On the Move: Decorating Advice from a Frequent Mover : Interior Design Blog

As Robb & Stucky Creative Director, I live and breathe interior design. I love designing our gorgeous stores and I love decorating my own house. I’m not afraid of change. In fact, I love it. Over the years, I’ve had occasion to submit many a change-of-address card to the U.S. Post Office. I’ve become a seasoned mover. Whether you’re moving across state lines (I highly recommend Florida) or across town, whether your downsizing or upsizing, moves are an opportunity to reinvent your space and yourself. Don’t believe me? Here’s how.


First, PLAN your move. A good to-do checklist can eliminate chaos on moving day, but there’s really much more you can do. Maybe now’s the time to donate that sofa you’ve been “over” for years to Habitat for Humanity’s ReStore (a Robb & Stucky favorite charity). Use Robb & Stucky’s new floor planning program to channel your inner designer. By all means, if you have a relationship with an interior designer, pull that pro into the planning mix.

Part of the planning process includes thinking about fundamental design essentials like paint color, flooring and lighting. Develop a paint plan that flows from room to room. A fresh coat of Sherwin Williams or resurfaced floors pre-moving day make great sense so long as your movers are experienced and attentive. Older homes are sometimes “lighting challenged.” Presto! The solution may be as simple as Robb & Stucky’s standout selection of floor lamps, or more complex, like installed lighting.

By all means, plan your exterior spaces too. Today’s Florida homes often extend well beyond the official square footage tally.
As movers, we need to open our minds AND our doors. A smart planning process should include garden, patio, deck, lanai and beyond!

My next recommendation is GO WITH THE FLOW. In other words, don’t over plan! No, I’m not contradicting myself. While you do want to create an orderly, orchestrated move, don’t make important living decisions prematurely. It’s important to get intimate with your new space, understand how you’ll live in it, what rooms make great sense and which need work.

As an example, if you’re moving into an older house, you may find – as I did – that a formal dining room is a seldom-used luxury. Maybe that space would sing as a home office or a den. Take some time to figure out how the space is going to flow for you and your family before making big decisions.

Finally, EXPECT THE UNEXPECTED. Believe me, your move (and the start of your new life) will be a much better experience if you let go of preconceived notions and prepare for surprises. Like when Home Depot arrives to deliver and install a brand-new washer and dryer only to discover a ventless laundry room. Yes, this happened to good friends of mine.
Bumps in the road needn’t leave you in a ditch. It’s all about mindset!

To wrap up, if you’d like to see the results of my latest “move,” I invite you to visit my home away from home, Robb & Stucky’s Fort Myers store. If you’ve not been in lately, well, you’ve not been. My work at Robb & Stucky is all about changing and reinventing spaces with new colors, new architecture, new furniture and new floor plans. It’s inspiring work for me and, hopefully, for our shoppers too.

ABOUT MARK STUART: People impressed and inspired by the Robb & Stucky showroom often wonder where we get our ideas. Meet our creative mastermind Mark Stuart, a Florida transplant from Indiana. As Robb & Stucky Creative Director, Mark is responsible for the floor plan and visual display of all Robb & Stucky stores. In his spare time, he also shops the world for accessories and engages with our amazing buying team on wood and upholstery selections so our stores enchant as a unified, beautiful experience.