We’re all faced with making difficult decisions from time to time.
Like those days when you add a third cookie to your plate or opt for that extra scoop of mac and cheese – with bacon, of course. And those other times when you skip the gym for happy hour or buy yourself that expensive pair of Air Jordans instead of a pair of winter boots.
And for Katie Lord-Smith that time came last month. One day she came to the realization she needed to quit her job. It wasn’t that she didn’t like her job as a special education assistant at Concord High School, because she enjoyed working with the kids. She just knew it wasn’t what was going to make her happy for the long haul.
Walking away from a steady paycheck and a daily routine she had come accustomed to for much of the last two years since moving back to Concord from across the pond (that means England) wasn’t easy. But she needed to try something new.
“When I came back, I got back into it because it was the easiest thing,” Lord-Smith said.
So with the support of her husband, friends and now former co-workers, Lord-Smith veered into the realm of self employment. She had studied interior design in England and wanted to fill her days with mood boards and paint, decor and construction.
“I really wanted to use my studies and I had been thinking of doing my own business for a long time,” she said.
It’s been about a month since she took that giant leap into the unknown and although it’s been slow going thus far, she’s enjoying it. Now all she needs is more clients to work with.
“I have a couple possible projects lined up,” Lord-Smith said. “I also have some ideas in my head of some businesses I’d like to approach.”
If you’ve gone into In A Pinch Cafe & Bakery recently on Pleasant Street, like within the last two weeks, you may have noticed something different about the place. That’s because Lord-Smith used the cafe, where she actually worked her first real job after high school, as her first professional canvas. Sure, she’s redone her grandmother’s kitchen, worked with friends and family and some other projects as a part-time design consultant at Company C, but this was the place where the public could see her skill set on display.
“It looked almost identical to when I worked there,” she said.
And Lord-Smith really had her work cut out for her. With a limited budget and a number of important items on the punch list, this was a challenging redesign. But why not start with a tough one right off the bat? Go big or go home, right?
Before starting, Lord-Smith brought a mood board to owner Sandy Schafer and the her team. They discussed ideas, color schemes and finally decided to give the cafe a country feel. Something that was fun and whimsical and screamed New Hampshire – just not too much. Since it had been about 20 years since In A Pinch saw a face lift, the last thing Lord-Smith wanted to do was overwhelm the cafe’s faithful customers.
“It was such a blank canvas,” she said. “It didn’t have its own style.”
Since she had less than $1,000 and a lot to do, Lord-Smith started with a new paint job.
“Paint is such an easy fix in any space,” she said.
Then it was really about the decor. Without the luxury of replacing the floor or the lighting, it was what she used to build off of. It helped narrow down the paint color possibilities, which then in turn led to the items she used to decorate the space.
“I’ve got experience in taking what you’ve got and making it what you want,” Lord-Smith said,
And in a few short days, In A Pinch had a new look and Lord-Smith had something she could point potential clients to.
“It’s like no other restaurant in Concord,” she said. “I wanted to make it singular and unique.”
With this line of work, people want to see what you’ve done. Since In A Pinch is quite popular, it should get plenty of attention. And now she won’t need to bring people to her grandmother’s kitchen.
“I went in there a lot and saw it needed some help,” Lord-Smith said. “But it was more about marketing myself as it was helping them. I wanted to show people what I can do.”
But you don’t have to own a restaurant, a business or need a complete overhaul of your house to call. Lord-Smith said she’ll do just about any project you can think of. From reorganizing a room to redesigning a space to redoing an entire floor of your house, Lord-Smith is ready to take on whatever you have in mind.
“I want to be able to help people realize what they have,” she said. “It doesn’t always have to be moving walls and tearing up floors. There are lots of ways to make a house or business look beautiful and I love the challenge of going in and seeing what they have to work with.”
She does free in-home (or business) consultations or will even design your event.
“To start I just go in and chat with them to see what they want,” she said.
If you like her ideas, you might soon have a new space to enjoy.
For more info, call 369-2778, email burrowandball@outlook.com or visit burrowandball.com. Lord-Smith is also on Instagram at burrowandball and Facebook at facebook.com/Burrow-Ball-Home-and-Event-Design.
