Punch List: Ready, Set … Finished!

The carpets are spread, the curtains are hung, the furniture and paintings in place, the lighting levels set, the fixtures aimed, the bookshelves artfully arranged, the kitchen outfitted, the towels stacked, and the beds are made—and yet—the harried-but-in-control Interior Designer, Kate Reid, continues her crusade for the perfectly timed design installation. With the clients’ Fourth of July unveiling of their new summer home, and “umpteen” guests descending like locusts and a plethora of local friends curious to see the result of a two-year renovation, the pressure is on.First challenge: The tile for the bunk room and bathroom, promised four months ago, but only arriving last week, is still missing the baseboard tiles. What to do since the tile man is at his wit’s end and the client’s post-college crew, with comrades in tow, are arriving two days early? Solution: Substitute wood baseboards until the kids and their friends depart—all the while urging the vendor to FedEx the tiles as soon as possible.

Next challenge: None of the kitchen platters, nor the husband’s favorite monolithic espresso maker, have yet appeared from Williams-Sonoma. Instead, Ms. Reid unveils an inscribed wedding platter—clearly intended for some other unhappy bride-to-be—requiring the phone calls to track down this most important kitchen detail and forcing her to make a quick dash to the local barista for a double espresso to satisfy the client’s caffeine withdrawal.

The frantic pace continues because the powder room is awaiting the installation of 26 framed cocktail napkins with snappy sayings, such as, “I keep child-proofing my house but they still manage to get in.” The framed napkins need to be perfectly aligned in a grid on the powder room wall. Needless to say, the pressure is on as the clock strikes, “Done!”

Next on the list, Ms. Reid needs to stock the powder room vanity. She has selected a white-rimmed black, lacquered tray, on which sits the sugar-lychee-scented bath gel and companion body lotion—a heavenly combination from Fresh. An elegant spray bottle of air freshener with a reeded balloon pump graces the counter alongside the chic Italian matches. Soap dishes with the local club’s luncheon menu laminated on thin glass remind the visitor of local nostalgia.

In the midst of all this hubbub, the landscaper comes to me to advise him on the placement of the new birch tree, the mini box hedge and the incredibly beautiful hydrangea shrubs, and also needs advice on how to trim the overgrown beech tree! Thank goodness gardening is one of my passions and favorite pastimes.

Next is the task to photograph all the beds so that we can leave an image of the perfectly made bed in each bedside drawer. These will serve as instructions for the housekeeper on how to dress the beds, plump the pillows and pouf the duvets and coverlets just right.

Moving swiftly from the guest bedrooms and on to the bathrooms, Ms. Reid is waylaid by the plumber and his dilemma as to what new showerhead to buy. The client says the existing showerhead feels like pins and needles and asked for it to be replaced. Of course this is easily resolved, because Ms. Reid has a font of faucet recommendations as a result of multiple past installations.

And so she resumes the next task on her to-do list: making sure the guest baths are properly provisioned.

It is a common trait that amnesiac guests often forget even the most basic necessities. Therefore, a smart and thoughtful hostess keeps a full supply of bath accessories on hand, all of which lands on the designer’s docket. Ms. Reid foresees this and has a checklist of all the items she bought at the local pharmacy. On the counter, grouped on a tray, is the sunblock, soy face cleanser, Kiehl’s Facial Fuel After-Shave for men, lip balm, lavender nail polish remover, a pair of water glasses, shower gel and body lotion. In the top drawer she places a Harry Josh hair dryer—known as the finest among the cognoscenti—a choice of several nail polish colors, emery boards, tweezers and nail clippers. In the next drawer she sets disposable his and hers razors, newly packaged toothbrushes and toothpaste, Advil, Alka-Seltzer packets and tooth whiteners. Below the sink are tissues, extra towels, and dark washcloths that will mask the make-up removal.

Final Challenge: Last but not least, unbeknownst to all of us, the client’s husband has ordered a prefabricated outdoor kitchen that requires trenching, channeling, plumbing and electric work to be installed. It arrives just days before the deadline set by the village association that requires all construction work to halt for the summer. Not to be daunted, Ms. Reid’s resourcefulness and persuasive abilities help pave the way for a timely installation.

With the punch list complete, and the clients’ expectations met, the guests and children are met at the airport and happily settle in—never suspecting for a moment the melee, the mayhem or chaos that preceded their arrival just moments before they burst through the screen door! They are ready to enjoy a comfy, serene and most hospitable stay in this lovely home.

All in a week’s work—a piece of cake for the experienced designer.