Where Do Designers Buy the Latest Trends?

Do you often find yourself wondering how designers learn about the latest trends? Where do they find furniture?

For many designers out there, Highpoint Market is the answer. Highpoint Market is held two times a year in Highpoint, North Carolina – once in the spring and once in the fall. The spring event just wrapped up on April 22nd.

The majority of the big name manufacturers and many  smaller names show off brand new products and trends. Store owners, managers, buyers, sales representatives and visual merchandisers come from all over the country. It is a very long, jam-packed, stressful week, but it’s well worth it in the end.

The show presents new products, addresses new technologies, showcases trends and determines which products are being discontinued. Can you imagine walking into a 40,000 square foot showroom of all new products, accessories, wall art and fabrics? It’s absolutely amazing!

Many Continuing Education seminars and presentations are held throughout the week. We always hope that someone attending the event will bring back information for us! Many manufacturers ask a local representative to give presentations for all of those that could not attend. It can still be amazing, but it’s not quite the same as seeing it in person, touching or sitting in the latest upholstery.

Networking is also a big part of the event. Dinners, luncheons and golf outings are often held to give the furniture industry  professionals a chance to reconnect, meet new people and discuss current trends.

Stores place their orders at Highpoint Market and begin to see the product flow into their showrooms by mid-summer. One thing to keep in mind if you live near North Carolina is that many of the showrooms have sales before the event to clear old products off the floor. Some also have big sales afterward to clear out the new products and make room for next season.

If these dates don’t work for you, there are also many mini-market manufacturer showrooms you might be able to visit and purchase what you need.

Have you ever attended a market like Highpoint Market? What do you think about this type of experience?

What Can I Do With Left Over Fabric?

Do you have odd yards of fabric left over from miscellaneous projects such as reupholstering, window treatments, bedding or even clothing? Well, those odd pieces of fabrics might not be as hard to make use out of as you think! We all deserve to get our money’s worth out of our purchases. If you already bought the fabric, chances are that you most likely love it. Let’s find creative uses for it in your home.

Throw Pillows

A very simple project for your leftover fabric is to make throw pillows. You do not need a lot of fabric to make the pillows look great; even two different corresponding fabrics on each side can work.

Just head over to your local fabric store and buy filling or pillow forms and you will soon have a cost effective new throw pillow. In my personal opinion you can never have too many throw pillows. Sofas can hold a lot and they don’t all have to match!

Make sure the colors, patterns and sizes go well together. Nothing says relaxation more than fluffy pillows! If you are an experienced sewer, try adding a decorative trim around the edges for an added touch of elegance.

Upholstered Seats

Do you have upholstered seats on your dining room chairs? Small pieces of fabric can be utilized here as well. The seats do not have to match. The patterns just have to coordinate with the room. For example, do you have six dining room chairs? Why not try upholstering the two end chairs in one fabric pattern and the other four in another?

Reupholstering dining rooms can be an easy do-it yourself project if the chair has a square or rectangle seat. Here are some simple instructions:

1. Start by unscrewing the seat from the frame.
2. Wrap the fabric on top of the existing seat.
3. Staple gun it on the bottom
4. Screw the seat back on the frame.

Yes, it is that simple. You are sure to impress your next dinner guests!

Window Valance

How about utilizing the odd fabric pieces for a window valance? Small, simple windows in bedrooms, hallways or laundry rooms sometimes need just a touch of color. This doesn’t have to be anything elaborate. Here are another set of simple instructions:

1. Measure down from the top of the frame so that approximately the top third of the window is covered by the valance.
2. Tuck the sides of the fabric over.
3. Attach a white muslin fabric on the back
4. Sew on a rod pocket.

The valance rod that the fabric slips over is typically inexpensive and easy to install. For an added touch of elegance, try a decorative rod to accent the window.

What do you do with your leftover fabric? Any other suggestions?

Transforming Your Room to Include a Home Office

Today’s employees are more mobile than ever, often working from home. When you consider master’s classes, children’s homework, social media networking, and keeping current with changes in business, a home office is a necessity in today’s households. You may wonder how to fit a small office into your home, when space is at a premium.

Nowadays desks come smaller, suitable for our laptops and wireless networks. Your printer doesn’t have to be on the desk anymore. It can be in a centralized location for the entire family to use. Manufacturers are beginning to offer 40 to 48 inch desk work surfaces that are only 24 to 30 inches deep. This is the perfect size for a laptop user!

There are many places suitable for a small desk, aside from a home office. How about your bedroom? Do you have extra room in front of a window so you can look outside while you work? Pair the desk with a nice upholstered chair that corresponds with your bedding and the space can look amazing.

Find a spot in the laundry room. Or perhaps you have a small loft space upstairs? A desk might work perfectly there. A dead end hallway can allow for even more opportunities. Try fitting a small desk there and it will accommodate the entire family.

How about your family or living room? What a great way to keep an eye on your kids while they are surfing the Web or doing their homework. It can also be great way for you to work while watching your favorite television program.

Speaking of the television, did you know that your computer can hook up to your set and allow for larger viewing during conference calls or Webinars? Now that’s what I call functionality!

Whatever fits in your home, you can’t go wrong with a small home office. How have you turned your room into a work space?

Working with Qualified Professionals – NCIDQ: National Council of Interior Design Qualification

You probably wouldn’t see a doctor if he or she dreamed of going to medical school and put some bandages on a couple of sprained wrists a few times. So why would you choose a designer who has never been formally taught or attended a FIDER accredited university or pursued their NCIDQ certificate? Not quite sure what I am talking about? Read on to understand the importance of selecting a designer over the thousands of decorators out there. There is a difference!

Make sure you require the same level of competence from your interior designers as you do from the architectural, engineering and other building professionals on your team. Making sure you are working with qualified professionals on a project can save you time and money—and reduce your liability as well.

All NCIDQ Certificate holders have been educated, trained and examined to protect public health, safety and welfare. When you hire an NCIDQ Certificate holder, you hire a professional with proven knowledge, experience and proficiency in the latest interior design principles and practices, contract documents and administration and decision-making skills.

Like the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards, NCIDQ is composed of U.S. and Canadian regulatory boards—and we take our responsibility to protect the public seriously. NCIDQ Certificate holders have completed a minimum of six years of specialized education and experience and passed a rigorous, two-day exam based on NCIDQ’s independent, comprehensive analysis of the profession and the daily practice of interior designers in a range of settings.

The NCIDQ Certificate meets the interior design profession’s legal and regulatory standards established by 29 U.S. states and Canadian provinces as well as Puerto Rico and the District of Columbia. However, unlike architecture, in most of these states and provinces the practice of interior design is unregulated. That means your greatest assurance of high qualifications is the NCIDQ Certificate.

This examination is something that I am currently pursuing myself as a designer. I recognize and appreciate the importance behind this licensing and hope that it becomes more formally recognized by the public and those considering working with or hiring a designer.

It will give me the ability to market myself with credentials that not everyone in the field has, not to mention the grueling months upon months of studying I have put myself through. It is something to take pride in as a professional. Even in my studies I have learned things that I may not have known otherwise. The material I have learned through my studies alone is a great accomplishment. I am happy to assure my clients that I have a wide range of knowledge and experience in the core and roots of architecture that will impact how I work with them both on a creative and functional level of design.

Make sure you know who you are working with! Any other designers out there who are NCIDQ certified, or going through the process? Tell me your story!

Do You Think You Have the Qualities of an Interior Designer?

Interior designers wear many hats. I like to think that we are a breed of creative individuals that are a good balance between the left and right side of the brain. If you want to be a success, I think you have to be aware that you are actually many departments as one person. Here are a few examples of what to expect as a designer:

1. Creative Directors - This is probably the most obvious attribute, but without creativity in many forms, the success of an interior designer can suffer. Creativity can lie in any of the following hats I mention, including billing and client relations. Under this category you can also include code checking (verifying that you are meeting all building codes and ADA requirements), building compliance (columns, HVAC not affected, etc.) and lighting.
2. Client Relations – No matter if you focus on residential or commercial work as a designer, the ability to maintain positive client relations is by far one of the most important attributes of a successful designer. This is especially true if you own your own business because you are the president, accounts payable, accounts receivable, and creative individual on the job. Keeping tight and accurate paperwork is one of the attributes that highly creative people struggle with – so it’s also important to know who to hire.
3. Time Clock – You always have to stay on top of your hours. In my company I am responsible for noting every quarter hours of my day… 15 minute increments. This way we can track exactly how much time goes into each client’s project, and based on the billable rate (hourly design rate which they are charged), that determines our income. I think keeping this on track comes with time, and having a computer system set up that helps you track is really great too.
4. Specifying – Outside of the actual design and creative side, here comes the left side of the brain. When you specify a project, you have to be able to take  action and pick the right rugs, furniture, fabrics, etc, and put them in order format. And, you have to write specification in such a way that anyone (not just designers) can understand them.
5. Budgeting – This starts from the first client meeting – what is the budget? You need to be able to adjust your creative skills to a $5,000 budget or a $500,000. This is not easy when you let your creativity soar, so knowing how to keep things intact financially is key to your clients’ happiness, and the success of the space. This skill will develop over time too, as you learn how construction costs affect the budget. Also, choosing materials at the right price points will get easier with time. So don’t get too eager about one tile or upholstery until you know the sticker price and how it will impact rest of the decisions.

You can see there are many attributes and departments for an interior design business in one person. I am sure there are many more that could be added to the list as well. But, if you are looking into becoming an interior designer, more than anything, invest in a good education. This will lead you on how to enhance the skills which you think may need development.

Do you think you have what it takes? And if you are a designer, what are your strengths and weaknesses?

Rid Your Space of Lead – It’s the Law

A new federal law that took effect this month (April 2010) requires any contractor that is doing work on a home, child care facility or school that was built prior to 1978 must now be certified and follow specific work practices to prevent lead contamination.

When renovations or repairs are done in facilities where children are the primary occupants, the lead will be disturbed and could be transferred in dust to the inhabitants. Sanding, scraping, or even the burning of wood covered in lead based paint can lead to exposure. Lead-based paint was used in 87% of facilities built prior to 1940 and 69% of facilities built between 1940 and 1960. Between 1960 and 1978, only 24% of facilities built used lead based paint.

When the work begins, the contractor is required to seal off the area being worked on. No occupants or pets are allowed to have access to the area until all the work is complete. The forced air and air conditioning systems must be turned off because they can spread the lead contaminated dust throughout the facility.

To minimize the lead dust it is recommended that water be used to mist areas before sanding or scraping . Before boards are pried up or other materials are separated, paint should be scored with a knife to minimize dust and paint chips. When all the work is complete, a vacuum with a HEPA filter is used to clean up the dust and debris and then all surfaces are completely washed down. The key to this will be the constant use of clean rinse water.

When creating a contract for this type of work, make sure that a lead-free test is part of the work included. An EPA recognized lead testing site will send a sampling kit to you. You can collect the samples and return the kit for analysis. Because the facility can fail the test and may need to be cleaned again, it is important to make the contractor responsible for any re-cleaning that may be necessary.

Lead can affect our children’s brains and developing nervous systems (especially those under the age of 6), causing reduced IQ, learning disabilities and behavioral problems. Lead can also have negative affects on adults causing high blood pressure and hypertension.

Have you been involved in renovation work that involved lead paint? Does your home contain lead-based paint? If so, have you ever thought about replacing it?

Starting from the Bottom Up: Green Design

When construction begins on a facility we rarely think about the foundation work. After all, it basically gets buried on the outside by the earth. And on the inside, we turn it into a recreation room with drywall or paneling. A new foam wall system has improved foundation. It uses two layers of foam with reinforcements and the cement is poured between the layers. Before this system, the forms would be pulled away from the concrete wall. Now we leave the foam in place as additional insulation to the lower level of our facilities.

Nudura is a new product that moves this technology from the lower level of homes through the entire building. In locations that are prone to hurricanes and tornadoes, this technology may save lives and prevent
property damage. The walls can withstand winds up to 250 mph and have hurricane anchor systems suitable for roofs. The anchoring elements are surrounded by cement in the concrete walls, so the roof will not break away from the home.

The basis of their product uses foam walls with one concrete wall between to form the foundation all walls within the home. Because the walls are made of highly insulated concrete, they reduce air infiltration that can occur in traditional wood stud homes and reduce sound transfer into the home. They also increase the fire protection over wood built walls for up to 3-4 hours. Concrete would not allow for moisture to get caught between the walls. Once they are cured, they are impervious to moisture and molds caused by moisture forming in the walls.

The wall systems are manufactured with recycled material and produce little waste during the construction phase. Most of the waste during the construction phase of buildings goes directly into landfills. The foam forms are non-toxic and do not emit CFC’s or HCFC’s. They are able to design their forms with 45-degree angles or curved walls so the building materials do not hamper the design. This means a precise layout, reducing costs on labor to layout. Another reduction on costs is in the delivery of the forms because they are able to be shipped flat, so almost twice as many can be shipped on one truck transportation costs and fuel usage is reduced.

In areas of high humidity, winds and termites, the Nudura product would be a logical building material. What do you think? Is your home built with this material? How does it hold up to traditional foundations?

Key Elements of Green Space Planning

Space planning is the act of deciphering solutions for a space based on client criteria and needs. During space planning, a designer will determine needed spaces, arrange the spaces as necessary to address flow of the space and also verify building codes – all at the same time!

Space planning is one of the most important rolls a designer can play – it is the basic step and most time intensive (can be at least) in order to finish selection and furniture planning of the space. When a designer is addressing space planning, they sometimes get to start from scratch. Other times they have to begin from an existing space that has obstacles like existing walls. But what are the challenges and added criteria when trying to plan green??

1. Use your walls – One of the greatest elements of green design is to use what you have. So if there are dividing walls in a space then why not use them to their greatest potential. When thinking green, you want to avoid using new materials when not needed. By using rooms and walls that are in existance you are not using any more virgin materials. And that is the key – what you are NOT using from scratch to make new.
2. Think about daylighting – Natural daylight needs to travel throughout a positive green interior. The use of daylighting does not only reduce the dependence on artificial light, and therefore reduce energy consumption, but it also saves money, increases employee productivity and allows space inhabitants to have a connection with the outdoor environment. All this from something that is free. You just have to plan for it.
3. Plan the height – 42” is a general standard of measure that is used in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) and at this measurement, the inhabitants of a space can have clear view (meaning a view to the outdoors). If you can plan for this height you can once again increase productivity and make the office a more friendly work environment. Keep in mind that for LEED purposes you can have a clear line of site, including through levels of glazing or interior glass partitions.
4. Plan away from the windows – Be sure to save the aisle for next to the exterior – if you can place the offices and conference rooms toward the interior and the individual work stations on the exterior, all the planning for the above elements will be easier!

So these are just a few ways to plan smart and plan green! How is your office set up? Does it fit in with green design?

Hidden Charitable Companies: Kohler

When searching out some product inquiries on Kohler’s site the other day I was surprised to learn that they are so much more than just bath fixtures and faucets.

This privately held company has four very separate and distinct divisions. The Kitchen and Bath Group manufactures water-saving products for conserving water and utilizing recycled materials. The Interiors Group consists of businesses like Ann Sacks, McGuire Furniture, Baker Furniture and Kallista – four well-known names in the Interiors program.

As a company focused on environmental issues, many of the tiles within the Ann Sacks line are sustainable. McGuire Furniture has designed furniture that uses renewable natural products, like the water hyacinth fibers, in their Copenhagen lounge chair and ottoman. Global Power Group focuses on decreasing emissions and improving air quality and their Hospitality and Real Estate Group has preserved vast acres of wildlife habitats.

Regardless of which division you are working with, there is a sense of responsibility to their communities and our global environment. They talk about their “corporate environmental, and the health and safety considerations in all company activities.”

Kohler talks about their goal to have an environmental footprint that nets zero by 2035. To achieve this, they started working on reducing their dependency on natural gas back in the 1970’s. They reuse the heat from their kilns (which bake on the enamel finishes on the sinks & toilets) to heat their facility. When making cast iron tubs, rather than use new mined materials, they use their foundry to melt recycled metals and reclaimed materials. They recycle wood, corrugated materials, paper, waste oil, machine coolants, batteries, electronics and light bulbs rather than send them off to their on-site landfill. When they develop new facilities, Kohler use green building principles and incorporate green spaces with each facility design.

Let me continue filling you in on some of the surprising information that I learned about Kohler. Kohler’s has donated approximately 43,000 kitchen and bath products to Habitat for Humanity homes. They donate products to Extreme Makeover: Home Edition and have charitable contribution programs that are concerned with education and preservation of the environment in every community they manufacture in.

Kohler has won awards for their gardens not only on their manufacturing facility locations, but also throughout their communities. The gardens are designed to encourage the wildlife in the areas, e.g. plants to feed hummingbirds and butterflies. So much for me thinking this is a little company in the hills of Wisconsin just focusing on making quality products.

Do you know of other corporations – public or private – that focus on green space design and manufacturing?

Dreading Gardening? Helpful Tips and Tools!

Well ladies and gentleman, it is that time of year again! Get back outside to clear and clean out the gardens and flowerbeds for the new arrivals of the season! It is time to suffer with dirty fingernails, sore backs and aching knees. Or is it?

I have found some products on the market that will help alleviate some of the pain and discomfort that goes into making our garden’s look beautiful.

When it comes to removing debris and replanting stationary planters, it can seem like a great deal of effort to remove soil from years past and make room for this year’s new seedling. I found a gadget that saves time and effort by holding back the soil while it remains in the planter. This is ideal for planting in containers. If you’ve experienced the aggravation of digging out dirt and trying to figure out where to move it next, your problem is solved.

The Wedgie has an ergonomically designed knob handle that reduces wrist strain from planting. With the Wedgie, you are displacing dirt instead of digging it out with a trowel, so you won’t have a mess. You simply push the Wedgie into loose soil, rock it back and forth and side to side to make room, pull it out, and put in the plant. That’s it!

Ladies, don’t you just love that no matter what gloves you wear while gardening, your fingernails are filled with dirt at the end of the day? I was willing to accept this, until I found a comfortable, pair of gloves  perfect for outdoor projects.

Nitrile garden gloves have seamless knit liners – no lumps or seams to rub and irritate hands. These sure-gripping gloves are flexible, offering amazing dexterity without compromising durability.

These lightweight nylon knit gloves fit like a second skin. Tougher than rubber, the nitrile coating protects palms and fingertips from the hazards of gardening. These ultra thin gloves let you feel what you’re doing – weeding, thinning, pruning, even picking up individual seeds! They stand up to repeated machine washings and dry quickly.

When we start talking about specific tools, I would advise in the investment of a really good set of standard tools that will last your lifetime and actually prevent excessive pain and discomfort.

Garden tools come in varying levels of quality. Many cheaper tools will get the job done, but will only last a season or two. If you want something that will last a lifetime, buy tools with a proven forging process. There is less chance of breaking or bending these tools under hard use.

Clarington is one of my favorite tool companies.  The company has a long history of craftsmanship and they are not outrageously expensive. You can buy more expensive tools, but I’ve found Clarington will stand the test of time and wear. Consider these a life long investment. Your grandchildren will probably inherit them!

What are your tips for a safe, successful season of gardening? What brand of tools is your favorite?

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