Tell me your thoughts....

I've been toying with the idea of being a home/office decor consultent in SL... people keep telling me I should cause my house & tiki hut are so cool.... but I can't imagine there'd be a huge market as most folks are going to want to do that themselves (ok, I've helped a few guy friends set up house, but still...lol) So...I'm just wondering what you all think. I'm in the process of remodeling my tiki area and selling off a bunch of stuff I'm not going to use cause I have way too much fun coming up with new design plans. Pity I don't build my own houses LOL Anyone think there's a need for that kind of service in SL?

What's the worst that can happen if you offer this service? I think you should give it a go.

I spend a lot of L's on adds and nothing happens LOL That's about the worst...but I'm getting used to it with my shop....I make sales...but I'm getting used to throwing money into adds and not always making it back. lol

Sounds great, just do it for the fun of it with no $$ expectations.

Where can I find the stuff you are getting rid of? My tropical sim needs more tiki!

I tell you what, the amount of times I've turned up with a house on my land and tried to rent it out only to have a woman tell me "You have awful taste", having a home/office decor person would have been bloody useful!

Ok, you guys talked me into it. Ray....if you look up my profile in world...you can TP to my tiki hut...it's in my picks..... Anything I 'can' mark for sale, I'm selling....only thing that sucks is while I can sell my little mini tiki bar...the stools are no transfer. lol typical. If you go...just wander about .... pretty much all the furniture is for sale. (the panther stays tho! lol) I think I even have a transfer copy of the tiki house itself....I'll check ...

I agree this would be a great asset to those that rent out houses. When I first started my rentals I always had people asking for homes that were furnished! So I invested a lot of money into furniture (thank goodness for yard sales back then and now) and furnished them...but not everyone likes my taste. *crosses eyes* Get together with some people that do house rentals and have them maybe pass over your information to people that rent from them. A lot of the men didnt like to decorate on their own, I noticed. Maybe if you team up with those landlords you will get some good clients out of it too, then word of mouth and poof...business

Yes if you`re good, why not.

Should put a portfolio together so people can see what youve done if they want to hire you.

That's a great idea Ashlynn, I'll check into that. And yes...a portfolio...I've ot some pics from a friends house I did a while back...and of course there's my own. Cool...I'm gonna try it. *grin*

Make a business card, or have someone make it if you are not a graphics type, and toss one my way! I will hand it out to people as well.

Dearly Darlings,

I make enough Lindens doing houses and gardens to pay my 40 USD tier for my home in Green. Problem is, when you men are told you have bad taste you don't just surrender and let a woman take charge. I have a sign RL that says: "Any man picking out colors must have a signed note from his wife to do so."
It is cheaper to let a woman have her way that it it to pay for therapy. The things to remember here in SL for any designer who comes in to help you are: BUDGET and PRIMS. Any good designer will appreciate those two parameters.
Also, never let a designer dictate your taste. You will never be happy with the result if you do that in any universe.

I hope you have a lovely evening!

Ever Yours,

Mrs. Showdog Tiger

PS: Milla My husband Maneo thinks you are very talented!

Thanks for all your input!! And Showdog....thank you! Good advice, and you're absolutely right. The friends I have helped...I simply asked them what appealed to them and we went shopping and I helped them put together their own look. I never impose my taste an anyone....that's what MY house is for. LOL

I'm going to do a biz card here soon... lots of projects going on at once so not sure when I'll begin this....but I'm definitely motivated now. Ashlynn I will buzz you as soon as my cards are ready, you're a doll! Thanks all, for the encouragement!!

Now there a BLANKET quote if ever I heard one... For the most part white is a popular colour... only because brides dresses match the kitchen appliances... Dress in what you want, whatever colour you want, decorate the house as you want it.... its your life.
Now thats off my chest.... admittedly... just because someone can use a paint brush, doesn't make them an artist.. nor is a builder a sculptor... It is a useful service for those that actually believe they need it, much like makeovers of the avatar kind. If your friends trust you, it maybe that you are good at it.. or they aren't that good a friend and won't tell you the truth LOL..

Seriously... your work is your portfolio... why not approach a house builder and offer to 'decorate' a few showhomes, leave your calling card and see what happens?

If it is something you want to do than go for it. Anything else defeats the point of Second Life.

I would think there are lot of new residents in need of personal shopper and decorator at least ones with money to burn.
I am man, I may not design, build, texture perfectly but I enjoy doing it.
I don't care what a woman would say about it either but that just me.
A woman would call a man sexist if he said that women should only do womanly duties, serve beer, be beautiful and shut up.
Wonder why its not sexist when a woman sterotypes men?
I guess equality only works if you're of certain group.
To OP, I think you should do what you enjoy and find away to not advertise. We all know the current advertising system is flawed.
Either way doing business is SL is extremely difficult and competive at best. I think you might earn more respect if if you owned and made your own objects that you decorated with.

I sell allot of prefabs and am contstantly being asked if i could interior decorate or recommend someone, so I send them details of a couple of designers I like of similar style, so definately a market I think.

I think it's a very admirable position to take in SL. Interior Design is most definitely an applicable and lucrative career choice. I do quite a bit of jazzing-up of people's establishments and homes.

Word of mouth works best--if you're willing to wait a little while for the spread. In the meantime, place a few ads in classifieds, as well as on the forums.

IM in-world anytime for advice.

was just gonna suggest this! let me know when Your office hours are. hubbeh always says i decorate our homes waaaaaaay to girly, so we need to find a balance between the masculine and feminine. any suggestions?

ps: i should say, Hubby has been experimenting with Home building and we are currently living in a tent of his design. i like it and its far from done as he always finds ways of improving it.just a heads up ^_^