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Jean Sharratt knows how to make the most out of any space. The veteran interior designer from Appleton, who runs Bulldog Associates Worldwide, specializes in space planning and custom cabinetry design. One of her kitchen-dining area designs was recently featured in the March issue of This Old House magazine, in an article on storage solutions. It’s the second time her work has been featured in that publication.
Sharratt, a native of England, appreciates the exposure that an appearance in a national magazine sparks.
“It can put me on another level,” she said, sitting in the upstairs office of her recently remodeled 1880s Cape, where she lives with her husband, Michael, and their bull mastiff, Lenny.
Ann Poole, whose kitchen was renovated by Sharratt last winter and early spring, is a fan of the designer’s work.
“She was wonderful,” said Poole, of Edgecomb. “She was great to work with, and has a great design background. She was able to pick up on the changes we wanted, and helped them to come along. It’s been a great relationship with her.”
Poole and her husband, Dirk, bought the property in 1990, and had the kitchen renovated then, but were never completely satisfied with it. A friend put them in touch with Sharratt. Her design included a sleek, black granite countertop and impressive birch cabinetry custom-built by David Goodale of Montville, along with such winning little touches as using hanging baskets as drawers and a corner area built in for Kayla, the couple’s shar-pei dog.
“She really helped us stay focused and guided us,” Ann Poole said. “There’s always disagreements, and to have someone objective is really helpful. We learned a lot from Jean about the process.”
Since going in business 61/2 years ago, Sharratt, who has been an interior designer since the mid-’80s, has developed an extensive network of Maine craftsmen whom she recommends to implement her designs.
“I’ve been overwhelmed with the depth of talent, and at how far-reaching their client base is, both in America and abroad,” she said. “That’s why I can explain to clients from metropolitan areas that we have everything we need here.”
Sharratt’s training began at the international design firm Smallbone of Devizes in England. The company’s approach emphasized space planning and custom interiors that featured historic paint techniques and the work of local artisans. Her territory covered Wales, Scotland and Northern England, an area rife with old properties, experience that has served her well since her move to Maine.
Sharratt and her engineer husband were involved for a number of years in the sailing industry, living in such locations as Spain, Greece and Switzerland. They discovered Maine on annual summer sails up from the Caribbean, finally moving to the state eight years ago, when Michael took a marine-engineer position at a Tenants Harbor boatyard. Deciding there was a good opportunity in Maine for her business, the designer drove all over the state, making professional contacts.
Her design philosophy is “Modern life need not mean abandoning the handmade in favor of mass production.”
“It’s not out of people’s budgets to have handmade elements,” Sharratt explained. “The price of custom cabinetry can be very close to what people can buy direct [for]. It’s not out of the realm [of possibility] for people to think of something semi-custom.”
About 70 percent of Sharratt’s projects are remodeling jobs, with the other 30 percent new construction. These projects have been for native Mainers, for transplants living here full time and for summer people. She works both directly with clients or with contractors and architects.
“The best designs have resulted when I have been brought in at the beginning of a project [as an aid to the architect or builder], when initial layout has been approved by the client but details have not been specified,” she said. “But I do like remodeling, because that’s where the space planning comes in.”
Sharratt begins by meeting with the client in the space to be designed, bringing along samples and product literature.
“I’ll sit down with them, to see where they’re coming from, what their lifestyle is,” she said. “We do a little forward thinking about what’s going to happen in the future. I want to really get a feel of what they want to achieve. Some could care less, while others are very specific.”
She will draw some preliminary plans and-or sketches, and either meet with the clients again or mail the designs to them.
Each job will have a budget in place.
“There are ways to help people achieve a lot,” Sharratt said. “If they’re set on doing one thing one way, then they may have to compromise in another area. Also, you have to put a certain amount on top, because it’s always going to go over-budget.”
Another challenge is balancing what the client wants against what actually works in a given space.
“I don’t try to put my ideas in stone over to them,” Sharratt said. “I see how they respond to certain pictures in magazines and ideas they’ve picked up in their travels, and add in elements of that. But there has to be a balance of what’s going to be appropriate to their home. Because I’ve lived in different countries, I’m able to interpret a design that they will feel comfortable with long term.”
Next comes finalizing the designs with the clients, at which point the work involved goes out to bid. Usually, Sharratt now is working closely with the project contractor.
“Everything goes in sequence,” she said. “My job is to make sure everything goes on schedule.”
Clients don’t always understand what an interior designer does, Sharratt said.
“Clients often confuse the role of interior designer with an interior decorator, whose main role is to help individuals achieve a certain look to their home’s interior by selection of fabrics, window treatments, upholstery, etc., and who may have a showroom facility carrying a large selection of these items as samples or for resale that clients can look over. They don’t usually draw up detailed floor plans.”
A recent proliferation of home-improvement books, magazines and TV shows and the Internet have led to better-informed clients, which can be a mixed blessing for a designer.
“Sometimes a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing,” Sharratt said. “It’s good they have the knowledge, because it makes it easier when we do meet that they have some ideas of what’s out there. In some cases, there’s too many choices. I help them narrow down the selection to what I feel is a base from which to start evolving the design of a room.”
Because of her expertise with space planning, kitchens have been her prime work. That room is also the most expensive to remodel, ranging from $9,000 to $50,000, largely because of the electrical appliances and the plumbing components involved.
The cost of remodeling bathrooms can range widely, depending on what the clients want.
“They can range from [people who want] a spa-type environment, with luxurious showers, whirlpool, fixtures and a walk-in closet to someone who wants to feel comfortable in a space with invigorating or relaxing colors. It may only mean updating lighting and the fixtures.”
Bedrooms and living areas are the cheapest to remodel.
“You can easily revitalize a room and give it a different sense of space,” Sharratt said. “They can always work with the furniture they’ve got, which can be revamped with fabric, upholstery and cushions. A lot can be achieved through the cosmetics or fabric, accent pieces and artwork. Lighting is very important. You need to see if it works in a functional, appealing way.”
Sharratt can help out clients with smaller budgets by getting them started.
“I’ll do a floor plan, or an elevation, for people, which they can take to a dealer,” she said. “I’ll give them a checklist, and tell them ‘You go and search for this,’ so they don’t have to pay me for my time. I’ll steer them in the right direction.”
Sharratt’s business card still also lists an English address, but she’s doing less work overseas these days.
“Also, I visit the U.K. to source unique items not found in the U.S., to include architectural salvage from my contacts,” she said.
Each project is a growth experience, Sharratt said.
“At the end of it, I feel [the clients] have learned a lot and I’ve learned a lot on each project,” she said. “If it feels like home to them, then I’ve achieved what I wanted to.”
For more information, access www.bdoginteriors.com or contact 785-2887 (phone), 785-2889 (fax) or info@bdoginteriors.com.
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