Beyond the Office: Moments of Humor and Heartfelt Connections

In the hustle and bustle of our professional lives, it's easy to forget the real, human experiences that continue to unfold around us every day. So, in this blog, we're taking a lighter approach to share some of the funny, heartwarming, shocking, and occasionally hair-raising moments experienced by our team on the job.

A Life Reminder! 

Designer: At an install last week, I had a lovely conversation with two women eating dinner at the senior living community. During our conversation, it came up that I was going on a weekend vacation with my husband for our wedding anniversary.

One of the ladies said; Make sure to put your phone away, be present in the moment, and enjoy your time together. 

It made me tear up as it became evident that she was a widow and missed those times she had spent with her husband. Her words resonated deeply, serving as a gentle nudge to appreciate the time I have with my husband, especially on our upcoming anniversary weekend.

A Cheerful Motivator

Designer: During an installation a few weeks ago, we encountered a kind resident, a sweet gentleman who consistently checked in on us. Every time we crossed paths, he offered words of encouragement and motivation. Despite facing mobility challenges, his cheerful attitude uplifted me and made the installation process feel significantly smoother.

An Unexpected Helper!

Designer: When walking into a memory care remodel to check on the status of the construction, a well-dressed lady came up to me and asked if she could help me. I responded, "We just wanted to see if the painting is complete so we can move in furniture." 

Oh Yes, she replied; it will be finished on Thursday, and the carpet begins on Monday. What day did you want to move in? I replied with the day, and she confirmed they would be ready. 

Then minutes later, a different woman came walking down the hallway and asked if I needed help. Nope, Martha answered all the questions for me, I replied. She then mentioned that I had been speaking to a resident and not a staff member. I wish all of our clients were as organized on our installation dates as Martha appeared to be. 

A Subtle Persuasion

Designer: While recently doing a walkthrough of the building to evaluate the scope of work. One of the residents noticed we were the new interior designers and began following us. When she deemed an opportune time, she started a casual conversation with us, all while hinting at the fact that the community and residents definitely "needed" a swimming pool. 

If only we had the power to make those decisions. But it was a great effort on her part, and we enjoyed talking with her and getting all the juicy details of the community. 

It Belongs To The Residents! 

Designer: After I moved accessories around three times in a lounge area late at night. A resident in jammies came around the corner and exclaimed, "Who keeps moving these around? This is MY living room! 

Great lesson: do it once, and then it belongs to the residents!

Everyone Deserves A Beautiful Space!

Designer: A while back, I was at a ribbon cutting in Illinois, and the developer had to include some affordable housing apartments for this particular community. One of the affordable housing unit residents was in tears and told us she was so thankful because she never thought she would be able to live in such a nice community.

How Kevin Became Part of THD 

Procurement: Our old FF&E suitcase broke, so of course, we purchased a bright new yellow suitcase that we named Kevin(after the animated Despicable Me Minion character).

Kevin travels to every install with us and is always a checked bag when we fly. We only refer to our suitcase as Kevin. So when we leave, we ask who's taking Kevin. Does Kevin have band-aids and masks? At the airport, we shout who has Kevin? Grab Kevin. He's coming around on the baggage carrier. We like to have fun with it. 

A Critter Scare

Designer: We had a "critter" run out from under some trash on one of our projects. We all whispered, "Don't tell Katie," As we all know, she is terrified of small, furry, rat-like mammals... But it was too late; she had overheard us. So, she made sure to stay as far away from the front desk as possible for the rest of the day.

The Art Thief

Designer: We had designed a sports bar in the front of the senior living community we were installing. While the building was still unoccupied and only the security guard was on site, someone broke into the building and was caught stealing a framed John Elway jersey. 

The contractor didn't tell us the story, so we thought one of the trades had removed the artwork to work on the wall. When we asked who had taken it down and where it was, that's when we were told it had been collected for evidence and was at the police station.  

We then called the evidence department, and they said we could pick it up. So we pulled the PO to prove we purchased and framed the jersey and we went down to the police station to pick it up. 

While walking out of the police station, a UPS driver saw us carrying the jersey, gave a couple of beeps of the horn, and shouted, "Elway"! 

In the tapestry of our professional lives, it's often the unexpected moments like these that add color and depth. From heartfelt reminders to quirky encounters, each experience shared here serves as a reminder of the humanity that threads through our work. As we continue on our journey, may we never lose sight of the laughter, tears, and connections that make every day on the job an adventure worth embracing.

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