Saturday, March 30, 2013

Patio: Before and After

These days, people are not only remodeling their kitchens and bathrooms, but adding wonderful patios, decks, and gazebos to their homes.

Outdoor Entertaining is certainly fun for everyone,....just when was the last time you had a FORMAL, sit-down dinner party?

A few weeks ago, I blogged about the new collection of OUTDOOR furniture from Brown Jordan.  As promised, here are some Before and After photos of my client's patio.  







Let me know what you think; I'll be happy to send fabric memo samples in the colours of your choice.

Keep Calm and Decorate Your Patio!

...Mark.

Monday, March 18, 2013

It's an Outdoor-Indoor Kinda Thing......

Thought I'd share some photos of my gardens in March.  Lately, I seem to be proposing many fabrics that have flora and fauna.  Enjoy the flowers,...and THINK SPRING!!!!!






The entrance to my Home Studio at MSI.......






Send me an email if you'd like a memo-sample of any of the fabrics.....

Keep Calm and Plant Some Bulbs!!!!

...Mark.

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

Convenience....At What Price?


I attended a seminar at ADAC the other day, hosted by the nice folks at Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles.  It was a nice event, focusing on entertaining.  Not one, but 2 of the speakers mentioned "picking up flowers at Trader Joes."

I'm probably in the Minority on this, but I just don't buy my flowers from a grocery store,...for several reasons, in fact.  Although convenient, I simply have never seen the freshness I can get from my neighborhood flower place, FLORAL PARK.


At Floral Park, James is always there to guide me on his most-recent, freshest, flowers.  On occasion, he'll cut me a deal on something he's not-moving, and I so-appreciate his expertise and advice.  He's got a small shop, but I can ALWAYS find something beautiful in his cooler.  The whole experience reminds me of buying flowers in France, or, for that matter, from a sidewalk florist in NYC.  For me, who has NEVER bought a "bouquet" at Kroger nor Publix, ....just putting flowers on a rubber conveyer belt at the cashiers is odd-in-itself,...call  me crazy (you wouldn't be the first).......

Like James, I have a LOCALLY-OWNED business.  So there's that reason.


But I ask, "At what price do we pay for CONVENIENCE?"  To wit: the other week, I was at a client's house.  They showed me a sofa that they bought "on sale" at the Mall.  They were just there, the sofa was on sale, it was convenient.  It never occurred  to them to call me to discuss such an expensive purchase.  Easy-Button.  There and Then.  Convenient.  But was it an intelligent purchase?  Let's just say that I could have proposed an AMERICAN-MADE, 8-way hand-tied-spring sofa (yes, it would have taken 6 weeks......which, to many people, is not CONVENIENT).....but it would have been made with better fabric, been constructed better, and would have lasted longer.   .....AND: it would have cost $800-1000 LESS from EITHER Lexington or Bernhardt.  I didn't tell my client this, simply complimented them on their new sofa, and took that mental note.

Many times, even a past-client might have the IMPRESSION that something I offer would be more-expensive.  Most times, that is NOT the case.  MY job is to SAVE YOU MONEY,.........without making MISTAKES.

What do you think? Have you ever made a mistake for CONVENIENCE SAKE?

Floral Park
775 Trabert Ave NW 
Atlanta, GA 30318
775 Trabert Ave NWUSGAAtlanta30318
(404) 367-0200

I look forward to hearing from you, as always.

...Mark.

Wednesday, March 6, 2013

.......Right Out of Africa........

Sometimes, you come-across antique-dealers who are just the NICEST people.  This was the case in February when I met my next-door-neighbors at the Scott Antique Market, Eric and Lynda Sermon, owners of: QUEDAH MERCHANTS, INC. (www.triballinks.net / www.stewartparkman.com)

Their booth was FILLED with treasures from Africa,....and might I say, Lynda really has an eye for DISPLAY!

Check out some photos I took of their booths (They're ALWAYS in aisle B-8 at Scott's each and every month).


Check out Lynda's merchandising skills!

Eric and Lynda find these objects d'art, then build wonderful bases for them!

GREAT display, Lynda!

Aero-DYNAMIC!!!

It was a PLEASURE having Lynda and Eric as neighbors; I look forward to spec'ing some of their wonderful things next time I have a client who loves tribal art.

Great product, great merchandising, great PEOPLE!

Cheers!
Mark.