Sometimes It's All In Their Mouth

Taste. Some people have it and some don't. Same goes for class and style.


Tonight I've read a blog post by a fellow Canadian Design Blogger that saddens me. It is in a round about way bashing a Designer yet they have no first hand knowledge of what transpired. Sometimes being pseudo-anonymous behind a blog makes it's easy to natter away about others when it doesn't involve them and they were not privy to the situation. 


Here is the blog post doing this currently about a female Canadian Designer who is allegedly famous and on HGTV. So obviously NOT me, I'm neither famous nor on HGTV...although I'd be open to both opportunities.


The problem is this:  the story is told from the 3rd person perspective and important details are conveniently ignored left out yet it is rather vicious and seems to decide the Decorator was an overbearing monster.


It was also sad to see the name calling of some successful designers and the innuendos as to who it could be that so wronged the clients. Honestly, I think there is far more to the story than the clients are willing to admit. 


I was going to right a comment on the blog post but decided I'd post my response below:

It's always sad to hear clients are not happy with the service BUT I have a big problem with this story. If this was the 'big name' Decorator that it suggests there is no way the client would not have known the sofa was going to be beige. 


The client would HAVE to sign off on the fabric for the sofa and place a deposit before it was purchased by the designer. They would have been given detailed invoicing for the time spent and what the time was spent on. They would have known the hourly rates as they would have been in the contract. 


There are so many flaws to the story even if some details where left out.


This sounds fishy to me. Perhaps it was not such a 'big name' decorator. There are some pretty crappy ones on TV but there is no way the handful of top Designers nor Decorators in Toronto would work the way these clients did with their decorator. 


There is nothing wrong with the prices they paid. For example the quality of the roman blinds are excellent. I always choke when I get the quotes from the workroom for drapery. When a client is willing to invest this kind of money they are not looking to get some drapery from InVu let alone from HomeSense or Bouclair.


I'd love to see what the decor looked like after the reveal rather than the after...after...photos.


P.S. Someone mentioned this is not TV so why the Reveal: 
1. so the furniture, drapery etc is delivered and installed all at once therefore saving the client multiple delivery charges.
2. so the items don't get damaged, by pets, kids, etc. before the install.
3. so the client gets the WOW they are paying for!
4. items can take weeks to months to arrive so rather than having the client disrupt their lives multiple times and have missed deliveries or who knows what that can go wrong it is done in one fell swoop. AKA the reveal.


*sigh* I gotta go look at some pretty blue bedrooms to feel better.

The Business of Design: Not So Pretty

Today's post is about a current gripe I have. I don't consider it a rant...more like a complaint but having no one place to file the complaint with.

I know I always have to be setting up new accounts with suppliers as one supplier cannot be a one stop shop for us. But I hate doing it. It takes away from being creative and totally bores me.

I don't like any part of filling out the applications (can't I just create my own template with the information everyone wants and send it out...what a waste of energy with all the duplicate info!) and I abhor negotiating fair discounts.

kohler

Unfortunately I've found with Bath and Kitchen suppliers I have to constantly be on my toes getting multiple quotes, asking for better pricing on those quotes and then get those prices 'matched' in an attempt to:  

• Get the best price for my clients
• To get any profit for myself

To begin, I love what I do. I think about very little else if I have a choice. But I detest the business of design.

A recent example of the business end of design: I received a disappointing price from the sales rep at Taps (lets call him Gopher Guts) in Toronto for a Toto toilet (for my own bathroom reno). On the Toto website the toilet retails at $690 with seat. Anyone can order it directly from Toto US for that price. The toilet is manufactured in the US so I believe it is exempt from Duty due to NAFTA.

My sales rep at Taps gave me my discount price as $730 stating the retail set out by Toto is $960 plus the cost of the seat. I was shocked and more than a little disappointed. I contacted Toto US who promptly provided the addresses of some Buffalo retailers where I was assured I'd get a much better price as a designer.

Now, I didn't want to take a 2 1/2 hour drive for a freakin' toilet but if you knew me you'd know how stubborn I can be. Luckily, a week later I was with a client shopping at Elte and we decided to pop in to Gingers Bath just across the street.

To my total surprise I found THE Toto toilet clearly priced at $789 Retail including the seat. This means I would naturally get a better Designer Discount price and a far more acceptable price for clients.

the offending toilet

Gingers retail price made sense taking into account the strength of the CDN dollar. Naturally, I contacted the sales rep from Taps to let him know just how disappointed I was with Taps (this had been my previous experience with Taps a few years ago...but hoped I'd found THE sales rep who'd provide honest pricing).

Rather than accepting I was not purchasing through Taps he was angry and rather rude. With the HUGE gouging Taps was trying (unsuccessfully) to pull on me...a business 'partner' no less, I tried explaining how it reflects on my business if I was to charge a client Taps' (inflated) retail price only to have them walk in to Gingers and find they could have saved about $230 plus the taxes on that difference on their own. He was too dense or didn't care...perhaps both.

meet greasy grimy gopher guts

I've learned in this business I'm not the only one who can be stubborn! But I'm always the one who's right...naturally. It would be way too embarrassing to be stubborn only to discover I was wrong...so I know when to push and when not to. Besides I don't like to be wrong...just ask my husband Steve ;)



I'm not an extremist that was the 'old Dane'!
A couple of weeks later after a morning at a client's place in Woodbridge I thought I'd stop in to Canaroma, a bath and kitchen retailer, as an experiment, to see what kind of prices they'd give a 'housewife'.

Guess what? I got great pricing with little effort :( I got great prices to start with then asked for a better price...and finally proceeded to quote the remaining better price I'd gotten from a competitor on the bathtub spout.

BTW, I was shown the Toto pricing catalogue, while at Canaroma, with the 'MSRP' for Canada...and the toilet that started this whole oddyssey was not what the Taps sales rep told me it was. Gingers was spot on for retail pricing; Taps...NOT.

As a housewife with a little negotiation I'd gotten the same discount I'd have received had I set up a business account...and I didn't have to fill out their paperwork. I didn't expect to be buying the fixtures that day...this was an experiment:  I placed the order and Canaroma got my business.


As a consumer Canaroma gave me faith in at least one Retailer.

As a Decorator I am now totally pissed with the plumbing fixtures industry. Builders, Architects, Designers...are not getting the respect and pricing we deserve as business partners as we are forced to go through Retailers to get 'discounted' prices.

Therefore we have to spend countless hours negotiating prices with multiple businesses making any profit none existent. If we don't get multiple prices we won't get the best price for our clients.


don't say anything to anyone about the horse (or elephant)

Hello design associations...are you listening? I don't need you to get me a piddly discount on my gas (big whoop) or business insurance (can you say State Farm beats your 'best rates'?) I need you to earn your fee and get me wholesale pricing from the manufacturers for my finishes as well as hard and soft furnishings. 

But that is for another blog I'll write on the business of design.

Sheesh.

How To: Achieve Lacquered Walls To Die For & Get More Clients!

If you've read my last post you will know I was about to try a couple of techniques to figure out how to get those to die for walls I've only seen in Shelter Magazines. Like the room below designed by Melissa Rufty.

In despiration, because I *really* want to lacquer my dining room walls, I emailed Melissa's firm in New Orleans.

To be honest I really didn't expect a reply from MMR Interiors. I'd emailed a different designer, not quite 2 weeks ago, who I know shares advise freely...alas I think they are busy as I've not heard back.

To my surprise, I got an email back right away. 'We are in the office now, give me a call. Melissa'. OMG I was so excited! A designer who's work I *love* and inspires me was going to let me in on the lacquer technique secret!!  

So after the excitment settled I called Melissa. (I'm still giddy I got to talk to her. I feel like a school girl with a crush)! What a goof I am =)

Tom Sparks

Melissa was so friendly and fun to talk to. The first things she said to my thanking her for taking some time out of her day for me was that what they were doing was not so important that they can't take a moment for someone else. 'It's not surgery we do here, we making pillows!'

Now, for the HOW TO:

1. If walls have been painted previously Melissa advises a skim coat of drywall compound on any surface to be lacquered. Sanded to a smooth finish (220 - 280 grit I'd recommend). Otherwise previous roller marks will always show through giving an orange peel effect no matter how many coats of lacquer.
2. Prime (oil based) walls.
3. Paint (oil based) with the color you want. If you use a brush or roller the marks will be visible. Deside what you can deal with. Melissa doesn't mind brush strokes. Or you can use a sprayer for a perfectly smooth mirrored finish.
4. Apply 3 to 4 coats of (oil based) lacquer. Now Melissa said varnish.
5. Be aware varnish will yellow over time therefore chaning the colour. This could be a good thing or a bad thing depending on the job...and personalities involved I'd guess!

NYSD

What a shame it would be if the room above yellowed in a year or two!

Now...for making it this far in my blog...a little secret Melissa let me in on: Fine Paints of Europe makes a paint with the laquer in it!! OMG. How easy is that!? As Melissa pointed out, although the paint costs a lot more ($115 USD/ 2.5L + $10 for custom color) then Benji Moore (& as I've discovered more than we pay for Farrow & Ball(!)), it is so worth it in time saved and possibe number of coats of paint required (what is it with Ralph Lauren reds needing 6 - 12 coats to get the depth of color the paint chip has?!).

But it gets even better! Pantone & FPofE have partnered up so you can select a pantone colour for your lacquered walls. *goofy school girl grin again*

FPofE has their own method of application for a mirror finish so be sure to read their application recommendations.

Thank you so much Melissa for making this post possibe!

Ok, lets get this party started! Who's dancing with me?

*Bisous*

Dane

Lacquered Walls

I've been on a quest for some time now to learn the proper technique of applying paint and lacquer to achieve a mirror like finish.

To date, however, I've not had much luck! We all know the wall must be absolutely free of blemish...perfectly smooth. But then what?!

At this point I'm considering testing out a couple of different...well I'll call them 'techniques' but really they are just 'ideas':

1. A dozen coats of high gloss paint. Some have mentioned sanding between coats. I don't expect this to give me the results I'm looking for but it may give a subtle effect. I'll likely try 2 samples; one with sanding between dried coats and one without sanding.
2. My idea is to apply matte paint (to ensure the depth of colour I want) as you normally would paint a wall then apply (possibly) multiple coats of lacquer. The dining room, where I ultimately plan on lacquering my walls, is south facing so very bright which tells me I'll most likely have to apply the lacquer with a sprayer *groan* to avoid any brush or roller marks. I'll try this with & without the sanding between coats...of the lacquer.

LOL, this would be so much easier if someone would detail how to do this...alas, this may be for me to do. That's ok, I don't mind doing the foot work my only concern is that I still don't have the proper technique listed above.

I'd love any suggestions or if you know someone...like maybe you know Miles Redd...and could ask him!

Well, in appreciation of your patience reading through this post here are some fab inspiration photos of lacquered walls!

Miles Redd

Barclay Fryery

Melissa Rufty

uknown source

 

ilse crawford

Feinburg's lacquered ceiling

Amanda Nesbit

House & Garden

Marie Claire Maison

Unknown Source

Steven Gambrel

NYSD

*Bisous* - Dane