Shopping for Furniture? Here Are Some Resources.

From American Home Furnishings Alliance (AHFA), several fine articles:

FURNITURE 101: A CONSUMER'S GUIDE TO SMART SHOPPING

THE INSIDE STORY: HOW UPHOLSTERED FURNITURE IS BUILT

THE INSIDE STORY: HOW WOOD FURNITURE IS BUILT

TRANSLATION PLEASE!

Bev & Mike

A to Z Buyers Guide

Furniture Magazine has an A to Z Buyers Guide. Do you want to know about a furniture manufacturer and its quality, then go to the A to Z Buyers Guide. For example, two lines Landfair Furniture carries are Sam Moore Chairs and Sherrill. Here's what the A to Z Buyers Guide has to say:

SAM MOORE CHAIRS

PO Box 339, Bedford, VA 24523

703.586.8253, Fax 703.586.8497

For over 50 years, Sam Moore has been producing affordable, comfortable upholstery for the home and office. I've never met anyone who didn't like this company. They seen to have hit a niche of tremendous styling, dependable consistent quality and all at an affordable price. Quite a combination. They offer traditional to contemporary styling, hundreds of fabric choices and plenty of optional wood finishes on exposed pieces. Choose from: wing chairs, dining chairs, 18th Century exposed wood chairs, French exposed wood chairs, a great Mission/Arts & Crafts collection, home office and executive seating, fully upholstered chairs & ottomans, sofas and loveseats, chaises, benches and settees. Choose from leather and fabric.

SHERRILL

2405 Highland Ave NE, PO Drawer 189

Hickory, NC 28603. (828) 322-2640, (828) 324-8207 fax

Sherrill is one of the best values in upholstered furniture you'll find. They are also the parent company for several other well known brands:

• Whittemore-Sherrill (Leather Upholstery)

• Precedent (Transitional Upholstery

• Hickory-White (Case Goods & upholstery)

• CTH-Sherrill Occasional (Wood & metal occasional & dining)

• Motioncraft (Recliners, motion sofas, sectionals & home theater seating)

• Theodore Alexander (Wood / metal / other case goods & accessories)

Bev & Mike

Do you sell on eBay?

So you sell on eBay. Are you aware of what is selling well, there?

FURNITUREToday has a section that gives you the most recent information: eBay & Furniture|Today: What Consumers Are Buying Online. Not only does it break it down into specific catagories, but there is a link to

Top 10 Hot Categories
Top 10 Buyer Searches
Top 10 Individual Items Sold (based on price).

Here is a breakdown of the most recent list of catagories:

Bath - May 2005
Bedding - May 2005
Dining & Bar - April 2005
Furniture - April 2005
Gardening & Plants - April 2005
Home Decor - April 2005
Lighting - April 2005
Rugs & Carpets - April 2005
Decorative Collectibles - April 2005
Pottery & Glass - April 2005

Bev & Mike

Who Be You?

Gosh, has it been that long since our last post? Our goal is to post daily. We want you to come back to see what's new. We will try harder. We receieve in the mail a weekly paper called FURNITUREToday. The online edition has a number of blogs. One blog has the name Furniture Sketchbook by David Perry and it has a post Retail shopping experience even more important than our products. In it he writes

This week I present you with a shocking proposition: The merchandise in our retail stores is not as important as the experience of shopping our stores.

He says a Starbucks store is a good illustration:

My reader said that consumers flock to Starbucks for the sense of community: “Starbucks is the new Main Street, the town square. It’s welcoming. It’s warm. The music is playing. People are encouraged to work, study or pay bills – any of a number of activities usually done at home, in the office, or even a library – places that don’t promote social interaction and a sense of belonging to a larger community. Consumers are hungry for this experience.”

At Landfair Furniture we try to offer that same experience and recently Marcie Harris, a designer in Portland said,

Bev is my favorite design source in the Portland area. I feel her place is the coffee shop at "Friends", since I always find an interesting designer to talk to there. Her complete and undivided attention to us designers really makes our lives so much easier.

We think, too many times, we worry about being competitive as far as price, when it's really about what you are. Or in the words of a mentor, "Who be you?
Bev & Mike

MarketingSherpa's 10 Best Blogs for 2005

Wow, MarketingSherpa's 10 Best Blogs for 2005 were just announced and there are some familiar names. Congratulations to:

Best blog on small business marketing

Winner: Duct Tape Marketing

Honorable Mention: Small Business Trends

Editor's Note: Wow! Duct Tape Marketing won hands-down for the second-year running, gaining more votes than any other blog in any category in the entire contest. Most bloggers can only dream of such a huge and passionate fan base.

Best Blog on Niche Marketing

Winners (tie):

Ypulse - Media for the Next Generation

WonderBranding - Marketing to Women

Honorable Mention:

Lipsticking- Smart marketing to women online

Editor's Note: All three of these blogs are not only useful for advice on their topics, but also worth watching if you plan to launch a Blog to promote yourself as a niche marketing consultant. (P.S. Whoa, get ready for neon-pink and orange when you visit Ypulse.)

Bev & Mike

Designers Need A Web Presence!

You know we have been urging you to get a website for your business. Some of you say it's too expensive, or I just don't have the time, or I am not computer savvy. We say the easiest way to get online is: Start a Blog. It's easy, it's and free! You can talk about your business. You can add your "before" and "after" pictures to your blog. You can use your blog to get new business. It's the easiest way to do marketing. In the upper right hand corner of this blog is a sign that says "Get your own Blog". Blogger, a part of Google, hosts blogs for free and provides a wide variety of templates. It's easy, simple and if you have any questions, Mike says he will provide answers.

We came across a web site Merely Human and the article Making Sense of the Blogging Phenomenon One Blogger At a Time

I have spent some time over the past two years researching blogging. And the longer I immerse myself the more convinced I become that blogs are merely a symptom of something much bigger happening on the web. No, let me restate that...happening TO the web.

Nobody's completely figured it out yet, but every day we are nearing closer to an approximate understanding of what their impact will be. The only thing we can conclude is that the question of what a blog IS isn’t so important as the question of what a blog CAN BE.

And in Breaking News: Will This Man Bring Legitimacy to the Blogosphere? Merely Human says

Today the blogosphere welcomes it's biggest marketing celebrity since Bob Bly. Jay Abraham, one of the most respected minds in marketing is officially launching his blog.

If Jay abraham who wrote the book Getting Everything You Can Out of All You've Got : 21 Ways You Can Out-Think, Out-Perform, and Out-Earn the Competition is getting a blog, so should you!

Bev & Mike

Re/Max Street of New Beginnings, Part 2

From June 11th to July 3rd, 11:00AM to 9:00PM (Show closed Mondays and Tuesdays), in Holland Park, Beaverton, Oregon, you can see affordable homes at the RE/Max Street of New Beginnings, and Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is proud to loan furniture to another home, the Hearthstone decorated by Marcie Harris of H/S Interiors (One of the Top Designers of 2004) and built by Dave DeHarppport of Four D Construction Co. The home is priced at $367,500 for 2,110 sq.ft.

Bev & Mike

Top Designers of 2004: Interview with Marcie Harris

LF+DG: Our interview with the Top Designers for 2004 continues with Marcie Harris of H/S Interiors. Marcie is a busy woman and we managed to catch her for a few moments. So, Marcie, you were one of our top designers in 2004 in terms of business with Landfair Furniture, why don't you start by telling us about your background?
Marcie Harris: Hi Mike and Bev! I will attempt to answer your questions now... I actually have to put my thinking cap on! I sold real estate in the 80's and started accessorizing the new homes I was selling to enhance their market appeal (as interest rates were 14% and climbing!) This lead me into a business partnership with H/S Interiors staging model homes for builders.
Mike: What does H/S stand for?
Marcie Harris: H/ stands for Harris (me) and Severson (my mother) who is my business partner in the model home furniture business. She has always been the best truck driver - goes back to the days when we started and couldn't afford real movers so we did all the moving ourselves - and our backs can attest to that now.
Bev: So you are an entrepreneur?
Marcie Harris: Absolutely! While I enjoyed the 'decorating' part of putting together builder models, I knew I was lacking in formal design training and so I went back to college to earn my BFA in Interior Design from Marylhurst University in 1996. I am an allied member of the American Society of Interior Designers.

LF+DG: Who or what influences your designs?
Marcie Harris: I am influenced by just about everything that is put in front of me! One of my favorite areas of study is architectural history and so when I travel I relish visiting architectural sites. I shop like a madperson, I read copious amounts of design and shelter magazines each month and I also learn a lot from my own clients!

LF+DG: How do you define good design?
Marcie Harris: Well, of course, first and foremost good design must enhance the health, safety, and welfare of the end-user. While just about anyone interested in this field loves the access to gorgeous furniture, art, fabrics and accessories, good design is primarily about enhancing people's lives so the client can not only live in beautiful surroundings that reflect their interests and personality, but also enable them to live each day to their fullest capability. "Universal Design" and "Green Design" are areas that we now think of as 'specialties" but I believe will soon be standard requirements for all credible design proposals.

Bev: Whoa, Marcie, Mike just got lost with talk of "Universal Design" and "Green Design".
Mike: How did we switch to Green cars and Universal joints?
Marcie Harris: Ha, Ha! Certainly there is correct terminology for this concept - but my interpretation of Universal Design is creating an environment that is end-user friendly - for all age groups and for users with physical limitations. It is not just about ADA compliance. For instance, a space designed for a young family could have lower vanities in the baths for the kids - perhaps with a pullout cabinet under the sink if someone in a wheelchair needed to use it. It is about proper lighting - reducing glare, proper task lighting. It is about proper flooring - seamless changes in flooring materials so someone with limited ambulatory abilities won't trip on the edge of a surface change. It is about wider doorways and hallways and making bathrooms more accessible and safer with proper grab bars and turning radius and wheel- in showers. It is about a space that if you suddenly broke your leg - you would not be helpless in your own space. It is about aging in place.

Bev: It could be about aging "boomers"! And "green Design?
Marcie Harris: Again, we've heard a lot of this lately. My interpretation of Green Design is that designers and architects need to be educated about the 'lifecycle" of the products they specify. This is not only the recycling capability of products, but thinking about what it took to make the product in the first place. Obviously we can't evaluate everything - but if more pressure were put on manufacturers from designers and architects regarding "green design", I believe the industry would react accordingly. I have a client with a child that came down with environmental sickness after they moved into their new home. The off-gassing of VOC's from the various products (osb board, carpet glue etc.) was enough to keep her out of one whole year of high school. This was 8 years ago and things are improving - but it is still a huge concern.

LF+DG: Ok, a change of pace. If I walk into one of your client's homes, will I say, "Ah, this is a Marcie Harris designed home!"
Marcie Harris: Since a lot of my design work in the past has involved model homes - I have had the opportunity to be my own client over and over again (with, unfortunately, the budget constraints that go along with me!) So I'd say a lot of my models have a similar "look." As I moved away from "staging" to working for individual clients, I broke loose from that, however, and lately I've been incorporating some more 'modern' touches meaning a more streamlined look - more mid-century modern; traditional forms simplified- not as much embellishment; a "quieter" look. I still adore traditional interiors but find the 'modern' look to be appropriate in many environments today.
When I work with a client, I interview them thoroughly and have them do a lot of homework themselves before we get started purchasing or selecting finishes. They may start out thinking they don't have any preferences, but when we are done - they certainly know their likes and dislikes - and this is my goal, to give them an environment that speaks to them.

LF+DG: Do you use a presentation board with your clients?
Marcie Harris: I rarely do except for commercial jobs. In residential design a lot of the approach is educating the client as to what is available to them. This involves many 'field trips." Once the client and I have a contract, I immediately render furniture and cabinet plans so they can get a real sense of what I am trying to achieve with the design. I am big on hand drafting and rendering - being the dinosaur that I am.

LF+DG: How do you charge for your services?
Marcie Harris: I charge by the hour- and this is my primary compensation. My fee starts from the time I leave my office to the time I leave the client. On custom orders I charge cost plus a small mark-up. I may not make a lot reselling furniture to clients, but I find they trust me with all their decisions and there is no problem if they decide to purchase something 'retail.' I feel this industry is becoming very SERVICE oriented. Much of what I do is not just about picking out great stuff, but getting it implemented in a well organized manner is often just as important to my clients.

LF+DG: We find that designers with whom we work have all sorts of other creative outlets. What other creative things do you do?
Marcie Harris: My work is my creative outlet. Give me a pencil and ruler and I'm happy. I relieve stress by gardening and painting and entertaining family and friends. I try to travel somewhere interesting at least once a year. My daughters are dancers and their performances generally keep my social calendar full.

Mike: It fascinates me how women can do this dance. This dance of balancing wife, mother and career woman. How do you manage?
Marcie Harris: My career as an independant interior designer has enabled me to schedule my appointments around my children and still work a full week. I was setting up model homes with newborn babies; and my sister, a design student that works for me, has done the same with her three kids. My work with individual clients has grown as I have had my schedule open up once my girl's got their drivers licenses! Although sometimes I work 7 days a week - doing my books on Sunday afternoon, I never feel put out. I have a very understanding husband and that helps too. Plus he's great at loading a sofa once in awhile!

LF+DG: Anything else?
Marcie Harris: Bev is my favorite design source in the Portland area. I feel her place is the coffee shop at "Friends", since I always find an interesting designer to talk to there. Her complete and undivided attention to us designers really makes our lives so much easier - THANKS BEV!

LF+DG: We didn't prompt Marcie to say that. We love to see Marcie and are happy she feels that way about Landfair Furniture where there are always fat free animal crackers. You can reach Marcie Harris at H/S Interiors rmkm4@web-ster.com 503-341-2333.

Re/Max Street of New Beginnings, Part 1

From June 11th to July 3rd, 11:00AM to 9:00PM (Show closed Mondays and Tuesdays), in Holland Park, Beaverton, Oregon, you can see affordable homes, and Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery is proud to loan furniture to
The Covington, an Old Portland design by Timberland Homes. The home is priced at $384,950 and has 2,259 sq. ft.

Steve Brown is President of Timberland Homes and the website is www.timberlandhomes.net. We are working with Jamie Devlin of Design Interiors, Susie Buchanan of Finishing Touches, and Michelle Barnes of Timeless Interiors.

Bev & Mike

Values of Designmaster

One of our lines is Designmaster Furniture. We were working to add pictures of Designmaster side chairs and dining room tables to our web site Landfair Furniture Annex, when I came across their "Purpose, Vision, Values, Goals". I was struck by its clear purpose. More about that in a moment.

Last night we viewed the movie In Good Company staring Dennis Quaid, Scarlett Johansson, and Topher Grace. On one level it was a movie about Quaid and his family, and things that parents go through to raise and provide for their children. Quaid and his wife were examples of good parents. They walked their talk. On another level, the movie was about the challenge of running a company, the ability to maintain the corporate family, while trying to dominate a part of the corporate world. Can that be done? Mike is just finishing Confessions of An Economic Hitman by John Perkins, so he's sensitive to the damage corporations can do in the name of progress. In the book "hitmen" would deliberately get a country deep in debt, then like the mafioso, demand favors. So we were surprised by the Designmaster site, a furniture company located in North Carolina.

Purpose, Vision, Values, Goals

Purpose

Peter was hurt because Jesus asked him a third time, "Do you love me?" He said, "Lord, you know all things; you know that I love you." Jesus said, "Feed my sheep."
--John 21:17

The purpose of Designmaster Furniture is to feed God’s sheep.

Our purpose can be viewed from several perspectives:

* We feed the employees and sales representatives of Designmaster physically – with work, so that they can provide for their families.

* We feed the stakeholders of Designmaster spiritually – by praying with them and for them and by sharing with them how God is at work in our lives.

* We tithe from the profits of Designmaster, using product and cash to help fund Christian charities and ministries.

* Why does God have us building dining furniture? We believe that the family is under attack in our culture today. Eating together as a family used to be the rule, now it is the exception. Perhaps God will use our chairs in a small way to encourage a family here and a family there to eat together and share His love over dinner.

Vision

Our vision is to be the best at what we do.

Values

Out of our personal relationships with Jesus Christ, we choose to value:

* obedience through prayer

* Godly relationships

* truth

* quality work

* freedom with accountability

Goals

Our goals are

1. To provide our customers with the highest quality and most technologically advanced services and products at competitive prices

2. To provide our employees with steady continuous employment

It's real clear what Designmaster believes, why its important to them, and that they accept responsibility. Here are some of our favorites:

Bev & Mike

Get a Blog!

So you set up a blog to support your business. How do you know if your blog is having an impact on sales. Lip-Sticking has an interview with Elisa Camahort from Worker Bees

See, they wanted to be able to quantify their return on that blog, but they didn't want to offer any promotion to blog readers. So, no matter how many times I pointed out that the impact the blog was having on sales would remain opaque if they provided no trackable offer, they continued to want quantifiable sales results, without implementing anything that would allow it to be so.

Truth be told: I think blogs are excellent marketing tools, but not necessarily great sales tools. How is that different you ask? Well, blogs are conversations. And if I may be so crunchy-granola, blogs are about organically developing a relationship with your potential and existing clients. They're great for creating awareness, for giving people something to talk about, for building a positive image in the minds of your audience. It's about inching your way into someone's brain space, until you occupy a little slot there. GM blogging doesn't make me run out tomorrow and buy a car, but when I shop for a car, GM and Saturn are going to occupy a little space in my brain where they weren't before, because I appreciate their blog.

IMHO, if blogs are about conversations, women are better at it than men, if Mike is any guide. He talks with his male friends and gets surface information. You know how it goes.

"How's Bill?" I ask.
"Fine."
"What has he been doing?
"Nothing much."

With that said, get yourself a blog and take a half hour each day to write about yourself, your business, your day, your kids, your husband and your life. Include some pictures of your pets, your designs or favorite places. In truth, we like doing business with people we know and like, and have invested some time in getting to know, even if it is through a blog.

Finally, mention this blog when you visit our store and there will be a token of our appreciation in it for you.

Bev

Top 10 Home Decor Trends for 2005

1. and 2. Nesting and Entertaining at Home - Kitchens have long been considered the "heart" of the home and today's accessories reflect this sentiment. Serveware and barware are hot. In addition, the wine theme, which complements Tuscan-inspired motifs, continues to be strong.

3. Retro - Retro is now more mainstream ranging from soda fountain mixers to furniture collections inspired by Hollywood of the 30's and 40's.

4. Organic Materials - This theme is two-fold, with decorative accessories either accented with natural materials or completely made from them. Leather is the hottest material in furniture, but it is also selling great on lamps, pillows, picture frames and a variety of other decorative accents. From leather to linen and wood and shells, natural, organic style is in.

5. Pets - Americans love their pets! 62% of all households have at least one pet driven by a few key segments - young couples, empty nesters and singles.

6. and 7. Beach and Tropics - Becoming more refined, it combines a lot of natural woods and fabrics as well as earthy brown and dusty blue accents. This theme can also be fun with picture frames featuring flip flops, sunglasses, bikinis, margaritas and cocktails.

8. and 9. Modern and Clean Lines - Lots of basic geometric forms - squares, round shapes and polka dots are hot. Abstract patterns are starting to appear as well, with swirls and mosaic patterns most often seen. A retro of 70's mod look is often blended in.

10. Opposites Attract - Contrsting materials as well as themes are used to create an eclectric yet well coordinated look. Concepts combine elements of each of two opposite themes, for example modern with retro or cottage with contemporary.

Buzz Words - Casual Lifestyles - Clean Design - Pattern Mixing - Texture - Color - Vintage - Retro - Theme Mixing - Outdoor Living - Nature - Fresh - Home - Entertaining - Fun - Family and Friends - Humor - Whimsy - Connections - Laughter

Gillian Drummond, Comfort and Convenience

Here's a great article by Gillian Drummond, Interior Insights Creating a room of comfort and convenience

In choosing comfortable seating, use mostly upholstered furniture. Vary the size, style, and purpose. Use a mix of chairs and sofas to form conversation groups. In a small room, arrange the furniture to accommodate one large group of at least six people. In a larger room, consider having two or more groupings, which could be for as few as two people and, depending on the size of your room, as many as six or more. Also, use pull-up chairs with wood or painted frames to make a grouping more interesting.

Beyond choosing furniture that is comfortable, how else can you bring comfort to your seating arrangements? With tables and lamps. Place tables adjacent to the chairs and sofas. On each table put a lamp that casts a soft light — bright enough to lighten the room and for reading, but not too bright or poorly placed so that it shines in anyone’s eyes.

Tables are an important element in a room devoted to comfort and convenience. Keep tabletops clear for wonderful lamps and objects of beauty, which express your personality and interests. Use tables in a variety of sizes and shapes. Select from a wonderful array of woods and other finishes: mahogany, walnut, oak. Adding tables that are painted, lacquered or made of metal are other good options. Also, trunks and boxes can add variety and convenience as surfaces and storage. In addition to tables with legs, add ones with pedestal bases. When considering tables and chairs, be careful not to use furniture with too many legs in one room. Variety is the spice of life.

Drummond advocates using decorative screens for visual excitement and height in a room. She suggests adding furniture with mass to balance a room like trunks and armoires. She writes like she has been visiting our showroom.

10 steps to creating a successful business blog.

Estate Legacy Vaults has taken a look at the way Landfair has integrated its website, on line store and blogs, and has posted 10 steps to creating a successful business blog. We like #4 best:

4. You interview each of your top designers, making them your friends and bringing them publicity and referrals which makes them even happier.

We have learned a lot from our interviews, such as how creative you all are and how a successful career helping others with design problems is not your only creative outlet. We could have a show at our store featuring the art of Top 20 Designers. It might make a great charitable event for your favorite cause. Let us know if you have suggestions.

Bev & Mike

BTW Estate Legacy Vaults has another post, Blogs are the demand side supplying itself. Here's a great thought about your need to have a blog:

Blogging is about rolling snowballs downhill, not pushing rocks uphill

Bev & Mike

The Business Journal is Out and Talks with the Landfairs

The Business Journal in Portland, Oregon dated April 29, 2005, has a special section called The Marketing Industry. Today there were two articles about using blogs in marketing. The first, Portlanders turn to blogs as cheap marketing tools by Jodi Helmer, focuses on the Bev and Mike Landfair. In order to boost Landfair Furniture + Design Gallery, the "bricks and mortar" business, the Landfairs started an online store Landfair Furniture Annex and are using a new marketing tool, a blog, Landfair Furniture, to drive traffic to the online store and boost awareness of the Landfair Furniture Gallery.

The Landfairs are among a handful of locals pioneering the use of blogs as business marketing tools. Those pioneers are finding that blogs - online journals that are updated regularly - are easy to establish and inexpensive to maintain, and they have the potential to reach a large customer base.

The second article, Blogs restore personal element to marketing by Toby Bloomberg, President of Diva Marketing.

In a world that spins too fast to even know your next-door neighbor, blogs help re-create the "corner grocery store relationship" that even small businesses lost with the onset of mass marketing strategies.

Bloomberg avers that:

Blogs build brands through ongoing natural conversations.

Blogs increase credibility.

Blogs provide content for traditional Web sites by linking to the blog. (She uses the Landfairs to support this point.)

Two excellent articles and we are proud to be used as examples. Yvonne DiVita of Lip-Sticking, who interviewed Bev & Mike, is also quoted in the first article. Get your copy at the newstand or look online, some time next week at The Business Journal.

This is a good time to mention that we are adding to the Blogroll everyday, designers that have a web presence. Get yours if you are not on the list. A two page web site can be free, and starting a blog is free. You need a web presence to market yourself, if for no other reason, your competition is!

Bev & Mike

Top Designers of 2004: Interview with Lisa Seung

This week we are interviewing Lisa Seung, a member of our Top Designers for 2004.

LF+DG: We know you have a very interesting background. Please tell us about what you did before becoming an Interior Designer and your design credentials.
Lisa: People are usually a bit surprised when I tell them my background. I have a Ph.D in immunology and spent several years doing research.

LF+DG: In fact you and your husband share a common background.
Lisa: My husband is a radiation oncologist. He also has a Ph.D. We met doing research in the same lab in Chicago.

LF+DG: So what prompted you to switch careers?
Lisa: I changed careers because research was too much of a demand on my time with 3 young kids. (not because I didn't enjoy the work!) Design was always a hobby, but when I decided to pursue design as a career, I went back to school at The Academy of Interior Decorating. Since graduating from that program, I have completed an advanced training program for decorators and continue to further my education by attending various workshops in the field. I am also a member of the Interior Design Network based in Hillsboro (Oregon). I enjoy connecting with other professionals to learn about the latest design concepts and products. I suppose I have always enjoyed problem solving. Now I do it in a more creative environment!

LF+DG: Who or what has been an influence on your design?
Lisa: My mother was a big influence. She was an interior decorator for a time and has always had a strong interest in both art and floral design. She instilled in me an appreciation for creating an environment that is welcoming and comfortable, not necessarily expensive, but personal and unique. One of my favorite designers, Jeffrey Bilhuber, once said,” You are not investing in furniture. You are investing in living”. I try to remember that when working with clients. We are not just buying THINGS, we are creating an environment that is both wonderful to be in, and functional for their lifestyle.

LF+DG: How do you define good design?
Lisa: Good design combines a variety of forms, lines, and textures, in such a way that there is a sense of balance and unity in the space. Often that is achieved through the careful use of color. Good design should emphasize a room’s best qualities while creatively playing down the negative features. It does not mean keeping within the boundaries of “traditional” or “contemporary”, but carefully mixing pieces to create a style that is timeless. Everything should work together and look like it belongs. I would cringe if someone came in and said, “Hey, where did you get that lamp?”

LF+DG: If I were to hire you to decorate my home, would people who visit say, “Ah, this is a Lisa Seung home!”
Lisa: I hope not! My goal is to guide my clients in arranging and selecting pieces that together, with proper color selection, create a look that is uniquely theirs. I try not to impose my own tastes. The space should instead reflect the clients’ personality, incorporating their collections, hobbies, tastes, and existing pieces. I want the space to look like the client, only better than they could imagine for themselves.

LF+DG: Do you come up with a presentation board?
Lisa: I have in the past and can certainly put one together if that is what the client wishes. Boards are good for commercial jobs when the plan needs to be clearly presented to several people. Residential work is much more personal. I have found that clients really want to be part of the process, e.g., touching fabrics; selecting from options for furniture, lighting, window treatments, etc. I will present them with a floor plan that is a fruition of our discussions, initial selections, and suggestions for pieces I think will work best. From there it continues as a dynamic interaction. Accessories are added as we go.

LF+DG: How do you charge for your services?
Lisa: Unless I am doing strictly consulting work, my initial consultation for a project is complimentary. I want to see the space, see what the client has, and hear what they want. It is my time to get a sense of their tastes , needs, and budget. If they decide to proceed with a project, I request a retainer for time to prepare floor plans, color studies, and initial selections for window treatments, furniture, etc. Items purchased through me are at list price and I charge an hourly fee for research, design and further consultation time.

LF+DG: What other creative things do you do?
Lisa: I love photography and have quite a collection of prints, but have not exhibited them. I recently acquired a digital camera and like experimenting! I also enjoy putting together scrapbooks for my kids that summarize each school year. I like to cook, which for me is an exercise in culinary experimentation! My husband says I never make the same thing twice!

LF+DG: How can people interested in Lisa Seung as their interior designer get in touch with you?
Lisa: My firm is Portland Home Decorating (PHD for short). You can email me at lisaseung@comcast.net or call me at 503-502-0818.

Bev & Mike

Why Hire an Interior Designer?

We have spent some time interviewing Interior designers that are in the Top Designers of 2004 at Landfair Furniture. We will be having more interviews, the next is scheduled with Lisa Seung on Monday. You will be surprised at her background. Why spend all this time with designers? Here are 10 reasons:

Why Hire an Interior Designer?


1. Provide Solutions: Each project, small or large presents challenges. Whether it be lack of storage,poor traffic flow, color scheme, unusual windows or maximizing light and space.

2. Prevent Costly Mistakes: So many choices, too many options, this product over that product. There are so many things that are hard to know unless you have encountered those dozens of times before.

3. Resources: There’s a world of furnishings, fabrics, case goods and accessories that are “to the trade only”. Designers have access to local and national manufacturers and products that would otherwise be unavailable to most consumers.

4. Well Connected: Any design is only as good as its execution. Designers work with the best workrooms, carpenters, and painters and have the clout to make sure the price matches the quality.

5. Guidance: A designer knows sources well enough to edit the options and offer seasoned advice to guide clients through the myriad of design choices.

6. Convenience: Designers save you shopping time and work on-site. A designer will bring the “store” to you.

7. Set Priorties: A Designer will help allocate your “design dollars” and how best to spend your money now and plan for future phases of your design project.

8. Liaison/Advocate: Designers work with trades-people and manufacturers regularly and have more leverage to get things repaired or replaced when necessary.

9. Working Through Opposing Taste: Designers can be the third party to join taste and style between husband and wife or significant other.

10. Get the Job Done: Designers see to it that everything is completed. Often when a project drags on for months, clients might be inclined to leave those few details undone if they are doing it themselves. It’s the designer's job to see to it that every aspect is completed to your satisfaction.

Bev & Mike

Top Designers of 2004: Interview with Nancy Zieg

This week we are interviewing Nancy Zieg, a member of our Top Designers for 2004. Nancy has a BA in Art and a degree in Interior Design from the School of Architecture (U of Fla.). She has been a professional Interior Designer for more than 30 years and has started and run 3 design businesses. She made her way to Portland from Houston and currently operates Nancy Zieg Interior Design

LF+DG: Nancy, let's start with how you became a designer and what has influenced you the most?
Nancy: Since as far back as I can remember, I would take pictures of rooms out of catalogs and draw floor plans. My love of art and architecture was nourished by the art history classes I took in college and my travels, especially to Europe. I, also, have a profound interest in cultures and history.


LF+DG: What countries in particular did you like?
Nancy: I love France and the Country French look, and Italy with its warm colors, terracotta, golds, and the washes you see. I have a new appreciation for the Moroccan look in Spain and I have incorporated the colorful tile mosaics in several of my designs.

LF+DG: How do you define good design?
Nancy: The basic elements of design are balance and proportion. That makes good design. Let me expand on that. When I say balance, I want to see one side of a room carry the same weight as the other (is it symmetrical?. It could be asymmetrical and still be good design. A large piece could be balanced by a collection or art or smaller pieces of furniture. Visual weight or balance is also achieved through the use of colors and tones. One error that is made, and is easy to fix, is mis-sized art or mis-hung art. A small piece hung on a large wall would be mis-sized or art hung too high over a sofa would be mis-hung.

LF+DG: Nancy there is a beautiful picture of one of your designs on your website. Can you talk about the feeling you are trying to convey?

Nancy: This is a loft in Portland. You are looking at the living room, then the dining room and a kitchen in the back. We wanted a transitional style with a classic feel that would never look dated.

LF+DG: Would someone walk into a room you've designed and say, "Ah! This a Nancy Zieg?
Nancy: Probably not as I tend to be eclectic. I like to use my client's possessions in a creative way - mixing clean lines with frou-frou, modern with "collected" pieces, old with new and a bit of whimsey.

LF+DG: Do you use presentation boards?
Nancy: I do presentation boards on request ( a fee is charged). This is usually for commercial projects with a committee involved.

LF+DG: How do you charge for your work?
Nancy: I have several ways of charging depending on the scope of the project. I have an hourly fee for consultation and putting together the overall scheme. Retail w/ a discount for purchasing furniture and accessories, cost plus for custom work and on occasion a set fee for the entire project.

LF+DG: What other creative outlets do you have?
Nancy: My other interests are reading, gardening and painting with oils. I was taught by a Russian master who taught in the 18th Century tradition. He painted in the style of Rembrandt. I paint in the impressionist style of Monet or Renoir. I have sold 45 pieces in the past and still paint, but not as often as I would like.

LF+DG: Some highlights of Nancy's career: She has been published numerous times; Set up stage sets for Unique Lives and Experiences of famous women (in Houston, TX); Competed in HGTV Designer's Challenge and was past President ASID Oregon Chapter. Nancy can be reached at nancy@nzinteriordesign.com or (503) 675-7475

A-ha!

From Small Business Trends, I learned that Yvonne DiVita of Lip-Sticking has other interests and one is publishing with her sister and fiance in a come called WME Publishing. In PowerBlog Review: A-ha! AHA stands for authors helping authors.

WME Books is on the forefront of this new publishing trend. And the blog is helping to spread the word about how publishing is changing, and what that means for aspiring authors.

Check out this post if you are thinking of bringing that book of yours to market.

Bev & Mike

Interior Design Event with Darryl Ware

Tuesday April 19th, 4:00 to 7:00 an Interior Design Event featuring local artist Darryl Ware at Landfair Furniture

Darryl Ware's Upcoming Art Show 

As an Art Director and Graphic Designer, Darryl Ware has spent many years producing corporate identities and marketing materials for corporations and advertising agencies in the Pacific Northwest. This background has contributed greatly in the development of his collage work.

The concept/design is created by utilizing photography, imaging software, pencil and ink, and acrylics.
The finished collage communicates a texture of time and place suggesting not just the photograph, but the layers of the moment.

Each concept/design is based on photography, other media, and a montage of time and place. Most often he uses he uses his own personal travel photography. However, frequently clients ask him to develop a collage based upon their own pewrsonal images.

Bev & Mike