As we’ve noted many times before, for most, the kitchen is the most popular room in the house, whether for the family or for entertaining. As we’ve also noted, however, millennials are the driving force in home sales today, and many of them are buying in urban areas where home are smaller – including the kitchen.Entertaining or congregating in such a small space can be problematic, which makes this article from Houzz.com so timely, 12 Ways to Make Your Kitchen Look and Feel Bigger.Long the universally accepted color for this space, white kitchens became a thing of the past some 25 years ago. Now though, white cabinets and walls can be used to add to the illusion of more space than exists.White kitchens seem larger (White Hamptons Style from BlogLovin.com)
While cabinet depth is generally accepted as 24 inches, most manufacturers offer alternatives: 12” and 15” cabinetry. Especially in lower cabinets, this may be a great way to add a few square feet to the available space in an urban kitchen.Install shallow kitchen cabinetry (Today's Homeowner with Danny Lipford)
While many homeowners love to add fancy hardware to the cabinets in their home, for those who seek more space in their kitchen, removing the hardware altogether makes for fewer items to bump into or catch on clothing. Using cabinet doors with touch-activated latches or integrated reach-in pulls reinforces the clean lines of your new kitchen, which subtly helps it appear bigger.Try cabinets without the usual hardware (ThrivingHomeBlog.com)
Double sinks in the kitchen have long been the standard. For those seeking more countertop space, however, installing a single sink makes a great deal of sense.Single sinks save counter space (TypesofKitchenSinks.com)
Panel-ready appliances (usually fridges and dishwashers) are designed to be able to receive a door front of your choosing so they can blend into the look of your kitchen cabinets. The resulting look is more fluid, which creates an overall larger, airier appearance.Install panel appliances (DecorPad.com)
Ironic as it may seem, the place where we store so many of our fattening favorites is available in a “Skinny” size. In fact, refrigerators are available in a stunning array of sizes and taking advantage of this fact when trying to save space in a kitchen is a great idea.Try a skinny fridge (BlogLovin.com)
While these are but half of the ideas offered in the Houzz article, they should be enough to get you started thinking outside the box when it comes to trying to make your client’s small kitchen feel larger. If these are not enough, feel free to check out the article, using the link above.Looking for more new design trends, marketing tips, and ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.
Interior Design Trends for Fall-Winter
As the weather cools outside, cozy and comfy become the focus of life inside. Here are a few interior design trends that are being used to help designer clients find that type of atmosphere in their homes this fall and winter.A big “Thank you” to BuilderOnline.com for the images and ideas shared here.Painted, Colorful Ceilings
Ceilings tend to be an underutilized, if not ignored, feature in a majority of homes. Much can be done to draw the eye up and emphasize ceiling height. Accent colors are great but, if that’s too bold, you can consider adjusting the sheen of your client’s ceiling paint to be more reflective, a small change that's an easy way to instantly elevate a space. Those who want to go a step further could consider incorporating different trim details and textures like wood paneling, wallpaper, or brick overlay.Warm Gray Cabinets
Gray has made a comeback, and it’s not going anywhere. In fact, it’s just been refreshed with new life. When gray cabinetry first made a splash, we saw it paired with cool hues and chrome hardware. Now, we see gray take on a warmer tone, paired with brass hardware in bathrooms and as accent cabinetry in kitchens.Bold-Colored Fabrics and Accessories
The design world is moving away from the monochromatic trend – finally! Shades like Pantone’s Minion Yellow are the perfect accent color for any space. We see it brighten up rooms by way of accessories like pillows, blankets, and window treatments. Limiting incorporation of these bold tones to accessories, rather than requiring them to commit to them throughout a room, also gives your clients the flexibility to switch things up down the road.Brick Kitchen Backsplashes
Brick backsplashes have taken off like wildfire. Beginning in the southern markets, the idea has gained momentum and made its way north and west over the past year or so. The brick adds a sense of ambiance and can elongate the space by drawing your gaze up when installed from counter to ceiling.Dog-Wash Stations
Homebuyers with four-legged friends love having dog wash stations in their homes because it gives them a distinct space where they can conveniently care for their pets, separate from their personal showers and baths. Many home buyers have incorporated these spaces for their pets in laundry rooms and mudrooms where they can keep all of their pet essentials in one place.Looking for more new design trends, marketing tips, and ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.
How a Rug Choice Can Complete a Space
A recent article at MansionGlobal.com, titled A Rug Can Pull a Room Together; Choose Wisely, caught our eye for its insight and approach to using a rug choice to complete a space.As an example of that insight, we have this statement, made by Melissa Lewis of LG Interiors in Chicago: “An area rug can make or break a room. It solidifies furniture layouts and adds a layer of depth and warmth that truly ties a space together.”And this, from Berlin-based designer Cäcilia Verweyen: “It’s a central design object in the room. Like a piece of art or a painting on the wall, it can change the whole atmosphere.”The Before or After Question“You should choose the rug either before decorating and base your furniture and window treatment selections around the colors of the rug or after to ensure the color dovetails perfectly with your furnishings. Never go rug shopping in the middle of the process.“Choosing the right sized rug for the space is key. You don’t want to overscale the rug so that it consumes the space. A rug that is too small always looks like a mistake.“Placement also has importance. In the living room, we like to center the rug; it creates a great base point for circulation and furnishings. In the bedroom, there is nothing better than stepping out of bed onto a luxurious rug, so it should be positioned underneath the bed but stop short of bedside tables to give the room some breathing space. In the dining room, the rug should be centered under the table and have enough space for the chairs to still sit on top of the rug when pulled out.” – Melissa Lewis of LG Interiors in Chicago
Texture… Texture… Texture“You’ll want to consider different types of textures for different rooms. For the bedroom, opt for a long pile weave, which tends to be softer. Woven or very short piles are better for high-traffic areas since these are more durable options.“Multiple rugs can be used in one space as well. For example, in a master bedroom, you might opt for one rug under the bed and another in the sitting area. They can be different textures, colors, or even shapes.“If you have a pet, don’t choose a shaggy or long pile rug, since these are difficult to clean. A woven, Berber, or cord pile rug is best for cleaning up mistakes.” — Los Angeles-based designer Elisabeth Fogarty
Tone Determines Style“The rug anchors the furniture and defines the style. Fall in love with your carpet first and decorate around it. Sofas can always be reupholstered, throw pillows can be updated, but the carpet is a big commitment that may be passed down for generations.“Don’t be afraid of patterns. The carpet is one of the pieces in your home where you can be exceptionally eccentric, ornate, or playful. Somehow, a wildly patterned rug reads much more subdued when it is on the floor. So, be bold. It’s less risky than it may seem.“The shape depends on what space in the room you are looking to define and how you want to define it. Demarcating a round area creates an intimate, modern look that is great in some rooms, but doesn’t make much sense in others.” －Aelfie Oudghiri, founder and creative director of AELFIE rugsLooking for more new design trends, marketing tips, and ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall.
New from TD Fall – Curated Kravet
Design. Click. Delivered.For nearly a century, Kravet has been the primary source for interior designers. With the introduction of CuratedKravet.com, your trade-only resource for distinctive home furnishings and accessories, Kravet has become the first and last stop for all things design.The Curated Kravet line is an edited collection of only the most unique, high-quality finished product across all categories for the home. The comprehensive collection features customized designs and unique handpicked pieces from the global design market, available exclusively to designers through an e-commerce platform.The Mabley Handler collection
CuratedKravet.com offers an innovative Ready to Ship upholstery program, featuring a selection of our the most popular Kravet frames and fabrics packed for immediate shipment – a groundbreaking solution for the industry that delivers custom-quality furniture fast. Designers can shop the site by product categories, stylized product stories, and curated rooms designed by industry tastemakers.
Metropolitan Menswear collection CuratedKravet.com is a comprehensive online shopping destination, delivering customized exclusive designs and unique pieces hand selected from the global design market.The Linherr Hollingsworth collection
“We are committed to making your job more efficient by providing unmatched customer service coupled with an exceptional product offering. We stand firm in our mission to serve the interior design trade at the highest level.” – CuratedKravet.comLooking for more new design trends, marketing tips, and ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.
Marketing to Millennials – Understanding the Buying Habits of Millennials
The millennial generation may be the most researched age group ever – at least as far as marketing research goes. Tens of millions of dollars are spent yearly to study the social media and buying habits of millennials. Of course, there is a good reason for this, when you consider that millennials will spend some $600 billion at retail this year.Of course, statistics mean little if you are unable to apply them to your niche. It does make sense to explore the numbers, to at least get a sense of how to market to millennials, and when it might be beneficial to make an effort.The first thing to know is this: Millennials spend the greatest portion of their “online time” on their smartphones, as 24% of millennial smartphone owners said, “nearly all” of their online time is spent on their smartphones, and 27% said “most” of their online time is spent on their smartphones.In other words, if your furnishings or interior design website is not “mobile friendly,” you have little chance of capturing even a small portion of the millennials in your area.When and Where Do Millennials Shop?With a heartfelt “Thank you” to LeadsCon.com (and their various sources), here are some valuable statistics to help you understand the buying habits of millennials:
- Numbering roughly 77 million, millennials make up about one-fourth of the US population.
- 25% of millennials in the US speak a language other than English at home.
- Millennials in the US wield about $1.3 trillion in total annual buying power.
- The median income for millennials in the US who are year-round, full-time workers is $33,883.
- More than 85% of millennials in the US own smartphones.
- US millennials touch their smartphones 45 times a day.
- 87% of online adults in the US age 18 to 29 use Facebook, with 53% on Instagram, 37% on Twitter, and 34% on Pinterest. That age group represents a large chunk of millennials.
- 83% of millennials in the US connect with companies on social media networks.
- The top five favorite brands of millennials in the US are Nike, Apple, Samsung, Sony, and Walmart.
- Just 26 percent of millennials in the US are married, compared with 36 percent of Generation X, 48 percent of Baby Boomers and 65 percent of the Silent Generation at the same age (Pew Research Center).
- 66% of millennials in the US follow a company or brand on Twitter and 64% like a company or brand on Facebook to score a coupon or discount.
- 56% percent of millennials in the US would share their location with companies to receive coupons or deals for nearby businesses.
- 51% percent of US millennials would share information with companies in exchange for an incentive.
- Only 6% of millennials in the US consider online advertising to be credible.
- For 95% of millennials in the US, friends are the most credible source of product information.
Regarding online shopping, 15% of millennial smartphone owners said they make online purchases on their smartphones “multiple times per week.” Another 15% of millennial smartphone owners said they make online purchases on their smartphones “weekly.”With this in mind, it would be a good idea to make sure your website is mobile friendly. Click here to visit Google’s Mobile-Friendly Test page. If you receive a positive result, great. If not, get on the phone to your website designer ASAP and demand answers – with a fix!Looking for more new design trends, marketing tips, and ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.
Marketing to Millennials – Interior Designers in the Marketplace
Do we focus too much on marketing to millennials here? Maybe. Then again, if you believe we do, it may be because you don’t focus on them enough!
As the first truly digital generation, millennials are quite different than the generation that preceded them. In an effort to adapt to the needs and wants of this new generation, marketers have tried a wide variety of methods to reach the world’s most powerful audience.
While most believe millennials to be the “most connected” generation in history, in some ways they are completely disconnected. By this we mean that, as a group, millennials are somewhat disconnected from people, instead relying to a large extent on “influencers”. These are the thought leaders and trendsetters found in social media, as you’ll see from some of the statistics below.
Thanks to Forbes.com, we’re able to break down the statistics that make up this group, as a means to help you understand how to best reach this massive demographic.
How Millennials Relate to Markets and Brands
- The 92 million millennials in the United States spend a total of $600 billion each year
- 85% of Americans ages 18-29 are smartphone owners
- 79% of millennials recognize that ads serve a purpose for a brand
- 68% of millennials expect that brands provide an integrated shopping experience
- 74% of teen millennials use a second screen while consuming content
- 2 out of 3 millennials use an ad blocker
- Millennial preference of digital video platforms is double the preference of traditional television
- 90% of millennials ages 18-29 are on social media
- 34% of millennials turn to their online networks in a purchasing decision
- 40% of millennials relate to online influencers more than they do their friends
If for no other reason than sheer numbers, it makes a great deal of sense for the savvy interior designer to begin focusing on the 92 million people in the 18 – 34 age range – what we call millennials.
Have you begun to market to millennials as part of your strategy? If yes, how has that worked for you? If not, what are you waiting for?
Looking for more new design trends, marketing tips, and ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.
Designer Marketing Tips – When Designer Marketing Plans Fail
For most businesses, the goal they have in mind for their marketing is to “get more customers”. Well, yeah, we’d all like to do that. The problem is, that is just too vague, which is the most common reason that marketing plans fail.Instead, every effort you make at marketing your design business or furniture store should be founded on a specific goal. Otherwise, messages become mixed and unclear. When this happens, consumers become confused about what you're asking them to do and, instead, do nothing.After all, if you choose to develop a marketing plan with the goal of increasing your email list, yet you send out a blast filled with sale pricing, you're not going to reach your audience. Similarly, if your goal is to broaden your client base, yet you market to a well-established base, you're not going to attract many new names to your mailing list, are you?Every marketing plan you put in place should have a specific goal with a finely targeted audience as its recipient. It’s difficult and expensive to attract new customers; making a targeting mistake and wasting your efforts makes it more so.Set Specific Goals for Every Marketing PlanHere is an example of a list of possible marketing goals you can focus on:
- Build an email list
- Increase referrals
- Gather client testimonials
- Expand client base
- Set appointments
- Make sales
Of course, each of these goals is an attempt to attract people who are interested in what you have to offer and to insert them into a marketing funnel that will eventually lead to sales. You must remember though, that few people are going to invest tens of thousands of dollars with a business they do not know. Each step in the funnel helps to familiarize your target audience with you and your offerings, moving them gradually toward trust and loyalty.In today’s highly competitive, constantly shifting marketplace, this is the way to avoid having your marketing plans fail.Looking for more new design trends, marketing tips, and ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.
Designer Marketing Tips – Marketing to Millennials
Millennials, those born between 1980 and 2000, are both the 20th century’s last generation and its first truly digital one. This old century/new technology dichotomy gives pause to marketers attempting to understand and connect with this key demographic. Yet, by the year 2020, these folks will spend a whopping $1.4 trillion annually – or 30% of all retail sales in the United States. When it comes to designer marketing tips, marketing to millennials should be #1 on everyone’s list.The good news is, there are trends developing that can be used to influence this demographic and bring them to your door.
- Trust your customers to help you market to millennials – User-generated content is a great way to push Millennials further down the conversion funnel, especially since they trust it 50% more than any other type of media. Instagram and YouTube lead the way as sources for user-generated content.
- Collaborate with influencers in your niche – Millennials are placing more and more trust into social media influencers. In fact, 60% of Millennials have said that they would try a product suggested by a YouTuber and ⅓ consider blogs to be a top media source when researching a purchase. Blogs and various social media that offer product reviews lead the way as influencers.
- Use live video to spark interest – From Twitch to Periscope, live video is exploding for Millennials. When Millennials consume news, 43% of them value authenticity over the content itself and there are few things more authentic than live, anything-can-happen social media streams. While Twitch and Periscope seem to have a leg up on the competition, now that Facebook allows live video, it too has great value.
- Social consciousness matters – Millennials are a socially conscious generation with a strong desire to make a difference in the world and they’ve started turning to businesses to help them make a bigger impact. Worldwide, 69% of Millennials want businesses to better facilitate customers getting involved in social issues which are a huge opportunity for businesses to start stepping in and helping.
- Mobility matters – For businesses, being mobile is can no longer be an afterthought - it needs to be at the forefront of every single marketing strategy. Why? Because Millennials are the mobile generation, with an overwhelming 87% keeping their smartphones by their side every second of every day. And – they use them to shop! (Thanks to Shopify.com for curating much of this list.)
Have you begun to market to millennials as part of your strategy? If yes, how has that worked for you? If not, what are you waiting for?Looking for more new design trends, marketing tips, and ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.
Hottest Workplace Design Trends
When you do not happen to be the “Workplace Designer of the Year,” it’s a good thing to be able to reference that person’s experience on workplace design trends. Thanks to the HuffingtonPost.com, we can access the knowledge and expertise of Mark Hirons, this year’s winner of the prestigious award.Perhaps the most illuminating of the statements Hirons makes in his interview are these:“Everything about the evolution of the workplace is exciting. Seeing more organizations recognize design as having a major impact on individuals’ experience, enjoyment and engagement is invigorating and empowering. It nurtures more opportunities to creatively tell organizations’ unique stories and explore design possibilities that will enrich the lives of their end users… which always is rewarding.”“What’s both exciting and terrifying at the same time is the incredible rate of change occurring in today’s workplaces and the responsibility that change places on designers. Our work doesn’t just evolve space; it can be a catalyst for advancing company culture. We have a responsibility to ensure design solutions are aligned with these organizations’ cultures, which in reality heightens the value for design to support business success.”As evidence of these two concepts, the of workplace impact design on individuals and the responsibility this places on interior designers, WorkDesign.com presents two specific design trends that are becoming prominent in the workplace.Authenticity-centered workplace design“First and foremost, I see a surge in demand for authentic design solutions that signal an organization’s commitment to its core values.” Brigitte Preston, principal of design and co-owner at lauckgroup design.“Authenticity-centered design may take root through a design vocabulary, expressive and creative visual branding, or specific materials, to name a few.”
People-centric workplace design“Millennials will continue to influence the direction of office design. This generation wants a career that offers a sense of purpose and contributes to the greater good. Given this reality, workplace designers should consider how the workspace can embody these goals and how they can visually be represented in the space.”
These trends in workplace design, as well as others in the office design industry, tend to reflect the overall changes we see in our culture, like younger generations entering the workforce and the commitment to the environment and the greater good of society.Have you seen these trends among your workplace design clients? What other trends do you see in office design?Looking for more new design trends, marketing tips, and ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.
3 Interior Design Tips - Planning for Next Year
As we head into the last quarter of 2017, it’s time to begin planning for next year. Say what? Yeah, the year’s not over yet and it’s time to plan for 2018? Well, only if you want to be successful!
And, that’s one of the tips that we’d like to offer: setting goals and developing strategies to achieve them for next year cannot begin too soon. In a recent HuffPost article, author Ira Kalb offers some great advice on how to create a viable marketing plan for the new year – and successive years.
- Goal setting – The goals you set for your business must be measurable and challenging. Measurable goals give everyone a common target, while challenging goals keep people interested, help to avoid boredom, and motivate your team to reach their potential. While you don’t want to overreach, you also don’t want to lower expectations. Set a realistic goal based on experience, then add a few percentage points so of growth to keep the adrenalin flowing.
- Marketing strategy – From branding to promotion and from pricing to information systems, your marketing strategy encompasses all aspects of your business. Having measurable goals means you must be able to accurately measure them, after all. Keeping your name top-of-mind in the marketplace, while differentiating yourself from the competition enhances your brand. Knowing what the market will bear in pricing will enable you to protect your profits. Stay on top of these things and you’ll have a banner year in 2018.
Color Trends for 2018
With each new year we see changing color trends. At times, these trends can be quite stark, while at other times we see more subtle changes in the color palette. For next year, shades of green and blue lead the way, while black, pink, and metallics are being used to make statements. (Not in the same rooms, hopefully!)
According to Elle Décor, These Are the Colors Everyone Will Be Talking About In 2018.
Black as a “statement color”.
Pink as a “power color”
Metallics as “neutrals”
Design Styles by Age
While we shudder at the thought of being labeled “ageist”, we also must recognize market trends when they speak to us. besides, we’re not claiming that age is a defining factor n interior design trends, ArchitecturalDigest.com is making that claim.
In a recent article titled, “The Top Interior Design Styles Based on Age”, they state that we should “Add decor to the long list of things millennials and baby boomers disagree on.”
And, it actually makes little sense that millennials would seek out “refined rustic” interiors as baby boomers do; or those baby boomers would become fixated on modern, minimal mid-century design, called "mod visionary", as their grandchildren do.
While nothing is ever written in stone about such trends, the article is certainly illuminating.
Looking for more new design trends, marketing tips, and ideas? Get in touch with TD Fall today.