The Sunny Side of the Street...

So last post had me "coming out" behind the retail curtain.  Some truth telling is a good thing.  I had several business people call to share their experience.  I think we are all part of the human condition and have hard days, no matter what business/job you are in.   It helps to share this from time to time. 

On the flips side...
What wonderful feedback we have been getting and THANK YOU all who share that with us! 

Yesterday a lovely customer of our came in and told us that "Not only did you save me thousands of dollars on the overall project, but all of you were so helpful!  I think I worked with everyone of your staff, Amy, and they were all so patient and kind."  YEA!!! 

Another women told me that, though we were not credited in a magazine spread of her house, the drapes we designed and produced in our workroom MADE the room!  She was disapointed that the magazine had not given us credit, but her calling to give us the feedback made all the difference to us!

We get positive feedback everyday, and THAT is what I should keep front and center in my mind and work for that each day.

The Duck and Cover of Retail

It's Spring and perhaps my spring cleaning is coming from the inside out today.  Trying to wipe out the cobwebs of doubt and second guessing that occasionally plague us all.

Retail is a funny business. Not speaking "ha ha" funny.  The nature of this beast is that you never know who will walk in the door or call on the phone.  99% of the time that is a wonderful thing.  We are blessed with wonderful customers and clients who appreciate our sincere effort to help them and challenge our creative brains to come up with solutions to their design dilemma's.  What a great job!

Then there are the other unknown forces that send in that person who challenge us well beyond our creativity.  That customer is not happy with us, and inevitably they are the one who goes on line and accuses us of all kinds of things that leave me scratching my head and my stomach turning.  How could they have had THAT experience HERE??  Sure, we are not perfect, we keep learning...but a kinder, more sincere group of people I have never met.  This wonderful group of folks I am PROUD to call my staff.

There are days like today, when I feel like the Mole in the "Whack a Mole" game at the fair.  Really, truly, I feel pommeled over the head... and all with the sincere effort to do the best work I can each day.  From all walks of life and work we all do our best.  Retail opens anyone up to vent and take their bad day out on the person behind the counter.  Have you ever taken your bad day out on a server or retail person?

So there you have an honest slice of my world.  Tomorrow will be a new day and I will once again be all gratitude for how lucky I am to be in this job- today I just hope I am fast enough not to be hit with the mallet!

And let's close with some cheery fabric and a rug!

Fabric and Kids...

It is an all too common refrain here at the store.  I have kids, so I don't want to get something "nice."

Oh folks, that makes me so sad!

Consider this:  Your kids will be influenced by their visual environment.  Surrounding them with "nice" things will only give them the opportunity to appreciate what "nice" is.  Also consider that you are compromising your own environment for what, 18 years?  Are you really going to settle for all that time?  

We abide by the rule of surrounding yourself with things that you really love.  After all, isn't your home your sanctuary?  Shouldn't it make you feel good - help restore you after a long and busy week?  Sure kids can destroy things in seconds, but by following a few rules of thumb you can have what you love, and benefit the whole family!

There are many many fabric choices that will be durable for heavy family use.  Actually, MOST fabrics for furniture are meant for just that!  The industry has a set of testing standards in place, but we have found that people tend to get hung up those numbers.  Believe us when we tell you that the majority of the fabrics we carry are fully intended for day to day wear!

Organic patterns hide the most dirt and spotting.  If you think about it, most spills and stains happen in organic shapes so they naturally blend in until you get around to cleaning them. (Got a 3 year old?...you are not likely to get around to cleaning upholstery that often!).  Also, most fabrics can have a stain guard applied by your upholsterer if necessary.

Here is what I would stay away from.  Silk for upholstery, unless you have it on a small piece in an area the kids are not permitted to crawl or jump on (and good luck with that).  Come to think of it, ever have an adult spill red wine at a party? Life happens and stains along with it!   And if you really live in fear of stains, just buy a few extra yards to redo that cushion if ever needed.  Think of it a "fabric insurance" policy.  

Polyester "ultra suede" is still highly favored by many parents, and I don't want to dismiss it, but I do think there are more interesting choices.  If you prefer a solid fabric, especially for larger pieces like sofas, choose something with a durable texture like a boucle, tweed or tight chenille.  Many of these great "solids" are really many colors woven together and ultimately hide more than a smooth, one-color fabric. 

Here is an example of a perfectly durable, colorful, and family friendly room we pulled together with a few of our in-stock fabrics:

 

Charisma - Ocean $31.99 100% Poleyester, M8372 - Wheat $16.99 Cotton/Polyester

Comfortable, durable, and cozy our Charisma chenille is ideal for the family couch, while the cheerful golden M8372 would be great for a window seat, ottoman, or floor pillows.

Marley - Indigo $41.99 Poly/Cotton/Rayon

M8998 - Capri $26.99 poly/cotton

With its rich tones and playful scale, Marley would be fantastic on a chaise, or a pair of large and comfy chairs.  The modern lines and cool color palette of M8998 lends itself perfectly to a few throw pillows tossed on the couch.  

 

And to ground it all take a look at our Avalon rug.  It is a 100% wool handmade rug, that starts at only $575 for a 4.5'x6.5'.  Wool is a great fiber for children and pets because it is inherently stain resistant, easily cleaned, and really durable.  Plus, these rugs are created by a company that is Goodweave certified, which means no child labor was involved!

So what do you think?  Are you inspired to seize the opportunity for influencing your kids (while they don't even realize you are doing it) and introduce them to great design!!

Every room needs a little animal...

And speaking of a classic…Can we all agree that life is more fun with a little Leopard?!!  (or whatever animal you may love).  Every room needs a little animal, and leopard can actually act as a neutral when done right.

As a rule, we tend to abide by the “ a little goes a long way” school of thought on this one.  But hey, if you want to go crazy, there is a way to accomplish it tastefully - but it is tricky so please do not try to over animal print alone.  Seek the guidance of an interior decorator or a friend with superb taste.  

If you are wary, start out small.  Pillows and throws (both for end of the bed or on a sofa) are an easy way to add a dash of animal print.

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An ottoman would be really fun:

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And then there is the headboard…nuph said!

(This headboard was actually created by one of our own 

staff members! See what she wrote about it here.)

We have several great animal prints in stock, including the faux-fur seen above. 

 Cheetah - Fudge $29.99

 

Leo - Coral $14.99 / Cub - Tan $13.99

 

M8272 - Ebony $26.99

Snow Leopard - Gold $29.99

Leonardo - Peach $32.99 *outdoor fabric*

Houndstooth

What makes a classic, classic?  Obviously there are some patterns and motifs that are re-used over and over, and for the most part we never tire of them.  We may fall harder for certain ones from time to time, but for us something qualifies as a classic when it can be successfully reinterpreted year after year. 

 

When I look for classic patterns to bring into the store I want something that feels fresh and current, and usually it is a subtle change in either color or scale that does the trick. 

Houndstooth is definitely a classic pattern.  In the last year both Interior Designers and the garment world have fallen for it big, but it really never goes out of style as it has been around forever! That timeless quality allows you to mix it with many other patterns throughout the years, and it never gets old.  You can also dress it up or keep it casual.  Don’t we all love a little flexibility? 

We currently have several houndstooth patterns in the store to suite all decor styles!  Want to inject a little color?   We are loving this over-sized chartreuse & white pixelated version for the modern space:

 

This great gray & yellow, and juicy orange & cream just arrived today:

 

Craving a little subtlety?  This warm neutral one is a large enough scale to keep it from being too much of a wallflower, and the hand is just SO soft! We are imaging this as cozy floor pillows in a family room, or a couple of slipper chairs flanking a carved-wood fireplace mantel.

And don't forget how handsome a more traditional black & tan can look!

Here they are all together so you can get a better sense of their different scales:

Maureen-Rust $23.99 / Houndster-3001 $41.99 / Haberdash-Citrus $29.99 / R Chatham-Black $35.99

Even with the best of efforts, we all know that things go aerie from time to time.  I like to think it is how you respond to problems that really define your working character.  My father always said, “Let’s work the problem." 

Recently we had just such an opportunity.  We had worked out a design problem with a great solution  - or so we thought!  At closer inspection we found a missing piece of info that did not get into the flow of communication.   Because our customer gave us the opportunity to make it right, and did so with calm and grace, we in turn were able to get right on the solution.

We received the following note from her in thanks:

“…thanks so much for making this right, it's often said that you don't know how good customer service is until something goes wrong and I truly appreciate your effort to make sure I'm happy with the final outcome.”

We just love all of our wonderful customers and look forward to working with her again in the future!

 

In other news - have you been by and seen our new paint job?  I created that stencil when we first moved into the building and finally was able to use it!

"Amy Chair" Happines

Typically when I do an "Amy Chair" I start by getting to know the client, where the chair is going to be in their home, and what sort of feeling they want it to have.  Together, we pick the main fabric and the chair frame and then I go to work choosing complimentary fabrics, and design where each will go to best enhance the frame. 

One of the best part of doing my “Amy Chairs” is the people who order them, and this could not be truer than my recent experience working with Margit.  

After picking out our “inspiration fabric” (the lovely crewel embroidery), but before I had even started my process, I received a letter from her that included the following… 

“Finding your website, I had a pretty good idea that I had stumbled upon something cool. Walking in to your store, I felt totally in a “happy place” and after meeting with you, looking at your art and talking about things, I know this is going to be completely awesome!”

Well, getting that feedback even before starting the chair was lovely, and I happily went to work combining fabrics! 

The chair was completed and sat in the store for a few days before Margit could arrange a pick-up, and it quickly became a favorite.  It pretty much had its own little fan club, but of course the ones that were most important to please were Margit and her husband Mark.  I was out of town when it was finally taken home and so of course I was anxiously awaiting their feedback. (Remember - they hadn't seen or known about any of the fabrics I used except for the crewel!)  I received this email today...  

“The chair and ottoman are spectacular and we absolutely LOVE them!!!  Mark sits in it ALL the time and says it feels like an old friend that's always been here. : )” 

I’m thrilled!  Nothing beats doing work you love and having this response!! 

Thank you Margit!!

 

And this was the before:

 

As you can see, I wanted a specific placement of the embroidery, and so I actually drew on the chair where and how I wanted the pattern placed!