Re:Do

No Slap Dash Allowed!

James — Mon, 30 Aug 2010 15:00:50 +0000

From Summer to Fall

Happy day, readers! Can you believe September is literally around the corner? Time has flown by this summer, and fall is almost upon us. Though I do love a good autumn day – the changing leaves, the crisp morning air – I still love summer more, and I’m loathe to let it go just yet. I hope your summer has been filled with fun, warmth, vacation, family, friends, and above all, great memories of good times. I’ve spent a fair amount of my summer in Chicago, and will be traveling some more in the coming weeks, back to Chicago, then to DC in a few weeks and NYC in October. As I travel around I’ll be keeping my design eye out for great trends, new styles, organizational tools and tips and tricks to help keep your home and office running smoothly and in a neat and tidy manner. And speaking of tips and tricks, this week’s blog is about some projects I’m working on, and how, with a few handy design ploys, have made the jobs easier and better implemented, saving time, money, and in some cases, avoiding headaches! Shall we begin?

I like to paint! Simple as that!

As a designer, I thoroughly enjoy the entire creative process, from the approach to design and organization, through the organic development of the ideas and the collaborative efforts from everyone involved, right to the very end, when the client is happy as a clam with the finished result. One of my absolutely favorite things to do, in the middle of the creative chaos, is to paint. Yes, I’m one of those people. I find great solace and peace when I paint walls. I think it’s something to do with the ability to better control the outcome – like ironing – where, with a steady hand and keen eye, I can apply my skill in a way that makes a huge difference in the look and feel of what I’m doing. I’m meticulous – that’s for certain – so when I paint, I take great pains to ensure the finished result is the absolute best it can be, using different tools and tricks to get the look to be seamless and superb. Before you embark on any paint project, choose your tools wisely and properly. A few extra dollars invested in better quality brushes will save you a lot in time, money and frustration in the long run.

Angled Brush is Best

One of the techniques I employ is the angled synthetic brush for cutting-in (or edging) and feathering; natural bristles become soft quickly when used with water based paints, whereas synthetic bristles hold their shape longer. When it comes to employing these techniques, I know I have steady hand, so I rarely have to use painter’s tape between surfaces, like ceiling to wall, or wall to door or window frame. The real trick here is to have the paint on the end of your brush in small quantities, on only one side of the brush. For instance, if you’re painting a wall right up to the ceiling, have the paint on the underside of the brush, from just about the end of the brush to a litle bit into the middle of it, and carefully approach the seam between surfaces, resting the angled brush end on the wall a about a millimeter away from the ceiling, then gently push the brush up that millimeter wall space and then pull the brush down to get the paint on the wall. It takes some practice, but once you get the hang of it, it makes cutting-in and edging the seams so much easier, and free from the drip or bleed you can get from painter’s tape.

Green is Good!

However, if you still need to use tape (and I still do when I paint around floor moulding – gravity isn’t your friend when you’re painting near the floor), I highly recommend green Frog Tape, not the 3M blue tape. Frog Tape sticks and seals better, yet comes up more easily when it’s time to a pull it off the wall or moulding. I’ve had plenty of bleeds and boo-boos with the blue tape, but far, far less with the green. Try it for yourself sometime and you’ll see what I mean! It’s green and it’s great, and though it costs a little bit more, it yields much better results. If you walk away with anything of redeeming value from this blog, this is one good tidbit to have – trust me!

Different (Brush) Strokes for Different Folks!

Another little trick to use when cutting-in and edging surface seams is feathering. When paint is brushed on a wall, it leaves a different finish than when it’s applied with a roller; this is why feathering is important. I’ll paint the bottom part of the wall with my roller, and once I’ve edged the upper seam area (again, the corner between the wall and ceiling), having brought the edged paint down the wall from the ceiling seam an inch or two, I’ll the join the edged section and what I’ve previously painted on the wall below by feathering together the edged paint finish and the rolled paint technique. The feathered section is only an inch or two wide, but when done carefully can be the perfect, handcrafted finishing touch to make the wall color seamless from both above and below. Part of feathering can also involve stippling, an artistic process where you dab the paint onto the surface with quick, tapping movements from the brush. This is great for rough textured areas or pitted surfaces such as old plaster, brick, and other similar finishes.

With proper cutting-in and feathering, you can get a very slick and professional finish that’s definitely meticulous in thought and execution. However, there are times when, no matter how careful and exacting your work is, there may still be those hard to finish seams that will get the better of you. This usually happens around newer windows what have been been caulked or different surfaces that have shifted over time. An easy and quick fix for this is latex caulk (which is paintable), in either white or clear. This will help hide nearly all the little brush stokes and strays you might have had along the way, cover any seams that overlap, or just finish the edged surfaces in a cleaner manner. I recall, with some disdain, this being done in the late 90’s or early 2000’s on television design shows, where they used decorative cording or other like item. It’s a bit over the top, and I don’t recommend using it (I didn’t think it really worked then and it most certainly doesn’t work now). A simple finished look is cleaner, and in the end, has a more quality appearance in the room.

Doing the job right is important, no doubt. Doing it right the first time really will make any task more rewarding. Take the time to invest in the right tools, and research and learn the proper techniques, so that the project has a proper and finished look, and doesn’t look thrown together or slap dash!

It’s Beyond My Control…

James — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 15:00:09 +0000

Good morning, blogosphere! Welcome to a super short blog blurb to kick the week off. Due to some technical difficulties, the website and blog server was down for most of the weekend – no Safari for me – so this weeks lead blog isn’t ready. I’m still working on it and hope to have it published by Wednesday, so in the interim, while I work on the new entry for you entry, please feel free to revisit these great recent blogs for a bit of inspiration and creativity – especially the first one, as this weeks lead blog will tie into it! I’ll see you again in short order…until then, enjoy!

A Sight for Sore Eyes, and Music to my Ears!

Keeping it Simple Keeps it Neat!

What a Difference a Paint Makes!

Spring Cleaning, Made Easy – Part II

Spring Cleaning, Made Easy – Part I

See you back here in a couple days; thanks for stopping by and revisiting ReDo!

Release the Hounds: A Decorating Scavenger Hunt!

James — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 15:00:19 +0000

Hey there, readers – how’s things where you are? It’s been miserably hot here in St. Louis this last week, as it has been in many places across the midwest and south – even in the Pacific Northwest it’s been peaking upwards of 100 in some areas! It’s hard to stay cool and keep focused on projects and work when it’s too darn hot, but this week provided me an opportunity to keep busy on a client project that sent me all over St. Louis County, hunting, pecking, and looking for just the right items and accessories for this current project of mine. The best part was that it truly was like a scavenger hunt, running around with hopeful expectations to find exactly what I was looking for. In the end, it made the horrible heat and humidity less challenging as I engaged my mind and flexed my creative muscle on a mission for good design and great value! Let me take you on this road trip so you can see what I mean…

An expensive wine, or an affordable drink?

Now, you should know if you don’t already, that I’m not some fancy shmancy high-end expensive designer; the world has plenty of them, and many are struggling to make ends meet in this current economic climate. I want my work to be accessible and affordable for everyone; the end result of my design is to have a look that appears high end and well thought out without having to cost an arm and a leg. Good, beautiful design is like a fantastic bottle of wine: it shouldn’t cost you a lot of money to enjoy it. You can get some pretty darn good wines for $10-$15, and not pay the price of pretension and drop $100 on bottle that may taste just as good or not. Keep this in mind as you tag along with me on this journey for the right decorative accessories or products for my project. I’m going to take you to a few places where I found wonderful bits and bobs at great prices, with lots of choices and a plethora of options. My mindset was to be successful at each location I visited; the reality was that I achieved that success and my client is a happy camper for my efforts – you’ll see why it was worth it!

Refurbished and ready for reuse! How fantastic!

This particular project was a fun challenge (and will be updated on my website soon – stay tuned): take a small CPA firm from a commercial location and move it into the client’s basement in order to save money on rent. The client spends most of the time onsite with their clients, so they were paying rent for storage, basically, as they were only in the office a few times a month. Once we hammered out the timeframe, it was pretty easy organizing the office for the move; nearly all the office furniture and decor belonged to the landlord, so the challenge came from redecorating the new space with affordable furniture and accessories the client would enjoy and get years of use out of. So, the first stop on the scavenger hunt was for recycled and reconditioned office furniture. Enter Office Furniture Resources, a A “Full Service Dealership Featuring New, Pre-Owned And Refurbished Office Furniture” with locations in Milwaukee, Chicago, St. Louis and Madison. We perused their local warehouse and found two mid-century style beige metal and wood veneer topped desks with two matching low-boy filing cabinets and an adjustable height work table for under $500. Buying reconditioned furniture is both friendly to the environment and to your wallet; keeps the pieces out of the trash heap and your budget in the black.

Green is a fresh, clean color that warms up any space!

From there our hunt took us to Lowe’s for paint. We chose a beautiful warm sage green to play off the red tones of the exposed wood beams in the ceiling (it’s a partially finished basement, so there’s an elemental feel about the exposed wood beams and concrete walls). I tend to like Valspar paint as it goes on smoothly and cleans up easily; I also gravitate toward flat finishes instead of satin or eggshell (I want the light to be absorbed by the color and not have it reflect and bounce off the walls). Since the basement drywall was a much lighter tone than the paint color I chose a paint and primer combination, which saves money and time: a gallon of paint will cost about $25, and a primer will cost slightly less. The combined version is about $35 dollars, so there’s a savings there already. And, no matter how hard you try, if you paint the primer first, then the paint color, I find more often than not that you still have to paint two coats of color for a total of three coats of paint. With the combination paint and primer, it’s just two coats, so it’s a time saver as well!

A sleek, beautiful lamp!

The next stop on our hunt was to find inexpensive and tasteful contemporary lighting to provide a warm ambient glow throughout the newly painted green space. We found ourselves at IKEA in Bolingbrook, just outside Chicago, where it’s easy and fun finding, among other things, fantastic lighting at equally fantastic prices. We settled on two silver stemmed desk lamps with white woven barrel shades and three matching floor lamps of the same design, all for well under $200. IKEA is a place I love to shop for contemporary accessories, such as lighting, shelving, storage, etc. Always a good find or two to be had there!

So many rugs, in various sizes and designs! And affordable!

Once the furniture, color and lighting were selected, we moved on to accessories and art; the challenge here was to find low pile decorative rugs to spread along the cement floor of the office basement, something the office chairs could easily roll across. We didn’t want to go wall-to-wall carpeting, and we didn’t want the cost of carpet tiles, so I decided I’d see what my local Garden Ridge store had. Sure enough, they provided well for me! For around $550, I purchased three 10′ x 8′ rugs and one 4′ x 6′ all in the same green leafy pattern, a small entry door mat in a stripe of similar complementary green tones and a matching 10′ x 12′ version (for the filing area where the adjustable height work table is), a large bronze planter pot to house an artificial palm she already had in the space, and four large black frames with matting for 8″x10″ images and three of the same for 5″x7″’s. Now the space was being pulled together even more, and it was starting to look warm and inviting – no longer a basement, but a cool, comfortable new office space. All that was left was the art, and this final hunt was intense and fun!

A well-known St. Louis establishment, and an artful inspiration!

My partner and I spent a few hours online looking for images that we felt would add a pop of color and a bit of fun to the space – regardless that it’s an accounting office, they do know how to have fun. After several hours of searching, we found a handful of images from around St. Louis, all neon signs of well-known places and landmarks. The images were taken at night, so the neon lights were bright and friendly against the dark backgrounds. We played with size and dimension, and printed up what we needed, and placed them in the various frames – they looked amazing! And the best part is, the client, a long-time resident of St. Louis, appreciated the attention to this detail. There’s nothing better than a client that is happy with your work.

All in all, this project was a ton of fun; hard work, great collaborations, and some real noggin-tapping creativity to make a plain old basement a wonderful, functional new office space. The scavenger hunt for the right items at the right prices really enhanced the fun and thrill of the chase. If you’re ever in need of that certain something to complete the look in a room in your home or office, embrace the chase, and have a decorating scavenger hunt. You’re bound to find some real treasures, beyond your expectations!

Wallapalooza!

James — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 15:00:12 +0000

Make a statement!

Top o’ the morning to you, Monday blog readers! I hope you had an excellent weekend! I was in Chicago, checking out the scene and seeing some of the great things coming to the world of decor and design over the next few seasons. There are some great color stories and textile patterns heading our way, and I’m excited to share them with you as they get a little closer to being a tangible reality – stay tuned for these great new trends and discussions coming soon! One of the trends I’m sharing with you today is a twist on an age-old decor feature: wallpaper. But not just any wallpaper, we’re talking the kind of wallpaper that adds depth, dimension, and visual impact to your space. Let me show you what I mean!

Bold and beautiful

First, do a simple Google search for “contemporary wallpaper designs” or “modern wallpaper designs” then click on the images tab. You will be amazed and astounded at all the incredible and creative designs being produced today, from classic hand painted papers to modern vinyl self sticking styles. There is a lot to choose from, and the prices can range from the incredibly inexpensive and affordable to the outta-this-world exorbitant. But, regardless of cost or design, there is something for everyone, and the things you can do with these new wallpapers can add a ‘pop’ and thematic focal point to any room.

Compared to paint, wallpaper can make a bolder, more interesting statement on your walls. As I said, there are tons of different types and textures available these days, and so many different ways it can be used. The right paper can brighten your space, or add depth; it can enlarge a room or make it feel cozier – it can even add a sense of whimsy and surprise. The best thing is that it’s never, ever boring, and will definitely bring something unique to your space. And what I’ve noticed more of late is that the biggest bang comes from the least amount of use, such as covering just one wall, and painting the others walls to compliment, or doing a decorative application around and opening or doorway. You can set the tone and theme of a room using bright patterns or subtle, repetitive images – the choices really are limitless!

Visual excitment

What I enjoy most about the newer, more modern patterns is that the color tones selected are monochromatic (of or pertaining to one color or one color and a ‘ground’ hue) or dichromatic (two colors, also called dichromic). Many of the monochromatic patterns are simple, bold and very pleasing to the eye as they don’t force the brain to choose between colors, hues or compliments. The nearly neutral presence they carry can add a beautiful subtlety to your color shceme. The patterns can be bold: in either a graphic shape or a neoclassical flowery texture. Choose one or the other, or anything in between and you will still make an impact no matter what!

Subtle yet stunning

There’s another great trend with wallpaper that’s making a resurgence: covering large furniture surfaces with it to add to the room’s decorative aspect. Imagine a large dining buffet or bedroom dresser covered in an exciting toile print or bold symmetrically patterned dichromic self sticking paper! Think shelf liner, but waaaaay better, and much more cool! The trick is to apply the patterened paper, or vinyl, to a simple surface that is clean, flat, and devoid of decorative carvings or details. This technique is ideal for pieces from IKEA or Target and the like. Or, if you’re in a creative mood and really want to have some fun with this project, visit some of your local charity or thrift shops for inexpensive pieces you can experiment with. For very little money and a bit of elbow grease and sweat equity, you can take a secondhand bureau and make it a work of art to fit your new style and decorating theme.

Recover old furniture for a new look

Another neat trick is the floating shelf effect using wallpaper; it’s done by wrapping the shelf in the wallpaper before you attach it to the wall. You can purchase floating shelves inexpensively at IKEA, Crate & Barrel, West Elm and CB2. If the pattern you’re using is fun and busy, wrapping the floating shelf will give a fun look to whatever tchotchke you decide to display. It will appear as though the nick-nacks are levitating, floating in-front of the wall, instead of merely sitting on a plain shelf. This trick is great as well when you’re simply painting a room; just prime the shelf, paint it the same color as the walls, and voila! Your decorative vases are floating in the air, tricking the eye to see only the wall color and the decorative items you’re displaying, and not the shelf itself.

Wallpaper has come a long way, and with a little time and research you can find the right style, color, texture and pattern to change any wall in your room to wallapalooza!

The Times They Are A-Changin’!

James — Mon, 02 Aug 2010 15:00:14 +0000

Happy Monday, ReDoers; it’s good to have you back! For those of you who read my blog regularly, please take note that it is Monday, and that I am delivering my blog to you on time as previously promised. Not only does it feel good to follow-through with what I said I’d do, it’s also a nice feeling to accomplish this important aspect of my site on a weekly, REGULAR basis. And I hope you’re enjoying my many stories, experiences, decorating and organizing tips and tricks, and all the various stops in between. I know I’m enjoying writing them for you, so if you have any feedback you’d like to share, feel free to drop me a line and let me know what you’re thinking. Now, onto this week’s blog!

Ironically enough, I’m not going to share any decorating ideas, organizational tips, or even a reference to IKEA or West Elm this week! What I thought I’d do is reminisce about the last two years. Why? Because it was two years ago last week that I was laid off from my corporate job with Starbucks. And it was two years ago that the seed for what is now my business and career, ReDo, began to grow. As I look back on where I was and see where I am now, so much in my life has changed – for the better – and I am grateful for everyone that has come my way, and for every opportunity that I have been blessed with. So it’s with great thanks that I dedicate this week’s writing to the following people, for reasons that will be made obvious along the way…

First, and in chronological order, let me start by thanking my partner, Shahrdad, for his continued support of my dreams and ambitions. His compassion for me and my situation during that crisis in 2008 were invaluable traits I have come to appreciate even more these last two years. His constant reinforcement and brainstorming further helps me shape my business into the model it is today. An eternal thank you to you, boo.

Next, my roommate Richard, who picks up the slack and takes care of everything when I am unable to get things done in the normal routine of life. Without his kindness and willingness to lend a hand, I’d surely be insane by now. And also, without who, my blog would be even more delayed as he edits my draft for me every week! What a wonderful wordsmith!

To my friend Paul, who let me whine and wail on his couch that week when I was laid off, wondering “what’s to become of me?” as I dealt with the reality of unemployment. Thank you, Paul, for talking me out of the tree and off the ledge when all seemed lost. Your guidance and wisdom are always appreciated, but more so that fateful week.

To Peg, who, over breakfast one morning shortly after I lost my job, asked me the simple questions, “what do you like to do? (and) What is it that you enjoy?” which gave me the epiphany for ReDo. Sometimes the answers are right in front of you, and it takes someone who cares to point you toward what you seek.

To Shelly, Kirsten, Kris, and again, Paul, who trusted me to ReDo parts of their homes with some pro-bono organization and decorating projects so I could photo-document the process and begin the before and after concept that ReDo is known for. Thank you for your trust, your confidence, and continued friendship over the years. A special thanks is extended to Paul for being my first paying client when ReDo launched officially. I’m honored by your faith in me.

Thank you to Doug for taking an interest in me and my situation and turning it into a front-page feature in the St. Louis Post Dispatch. Your approach and spin on my reinventing myself after the job loss also gave inspiration to others, and I’m touched when people I’d never met have told me they read about me in the paper. It’s a huge thrill to know that others are taking the reigns and changing their destiny in such trying times.

And to Ken and Julia for taking my vision of what ReDo should be and where it needs to go and strapping it to their marketing rocket ship and blasting it into the vastness of the internet and media. Their creativity, dedication, and collaboration has helped ReDo go further in the second year that I could have ever imagined. The best part is they aren’t anywhere near being done with me yet – so here’s to the future and beyond!

If it weren’t for Michael referring me to Jim, who in turn referred me to Wade, I wouldn’t have Macy’s as a client – which to me is a GIANT accomplishment for any small business! Thanks, guys, for allowing me to work for you and with you, and interpret your vision in my own unique way. The freedom you give me in the Macy’s framework provides me endless opportunity for creative growth and inspiration. Your continued trust in me is greatly appreciated.

A huge thank you to my extended circle of friends, customers and clients who provide feedback, support, encouragement and joy in all I do with ReDo. Someone once said to me “Love what you do!” And I truly, truly do!

And finally, to you, the reader, who looks in on me and my comings and goings from time to time. I love all the comments I get, and the Facebook “likes” from those that take the time to read my ReDo status updates. It’s a great feeling to be a part of a community that share the minutia of their days, events, lives, and the fun in all that can be had in everything – thanks for being a part of mine! Here’s to another good year of decorating and design ideas, organizational de-cluttering, basement makeovers, furniture sale stagings, yard sales, and whatever else needs a ReDo. The first year was the hardest, but it gets easier and easier, and Year Two has been a blast! Thanks for being a part of my life’s ReDo!

I Like To Move It, Move It!

James — Wed, 28 Jul 2010 15:00:36 +0000

Macy's State Street, formerly Marshall Fields

Here we are, again ReDo Readers, at the end of another week. I’ve been gadding about Chicago, having a remarkable time staging for Macy’s furniture department in several stores, but I’m back home in St. Louis now, attempting to catch up on all that I’ve missed the last three weeks. As I continue to get my feet firmly on the ground and get back into my routine, I’ll be able to bring you a more timely blog entry, as promised, starting next week. In the meantime, I’ve come to the end of this project journey, and along the way I’ve been thrilled with the work done, the connections made, and the experiences I’ve had while woking on this assignment. Through it all I feel renewed and inspired, and full of decorating ideas, tips and tricks to dress your home and office. So let me tell you the tale of my last week of staging for Macy’s at the grand Marshall Fields State Street Store. It was awesome; and you’re gonna love it!

Here's a floor plan example; now imagine it for 100,000 sq. ft.!

Normally, to my knowledge, Macy’s hires people like me (freelancers) to set up and stage their twice-a-year furniture sales. They no longer have the budget to keep a team of full-time stagers on hand so they hire us seasonally, for the set up and dressing of the department. Each floor plan for the upcoming sale is created and approved months in advance, then tweaked along the way to accommodate minor changes to the furniture line up. Bearing this in mind, the end result from what happened last week was nothing short of miraculous. Similar to my experience at the St. Louis Galleria store earlier this month, where the furniture was to be dropped (set) before we arrived, this was a complete last-minute floor flip of Herculean proportions! It all came out of one short visit from my bosses-bosses-boss– the big guy, the VP of Visual Merchandising for Big Ticket for Macy’s (and though I’m not completely sure of his title, I think you get the gist of just how far up the ladder he is).

Move one, move them ALL!

And just like playing the old fashioned tile game, where you have to move random tiles up and down, left and right to eventually create an image, this floor move was just like that: you move one thing, and then you have to move EVERYTHING. So the Friday before Monday, the day I was to start at State Street, my boss, Wade Sheriff, now had to recreate the entire furniture department floor plan and rearrange all the sets to accommodate this one requested move by the VP. Needless to say, Wade had a very, very long weekend mapping out the new plan…

Creating a wallpaper effect with framed art

Monday arrived and so did I, at 9AM, ready and happy to start work. But, like the Galleria, there was nothing to decorate – Wade had just completed the floor plan on paper. We still had to move and flip everything – all 100,000 square feet of furniture! Luckily, there was a small work crew of five or six in-house folks on hand for big stuff, but even better, Wade’s peers from across the North East Division were onsite to assist with this massive move! Talk about a cast of talent and creativity! From Minneapolis and Detroit, Boston, DC, New Jersey, New York, and all parts in between, I got to work with some of the most dynamic, fun, and energetic people I’ve ever met: Wade (my boss), John (Wade’s boss), Suzi, Brian, Jason, Amy, Bill, plus Dave and another Bill, two of the big names from Corporate Operations (I’ve left out everyone’s last names as I’ve not asked them all if I can mention them in this blog). Once we banded together, we moved that entire floor in a day, collaborating and celebrating along the way so we could begin the earnest work of decorating in time for a return visit from the VP the upcoming Friday!

Up or down, here or there!

It was hard work, pushing and pulling beds, dressers, armoires, TV stands and bookcases, chairs, couches, recliners in all shapes, sizes and textures…from ‘that space’ to ‘over there’, and sometime back again – it got to the point where the design was becoming an organic process due to the time and space constraints. Don’t forget: what works on paper doesn’t always work in reality, and we were more than willing to go with the flow to make the overall look and appearance work, even if it wasn’t included on the floor plan. By the end of the first day, I was tired, sore, worn out, and had sweat through my clothes at least three times from exertion; it didn’t matter that the department was air-conditioned – the A/C wasn’t turned on until the store opened! Since heat rises, the eighth floor was most definitely overly warm and uncomfortable for the first few hours of the day. Regardless of our personal discomfort, this team of talent was determined and unstoppable!

Finally! A chance to decorate!

Tuesday rolled in and I was excited – even antsy – to start the decorating process now that the furniture was placed according to the new floor plan. Ed, Laura and Agata, the other freelancers I worked with at the Oak Brook Home Store and Old Orchard store, were on hand as well this day. I thought I’d be given a certain area and have that freedom to go to town with the aesthetic; however, I was paired with one of the visiting Big Ticket Visual Merchandisers: Suzi, from the Detroit and Minneapolis market. All I can say is that we were a match made in decorator’s heaven! We were two peas in the same pod – merchandising mates – and with our combined efforts and equal amounts of energy and creativity, we plowed right through our rooms in modern and contemporary furniture, then on to ‘neo’ and ‘better neo’ (smaller sized pieces, city living inspired), then on to traditional. With everyone on board working hard and applying their magic with so much passion, tenacity and talent, the floor was fully decorated by the end of the work day Thursday.

A wonderful warm and inviting setting, comfortable and stylish

Personally, facing what we were tasked with the previous Friday, the completion of the project a day early was nothing short of miraculous. When we decided that it was time to quit for the day, I had never been happier with such collaborative efforts from coworkers; the attitudes, styles, and encouragement from these wonderful people made this particular project a true joy, and an experience I will never forget. I learned some great tricks for making a space appear bigger, tips for stretching a color story and for giving balance and presence in a space, and ideas for pulling a room together using minimum items for maximum effect. But the best thing of all is that I made new friends and colleagues, and established relationships for potential opportunities to take this staging aspect of ReDo to other Macy’s locations. I mean, with Macy’s as a client, who knows what’s next? All I know is that for me, this story is far from over, and with any luck, I’ll get to write another blog about this six months down the road should I be asked to come back and do it all over again. I really do like to move it, move it!

These Are a Few of My Favorite Things, Part II

James — Wed, 21 Jul 2010 15:00:49 +0000

Hello again, and welcome to the latest installment of the ReDo Blog. Thanks for stopping by! This Macy’s staging project is keeping me super busy – I can’t get from behind this eight-ball and catch up on other other things in life, like posting my lead blog in a timely manner! I promise that once this project is over and I’m firmly ensconced back home in St. Louis, I will strive to bring order to the chaos of my time schedule, and bring to you a decent blog to start your Monday work week with! So, in the essence of said timeliness, I bring to you the next part of “These Are a Few of My Favorite Things” – sally forth, and enjoy!

Simple and easy design, with a modern flair

If you recall from my blog post this last February, I mentioned I was going to write a few blogs about some of my favorite design retailers in the hope that you may feel inspired to visit them, support them, or get ideas from their decorative aesthetics and style. This week’s blog is the second in a series of such posts, this one highlighting one of my favorite online, and newly realized brick-and-mortar stores, West Elm.

As before, let me say that this is not an advertisement, or a paid (or unpaid) endorsement by the company for which I am about to write. This is about design; beautiful, gorgeous, streamlined design by one of my favorites furniture and accessories stores, and I’m here to sing their praises and give them kudos for great design ideas, decor, color stories, and prices that are hard to beat for quality items.

Soothing color story, with great wood aesthetic

I’ve been shopping at West Elm online for years, when the only actual physical store they had was in New York City. As their popularity grows, so does their store count, and they continue to raise the walls and roofs of their shopping havens in more and more cities across the country. It just so happens that I came across one of their newer stores right in the heart of Chicago, and I can tell you I was thrilled to find them there! Just a stone’s throw from the busy intersection of North and Clybourn, or Home Design and Style, and up the street from Crate and Barrel, CB2, and The Container Store, West Elm has opened a fantastic new, and large, store at 1000 W North Avenue. And like all West Elm stores, the interior aesthetic is soothing, monochromatic (based on color blocking), and chock full of inspirational design ideas, affordable furniture and decor, and helpful people to make your shopping experience even more enjoyable.

Great modular seating and visual interest

West Elm uses a lot of wood in their designs: espresso brown, mid-tones or caramel and maple, white painted pieces – so many wonderful earthy natural feelings. They tell great color stories with seasonal and fashionable color trends, while invoking a casual comfort, and often a zen-like approach to decorating. I’ve used their pieces in my own home and continue to enjoy them still. If you haven’t stopped by their website and seen their offerings, do yourself a favor and go there now. You won’t be sorry! And, if you’re ever in a city where there is a brick-and-mortar location, speed your way there to check out for yourself all their cool, fashionable, and decorative furnishings. And with their prices, you’re bound to walk away with a few accessories and trinkets for your home!

Land of Milk and Honey, Land of Illusion

James — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:00:33 +0000

Howdy, readers of the ReDo blog! Welcome back to another thrilling installment of — wait, wrong show! This week’s lil’ ditty is a little late due to travel – I’m in Chicago for the next Macy’s staging gig – but the blog is all about that, about going with the flow, rolling with the punches, and making the most of any situation using your wits and abilities with limited resources… I’m talking about staging two different Macy’s furniture departments, and just how challenging (and vastly different) each can be. Have a sit, and let me unspool the story for you…

A great setting with subtle colors and accessories

I’ve staged for Macy’s before, in preparation for their furniture sale. The first time was very exciting, and I felt untethered, scurrying about the West County (St. Louis) Mall furniture department, seeking what treasures could be found in the stock and display rooms. That very first time I was allowed to be free to work my magic in a loose framework of design rules and expectations. Though I adhered to what I was advised to do, and how to do it, I still pretty much had free reign of the design concept and execution. That first time, there was a vast array of accessories to work with: art, lamps, pillows, bedding, books, tchotchke – all the trimmings and trappings to ‘fluff’ a space and make it looked “lived in,” and most importantly, relatable to the store’s targeted consumer. I went a little overboard – at first – but scaled down my grand designs and color stories and simplified the look. I learned a lot that first time working with Jim White, and I value his input and guidance as we continue to work on the various sale sets each season.

The furniture may be the same, but the design look has changed

This most recent set was truly a challenge, compared to the last two – where I had vast amounts of decorative accessories to use before, I was reduced to a piddling sum of items, a modicum of necessities which, when stretched to their useful limits, made me question how I decorated the vignettes even more than before. Having a lot of accessories to work with can be a double-edged sword: you either have more than enough to use and spend your time second-guessing your work, or you spend more time thinking about the concept and carefully selecting the right pieces to make the setting pop. The bottom line is that the time you have to use for the project is finite, and when you’re working between two stores in one 40-hour week, time is a luxury you don’t have. Last week pushed this sword deeper into the heart of the challenge as one store had plenty of accessories, and the other had very little – and the stores do not share their toys, so you work with what you have, period. Let’s just say that shifting mental gears was the normal state of being last week.

Painting Circles for Art

The title of this week’s blog represents those shifting creative gears where, when working with the same furniture at both locations, one place offered all you needed to get the job done, and another expected results with less than the bare necessities and a good deal of slight of hand to fool the eye. If you recall from my previous blog, the Macy’s Home Store in Oak Brook had “stock rooms FULL of accessories and art; with rolling shelving units 15 feet high filled with decorative items and accessories, and whole storage rooms full of lamps! It was a staging dream!” West County Mall? Not so much. Where before I’d had access to a long slender stock room with shelves of art and accessories, now I was down to a storage facility for housewares and boxed dish sets, with a small corner of shelving relegated as an afterthought for a handful of decorative items and art – this means that over 90% of the previous decorative items were sold, and not replaced! But still, facing that challenge head-on, our team really tackled each space with creative zeal, even stretching the concept of art by painting large tan circles and stripes on some walls to lend a degree of interest to the space, and to tie one area into another. We were able to complete the West County Mall set in two days – I thought we did a great job even with the handicap.

Stripes to lengthen a look

Then along came the Galleria, and here’s where the gears shifted and we were in overdrive. The floor was to be set Wednesday, meaning all the furniture was to be in place on it’s pad for us to come in and decorate. But, due to a shortage of available employees in the ’setting up and heaving lifting of large furniture items’ department, we had to do this ourselves. Needless to say, our third day was painful – literally – as we moved and placed the furniture where it was needed according to the sale floor plan. Thank heavens we had a couple extra people from others stores (whose jobs were NOT in the ’setting up and heaving lifting of large furniture items’ department) to lend a hand. By the end of day three we were tired, achy and sore, but the floor was set, and all we had to do in the next two days was decorate. On your marks, get set, GO!

A comfortable setting in tones that are cool and warm

Thursday, day four, had the potential to be a real killer – it was an 11 hour day. From 8:30 in the morning to 7:30 that evening, we decorated as fast and as best we could, just Jim and me using decorative and knick-knacks a-plenty. It’s always nice to be able to say you don’t need to use something and then put it back in the storage room. There was enough art and tchotchke to go around, and we made it work! By the time we finished that evening, the department was nearly done, and we could rest a little easier knowing we kicked butt and brought our best game strategy into play. We were so tired, but we were thrilled with the results! So come Friday, we just had to tweak a few things here and there, photograph the work in both stores, and bask in the knowledge of a job well done.

The final word on the matter is this: just because you have a lot of items to play with doesn’t mean you need to use everything you have in your arsenal. More often than not, if you simplify the process and use just the minimal of what you need, you can achieve the look you want without it being overdone or overdressed – sort of being able to know the difference between an ‘outfit’ and a ‘get-up’. With a little creativity and slight of hand, your decorative illusion can look like a million bucks, and sweet as milk and honey!

A Sight for Sore Eyes, and Music to my Ears!

James — Mon, 05 Jul 2010 15:00:45 +0000

Happy Independence Day!

Hello, ReDoers! I hope you’ve celebrated Independence Day with good food, family and friends, and the requisite fireworks! I love that, as Americans, we commemorate this time of year with so much fun and festivity, from parades to carnivals, pageants to plays and reenactments. The Fourth of July is one of the truly unique holidays we celebrate, and even if your plans were just to stay close to home, there’s nothing like a long weekend to tackle those projects that are well overdue and stacking up on your ‘honey do’ list. I took advantage of the extra time and managed to get one of my long gestating projects near to completion, and this week’s blog is all about that. So for those of you who love, love, love organization: read on, ReDoers!

Time to organize the DVDs, all 1478 of them!

For years I have been a stickler for organization in all forms and fashion: from my belt drawers (yes, plural) to my bathroom cabinets, nothing gives me a greater sense of peace at home when everything is in its place. Since I’ve been in St. Louis for just over four years now, one project that I promised I’d do sooner, rather than later, was organize all the DVD’s and CD’s in the house. The reason for this was that when I moved in with my partner, I brought with me my own vast collection of such items from Seattle which, when added to his equally extensive collection, we could probably open our own video rental store! Assuming that there’d be some duplication when our own private Blockbusters were made one, I planned to organize everything and donate or resell the extra copies. The funny thing is that I was so adamant and determined to do this project when I first moved in that I was all gung-ho and tenacious to get it started and completed and… well, I’m happy (and sheepish) to report that, finally, after years of NOT doing the project, it is near completion at long last! Yes, I know… this one was later, not sooner. But better late than never!

Screen shot of Delicious Library and Mac's iSight Web Cam

I knew I wanted to buy software to create a DVD and CD Library Database; but first I researched what was on the market for my Mac computer. If I was going to tackle this sprawling project, there could be no “half-ass” about it. And after looking around, and reviewing the different products, I chose Delicious Library 2 by Delicious Monster (and you have to admit: anything with the words “delicious” and “monster” in the same sentence will definitely grab your attention!). This software catalogs your books, movies, music, software, toys, tools, electronics, & video games. Yeah! All that! And the best part is that you can get all your items into the database by using any of the following methods: Mac’s iSight webcam, their wireless barcode scanner, or your keyboard.

Delicious Library Icon and Scanner

The thought of running around the house zapping thousands of barcodes with the wireless barcode scanner sounded like more fun than a bridal registry, so I dove in and purchased the scanner. Now I am invincible! Mwahahahahaaaaaa! Well, maybe I’m just tech-obsessed, but the point to this is that by using the scanner, you reduce the input time drastically. Spending an hour a day for about a week, I scanned every single DVD into the database, all 1,478 of them. Scanner vs. keyboard input? Yeah, go with the scanner. Another great thing about Delicious Library 2 is that it integrates and uploads the library to your iPhone, so, when I’m out at my local video store, I don’t have to wonder if I have that 2-Disc Special Edition Deluxe Director’s Cut Unrated Version of Bambi, or Gone With The Wind. I can just pull up the library on my phone and voila! Instant database!

Great storage for all my CDs and DVDs! FINALLY!

Now that the DVD’s and CD’s were all scanned into the system, the next step in the organization process was to make a special storage place for them, or a library, if you will, where all the movies (alphabetized) and music (alphabetized within genres) were in one easy to access and storage location. Prior to this big production, all the entertainment was housed in various cabinets and curios throughout the house, in a somewhat accessible, and even disorderly fashion, but definitely not in one place, and most definitely not well organized! Enter IKEA. I perused their catalog looking for shelving units specifically designed for CD and DVD storage. I’d looked at other places too, but the prices for fancier storage items were pretty high; and I didn’t want to have all these items filling my TV room and overtaking the design aesthetic. So, since we have a full-sized basement, with plenty of room for additional storage, I thought inexpensive shelves from IKEA were the perfect solution for my new movie and music library. These, along with additional shelves available to purchase, gave me all the space I needed for our collection, and room for new media. After assembling a total of seven units, we now have more than enough storage space, with room to grow and expand our unified collection. I have a handful of CD’s and DVD’s already populating the new shelves, so all that’s left is to bring the rest down to the basement, organize them, and put them in their places. Like I said, it’s a sight for sore eyes. And finally, after four years, music to my ears!

It Was the Best of Times, It Was the First of Times

James — Mon, 28 Jun 2010 15:00:05 +0000

The Good Ol' Days - Macy's First Store in New York

Hi ho, ReDo Readers! I’m back from my first week in Chicago, where I staged the furniture sale at the Oak Brook Macy’s Home Store. I have a lot of good decorating ideas, great design schemes and color stories, but best of all, I have a week worth of hard work under my belt, which I’m here to tell you all about. I had a wonderful time and look forward to returning in July for more of the same; but this time, I’ll come better prepared…

Trust me when I say that staging these rooms rooms is physically demanding and mentally challenging; it takes a lot out of you when you’re working with a set amount of furniture pieces and predetermined accessories. To further compound the difficulty, you have to make all that you have stretch as far as you can, using only what’s necessary and figuring out what decorative bits will provide the most impact. Some sets are more easily staged than others; more often I gravitate toward the modern and contemporary designs, where I tend to thrive. But there’s only so much ‘easy’ work for me to do, while leaving the traditional and classic schemes last, which are not my forte. It’s not that I can’t do the latter, it’s just my preference and my aesthetic is more modern and clean in form, lines and furniture silhouettes. Luckily, we started with the modern design rooms.

A beautiful setting, accessorized simply.

I’ve had the pleasure of staging the furniture sales the last year or for two at the St. Louis Macy’s, at the Galleria and West County Mall. I worked with Jim White, the District Visual Manager Midwest Region. It was a fantastic experience; and I learned the ‘Macy’s decorating aesthetic’ from him, for staging and the use of props in a room. What was most fun was having the creative license to run amok with the design. Jim really allowed me the freedom within a framework to really show off what I could do for the rooms. It was just me, him and on occasion another manager. But by and large, it was just the two of us, and we learned to work fast to set and dress the rooms.

Telling a color story; beautiful and easy!

I thought I was well prepared for Chicago. But it was quite a surprise when I realized that the Oak Brook (IL) Home Store operated on a different scale, altogether! Stock rooms were FULL of accessories and art; with rolling shelving units 15 feet high filled with decorative items and accessories, and whole rooms full of lamps! It was a staging dream! And I got to share this dream with the team of newcomers brought in by the Chicago District Visual Manager, Wade Sheriff. WIth his leadership, our team of five – also including Ed, Agata, and Laura – got right to work, within the ‘Macy’s decorative aesthetic’. Beginning with the contemporary and modern sections, we were like kids in a toy store, having fun with all the various items we had to play with. Despite the fact that we were all new working together, we became a cohesive, collaborative team, and worked very well together. The only real problem we faced was in understanding Wade’s design aesthetic. But after a couple days we were able to better interpret his needs and wants, and give expression to his rooms.

That’s when we hit a bump in the road: we were needed at the Old Orchard store on Wednesday to pull their furniture department together in time for a corporate visit the next day! No matter how much you think you can take a successful working process and repeat it in another setting, you will inevitably discover that the learning curve must still be included in that process. It didn’t matter that we’d found our groove in the first two days at the Oak Brook Home Store– we were now in a different setting, and had to focus on using many of the same items and decorative tchotchke in different ways, to accomodate different furniture. We were doing it with two fewer people, and we had to do it fast and on the fly! This day was the most challenging, and this was where I began to doubt my ability to continue to interpret Wade’s vision. However, we stayed late, we got the job done, and the other Macy’s employees really appreciated the work we did.

Clean and elegant, sophisticated and fresh!

And, by Thursday, we were on a roll! It didn’t matter that we were ready for the ICU by Wednesday, physically and mentally exhausted – or that we still had to tackle the traditional and classic rooms – we were ready and raring to go the next day! Wade had to be at the State Street store for some meetings and additional work, so he left us to our own devices, and here’s where we really shined as a team. Having been given a list of to-do’s the previous day, we set about making sure we got them ALL done – and then some. We placed art against the walls where we wanted it, collaborated on design schemes for the various spaces, pulled out accessories based on color stories and visual elements, and we pulled it all together in a day. We were so happy with the work we had done; the best part was that on Friday, when Wade came back for a review and walk through, he was pleased as well. Barring a few minor aesthetic tweaks, he liked our work, and I really grew to appreciate my instant team even more. We spent Friday afternoon on our own again, and we completed the store – all 80,000 square feet – by 5:30PM. I can’t speak for the others, but I walked away from that job feeling like I had overcome my anxiety and fears, and faced up to the challenges.

Bright and beautiful with a splash of color!

So now I’m back in St. Louis for a couple weeks; I’ll start on the two local stores the first week of July, and then I’m back in Chicago for two weeks mid-month to complete and tweak what we did at Old Orchard, then tackle the State Street store in what’s being called the ‘State Street Blitz’, where the team, and a handful of Wade’s peers from other districts, will spend an intense number of days making this flagship iconic store shine. Again, it’ll be one of the best of times. And another first for me!