It was at the moment when I had to climb up the side of the 12' tall dumpster to lean inside to see the trash level that I had to chant/remind myself "I love my job, I love my job, I love my job."

5. Tour Guide - this was my favorite job description addition :). Since this project was in Gainesville and everyone on the jobsite - my company, the General contractor and the furniture vendor, was from Birmingham - everyone wanted my consultation on their dinner choices, evening activities, etc. It was a lot of fun showing my co-workers the wonderful world of the Gators - Gainesville, FL.

I really am so thankful for my job - I am doing something that I love and for a great company. I am able to travel and see my projects in person and in this case, got to see some of my friends and family along the way as well. Although, I will say... the next time I go to Gainesville, FL, I am glad that it will be for a Gator game or to see friends/family instead of for work. :)