2023 Colors of the Year – Get Your Feels On!

As we wait with bated breath (and frustration) for Pantone to declare their trend-setting Color of the Year for 2023, it’s important to recall that many other manufacturers announce their own Colors of the Year.

Rather than the shades of a single color as we’ve seen in the past, the major paint companies are presenting us with more of a mix of categories: soft neutrals, warm pink shades, and rich, deep blue/greens. That is, according to a recent article at the consumer-friendly design site Houzz.com.

Vining Ivy from PPG and Glidden

“PPG and its Glidden paint brand have both selected Vining Ivy as their 2023 Color of the Year for paint. A handsome aqua-emerald, Vining Ivy can be used to create a snug bedroom retreat, as shown here, or put to work in the kitchen as an accent color, perhaps for an island base or pantry cabinets in a glossy sheen.”

The crew at Glidden wants us to stress that “This ‘bluish-greenish-something-in-betweenish’ color serves up versatile vibes, making it an on-trend addition to any room. No matter if you think it looks more blue or more green, either way, it’s a vibe.”

Everglade Deck by Valspar

“Rather than promoting one Color of the Year, Valspar has chosen to highlight 12 trending paint colors, as it did for 2022. One of its picks, Everglade Deck, is another saturated blue/green, a bit moodier than Vining Ivy. It has surprising warmth for such a cool color. Here it infuses a bathroom with dramatic, elegant color.”

The folks at Valspar believe this colorway is trending because, “As we turn away from faster-paced lifestyles, we continue to seek balance and calmness as a source of health and rejuvenation.”

Terra Rosa by Dunn-Edwards

“While greens and blues remain popular with homeowners, increasingly warmer colors are making headway. Terra Rosa by Dunn-Edwards is a cinnamon-rose hue that’s a fresh take on more neutral browns and burgundies. It’s somewhat vibrant but also has an earthy quality; this earthiness makes it a versatile [shade of] pink.”

It’s so nice to know that there are people out there who not only see but wish to enhance our quality of life. The people at Dunn-Edwards illustrate that commitment to a life well lived by stating, “Terra Rosa highlights living a life filled with joy and finding the beauty in everyday small pleasures. The grounding quiet comfort of Terra Rosa provides a touch of prettiness with the influence of pink, yet still can create drama with its deep value.”

Are you confused by the number of choices yet? We understand so we’ll pause here to let you absorb these new design trends. But, you might want to stay tuned for a further examination of the broadening spectrum of trending 2023 Colors of the Year in a future post.

If that doesn’t work, feel free to check in with us for our further impressions of these categories of colors that are trending for next year. Just click here to… Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Fast Furniture and Client Satisfaction – Oil and Water Don’t Mix

Phrases like “social distancing”, “contact tracing”, and “flattening the curve” have been popularized in our cultural lexicon thanks to a couple of years of the pandemic. The interior design industry is no different as the phrase “fast furniture” has been coined as a somewhat derogatory term for what used to be known as mass-produced furnishings.

From products by Ikea and/or Wayfair to higher quality ready-to-ship pieces from Pottery Barn, Crate & Barrel, and Ethan Allen, homeowners and designers have been filling homes across the country with readily available pieces. This is understandable in some sense since not everyone can wait two to ten months for their new, designer furniture to be delivered.

In the middle of the work-from-home crisis, office furniture led the way in this trend, but ongoing supply chain issues have perpetuated this need for many homeowners.

The Good, Bad, and Ugly

According to an article from the New York Times, while design clients and DIY’ers have been largely satisfied with such solutions, many in the trade are worried that these easy-to-get products will have a short shelf life, resulting in clogged landfills over the next few years.

“The e-commerce furniture market alone was worth more than $27 billion in 2021, and [is] projected to reach more than $40 billion by 2030, according to a report from Next Move Strategy Consulting. Ikea is opening an average of [fifty] new locations per year; Amazon, the world’s largest retailer, now has two private-label furniture brands, the midcentury-modern Rivet, and the more farmhouse-chic Stone & Beam.”

While this is all well and good for the US economy, at least on a micro level, as sustainability expert and author Ashlee Piper is quoted as saying in the article, “It’s quite a big problem, both spatially and also because of the way a lot of fast furniture is made now, it’s not just wood and metal. The materials don’t biodegrade or break down … We’re creating this Leviathan problem at landfills with the furniture that we get rid of.”

To confuse the issue, even more, the article tosses us another positive aspect of fast furniture’s popularity: “For all of its flaws, fast furniture offers millions of homeowners the opportunity to live in a stylish home at an affordable price point. As young people contend with skyrocketing housing prices and economic anxiety, even those who would prefer to browse antique markets or shop for custom pieces simply don’t have the resources to do so.

The Sustainability Issue

Quick production schedules and fast turnaround times create issues with sustainability in the furniture industry. However, “Over the past decade, a number of sustainability-focused companies have entered the market in the hopes of presenting a solution,” the article explains.

Though “sustainability-focused companies [that] have entered the market” is a positive step, it begs the question of what established furnishing manufacturers may be doing.

For example, as the oldest manufacturer in the US as well as the industry leader, the Kravet family of brands has developed its Green Initiative, outlining a company-wide commitment to sustainable manufacturing solutions.

“The Kravet family of brands is dedicated to conducting business with a focus on providing a sustainable future. Our goal is to do our part in the worldwide effort to protect the planet with impactful initiatives. As a fifth-generation family business, we understand the importance of building a legacy built on reliability with a promise of a brighter tomorrow. These are the steps we are taking to secure that promise.”

And, of course, the creativity of design and quality of their products ensures a long shelf life in the homes and offices in which they are placed.

For alternatives to the fast furniture trend, and for more information on quality home-furnishing lines like Kravet and others we represent, simply… Contact TD Fall today.

Design Industry Trends – Shifting Priorities and Practices (Part 2)

As promised last week, we’re continuing to explore shifting industry trends based on an article at BusinessOfHome.com. In it, author Caroline Bourque shares insight into the results of a survey of some 900 interior design firm owners relative to shifting design industry trends, priorities, and practices.

It should go without saying (yet here we go saying it anyway) that the past few years have been some of the most challenging in the history of the design trade. From what some believed to be the end of the design business to a relative boom, challenging times persist. Whether you find yourself dealing with twitchy clients or coping with ongoing supply-chain issues, the survey reveals a few other hills to climb moving forward. (We know where you can get some great hiking boots!)

Increasing Labor Costs Forcing Design Rates Upward

“As [interior design] firms increase compensation, squeezing a business’s net profit and margins, they’ve also been forced to raise their rates – a decision that’s being met with some client pushback.”

This “pushback” from clients appears to be a direct result of those aforementioned escalations in interior design fees and “long timelines in the wake of [ongoing] supply chain issues and material shortages.”

The response from many designers has been an exploration of set fees. “While the report reveals that 80 percent of designers still charge hourly fees or hourly plus markup, [other] firms are beginning to trend toward fixed fees, which are used solely or in addition to hourly rates by 40 percent of respondents [to the survey].”

This then creates a new problem for a significant number of designers: undervaluing their services and setting their fixed fees too low. “Nearly two-thirds of all firms charge $200 [per hour] or less, with most charging $150 [per hour] or less. Meanwhile, the majority of smaller, newer firms charge less than $150 per hour.”

Administrative Challengers are Increasing

“Changing billing practices was one of the top strategies to address current business challenges,” for a majority of respondents. Further, “maintaining contact with current and former clients; increasing networking with local building and real estate professionals, contractors and service providers; and improving social media presence” were also problematic.

“Along with a detailed look at information like average gross sales, salaries, and benefits, the report also includes observations and insights about this period of new industry highs and lows.”

If you have questions about these design industry trends and how they are affecting your business, Ted remains available for business consulting to the trade. Simply… Contact TD Fall today.

Jaipur Living – Meet the Urban Curator Trend

Design trends come and go (which is kind of the definition of a trend, right?), but when they’re hot, you need to be able to respond to meet the needs of your design clients. The latest “trend du jour” is known as Urban Creator, according to our friends at Jaipur Living.

As they explain, there are “3 Steps To Mastering The Trend: Urban Curator Traditional foundations mix with modern styling in this of-the-moment design trend.”

Step 1: Layered Interiors

“Layering textures, patterns, and colors creates a look that’s organic yet polished. ‘I love developing a design around a piece that a client may already own,’ says Sam Cram of eponymous firm Sam Cram Design. ‘Maybe it’s an antique chest, a vintage light fixture, or a favorite Persian rug. Urban curator means timelessly fusing old and new while bringing pieces from different styles to elevate the look’.”

Jaipur woven rugs and fabrics offer the perfect foundation for layering spaces in traditional looks without sacrificing modern styling.

Step 2: Curate Each Space Individually

“Old with new, traditional with modern, smooth with textured—it’s all about the mix. ‘It’s elevated yet approachable—a comfortable lived-in vibe that feels welcoming and warm, not stark,’ says Urbanology Designs‘ Ginger Curtis of the urban curator trend. ‘Think old meets new, and incorporate items that feel lived in or vintage to complement and create a relaxed modern aesthetic’.”

“Then comes the curation. Pay attention to silhouettes, textures, colors, and the like, the styling duo recommends, to achieve the professionally polished yet effortlessly tossed together aesthetic. ‘Keep your eyes out for something odd, adding something unexpected creates a visual tension that is important to the look’, says Lori Paranjape, founder of Mrs. Paranjape Design + Interiors.”

Step 3: Finesse the Look and Feel

“With collected, layered decor comes the need for a sharp edit. Read: Choose your focal point, and choose it wisely. ‘I love mixing old with new,’ says Bonnie Ryan of Ryan Haus Interiors + Design. ‘The juxtaposition of a traditional or vintage piece next to something bold and modern is so stunning and it makes both pieces more interesting.’ In the end, she recommends, ‘bring in something bold and modern next to something organic and older’ for ultimate eye-catching appeal.”

“ ‘When it comes to mixing styles like modern, traditional, and vintage,’ House of Hipsters‘ Kayla Herbes concludes, ‘you’re really just mixing pieces that speak to you. Somehow, some way, when you decorate with pieces you love, it just works. There are no vital ingredients or rules except sticking to a color palette.”

Jaipur Wovens from TD Fall

Having worked closely with Jaipur for decades, we u understand how their hand-woven rugs and fabrics can be used to build a foundation for any space, as well as for accents and flow, as explained in the Jaipur Living article.

For more on Jaipur rugs and other products… Contact TD Fall today.

Home Design Trends for 2022 – Colors, Shapes, and Textures

As we mentioned last week, predicting home design trends is a tricky business when taken beyond local markets. And yet, as we also mentioned there can be broad-based trends that may influence what an interior designer can offer their clients when focused more narrowly. A few of these are the trending colors, shapes, and textures of home furnishings.

For example, the color green will likely be popular this year simply because so many paint manufacturers have declared it their color of the year. Also, as predicted by the folks at Houzz.com, research tells them that curvy furniture and velvet textures should be popular among homeowners in 2022.

More than one of the brands among Kravet’s family of brands are reflecting this, including curvy shapes from Donghia furniture and lovely fabric offerings in a variety of green shades from Grand Bazaar by Brunschwig & Fils.

Trending Furnishings from Kravet

Donghia is returning to the marketplace with the introduction of over 450 fabrics, its first launch within the Kravet family of brands. This expansive product offering includes 420 decorative fabrics, luxury textures, and an array of velvets. Complementing this selection are more than 50 wallcoverings, including metallic grasscloths, a signature of the Donghia lifestyle.

Brunschwig & Fils takes you on a journey through Turkey with its newest collection, Grand Bazaar, inspired by the alluring charm of Turkish culture. Established by the Sultan of the Byzantine Empire over 500 years ago, the Grand Bazaar was and is known as a trading place for jewels and textiles — a melting pot of the old and new. The beguiling history, architecture, and atmosphere of the market inspired this exclusive collection of gorgeous prints and coordinating wallcoverings. Let’s take a deeper look at this stunning new collection!

Katibi and Montguyon, Brunschwig & Fils archive favorites, have been updated to suit today’s interiors. Katibi was inspired by an 18th century Indian Palampore and features a beautiful tree of life pattern. Montguyon is another revival design, first introduced in 1961, featuring antique French needlework reinterpreted in a broken warp print effect.

These are just a few examples of how the industry leader, Kravet, can help you respond to the national home design trends that may influence your market locally.

As always, Ted is available to help you use your expertise, combined with his knowledge of the industry, to develop home design trends specific to your market that will benefit your business. Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Home Design Trends for 2022 – What are the experts saying?

Is there a “best source” for predicting home design trends? If so, which is it? Do we listen to paint companies for color trends? What about furniture? Are manufacturers or dealers the best source for the shapes, styles, and fabrics homeowners are buying? Then there are floor coverings, wallcoverings, lighting, and window treatments. Who can you trust for expert advice when imagining and designing fresh spaces for your clients?

Perhaps more importantly, should you seek information about national, regional, or local trends in home design? Does it, or should it, even matter to you and your clients what designers are doing on the East or West Coasts?

In short, what are the experts saying about home design trends for 2022? And, does it matter for your design or furnishings business?

Most Expert Predictions Are Wrong

From politics and policy to the economy and stock market, and from technological to health predictions and, as all of us know – the weather – predictions of the future made by so-called “experts” are more often wrong than right. By a lot:

“Another scientist analyzed the accuracy of technology-trend predictions. About eighty percent of them were wrong, regardless of whether those predictions were made by experts or not.” (SmithsonianMag.com)

Further, “When they’re wrong, they’re rarely held accountable, and they rarely admit it, either. They insist that they were just off on timing, or blindsided by an improbable event, or almost right, or wrong for the right reasons. They have the same repertoire of self-justifications that everyone has, and are no more inclined than anyone else to revise their beliefs about the way the world works, or ought to work, just because they made a mistake.”

“Despite the constant demand for “expert predictions and analysis,” research shows these predictions are typically no more accurate than randomly generated guesses.” (Medium.com)

So, if expert predictions in virtually every field are wrong four out of five times, how can you know what will be popular in home design until after the fact?

Trust Yourself

All of this information is not designed to say that all experts are always wrong. Home design trends do exist and the sharp designer or dealer pays attention to them. However, translating opinion into intention may not mean you should take a specific action. Why? Because experts carry their own biases (including you):

“Being deeply knowledgeable on one subject narrows one’s focus and increases confidence, but it also blurs dissenting views until they are no longer visible, thereby transforming data collection into bias confirmation and morphing self-deception into self-assurance.” (SmithsonianMag.com)

Ultimately, you must trust yourself to offer your clients choices that will make it possible to live and/or work in the spaces that feel right to them. Your training and experience should be used to analyze what the experts are telling you, just as listening to your clients should guide you.

With all of this in mind, we will be presenting you with a selection of home design trends in the next couple of posts in this series. So, stay tuned for more ideas that should be taken with a grain of salt (or skepticism).

Until then, Ted is available to help you use your expertise, combined with his knowledge of the industry, to develop home design trends specific to your market that will benefit your business. Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Home Office Interior Design Tips from Kravet

In a recent Kravet blog post, Interior Design Ideas For a Home Office That Boost Productivity, the industry leader addresses what we have all found to be true. More and more people are working from home and are looking to improve that space. Key to this is their claim that “designating a room in the house as a home office is beneficial to separate work from the rest of your home.” (emphasis added)

It’s hard to argue with that insight though it must also be made clear that, using dining room tables as a desk or being in the way of playing children is no longer acceptable. So, this post is for both designers who are looking for tips to aid them in creating the perfect home office for their clients and for those of you who are also working from home. (What’s that? You use your kitchen table, not the dining room? Meh! Same difference!)

OK, back to the Kravet post:

“If you are working from home [or have clients who are], and are looking to boost the productivity associated with your home office there are several design ideas you can implement to achieve these results. These design ideas range from taking advantage of lighting and color to developing an organization system that removes clutter and stimulates your creative brain. These ideas and more are discussed in further detail below.”

Home Office Productivity Tips

Home Office Lighting – “Lighting [may be] the most important aspect of a home office in terms of improving productivity. Most individuals will find themselves more productive working under natural light or lighting with a soft blue tone. However, you may find another form of lighting that boosts your productivity. If so, you should take full advantage of this discovery and implement it into your home office.”

Be advised that, “Homeowners who do not have a home office space equipped with large windows that allow natural light to flood into the space may want to install various light fixtures into the office. Floor lamps … are well suited to provide lighting to a home office … [As are] table lamps or wall sconces.”

Home Office Colors and Patterns – “Once you enter your home office you should feel inspired and creative. The best way to enhance these feelings is through the use of patterns and color. A fresh coat of paint or decorative wall coverings are a great way to increase the productivity of your home office.”

“The best part about getting creative with your office’s patterns and colors is that you can seemingly decorate it in any way you see fit. You can choose between solid colors, geometric patterns, and even floral or animal skin wall coverings.”

Optimize Home Office Space – “One of the most effective ways you can improve the productivity of your home office is to develop an organization system. This system can involve going paperless, purchasing a new desk, or simply developing areas for outgoing and incoming papers, mail, and other literature. A paperless office normally will take full advantage of wall-mounted whiteboards and electronic technology such as tablets and laptops.”

Home Office Interior Design Tips from TD Fall

Good lighting, attractive colors and textures, along with improved organization should all be the focus of a solid home office design. Not to mention comfort, of course. Just make sure you don’t overdo it and make it too easy for your work-from-home clients to grab a nap instead of working! (Yikes! That will definitely reduce productivity!)

Whether you're an interior designer or furnishing store owner, Ted has the experience and knowledge to help you adapt to changing times and to implement these home office interior design tips from Kravet. Feel free to… Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Green and Greener Paints, The 2022 Color of the Year Ain’t So Simple After All (Oops!)

Wait, wut? Well, we did mention that many paint brands have chosen various shades of green as their 2022 Color of the Year, unlike Pantone Very Peri which we happily featured in a previous post.

So, if you're struggling to imagine using a very periwinkle hue as the foundation for an upcoming interior design project, the industry has created options for you. (Whew, no ‘splaining why you chose it to a client – if you feared such a bold color might be.)

Then again, it’s doesn’t seem impossible to imagine using shades of both green and one of the four color palettes designed to complement the dynamic purple/blue hues of Very Peri from Pantone. After all, creativity is the hallmark of a sharp designer and, when a client shares their confusion about the conflicting opinions on colors of the year, your ingenuity and resourcefulness will ensure you have answers ready for them.

Why Is Green Suddenly So Trendy?

Both the question and answer are available in an article at Houzz.com. As San Francisco-based architectural color specialist and design writer Jennifer Ott explains:

“I’ve been asked by many homeowners why green is suddenly so hot in and on homes, and I think it’s for a variety of reasons. For one thing, after so many years of pure white and cool shades of gray and blue dominating interiors, I think folks are looking for warmer hues. Green can go warm or cool, but it’s especially good at taking the chill out of a room when paired with white or cool colors. (Or periwinkle?)

“It also partners well with wood tones and natural fibers (Or periwinkle?), and it brings with it an outdoor vibe, which everyone seems to be craving these days.

“Finally, green (Or periwinkle color palettes?), represents rebirth and growth. It’s a nurturing color that signifies hope for the future.”

Wow, that’s an awful lot of responsibility to place on a paint color, don’t you think? And yet, it is true that the color green has been used to generate a sense of renewal along with feelings of being home for decades. This blends smoothly with the “holistic and harmonious blend of nature-infused shades” you can find in the Pantone color palette they named Wellspring.

Paint Makers’ Color of the Year for 2022

Moving on, let's take a look at a few of the variously shaded greens these paint manufacturers have declared their 2022 Color of the Year.

2022 color of the year Sherwin Williams

Evergreen Fog by Sherwin-Williams – Whether used as an accent or employed as a statement color Evergreen Fog, Sherwin-Williams’ 2022 color of the year, is a soft and neutral green color. They accurately describe it as “a versatile and calming hue, a chameleon color of gorgeous green-meets-gray, with just a bit of blue. It's a simple but sophisticated wash of beautiful, organic color for spaces that crave a subtle yet stunning statement shade.”

Beyond gorgeous, Evergreen Fog SW 9130 from Sherwin-Williams is a deep, rich, comforting shade of green that seems versatile enough to use from the living room to the bedroom in any home.

2022 color of the year Dutch boy

Cypress Garden by Dutch Boy – Bold without being overwhelming, Dutch Boy’s choice for 2022 Color of the Year is more of a pure shade, presented with minimal gray or brown undertones. Also offered in an array of color palettes, Cypress Garden 424-4DB is an extremely versatile hue that is “Understated, clean and familiar, these neutral hues help to quiet our minds and bring comfort to decluttered spaces.”

We see Cypress Garden as a clean and honest expression of the base color, making it a bit less neutral yet easily paired with a variety of other colors in the blue, yellow, brown, and gray families. (Oooooh, do we see hints of periwinkle in this image?)

2022 color of the year Glidden

Guacamole by Glidden – Yes, this shade is as tasty as it gets. (There, we got that expression out of the way!) As Ms. Ott describes it, “Guacamole PPG 1121.5 is a crisp vegetal green with yellow undertones. Cleaner and greener than the avocado green that was so ubiquitous in the 1960s and ’70s (You remember good ole “Avocado”, right?) … It’s one of the more vibrant greens of the batch and works well as a kitchen or bathroom accent color.”

Cool Green Leather Furniture

We thought it would be fun to tease you just a bit by featuring a cool shade of green leather from Leathercraft.

leathercraft good green leather

The above image is a distressed leather finish named Wyoming Good Green in pure Aniline from the QS Leather line from Leathercraft. It’s a remarkably comfortable hide that is available on chairs, ottomans, sofas, and sectionals to match your choice of green paint.

Whether you're an interior designer or furnishing store owner, Ted has the experience and knowledge to help you adapt to changing times and to employ the latest green 2022 Color of the Year, to enhance your client’s home or office environment. Feel free to… Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Interior Design Trends and The Pantone Color of the Year 2022

As we leave 2021 behind and ring in the New Year, it’s time to also call up the latest from the folks at Pantone with their annual declaration of the Color of the Year 2022.

While many other paint brands proclaimed various shades of green as their color of the year, extolling its versatility, warmth, and feelings of growth, Pantone has selected a shade of periwinkle, Very Peri. They have also merged next year’s choice into four pre-loaded, mood-focused palettes with color combinations that integrate and complement Very Peri.

“Very Peri was selected for its blending of the faithfulness and constancy of classic blue with the energy and excitement of red. ‘As we move into a world of unprecedented change, the selection of Pantone 17-3938 Very Peri brings a novel perspective and vision of the trusted and beloved blue color family,’ Pantone Executive Director Leatrice Eiseman said. ‘Encompassing the qualities of the blues, yet at the same time possessing a violet-red undertone, Very Peri displays a spritely, joyous attitude and dynamic presence that encourages courageous creativity and imaginative expression’.” (Houzz.com)

Pantone Very Peri Color of the Year Palettes

Realizing not every homeowner or designer will be completely comfortable with shades of blueish/lavender paint in every room, they have made these Color of the Year-themed palettes. These can be used with every other Pantone Colour and are available to share, save, and use in your design files within Adobe Photoshop®, Illustrator®, and InDesign®.

Balancing Act

“Balancing Act is a complementary palette of color whose natural balance of warm and cool tones support and enhance one another. The brilliance of Very Peri is intensified within this artfully calibrated palette, injecting a feeling of liveliness and visual vibration.”

Wellspring

“A holistic and harmonious blend of nature-infused shades, Wellspring highlights the compatibility of the greens with good-natured Very Peri and the health-giving properties of these deliciously subtle and nourishing hues.”

The Star of the Show

“The dynamic presence of Very Peri comes through in The Star of the Show, as we surround this happiest and warmest of all the blue hues with a palette of classics and neutrals whose essence of elegance and understated stylishness convey a message of timeless sophistication.”

Amusements

“Amusements, a joyous and whimsical color story of irrepressible fun and spontaneity is amplified by the carefree confidence and joyful attitude of Very Peri, a twinkling blue hue whose playfulness emboldens uninhibited expression and experimentation.”

Kravet Periwinkle Fabrics and Wallcoverings

A company that refuses to ignore design trends from wherever they may come, Kravet has made a variety of lovely periwinkle fabrics and wallcoverings available for some time.

Whether you're an interior designer or furnishing store owner, Ted has the experience and knowledge to help you adapt to changing times and to employ the latest Pantone Color of the Year 2022, 17-3938 Very Peri, to enhance your client’s home or office environment. Feel free to… Get in touch with TD Fall today

Online Marketing & The Value of Researching the Competition

Knowledge is a wonderful thing, yet real-world experience is even more valuable. It’s likely because of the importance placed on what’s known as ‘book learnin’ that so many experts take certain details of their niche for granted. That is, they expect their clients to know things they do not. Not only does this happen among interior designers, furnishing dealers, and manufacturers, it frequently happens among those they rely on to support them: for example, business coaches and online marketing experts.

One of the areas in which this commonly happens is market research. Many think they know what the term means yet find it difficult to explain or perform well. It’s a bit like the phrase, “I can’t describe it, but I know it when I see it.”

Well, that’s  really not good enough for the person who is supposed to be doing it – or for the person who needs it done – and done well.

First, we ask, what exactly is “market research”? According to the online dictionary Wiktionary, it is “The systematic collection and evaluation of data regarding customers' preferences for actual and potential products and services.”

That’s a nice, concise explanation as far as it goes but, it’s all about the wants and/or needs of potential customers or clients. Where it falls apart, at least for our purposes, is that it never mentions the competition. After all, none of us live or work in a vacuum free from competition. And, just as it’s critical to know what the market demands, it’s equally important to know how and if other businesses are meeting that demand.

What’s the Other Guy Doing?

Quite simply, if you don’t know what “the other guy or gal” is doing in your market, your chances of cutting into their customer base are low indeed. Further, the business coach or online marketing expert you may have hired will be inclined to believe you already know not only how important this is, but also that you either know it or know how to find out. (That is what we mean about experts taking things for granted, by the way.)

And now, we offer some guidance on how to perform market research on your competition:

What services are the busiest interior designers in your area offering? This one is pretty easy to answer. Jump online and check out the websites or social media profiles of the top designers or dealers in your area and look at their “Services Provided” or “Products” section. For designers, how do they describe their services and what are you seeing most often? For retailers, which lines are being offered in your market, and to what extent?

For both, are they a full-service provider or do they make more of a “one and done” type of impression? For the latter, it should be obvious you could fill in the gaps. (More on that a bit later.)

Which categories of design services are not being offered in your area? Again, researching the competition will enable you to build a list of the most frequently mentioned services or product lines being offered in your area. This list can then be compared to other possible services or product lines that are missing from your market.

That is the list you want to focus on – what we call the “List of What is Possible”. That is, the design services and/or product lines you believe can make an impression on potential clients who are currently unable to find them.

What home renovation or design challenges do customers have in your area? This is an area where the details matter. So many designers go for The Big Job and forget the importance – and number – of smaller and potentially more profitable projects. While it’s great to work on high-dollar, high-profile projects, it’s also a fact of life that many such jobs are quoted with lower margins and end up costing more than anticipated, reducing profits even further. (Landing those jobs is also an ego boost that a sharp designer shouldn’t need.)

Choosing to focus on a higher volume of higher-margin projects that can be completed more quickly is a fantastic path to building your business and your reputation. And, since interior design is a local business (as we keep saying), building your rep as a creative, reliable professional will be your key to long-term success. (PLUS – smaller projects often offer the potential for more repeat business; that is, instead of renovating an entire house, doing one room at a time over time.)

What Are You Doing?

Finding voids in your market is well and good but will have little value if you are unable or unwilling to fill them. Doing so will require that you rethink your business model to better fit those areas. You may even find that the most needed, and potentially most profitable, service categories are not your favorites. However, if your goal is to build your business rather than to tickle your own fancy, you may need to bite the bullet and offer them.

With these thoughts in mind, expand your research by asking yourself:

Which design services can I provide that are unique, superior, or at a more competitive price point? How can I help homeowners solve their unmet renovation or design challenges? Is there a need for a pro with a different pricing structure?

In what other categories could I perform design work? How many competitors in my potential other categories are in my service area? Is there a need for a pro who can take on small and mid-sized projects?

What will set me apart from the local competition? What can I offer that is different, better, done more quickly, or at a better value? Which lines of furniture, fabrics, wallcoverings, rugs, mirrors, pillows, and lighting might have an impact on your market and, in our current jumbled world, which of them have shorter lead times and/or greater availability?

Use these questions to research your area and to evaluate your own business. Your market research must include all of these factors to see if there’s an unmet need you can fulfill to attract new and/or repeat clients and close more deals.

If you struggle with research for online marketing of your furniture or design business, consider working with a more experienced consultant. Ted is available for such business consulting to the trade. Just… Get in touch with TD Fall today.