True Confessions

Is it okay to dislike a paint system that tries really hard and touts itself as being full of beautiful colors? Maybe "disliking completely" is a bit strong, but a lot about this color system really bugs me - like the colors. It's not a brand I carry in my store, but customers have certainly asked for it.

The colors are all dull! They are not as sophisticated as they are talked up to be. It looks as if too much black is used to tone down the colors - and while this makes for a subtle-hued palette, it ends up looking a bit dead on the wall.

I admire the marketing, though! This brand has certainly hit upon some hot buttons in consumers minds, but again, the colors don't hit the mark enough. Listen to me, Miss Picky-Picky-Picky.

In my travels, I have had to do more re-dos from this palette than any other. Makes me sad because I think the right concept is there, just not the right colorants (maybe that's why the colors are a bit too heavy looking).

It's an odd experience to be called in for a re-do. Color tastes and trends change over time, so it makes sense to re-visit a color scheme after a number of years (I have redone my old work for clients who are ready for a change), yet redoing a fresh scheme feels a bit like cheating on your boyfriend. This town is small enough to know the designer who's work your are erasing.

Makes me wonder how many of my schemes have been redone!

Rearranging Furniture

I spent the day at home yesterday with my ill 9-year old. I tend to I look at these days as unplanned opportunities to get things done around the house that I never seem to get around to otherwise. Typical stuff like sorting piles of outdated magazines and junk mail, really washing the hardwood floors (not just a quickie Swiffer treatment), and cleaning out closets.

Of course, it never works out that way.

Instead I played with my new MP3 player (Wow, it IS really cool!) and watched a movie with my son. I did get the floors swept, and then the living furniture started calling out to me. It's been over 3 years since we rearranged things - that's like 15 Designer Years - plus when you rearrange, you can avoid all those other pressing tasks like cleaning!

Now if I could just settle on a wall color...

Attention to Details

I was waiting for my lunch date today, when I noticed a fellow sweeping up small leaves and petals that had fallen from the flower baskets that adorn almost every lamppost at the University Village (an outdoor shopping center).

As a shopper, I might not consciously notice that the ground has leaves... But I am always struck by my overall impression of the place. It's this attention to details that makes it special. Attention carried out to the smallest leaf that may fall to the ground.

I think the same analogy can be applied to design. Good design can be imitated or copied, but unless the details are tended to, it won't stand up against the real thing. You may not know all the reasons WHY it's good, but you can recognize it when its missing.

This is not to say that good design needs to be expensive. It does not. It's just all in the details.

Chatting with the Girls

I just came back from an interesting lunch with two women who have decided that they both had something unique to share. So they started their own radio show focusing on the things they'd like to learn about.

It's called Chat with Women, it's on KKNW 1150am. They now broadcast 3 mornings a week. Wow. How cool is that? You can even listen to them off their website, so now you can "pop" in for a chat anytime.

Connecting with them reminds me that I still feel like I have a lot to say and maybe it's time to get back to finding a radio home (or TV!). I know Christian and I can do more with our combined talents. Yup.

Both Pam and Rochelle have business backgrounds, and I think these skills will come in to play and they grow and expand their show. They have the passion and the drive to make something of this! Keep your eyes on them!

Elmer Fudd

Okay. Go to Google homepage. At the side of the Google search bar, click on "Preferences". Once there, scroll up one spot from "English" as the language preference, and click on "Elmer Fudd". Click "Save".

Did you do it? (Go ahead, do it now!)

Isn't that hilarious? Who knew?

I've snuck around to a few computers here at work, and changed their language preference... I wonder how long it will take people to notice???

Evolution of a Concept

Christian and I mock-arranged our table this morning. It's been a good challenge to try and create a tablescape from thrift stores - adds an interesting twist to the mix.

While officially titled "Goodwill Hunting", we are now subtitling it "Camelot for Not-a-Lot". Our wedding brunch theme is now specifically for Jackie O. And John Kennedy. We are placing vintage wedding pictures of them at each place setting. Looks neat.

Pearls dripping from champagne glasses. Doves on the centerpiece. The more embellishment, the better! More is more in this case.

The centerpiece was the real challenge. Once we amassed our silver treasures, we realized we didn't have a strong enough focal point. We tried Christian's dressmaker's torso - adding a tux jacket and wedding accessories. Ended up looking like a Ralph Lauren store display.

Knowing we needed height, we next tried a cage-like basket that is a familiar sight in paint stores. It's a jumble basket, and usually holds things like sponges or cheapie roller covers. We inverted it, and it looked a bit like a very tall bird cage. Nope. Decided the association of CAGE and MARRIAGE didn't create a positive image.

Finally, we took our tasty silver martini pitcher, filled it with sand and stuck a bunch of curly branches in it. While we won't win the prize for most innovative, it looks waaaaay better. I'm going to spray them with sparkly iridescent paint (remember, more is more!), and we're going to have the doves perched on the branches with beribboned wedding rings hanging like ornaments.

This has been a fun project. It will be interesting to tally up all our receipts to see what we really spent... My guess is that we are under $300, including the objects we bought but DIDN'T use.

Goodwill Hunting

Christian is the only person I know who can shop ANYWHERE with style - even Goodwill.

We are participating in a fundraiser for Overlake Hospital where we are designing a table for 8. We decided that all our supplies needed to come from thrift stores... We wanted to see what we could find to design a high-end looking table.

Find we did. Look at that cart FILLED with silverplate things. We found tablecloths, silver, dishes, glassware, and decor items galore...

We are getting together on Thursday morning to pull the whole tablescheme together. Our Theme is "Wedding Brunch" - thus the silver. I call it instant family history, and all for under $200 bucks.

Business Ethics

Okay.

I just learned about a business that is run by this woman whose former business took Daly's for $5,000. It was for a marketing opportunity at a trade show that didn't pan out, because the trade show was cancelled. But not our checks!

Her company cashed the checks and never returned the money to Daly's. They never gave the funds to the cancelled show, they just kept the cash. And we even paid early... grr...

That kind of unethical behavior just burns me. We even agreed to a pay-back plan, etc. Nada. Her husband PROMISED he'd pay us back. Riiiiight.

The argument can be made that $5,000 is just not enough money to get in a knot over, but the fact is that we aren't the only ones who have gotten burned. What about those folks who find that $5,000 is VERY important to their livelihood? It's not a one-time instance, it's a pattern. They owed my friend over $10,000. That's an attention-getting number.

So... now she has a retail/decorating store? Of course it's all the way across the country, but hey, I've never let little details like THAT get in my way before! Maybe it's worth a plane ticket to go pay her a little visit... What have I got to lose?

Wow!

I received TWO compliments from Vic Babel in one conversation! This is an event of note... even he felt weird about it.

Check out his business, Babels Paint & Decorating.

What a Weird Week

I can't believe how actively stressful this week has been, and it's all been from external sources.

Tomorrow is my Bellevue store manager's last day. He has been a paint store kid since his Dad was our store manager! But, it's hard to compete with the pull from Microsoft. Rats. Gonna miss Lucas and his energy a whole bunch.

Had an employee collapse at work last Friday. There's some drama for ya! He's back at work with some staples in his head.

My friend Dennis.

An intense brain storm meeting in New England for C2 that I jetted off to for 2 nights. It almost took longer to recover from the jet lag. All I can say is I have a WONDERFUL spouse.

The burglar alarm went off at midnight last night and I got to hang out here in the very, very creepy dark for an hour and a half. Not so fun. And now I'm tired and I want to go shopping. (Actually, I'm not sure those two things are related, but I DO want to go shopping!)

A trade magazine, The Paint Dealer, was kind enough to feature me in their August issue focusing on women in the paint industry. Not stressful - fun! But still, clustered in this busy week of highs and lows...

Cool news:
My partner Herb and I had a new label presentation this morning. We are redesigning the Daly's Wood Finishes labels (and boy, is it about time!) and our design team (Turks Head) came to us with some real great concepts. Herb and I even agreed on the direction we liked - and that is notable. Our design tastes are different, but the work was very good.

I'm looking at this as a good sign. Ending the week on a positive note, setting the tone back in a positive direction.

Goodbye Dennis

Dennis Vacca died this weekend - cancer. Only 57.

Truly a complex color, Dennis will be missed by his C2 partners. Smart, loyal, often challenging, sexy - he was the consummate salesman who looked out for the best interest of his clients.

He talked about our stores being Best in Class, and I think he strived to be that way himself in his approach to work.

I was with some of my C2 partners on Sunday morning when we learned of his passing. While not a surprise, it did happen too soon.

We were gathered together for some brainstorming work pertaining to marketing - and Dennis was supposed to be part of that process. Instead we spent a few hours processing our friend Dennis and what he meant to us. I was lucky to have the opportunity to do that with my C2 group, since I won't be able to make his wake or service. Sometimes living on the west coast can kinda suck when things often happen back east.

Dennis definitely had it going on.

Why Get Mad at Us?

Is it us? I mean really, are we insane?

It's happened again. A woman came in today loaded down with all her ideas and samples - she is pulling colors together for her exterior. She specifically wanted to work with one of our store designers, and she got Richard.

He noticed that she had all these Home Depot and Lowes paint brochures amongst all her stuff. So he asked her (very nicely) if she was planning on using paint from our store.

"Oh no", he was told, "My painter won't use your paints, but he told me to come here for my colors." He asked if there was any way she would reconsider - nope. Richard (again, very nicely) explained he could only help her with our colors, and she gathered up all her things and left in a big huff...as if it was Richard's fault! She was genuinely mad at him.

To me, this is different than when you are going out in the marketplace, doing research on products, trying to learn all you can from the salespeople. In that type of scenario, salespeople are usually happy to help you find the right solutions for your needs.

She was just ballsy in my book.

I suppose it IS Richard's fault that he won't just give away his expertise. I think this kind of behavior is sooooo weird. What other type of business do you go into, hoping to get advice (for free, I might add), and then plan of going somewhere else for the product.

Can the customer be right if they won't even be your customer?

Yay! I can finally let you know!!!

C2 had JUST introduced the coolest thing in paint sampling - it's just as cool as the 18" x 24" Ultimate Paint Chip...

It's the C2 Paint Sampler. Okay, fine - right? Everyone has sample pots of wet paint now, don't they? So what's the big deal?

Alright, here's why I am so excited: These sample pots are 16 ounces! Not 2 ounces, not 4 ounces, but 16!!! That's enough to actually get a good sense of the color on the wall or side of the house.

But wait, that's not the ultimate in cool color work. It gets better, way better...

Not only are we able to provide samples in sizes that are actually practical - but we can make these samples in ANY color you want. EVEN CUSTOM MATCHES! That's what gets me feeling good. Yup, custom colors in a SAMPLE. Thanks to cool technology and forward thinking.

Now the possibilities are endless....

Making the Right Call

If you are starting a radio show, shouldn't you be excited about it? Telling everyone, including the checker at the grocery store?

I thought so too. So, that's why Christian and I decided to pull the plug on our radio show.

We were in a foggy place... not horribly opposed to doing the show on a station where we didn't feel our values were aligned, but things didn't feel crystal-clear either. I kept waitng for the fog to lift, giving me the feeling that this was the right path to take.

Even after learning we had a show sponsor, it just wasn't popping. Visiting the station last week was probably where it occured to me that the only thing that was clear was how unclear about it I felt.

Why, you ask? Conservative Talk Radio is a format I do not feel comfortable aligning myself to. While the weekend lineup is less intense, those are the listeners who will be tuning in on the weekend, and I don't think our style would really fit THIER sense of style.

Christian and I both feel that this is not the only opportunity we will have, and that helps. But it's very disappointing, I really DO want to reach out and communicate with people! But it has to feel right, or it's not fair to anyone.

Once we made up our minds, a huge sense of relief was there and that fog lifted. So, we made the right call this time.

But... no show for now. Bummer.

Bad, bad news.

The supplies of C2 Designer Kits and Fan Decks has dried up. We have a VERY limited inventory of Fan Decks, and once they are gone, they're gone. We have NO Designer Kits at all. I gave the last few away at my Designer Presentation (which was GREAT, by the way!).

Word is we won't see any more color tools until Septemberish. So - we are going to craft our own version of the Designer Kit to keep the flow of color tools going. I don't want the designers to wait until fall, and lose momentum in specifying colors.

Tomorrow, Courtney (my office assistant who know everything) and I are going shopping. We need to find a cool looking container/box for holding the color chips. I have business cards from over 60 Designers who attended my presentation who want color tools - and they don't care if it's in a temporary container. I will do my best to make them happy!

How Many Are Coming????

This Thursday, I am giving a presentation to interior designers at the Seattle Design Center - focus on color and C2 Paint (Hmmm... how'd they know?).

I just got a call from Rick Finer, owner of RL Finer Showroom... As of Monday, there are already 64 designers signed up! Yikes. I guess I better get busy and figure out what I'm going to be talking about!

Tragedy or Comedy?

This photo is circulating on the internet... When I got it today, I had to run it down to the staff in the tint room. Ohmygod, can you even imagine?

Do you get mad at the kid for making such a mess or at yourself for giving him the opportunity for create it?

Or as my very experienced mother commented, "If it's too quiet, I know that the kids are up to something!"

That is not a water clean-up type product. Look at the sofa! Look at the TV! The floor! That will be no fun to clean out of little-kid hair, either!

You know, we often get phone calls from customers with "emergencies". In this case, I'd have to agree!

Just look at the little sibling; s/he still has the pacifier!

Designer Presentation

I'm looking forward to next Thursday, I've been invited by the RL Finer showroom to give a C2 color presentation to designers. How cool is that?

Now I just have to think about color trends and what colors to share...

On the radio front, it looks like our show is slated to start on Saturday, August 5th. I am learning that radio is a bit of a moving target, and it will happen when it happens - and not before.

Another cool development: one of our local NPR (www.kplu.org) stations has asked me to contribute a monthly column to their website, in the "Around the House" section. Other quality contributors are there, like the Master Builders Association, Puget Sound Energy and Seattle City Light. I feel like I am in good company.

Customers Try the Darnedest Things!

We got a phone call from a designer in Vegas who wanted us to help by providing a semi-transparent stain. Okay, no big deal right? Wrong. The stain was to be used to recolor the trunks of the palm trees because the designer didn't like how they looked. Needless to say, we steered away from that one!

Another customer called in to complain about the harmful fumes of the teak oil she was using, it was making her throw-up. When questioned, it turns out she was applying the product in a 10 x 10 foot room with NO windows and no fan. Hello? Anyone there?

There must be a full moon....

While You Were Out...

Sometimes small businesses have a reputation for "not much action". I'm not sure that's altogether true... Here is what happened while I was on vacation:

• My partner's sister passed away (very sad)
• Our office manager was in the bank during a robbery (action! cops!)
• Courtney our Admin. Expert told me all the reasons why she missed me while I was out - employee meltdowns, confusion over procedures, etc. (made me feel very needed afterall)
• Bellevue staff got yelled at by angry stupid contractor who thought he could paint (hello! Painting is not for idiots, it actually takes skill, not slap and dash!) but all the problems were "application error". The paint itself is rarely the problem in most cases.

Well... I had a GREAT time at Disneyland!