Outdoor Couture

New To Market...Sunbrella Rugs

2008-09-24T12:04:00.000-07:00

New to Market for this 2009 season is an Indoor / Outdoor Braided -Texture Area Rug & Accessory Collection from a partnership between Sunbrella & Colonial Mills. These Sunbrella rugs feature 100% Sunbrella acrylic yarn and contain 50% recycled content derived from reclaimed Sunbrella fabric and fiber waste.

Both companies have worked together to provide customers with the opportunity to customize their very own Sunbrella rug. The choices are many, starting with twelve carefully selected yarn colors such as Mink, Mushroom, Pumpkin, Garnet, Basil, Feldspar, Papyrus, Alpaca, Wheat Cornflower and Granite. There are six different styles to choose from. You can mix and match the colors to accent a deep seating outdoor living space or a dining area.

In an effort to protect our environment and encourage sustainability Sunbrella and CMI are taking advantage of Sunbrella’s Renaissance recycling program by utilizing yarns with 50% of the content derived from reclaimed Sunbrella fabric and fiber waste. They have worked out a process of bringing in cut waste from several customers then regenerating fiber from that material. CMI adds no more than 50% virgin fiber to the mix to control color and quality. The result is a yarn with a worsted wool look that is perfect for rugs either indoors or out.

The best features of Sunbrella fabrics are also found with the construction of these flat braided rugs. The rugs are durable, fade resistant, easy to clean and reversible. I recently designed an octagon rug for a love seat collection that added just the right finishing touch to the vignette setting. I do think it’s a lovely product and if you have any questions or would like more information please contact me at mblake@outdoorinteriors.com

Secrets for Success

2008-09-22T15:03:00.000-07:00

Secrets for Success: "

For the third time, the OW Lee showroom has won the CFR Merchandising Presentation Award given to showrooms under 5000 square feet. It is unlik...

Casual Market Creates Psychological Influences

2008-09-22T15:00:00.000-07:00

Casual Market Creates Psychological Influences: "

The first day of market is always full of anticipation, excitement and activity. The hallways are buzzing with people, the showrooms are ready, loo...

Secrets for Success

2008-09-22T14:54:00.000-07:00

Secrets for Success: "

For the third time, the OW Lee showroom has won the CFR Merchandising Presentation Award given to showrooms under 5000 square feet. It is unlik...

How to Prepare for a Disaster

2008-09-02T13:14:00.000-07:00

Is there any real way that you can prepare yourself, your family, your co-workers and friends for a disaster? The answer to this is yes and no. Of course there are certain things that we can all do to prepare for all sorts of situations, such as hurricanes, earthquakes, tornados, floods, fires or other such disasters. There are steps to take preparing for and responding to an emergency situation. Here is an online resource to get started www.prepare.org

The part of the equation that is most difficult to prepare for is the emotional turmoil that is associated with any disaster. Coping with the trauma and emotions that precede the event and follow shortly after, takes skill, patience, faith and sometimes-professional help.

I just read Bruce Aronson’s blog entry on “What To Do In Case Of Hurricane!” and it brings to mind a disaster that affected me over 14 years ago, the 1994 Northridge Earthquake in California. My family and I thought we were prepared for an earthquake. We had only lived in California, earthquake country, for 6 years, we had educated ourselves as much as possible and we created our very own earthquake kit, which consisted of water, food, a radio, batteries, first aid kit, money, $100 in small denominations, and probably some other items that I am neglecting to mention. We owned earthquake insurance and discussed our exit strategy in the event of an earthquake. No matter how prepared my husband and I thought we were, I can assure you we had no idea of the actual impact of this event on our lives, emotionally or physically, and in retrospect we were not as prepared as we should have been.

The shaking in our home on that Monday morning in January 1994 rudely awakened us. My husband and I instantly realized that we were experiencing an earthquake and we reacted immediately by running down the hallway to collect our three children and get all of us to a safer place. The funny thing about our earthquake kit is that it resided in our entry closet that was now impossible to get into since the entire house had structurally changed and the door would no longer open. All of the north and south walls moved out of the house, some walls fell down, along with most of the furniture, and we came to find out that the home was structurally destroyed.

In an instant our life had changed in so many ways that it is impossible to write them all down here for you to read. But the lasting impression that I would like to leave with you is the importance to educate yourself and your families on the situations that you need to be prepared for wherever it is that you live. The Internet is a wonderful resource to help you in this quest for knowledge. Don’t sit by and think that you are immune from forces that are not within our control and take the time to prepare for an event that I pray will never affect you. It is always better to be safe than sorry.

Then consider how you can help those who are in harms way or are dealing with the aftermath of a disaster.

If you have a question or comment… please write. Marcia Blake

Outdoor Couture: Beach, Picnic & Sporting Events Umbrella

2008-08-28T13:09:00.000-07:00

Outdoor Couture: Beach, Picnic & Sporting Events Umbrella

Beach, Picnic & Sporting Events Umbrella

2008-08-28T12:49:00.000-07:00

Beach Pockets Umbrella...Product Review

Are you looking for an environmentally friendly outdoor accessory that was voted the #1 Favorite Summer Gadget by the television show The View and was part of the Golden Globes celebrity gift basket? The Beach Pockets umbrella is wonderful for the beach, park, picnic, or sporting event. It is easy to use, can withstand winds up to 20 miles per hour and best of all provides SPF sun protection of 50.

This past weekend I had the opportunity to test out this umbrella with my husband on a California beach. The sun was shining and the winds were strong but this umbrella stood up to the test. On any other visit to the beach I usually stand by and defer to my husband to set up the umbrella, but this past Saturday I decided to try my luck with the Beach Pockets umbrella. This umbrella has 3 pockets that are attached to a barrel at the bottom of the pole for the sole purpose of filling with sand, books, magazines or water bottles to hold the umbrella in place.

This Beach Pockets umbrella, invented by Barbara Bigford has been highlighted in the Wall Street Journal,featured on The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch, honored by Invent Now America, is lightweight and available in several colorful designs.

If you have any questions or would like more information… write a comment. Marcia Blake

New Product for Outdoor Living

2008-08-22T13:25:00.000-07:00

New Outdoor Furniture Product to Market… Terra Furniture's Tiburon Collection

A town in Marin County that sits upon the San Francisco Bay inspires an exciting new contemporary outdoor furniture design based on mid-century California Modern style. The city's name comes from the Spanish word tiburón, which means "shark." California designer Ilan Dei partnered with Terra Furniture to create a collection that marries the modern elements of a city with its natural surroundings to produce a rich, timeless look.

Ilan Dei born in Israel, of North African descent, is inspired by the lushness of the Mediterranean cultures, as well as, by the natural beauty of Southern California’s terrain, climate and diverse cultures. Ilan coined the term "lush minimalism" to describe his design approach, one that is minimal in terms of line and form, yet lush in materials as represented in this new Tiburon collection. Dei's design melds nature into the sleek modern furniture with the application of a cutout “pebble” pattern trim and unique floating oval pattern which appears on the backs of the chairs, chaise lounge and the edge of the dining table.

The Tiburon Collection is structured in lightweight cast aluminum and is available in a multitude of custom and standard finishes. So whether you are sunning by the pool or relaxing in the luxury of your own home this a a design that celebrates nature and modern sensibility.

Green is the New Black

2008-08-05T11:05:00.000-07:00

Remember when Brown was the new Black? Well it appears that Green is the new Black. Not so much in color but in statement. The direction of fashion dictates the direction of home textiles and decor. Right now the fashion trends seem to be moving towards ethical, organic, and sustainable fabrics for clothing. As a society we are becoming socially conscious and environmentally savvy. There are a number of books out in the marketplace that discuss the topic and are worth the read. First is Tamsin Blanchard’s Green is the New Black and Mathilda Lee’s Eco-Chic. Another new book on the market is Kate Fletcher’s Sustainable Fashion and Textiles. If you want to learn more about the direction that the fashion industry is moving I recommend you read one or more of these books so that you can determine which direction you plan to move in and whether or not you plan to follow the latest trends.

Outdoor Living Spaces

2008-06-18T15:14:00.000-07:00

Outdoor Kitchen Concepts

Outdoor Living continues to prevail as a major trend as buyers remodel backyard patios and add on outdoor kitchens to make the outdoor encounter more pleasurable. Outdoor rooms are an extension of the family, living and recreational rooms. Expansive doorways are helping to make a seamless transition from the interior of the home to the exterior living space. It has never been easier to coordinate outdoor furniture and fabrics with the indoor furniture because of the varied selection of durable, weather resistant designer fabrics and trims. People are mixing and matching solid fabrics with patterned designs, while adding textures, fringes, bullion, cording and tassels.

Nanowall Doors

Enhancing your outdoor living space with today’s fabrics is as simple as recovering cushions, adding soft accessories in the form of throw pillows and throws and embellishing the outdoor great room with outdoor drapes that bring warmth to the space.

Outdoor Couture Throw Pillow

A lovely fountain promotes a positive flow of energy. A garden fountain is not only luxurious but acts as a source of tranquility and relaxation. The balmy sound of cascading water can be a tremendous stress reliever and an attractive addition to your garden and backyard.

These are just a few suggestions to help you get started. Marcia

Backyard Fun

2008-06-16T16:31:00.000-07:00

This weekend my family & I celebrated Father's Day in our backyard. We read the morning newspaper, enjoyed lounging in the sun, took a dip in the hot tub, lit the firepit and watched the gorgeous colors in the sky while the sun was setting.

All of the kids were together, catching up on each other's lives and as a parent participating in this very special get together it was so fulfilling to see our children interacting and enjoying each other.

We realized how very busy we usually are when we all get together, when one of my son's asked if we purchased a new love seat and sofa because he did not remember some of the details on the furniture. The deep seating pieces have been in our backyard for a couple of years now, but all too often we are running from point A to point B when the kids come to visit and we do not take the time to enjoy what is in our very own backyard.

Our backyard is a perfect venue to be casual, relax and enjoy family and friends.

Schedule time to enjoy the simple pleasures in life, your home and your family.

I hope that your weekend was as meaningful and enjoyable as mine.

What you did for Father's Day? Marcia

Outdoor Fabrics Add a POP of Color!!

2008-06-06T11:05:00.000-07:00

Are you tired of the tired look on your patio or backyard area? If the answer to this is yes, then consider sprucing things up a bit. Add a POP of color with wonderful outdoor fabrics!

Oudura fabric: Bingo Sangria

Use a vibrant Orange to add some pizazz to a neutral setting or a soft spa blue to a chocolate brown sofa or club chair. Maybe the solution will be as simple as adding a new umbrella in a color that inspires you.

Adding color in the way of accessories is fun, exciting and makes your Outdoor Living Space appear new!

For more ideas on adding pillows, throws and drapes to your backyard or patio visit www.outdoorinteriors.com

Design your own custom pillows and drapes with a huge selection of fabrics to brighten as well as soften your outdoor living space.

Then relax and enjoy entertaining and spending time outside.

Take A Break From the Economy & Market Watch

2008-05-30T10:03:00.000-07:00

Don't let the news of home prices continuing to fall and the housing market which shows a decline in home sales get you down. The New York Times (5/28, C1, Bajaj) notes on the front of its Business Day section that there are "few signs of a turnaround emerging. ... While Wall Street is growing hopeful that the economy may dodge a recession, many economists warn that the pain in the housing market may last for several years." The Financial Times (5/28, Bryant), the Los Angeles Times (5/28, Hong), the Washington Post /AP (5/28, D3), and the Christian Science Monitor (5/28, Trumbull) also cover the story. Instead do something constructive that will add hours of pleasure to your life.

So what can we do to lift spirits? We need to encourage people to make a place to go to work and play, a place to relax and retreat from the increasingly worrisome news of the nations current economy. What better place to do this but in your own back yard? Create a landscape that blends into the architecture of the house. Choose plants with interesting shapes, and sizes. Make a statement by planting multiple rows of tulips or an unusual grouping of succulents. Add bamboo or fruit and flowering plants to achieve the aesthetics that are pleasing to your soul.

Create a focal point and work from there to achieve a thought-provoking enclave. It is important to pay attention to color, texture and design as you make a new room to live in outside.

Since people are choosing to stay at home rather than pay the exorbitant prices at the gas station. Suggest that they invest in their home, buy or upgrade their outdoor furniture and accessories. Don’t just advertise sales, tell them why it is so important to invest in themselves. Let your customers know that by investing in their homes they will attain many hours of pleasure, not just a snippet of time that is over before you know it when you go elsewhere on vacation. Promote the idea of vacationing at home. Vacation in your own backyard!

Simple Ideas to Make Your Patio Feel Revived!

2008-05-29T11:30:00.000-07:00

Are you looking for some easy and inexpensive ways to update the look and feel of your patio? A very simple idea utilizes a little bit of time and energy but not too much money.The first step is to move the existing furniture pieces to a different location or place it in an alternate arrangement. This is the simplest way to accomplish a new look and feel. This past weekend while I was home with my family, we decided to reverse our deep seating pieces to create a fresh and new look. We simply moved the 3 seat sofa to the opposite side of the firepit, then moved the loveseat to the right of the sofa on the side of the firepit, previously it was directly facing the sofa, and lastly we changed the position of the two spring based club chairs.

This change did not alter the amount of space that we previously were using for this setting. The area now appears to be more spacious, however, this is just an illusion. Yet, it accomplished so much. Now when you look outside you see a completely different outdoor living space. The sofa is welcoming and the space between the club chairs opens up the area for people to enter. Of course we also rearranged the colorful outdoor throw pillows on the sofa, love seat and club chairs and VOILA!! A new room was designed with the greatest of ease.

This is such a simple idea that can be utilized in your backyard. It is nice to move things around, to shake things up a bit. It makes you feel as if you spent a fortune on new furniture, because all of a sudden you see the furniture in a different light. It also allows you to see parts of the furniture that may have been hidden before.

There are other simple ways to make changes, such as changing the color or style of the throw pillows. Or take that a step further and change the fabric on the cushions. All of these are ideas that will give you added pleasure in your own backyard.

These are a few of my ideas. write and tell me yours. Marcia Blake

Don't Let the Gas Prices Get you Down, Fight Back!

2008-05-28T12:46:00.000-07:00

The rising cost of gasoline prices are pushing people to stay at home. In a reaction to the accelerated pace of daily life a movement formed called the general slowness movement. According to Chris Welsch of the Minneapolis Star Tribune, “ …slowness took off as a concept in 1989 in Italy with the advent of the slow-food movement. What started as a local revolt against fast food has evolved into a philosophy with followers worldwide. The idea that fast isn’t best has now crept into other arenas: Slow Design and slow cities have their own movements. Slow travel refers to traveling at a pace that allows the traveler to fully appreciate the place he or she has traveled to, says Geir Berthelsen, a Norwegian activist who started the World Institute of Slowness in 1999. The idea is to relax more and not return after a vacation feeling like we need another.” There has never been a better time to join the slow travel movement as today.

Perhaps we should take this concept one step further, and rather than considering the process of slow travel, why not no travel. Stay at home this summer and enjoy life in your own backyard. Create an outdoor living space that will provide you enjoyment, relaxation and many hours of fun. Start your day enjoying a hot cup of coffee and reading the news in the paper or on your laptop while sitting in the luxury of your own backyard. Next take a nice long walk or bicycle ride with your partner, child or simply by yourself. Take the time to feel more a part of the landscape, instead of rushing around, notice the scenery, the trees, flowers, birds and beautiful architecture that surrounds you. Discover the little things that go unnoticed in our accelerated culture.

After you return home from your adventure, take a book or magazine that you have been wanting to read for a very long time, but never found the right time, and sit in your comfortable outdoor furniture relaxing against outdoor pillows that add comfort and style to your setting and spend a couple of hours reading to your hearts contentment.

“The slowness movement is all about quality over quantity” says Chris Welsch. Time moves too fast, one moment we are young and carefree and the next we are deeply entrenched with responsibilities and expectations. Let’s take this time in our life to make a change. Don’t spend the exorbitant price of gas to take a trip, instead stay at home.

You can use some of the money that you would have spent on travel to create the outdoor living space that will provide you with hours of pleasure. Buy deep seating furniture to sit back and relax on. Build a structure to enclose or separate a particular space. Add accents in the way of outdoor pillows, drapes and throw blankets. Perhaps install an outdoor television for your viewing pleasure. Add outdoor speakers for you to play your favorite music. Blur the space that separates the indoors from the outside by creating an outdoor living room.

End your day with candlelight or flames from a firepit, while enjoying the company of loved ones and friends in the best place on earth, your outdoor living room under the stars. Simplify your life, downshift your plans, stop and smell the roses and relax. Don’t let the cost of gas get you down, fight back in a positive manner by reducing your consumption… stay at home!

Write and tell me what you are doing about the rising gas prices.

Inspiration

2008-05-23T13:21:00.000-07:00

How do you achieve design? It is through inspiration.

You do not need to be creative or a designer to be inspired by some person, place or thing. You just need to be able to identify what it is that inspires you and then either work with a designer or yourself to build upon your inspiration.

Design must be inspired. The first step you take is to decide what your inspiration is. This is really a very fun task. You can think about whether a particular color or an accent piece such as a painting or perhaps a fun or interesting fabric interests you. Perhaps it is a book that you just finished reading or a movie that you saw long ago or recently. Maybe a vacation or a business trip to a new city or town provided the source of inspiration in the landscape or the architecture or the people.

There are an infinite number of possibilities that can stand out in your mind. Take for example some things that inspired me over time like the beautiful antebellum estate in Gone With The Wind

Or the fabulous color of the dress that Amy Adams wore in the recent movie Enchanted

And the impressionist painting by Claude Monet called Water garden and the Japanese Footbridge,

Or the breathtaking views of Tuscany.

Each and every one of these things has given me a source of inspiration for design projects.

Once you identify which particular item you are going to use as your inspiration then you can start your planning. If it is the architecture in the antebellum mansion then you can utilize parts of the home in your design. If it is the color in Amy Adam’s dress you can create a palette that will complement the turquoise fabric and use it as a paint on a surface or within a fabric on the furniture. If you use the impressionist painting you might consider getting a copy and using it as focal point to your setting. There are outdoor pieces of art that withstand the elements from Mother Nature. Once you determine where the painting will be hung you can design around it.

My recommendation to you is to take some time out of your day and consider some of the things that inspire you so that you will be ready for your next design project.

These are my insprations…write and tell me yours. Marcia Blake

How To Add a Focal Point to Your Yard, Garden or Property

2008-05-21T14:37:00.000-07:00

Do you want to add a focal point to your garden setting? Consider a gazebo to enhance and brighten a sensational garden scene. These gazebos are manufactured in sections made out of cast stone and come in a variety of styles, sizes and colors. A source for these gazebos is A & M Victorian Decorations, Inc., in El Monte, California. www.aandmvictorian.com

Placing a gazebo in your yard, garden or estate adorns your property with glamour, effortless beauty, elegance and appeal. This is a place where you can retreat to after a long day at work, or entertain on weekends, a haven and refuge from your hectic work day.

This special place can be set with comfortably chic deep seating sofas and club chairs, or a private dining table to accommodate one person or a party of 4-12 depending on the size of your table. You can also use this space for a particular event such as a wedding ceremony, a graduation reception or any other celebration.

The optimal way to decorate this gazebo is with alfresco drapes. Each opening can be enclosed with a drapery panel, or you can accent the gazebo with drapes pulled to the side of the opening with a decorative tie back. The outdoor drapes serve form and function, you can protect against the sun, wind and rain or add that warm cozy feeling of entertaining inside your home wit the luxuriousness of a room adorned with drapery.

These outdoor drapes add color, texture, a beautiful element of design and function. Some companies line their drapes so they look beautiful from both directions. Powder coated rod kits specifically designed for use outdoors are available and can be painted to match the color of the stone or the color of the furniture.

Be innovative and add extraordinary elegance to your yard or garden and be one of the first to embellish with Outdoor Drapes. Bring the indoors out and create the sanctuary that you deserve.

Marcia Blake

Gazebo GA5 - 12' Inside Diameter - Private Residence - Coto de Caza, CA

TREND REPORT!

2008-05-20T12:53:00.000-07:00

Trend Report

Have you been OUT & ABOUT lately? Have you seen all of the advertisements in the magazines, newspapers and online? Just take a stroll through Target or go to www.target.com to see that upscale designer fashion for the outdoor room exists just about everywhere you look.

Target has joined forces with Pottery Barn www.potterybarn.com Williams Sonoma www.williams-sonoma.com Crate & Barrel www.crateandbarrel.com Frontgate www.frontgate.com Restoration Hardware www.restorationhardware.com and many more who have jumped feet first onto the band wagon! Now you do not have to go very far to find outdoor living solutions. From the low end to the high end you can find exciting fabrics, throw pillows, outdoor trims, outdoor drapes, outdoor throws, a variety of outdoor furniture and it all looks impressive.

A visual delight that compliments your home can be designed by a homeowner as easily as a designer. Flowing alfresco drapery will add warmth, as well as color, drapes can also add privacy or simply a beautiful and graceful design element to your home and backyard. Plush courtyard pillows add a very strong design element, utilizing texture, trims and color to accent the furniture.

Now you may be asking what you can do to differentiate your outdoor living space? You can be your own designer! Always try to be a little different, not ordinary. Outdoor Interiors offers a design experience for your home. Outdoor Interiors, can help you create an EXPERIENCE that you cannot find elsewhere. We can show how you can transform a setting into an extraordinary scene. We offer the ability for you to design and build your own outdoor throw pillows and drapes which can be down to earth or tres chic.

All it takes is a little help to create the perfect outdoor setting. You cannot walk into Target, Pottery Barn or Restoration Hardware and choose the fabric that best suits your space. If you are a savvy shopper understand that you can do it with flair so why settle for less. Design considerations are very important when you are planning a lifestyle space. Don’t settle for less, EXPERIENCE the difference, there is a choice, pick the fabric, trim and design that complements your home, to choose the best!

Don't settle for someone elses choice of fabric and design create your very own dream outdoor living space. These are my outdoor views, write and tell me yours. Marcia Blake

Celebrate Life with Style!

2008-05-15T15:17:00.000-07:00

Celebrate Life with Style

Close your eyes and imagine the perfect gathering place. Make your dreams a reality by reaching beyond the ordinary towards the extraordinary. Understated elegance blends with impressive to create a welcoming atmosphere. Whether your dreams are hip & modern or dramatic & classic you can live your dream…make it a reality. It just takes a little inspiration, imagination and passion.

Make it your own is as simple as expressing yourself by choosing the color, fashion, and accessories that reflect your style. The first step is your vision, what do you see when you close your eyes and think of your perfect gathering outdoor space? Take time to realize just how you want to make your house a home. What inspires you? Is it something you find in nature? Is it a certain painting, photo, song or special place? Find the elements within your inspiration that you can translate into the look and feel of your home. Do you want to affect your mood in a soothing natural way or do you want to evoke spirit, fun, laughter and festiveness? Once you determine the feeling that you want to embrace you can begin to choose your color.

The color that you select brings your space to life. Mix and match furniture and accessories with lots of textures and tones of color. Build your favorite gathering place from the bottom up, choose a rug that suits the style that you have chosen, and add to the space with the very important finishing touches. Pillows, pillows and more pillows, candles, trays, artwork and statues add the details to your finishing touches. Be playful and bold or calm and cool, add a hint of nostalgia from your personal style. Make this outdoor living space your destination of choice. Add something very personal to this place to conjure the source of your inspiration instantly. Incorporate the use of outdoor drapes on your open-air room to produce a luxurious yet cozy look and feel.

Always remember to surround your outdoor space with lots of life in the form of trees, plants, vases filled with blooming flowers or branches and twigs to accent a tabletop or table setting. A stylish outdoor throw will complete the look and function well on a cool crisp morning or when the sun sets at the end of the day.

Creating your favorite gathering place and making it warm and inviting enables your creative juices to flow. Share your inspiration in with your family and friends in the best way that you know how by inviting them to enjoy your personal outdoor living destination.

These are my outside views…write a comment and tell me yours. Marcia Blake

Adding Value To Your Home With Backyard Improvements

2008-04-14T13:14:00.000-07:00

Since the housing market is in a slump, homeowners are finding new ways to add value to their homes while dressing up their own backyard. According to Barbara Corcoran, TODAYShow.com contributor, “People are investing more in the back of their property, and the home-improvement boom is driving that engine. A study by the University of Michigan found that consumers value a landscaped home 11.3 percent higher than the same home without good landscaping.”

Barbara says that less lawn, more trees, outdoor rooms and backyard sanctuaries are important aspects to adding value to your current real estate. “A dining area, dry laid patio, a patch of gravel, a covered patio or an above-grade deck: According to SmartMoney.com, a landscaped patio raises the value of your home by 12.4 percent. Today’s best-selling improvement is a backyard terrace that abuts the family room.“
This is a perfect selling point to dealers who could utilize these statistics when closing a patio furniture or accessory sale. It is important information for sales staff and homeowners alike. Who doesn’t want to be proactive in adding value to their homes, during a time when values are slipping away?

However, it is not enough to simply lay the foundation of a backyard patio, you must also consider placing quality furniture and accessories to create the outdoor living room. Mirror the inside of your home on the outside. Strategically hang drapes around the patio, add the touch of color by placing throw pillows on the furniture and accessorize the tables with appropriate outdoor candles, trays and focal pieces.

There is nothing that you cannot replicate outdoors that you have inside. The beautiful fabrics that are being used to create outdoor drapes are all weather resistant with a soft hand that softens the exterior setting.

Help your customers place the finishing touch on their backyard and they will gain much more than added value, they will have a new comfortable environment that they can live in during the year.

These are my outside views, write a comment and tell me yours.

Showplace, Showcase or Showroom?

2008-04-11T13:40:00.000-07:00

Showplace, Showcase, or Showrooms all require attention to Detail & Design. Focusing on revolutionizing the performance, creativity and execution of design is the key to successfully grabbing the attention of buyers, whether they be purchasing product to sell or the actual consumer. The latest development in display is creating buzz in our industry. Some manufacturers have begun to appeal to buyers by offering an all inclusive package for the dealers, a merchandise
concept that not only showcases both casual furniture but adds a touch of romance with an
extensive collection of design oriented accessories.

Utilize these creations to transform an ordinary showplace, showcase or showroom into a Spanish Baroque or a French Renaissance setting to inspire your customers. Customized accessories enrich and define outdoor living spaces. Buyers are seeking an emotional connection to the display, as well as an impassioned connection to the color collections. Creating an environment that reflects the consumer’s indoor rooms is essential for a smooth transition from the inside to the outside. Color will be fresh and tranquil utilizing blue, green with a hint of turquoise, warm and enveloping in the blood orange and brown colors of Tuscany, and contrasting with black and white. Create eye appealing displays using color and accessories while romancing the furniture. Tell a story and you will capture your audience’s attention long enough to close the sale.

Increasing sales and profits is essential to our growing businesses so step out of the box, create interest, romance your customers and offer them everything that encompasses the ideal outdoor living experience.

These are my outside views.

How to Achieve Indoor Style Outside

2008-04-09T13:42:00.000-07:00

How do you bring the inside style out? Create an outdoor retreat that allows you and your guests to spill outside from the interior great room. Don’t be afraid to mix chandeliers and old antiques outdoors especially in the outdoor dining areas. Utilize a touch of indoor style and unify the space by adding outdoor drapes, pillows and rugs to complete the look. Don’t be afraid to select fabric for the patio cushions that reflect the indoor appearance, the use of color, pattern and texture in fabrics is an excellent way to reflect the indoor space.

Accessorize the exterior in many different ways. One way is to create a focal point, use an outdoor fountain, fireplace or fire pit. Create a great place to entertain by encouraging guests to stay awhile: strategically place comfortable deep seating around the focal point. Add colorful elements by choosing flowering plants to accent containers scattered throughout the outdoor living space. These containers can sit on the dining table, coffee table, next to a club chair, lounge chair or sofa. Relaxing and communing with nature is as easy as creating a piece of art out of plants and flowers.

Take an existing pot or container, add a couple of colorful flowering plants, some green plants, potting soil and voila! You have created a masterpiece.

Purposefully place these pots around your patio furniture, along an existing wall or table, see the difference that you can make. You don’t have to be an artist, nor do you have to love gardening, but I can assure you that creating a living piece of art will make you feel good and the people who see the finished product will receive a lot of joy. Next select a unique outdoor rug to lie under the table and chairs; round, rectangular and square rugs in a variety of colors and patterns allow you to design a space of your own.

Another example of bringing the inside out is in the use of multiple coordinating fabrics and trims on the drapes that hang from the pavilion or separate the living and dining spaces. Don’t be afraid to use color and texture outside, choose fabrics that make you feel good and reflect the inside décor. Line the drapes with sheers so they look wonderful from both views. Create custom pillows with the use of trims and coordinating fabrics and sprinkle them around the seating area. Lanterns with candles illuminate these outdoor living spaces along with the chandeliers and fire features. Mix and match materials in these outdoor settings, juxtapose wrought iron with glass, steel with terra cotta, wood against woven components, soft chenille textures and linear lines to get a new twist on an old world style.

Outdoor Living is at its best when nature dazzles the eye and nurtures the soul. Create your perfect casual environment inside and out. These are my outside views write a comment and tell me yours?

How To Thrive in this Economy

2008-03-17T12:00:00.000-07:00

For the past several months I have been addressing the need to target market. I came across some suggestions on this topic from a New York consultant with Design Management Company, Lloyd Princeton, for the interior design and home furnishing market, that I believe will be most helpful when planning which customers you should plan to target.

He writes, “I recently attended the Luxury Summit, an annual meeting hosted by the Beverly Hills Chamber of Conference with a panel of experts that addressed the economic realities of consumers in today's economy. As you might gather by the title, much of the focus was on the very high net-worth individuals who have money to spend. Fortunately, there are basic tenets that are useful for every category of consumer. First, what I learned:

The customer who aspires, the person who shops at Nordstrom and stretches for purchases, will pull back from spending.

If the downturn continues, the very top-end of consumer will pull back from spending, in solidarity for those who are less fortunate--but we are not there yet!

Of 1,000,000 Platinum & Black American Express Card holders, a survey suggested that 84% of men and 70% of women will continue there current spending habits.

The economic data can be confusing: Homes sales over $5mm are up, while BMW sales are 7% down.

Wealth acquired in the last 15 years is most likely by people whose parents were raised during the Depression era and whose values instilled upon this recent wealthy set is about trust---they want to trust the people they are doing business with.

Customers want to feel important!

What does this mean to you?

Segment & Target your Audience--branding messages need to be specific to your target market.

You must have confidence in these uncertain times.

Emphasize Service-- people with money are largely hiring for service, so highlight that aspect of your firm.

Quality and Value--this is what people are paying for and this is what you must deliver.

Move away from being a commodity and wait-list your services and distribution, create an atmosphere of exclusivity.

A final note with reference to the Wall Street Journal article "Fortunate 400" on March 5th, page D1, about the nations top 400 taxpayers. Their portion of the national income has increased over 10% since 2005 and the amount of money required to qualify for this list has tripled since 1992. This means that the number of people who can afford interior design services and home furnishings products continues to rise, not fall, with the economy. Think about it and focus your attention accordingly.

Clearly, Mr. Princeton is speaking to the interior design community, but there are certainly aspects of this article that you can apply to your business.

Primarily segment and target your audience, reminding them that you provide quality furniture for an excellent value and superior service.

Create trust in your customer base and deliver exactly what you promise. Don't pull back on your service or quality during these times and maintain your confidence. You will be rewarded.

These are my Outside Views.