Idbyzm

Directions Website Contact the business

Idbyzm Contact information, map and directions, contact form, opening hours, services, ratings, photos, videos and announcements from Idbyzm, Interior design studio, Washington, DC.

10/09/2026

So you don’t know how to describe your design style? That’s actually okay.

One of the things I hear all the time from clients is, “I don’t really know what my style is, but I know what I like.”

And honestly? That’s enough to start.

Because sometimes your Pinterest board is telling me something completely different from the words you’re using to describe your style. 😂

You might say you love modern interiors, but your saved images are full of vintage furniture, warm woods, rich colors and layered textures.

And that’s where things get interesting.

As a designer, I’m not just looking at the individual rooms you’ve saved. I’m looking for the common threads.

The colors you keep coming back to. The shapes. The materials. The mood. And most importantly, how those spaces make you FEEL.

Because the goal isn’t to put a label on your style or recreate somebody else’s Pinterest board.

It’s to figure out what all those images are telling us about YOU.

And this is actually something we dive into during my Style Alignment Exercise, which is part of my client onboarding process.

We go beyond simply asking what design style you like and start uncovering what you’re naturally drawn to, what you DON’T like, and how you want your home to feel.

Because you don’t need to come to me knowing exactly what your style is.

That’s what we’re going to figure out together.

So if you have 500 saved images and no idea how to describe your style, you’re actually off to a pretty good start. 🤍

Image: source unknown from Pinterest

10/05/2026

So… how much does a kitchen renovation actually cost?

The annoying answer: it depends.

But that doesn’t mean you should go into a renovation without a plan.

As a VERY rough starting point, here’s how I would begin thinking about your total budget:

Cabinetry: 20–30%
Construction + Labor: 20–30%
Appliances: 10–20%
Countertops + Backsplash: 10–15%
Plumbing + Lighting + Hardware: 5–10%
Design Fees: 8–15%
Contingency: 10–15%

Important: These aren’t meant to add up perfectly. They’re planning RANGES, not a formula.

Every kitchen is going to distribute that money differently depending on your priorities, location, scope, materials and how you actually live.

Someone might keep their existing floors and layout, which lowers their construction costs, but spend significantly more on appliances and stone.

Someone else might prioritize custom cabinetry and choose a more moderately priced appliance package.

There isn’t one “right” percentage breakdown.

The goal is to give every dollar a job before you start falling in love with things — because spending more in one category usually means making a choice somewhere else.

And PLEASE leave room for contingency. 🙃

Next up: I’m sharing the ACTUAL numbers from a kitchen I designed — total cost, where the money went, and what that budget actually bought.

Save this one if a kitchen renovation is somewhere in your future. 🤍

10/02/2026

Thinking about renovating your kitchen? Start here.

Before Pinterest. Before cabinet quotes. Before calling three contractors.

These are the first 4 questions I’d ask yourself:

1. What actually isn’t working in your current kitchen?
2. How much are you actually willing to change?
3. What is your realistic budget?
4. How long are you planning to stay in this house?

Answer those BEFORE you start picking all the pretty things.

Because the first step in a kitchen renovation isn’t choosing your countertop.

It’s figuring out what you’re actually trying to accomplish.

Next up: BUDGET — because that’s probably the next big thing we need to talk about. 👀

Follow along for Part 2, where I’ll break down how I would actually start building a kitchen renovation budget and comment below if you have any other questions you want me to answer!

09/18/2026

You do NOT need to quit your job to start figuring out what’s next.

And honestly… sometimes you literally can’t.

You have a mortgage. kids. health insurance. bills. groceries (why can I never spend less than $200?!) A life that still needs to function while you figure out the next version of yourself.

I think we hear “just take the leap” so often that if we’re not in a position to take some massive leap, we convince ourselves we can’t start at all.

But those aren’t your only two options.

You don’t have to blow up your life.

You also don’t have to keep ignoring the thing you can’t stop thinking about.

Maybe you give it two hours on a Sunday.

Take the class.

Send the email.

Ask someone to coffee.

Make the account.

Start saving.

Research the thing you’ve been Googling for the last three years. 😂

You don’t need to know how you’re getting to step 27.

You just need to figure out what step ONE looks like for YOUR life right now.

And then take it. 🤍

Send this to the friend who keeps telling you, “I want to, but…”

Image: Paddington Terrace staircase by S&A Stairs in Australia

What do kids running through water, a vintage Defender, driftwood and a seashell have to do with designing a kitchen?Hon...
09/14/2026

What do kids running through water, a vintage Defender, driftwood and a seashell have to do with designing a kitchen?

Honestly… a lot.

Meet Project Emerald Tide!

A kitchen + sitting room renovation for a young family of five in Potomac, MD…and a perfect example of why I don’t think a mood board should just be a collection of pretty kitchens.

Before I start choosing cabinet colors, stone or lighting, I want to understand how a home should feel.

For this one: calming, California casual and timeless.

Relaxed enough for three kids running through the house. Elevated without feeling precious. Natural materials, warm woods, creamy stone, deep watery greens and pieces that feel collected rather than overly designed.

The goal isn’t to copy any one inspiration image.

It’s to take the feeling behind all of them and translate it into a home that feels completely specific to the people who live there.

Because the best compliment I can get at the end of a project isn’t:

“Your designer did a beautiful job.”

It’s:

“This house feels so us.”

And now we get to turn all of this into an actual kitchen.

Welcome to Project Emerald Tide!

09/10/2026

Turns out one of the harder parts of building a business is learning when NOT to take the business.

Saying no is easy when you have a waitlist, a full calendar, and another opportunity waiting right behind it.

Saying no when you’re still growing?

VERY different feeling.

There’s a little voice that immediately starts with:

But what if another client doesn’t come?
What if I should just take it?
Am I really in a position to be turning down work?

And I’m learning that maybe building the business I actually want requires getting comfortable with some of that uncertainty.

Because every “yes” takes up time, energy and space that could have gone toward something that’s actually aligned.

And I think this applies to so much more than business.

Sometimes the hardest thing isn’t knowing something isn’t right for you.

It’s trusting yourself enough to say no before you know what’s coming next.

Still working on that part over here.

But if you’re in a season of questioning whether you should keep saying yes to something just because you’re scared there won’t be another opportunity…

I get it.

Maybe confidence isn’t knowing for sure that something better is coming.

Maybe it’s trusting yourself enough to leave room for it anyway. 🤍

09/09/2026

Send this to your partner if you’re still trying to convince them why you need to hire an interior designer.

Because no, it’s not just about making your house pretty.

It’s about not spending six months thinking about the same countertop.

Or ordering three rugs and returning all of them.

Or not inviting guests over because you are too embarrassed.

Or having 47 decisions floating around in your brain while someone is asking you what grout color you want and you’re thinking, I literally do not care anymore. 😂

The more I build this business, the more I’m realizing that what I’m really giving my clients isn’t just good design.

It’s clarity + confidence.

Clarity around what you actually want.

Confidence that all of the individual decisions are working toward one cohesive vision.

And someone to finally say, “This is the one. Here’s why. Let’s move on.”

Because decision fatigue is REAL — especially when those decisions are expensive, permanent-ish, and all connected to each other.

So yes, technically you hired me to help pick the countertop.

But what you’re really paying me for is to stop thinking about the damn countertop. 😂

You’re welcome, partners everywhere.

09/08/2026

Starting over at 38 looks a little different than I thought it would.

There are kids and school schedules and bills and a whole lot more fear than I probably had at 22. There’s also a lot more clarity about the kind of life I actually want to build.

I’ve spent a LOT of time wondering if I waited too long, if I had enough time, enough confidence, enough money, enough experience… basically waiting to feel “ready.”

Spoiler: I still don’t. 😂

But I’m doing it anyway.

And I want to share more of what that actually looks like…the design, the clients, the business, the mistakes, the money 😬, motherhood, and everything I’m learning while I figure it out.

But more than anything, I hope this little corner of the internet can be for the woman who has something she can’t stop thinking about.

The idea. The career change. The thing that feels like hers.

You don’t need to blow up your life tomorrow.

You don’t need to have it all figured out.

You can just start somewhere, little by little.

So, welcome to my bestie group chat. 🤍

New project alert! This is , it’s a funky one and I have to admit…I might’ve made things a little difficult for my clie...
08/05/2026

New project alert!

This is , it’s a funky one and I have to admit…

I might’ve made things a little difficult for my clients because I fell in love with both of these directions. 😂

I love the graphic blue, the mustard, the olive greens…

But I also can’t stop thinking about the gingham, the vintage-inspired pieces, and all those cozy layers.

The goal was never to create a “toddler room.”

It was to create a room that grows up with him, one that feels playful today but still feels cool years from now.

So… if you were the client…

Which direction gets your vote? Option 1 💙or Option 2🤎? Comment below 👇🏼

07/01/2026

Confession… 👀

The clients who end up with the most personal, meaningful homes aren’t necessarily the ones with the biggest budgets.

They’re usually the ones who know themselves.

The ones who can say, “I don’t love that tile.”
The ones who laugh when something doesn’t go as planned.
The ones who trust their gut instead of chasing perfection.
And the ones who are willing to step just a little outside their comfort zone.

I’ve realized over the years that great design has so much less to do with picking the “right” sofa or the trendiest kitchen.

It’s really about creating a space that feels like you.

That only happens when there’s honesty, trust, and a willingness to embrace something that wasn’t on your Pinterest board.

The best projects I’ve ever worked on weren’t perfect because every decision was easy.

They were successful because my clients trusted the process—and themselves.

So now I’m curious…

What’s a green flag that instantly makes you enjoy working with someone? (Doesn’t have to be interior design!)

I’d love to hear everyone’s answers. 👇🏼

Address

Washington, DC

Website

Alerts

Be the first to know and let us send you an email when Idbyzm posts news and promotions. Your email address will not be used for any other purpose, and you can unsubscribe at any time.

Contact The Business

Send a message to Idbyzm:

Shortcuts

Share

Category