Goal Setting for Success – How to Set Reachable Business Goals

Far too many people, whether in business or their personal lives, set unreachable goals, only to wonder why they never achieve them. As an entrepreneur with a growing business, you are a team leader as well and it falls to you to set reachable goals for your business and your team members. Goal setting for success requires that all targets must be realistic, specific, and reachable or they are a waste of time and energy for you and your team.

Business goals that are ill-defined or patently ridiculous do no one any good, least of all you; as poor goal setting will reflect badly on you as a leader. You will be perceived as either unrealistic or ill-equipped for the job. Both of these impressions undercut your authority and make you a poor leader.

Here are a few things to consider about the goals you’ve set for your team – or yourself:

·         The goals you set must be specific

·         The goals you set must be attainable

·         The goals you set must be tailored to your team

·         The goals you set must benefit your business – and your team

A broad-based concept such as “To sign more clients,” is not a proper goal for a professional business environment. It is far too nebulous and requires little commitment from your team members. A more specific goal, such as “I will close 50% of all new clients this year with budgets of at least $500,000.00,” is far more productive. It is clear and concise – and it is also measurable. A goal that cannot be measured can rarely, if ever, be met.

Well-defined goals get met, vague goals do not

Better yet is a set of incremental goals for your team to aim at, such as: “I will close 50% of all new clients this quarter, and 55% next quarter, and 60% the next quarter …,” and so on. This will keep every member of your team focused on constant improvement and, once again, it is measurable.

It goes without saying that the numbers must be realistic – or it should – but specific goals such as these are much more valuable than some vague notion of “getting better.” If you truly want your team and your business to “Get Better,” help them set goals they can actually achieve – with goal setting for success as your goal as their leader for this year, and beyond.

With more than 25 years of experience in the luxury furnishings and interior design industries, Ted has pretty much seen it all. So, if you're ready to work with a professional consultant who can help you set reachable goals for your design or furnishings business… Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Furnishing Lead Times at the Beginning of 2022

We have some good news and some bad news about furnishing lead times at the beginning of 2022. Let's start with the good news, shall we? It’s not too surprising that it comes from the industry leader, Kravet:

“Say goodbye to long lead times. With our dedication to getting you what you need when you need it, Kravet is always offering innovative solutions to your time-sensitive needs.”

• An astounding 90% of Kravet fabrics are in stock and ready to ship within 24 hours.

• Kravet Furniture is offering their QuickShip frames, paired with 150+ fabrics, produced in 10-12 weeks. This is less than half the current industry lead times.

• They offer same-day shipping for in-stock memos plus FREE FedEx 2nd day air shipping (which we can drop-ship directly to your clients).

Need something even quicker? Contact TD Fall & Co today and we will get you what you need!

Bad News About Furnishing Lead Times

According to an article at the global freight booking platform Freightos.com, the somewhat optimistic predictions for the new year have been slow to be realized.

“With ongoing pandemic-related delays and closures, non-stop demand for ocean freight from Asia to the US, and a lack of capacity, ocean rates are still very elevated and transit times volatile. Transpacific ocean rates have been more stable at the start of the year. Despite this stabilizing trend, rates remain 8-9 [times] higher than the pre-pandemic norm.

“Continued disrupted schedules and port congestion, combined with omicron slowdowns and Lunar New Year, mean that importers have yet to see any significant improvement in shipping conditions in 2022.”

Trucking Delays and Shipping Cost Increases

“With high demand from consumers, importers are rushing to replenish inventory, causing capacity in trucking to tighten and driving rates up. Now many observers warn that quarantine rules for returning truckers could cause significant delays even if goods manufactured over the holiday are ready to ship.

“Overwhelmed trucking, warehouse, and rail logistics are also contributing to the port delays, and to the overall slog in end-to-end logistics.

“Freightos.com marketplace data shows that in September, China-US ocean shipments took an average of 80 days to arrive at their final destination, 85% longer than in September 2019.” (emphasis added)

What You Can Do

Despite potential delays and high freight shipping costs, there are a few steps importers can take right now. Here are a few ideas to help you navigate the current freight market:

• Compare at least a few quotes and modes to make sure you are getting the best cost and most efficient service possible.

• Buffer your freight budget and transit time for changes. Costs due to unforeseen delays or limited capacity can arise, so be prepared.

• Explore warehousing options to mitigate the effects of lowered demand and business restrictions in the US.

• Pay attention to the profitability of your goods and consider if a pivot could be worthwhile. Additionally, remember to factor in freight costs when assessing profitability.

Here at TD Fall, we’re doing all we can to keep our ear to the ground (or ocean, as the case may be) where furnishing lead times and shipping delays are concerned.

And, as always, Ted is available with more than 25 years of experience and industry contacts he can put at your disposal with his business consulting services. Get in touch with TD Fall today.

Online Marketing Tip: The True Value of Blogging

Despite the fact that blogging began in the Jurassic era of the internet (1994 by most estimations). Despite the fact that content marketing has changed dramatically in the past decade. Despite the many funnels available for implementing a successful online marketing campaign, the value of blogging has never been greater.

“Why is this true?” you ask.

In a nutshell, it’s because online access to your audience is shrinking, making the information you share with them even more valuable. It was inevitable that corporations would finally discover the true value of online marketing – and they have. They are now eating up more bandwidth than ever, leaving reduced access to online markets for smaller businesses and entrepreneurs.

For example, back in the day, your Facebook News Feed was dominated by information sites; often individuals who were sharing high-value data and facts that interested you, based on your search history. Now, however, that same feed is dominated by advertising, often from companies you’ve never heard of.

As these businesses buy up and dominate the bandwidth, smaller voices are being drowned out and silenced. As a result, the search engines have fewer opportunities to present you to your audience because the Big Boys are dominating access.

Despite this trend, all is not lost. You still have access to your audience, IF you offer valuable information that is easy to find: using your website, social media platforms, video channels – and your blog, which remains the most important of these.

Why Blogging Has Value

• First, blog posts remain the purest, most accessible form of online content. Despite the amazing advances in technology, as well as the refining of search algorithms by the search engines, written text remains the easiest form of content for Google and the others to crawl, index, and rank in their search results (SERPs).

In fact, because the written word is so easy to read, blog posts are the most valuable content published to the internet – and always will be.

• Next, weekly blogging gives you, and your business, a voice; an opportunity to be yourself and share what matters most to you. Whether you share personal stories and experiences or the latest updates and news about your business, writing a blog provides you with a fantastic opportunity to build your reputation and generate trust. This leads to loyalty from your audience, which will ultimately generate leads and increase your potential to make sales.

Blogging provides you with the opportunity to let your personality shine online while offering your target audience the chance to learn about your business.

Publishing regularly to your blog keeps the search engines interested in and ranking your site. They exist to catalog valuable new content for their customer, the searcher. As long as you provide them with what they’re looking for, high-value content, your ranking will improve.

• Finally, blogging is an easy way to establish yourself as an expert in your niche. Because it’s easy to share, your blog is a powerful tool for word-of-mouth marketing and viral marketing to promote your products or services more efficiently than many other marketing methods. And, adding a blog page to your website is easy, while publishing to your website is simpler than ever – no coding needed!

Blogs remain one of the most popular social sharing funnels on the internet, so taking advantage of this phenomenon makes sense as the foundation of your online marketing strategy.

If you aren’t blogging as part of your online marketing strategy, now is the time to start. Now that you know the incredible value of blogging, whether for personal or business reasons, you do have an audience who is just waiting to hear from you.

With more than 25 years of experience in the luxury furnishings and interior design industries, Ted has pretty much seen it all. So, if you're ready to work with a professional consultant who can help you with marketing and understands the value of blogging, feel free to… Get in touch with 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.

Brand Building: 5 Tips to Help You Get It Done

Even though you’re spending hundreds (or thousands) of dollars on brand building each month, your audience isn’t growing. You’re only followed online by a few clients, some bots, and your mom. (Yeah, not even your dad is paying attention to your online marketing efforts!)

And so, for a change of pace, instead of a lengthy introduction to our subject by explaining how difficult building your brand is and why it’s so important, let’s do this. Let’s assume you already know those things and are frustrated by the time, effort, and expense to do it. That way, we can go straight to how you can get it done.

5-Step Brand Building Strategy

If you're like many entrepreneurs and small business owners, your business refuses to grow despite all the work you’ve done to market yourself. But, despite the poor return on all of your efforts, you feel obligated to continue because you know you need an online presence.

1.      Consistent Messaging is Marketing Gold

Consistent messaging throughout every platform is vital to building your brand. This includes the content you create, the logo and graphics you use, images, and the calls-to-action for your target audience. This last can change according to the type of strategy you're promoting, e.g., list building, engagement, special deals on products or services, etc.

Inconsistent messaging does more than simply confuse your audience, it also creates doubt in your abilities and expertise. For example, if your social media content diverges significantly from the messaging on your website, you create uneasiness and questions in the minds of your audience. When this happens, rather than contacting you for answers, it’s far more likely they’ll simply move on to a competitor whose messaging is clear and (yes!) consistent to them.

Once they leave, it’s unlikely you’ll ever be able to bring them back.

2.      Your Identity is Unique, Make Your Brand Unique Too

Separating yourself from your competition can be extremely challenging. However, being unique in some way(s) is what brand building is all about, i.e., creating an identity that has a singular impact on your target audience.

Focus on who you are. Share your vision and mission, which stem from your purpose. Do all you can to make yourself real in the virtual world where you’re doing business. These are the things that make you more human and will separate you from your competitors, before you even describe your business, your products, or your services.

Video is a great tool for doing this type of brand building. The cool thing about using video to create an identity and reputation online is that they don’t have to be long. In fact, the best videos are quick, laser-focused on solutions, and highly targeted to your audience.

What should you include in your 2-to-3-minute branding videos? One subject. Expert analysis. Solutions. Call-to-Action. That’s all you need to gradually build your brand and online reputation through video marketing.

3.      Poignant Messaging is Powerful Messaging

Emotional appeals are an incredibly powerful part of your messaging. This requires consistent messaging about the benefits of doing business with you. Not features. Not tech. Not changing the world. Benefits to your target audience!

If this somehow sounds selfish, that’s OK. Your goal is to cater to the self-interest of your audience, after all, so don’t get distracted by things that do not reinforce that benefits-based message. Always work to answer their most important question, “What’s in it for me?”

Whether your goal is to make people feel better, their homes look better, be more comfortable or more productive, a positive result is what they are looking for. At this point in your messaging, it is absolutely not about you… It’s all about them!

4.      You Need a Loyal Audience

Creating loyal followers (and eventually paying clients) is only possible if you display your expertise and honestly share the benefits they’ll receive from first engaging, and ultimately working, with you.

Your audience is your most valuable asset and by engaging with them and showing interest in their comments, you can keep them coming back. Once they show interest, by subscribing to your email list for example, you have a valuable opportunity to pique their interest further and engage them on a deeper level.

This is the stuff of dreams for any online marketer because you now have a chance to build a relationship that has a high probability of conversion. How you handle these opportunities will determine the long-term success of your business. And it all comes from implementing a solid brand building strategy.

5.      Always Ask Them to Take Action That Benefits Them

Ultimately, the goal of your online marketing efforts is to compel your audience to take action that benefits you, and them. (Don’t ever forget them!) Whether your short-term goal is to get them to subscribe to your email list or take some other step that will lead to increased engagement, you need to get them to act.

These various types of activities are designed to help you begin building a relationship with them that will, eventually, lead to conversion; that is, making a sale. Your consistent emotional messaging combined with your unique identity and poignant appeals will create the loyalty that will entice them to act and do business with you.

Now, back to the intro we didn’t make you read… Yes, building your brand and a unique identity may be the most challenging part of your marketing strategy. But, just like that marketing plan, a strategic approach will be a huge benefit for enhancing your online reputation and your brand.

Business Branding Help

It goes without saying that we at TD Fall will do all we can to help. And Ted is always available to work with you on an individual basis, consulting on how your business can best respond to the shifting needs of your design and furnishings clients.

With more than 25 years of experience in the luxury furnishings and interior design industries, he has pretty much seen it all. So, if you're ready to work with a professional consultant who can help you with marketing and brand building, feel free to… 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

Furnishings Labor Shortage – What’s Going On?

It seems everywhere you go online or on TV, the news about the supply chain is grim and getting grimmer. (Is “grimmer” a word? Autocorrect seems to think so!) Yet, all of the stories seem the same – shipping has slowed, there’s a container shortage, and the ports of entry on the West Coast are overloaded. Then too, we hear, it’s difficult if not impossible to find workers and the shortage of skilled workers has led to a furnishings labor shortage that may last indefinitely.

Oy, what’s going on?

According to many experts, and despite news sources, the real issue is not so much a transportation bottleneck as it is a labor shortage in virtually every industry. Yes, shipping containers are in short supply and leasing them is more expensive than ever. Cargos ships from the Far East are filled to bursting and must wait to offload outside their usual ports before docking. Then, offloading them is taking days or weeks rather than hours because stevedores are also in short supply.

According to an opinion piece from Jerry Epperson, Founder/Managing Director of Mann, Armistead & Epperson, Ltd. at FurnitureToday.com, the ongoing labor shortage in the US is not limited to the furnishings industry but has become a universal problem. (This is true for not only skilled but unskilled factory workers.)

He wrote, “In September the consumer media seemed uninterested, while in October, they woke to the severity of the problems and offered daily coverage. A few recent articles were encouraging with container shipping costs trending down slowly, fewer Asian factory closings dictated by the COVID-19, and major efforts at the larger ports to improve congestion and get things moving.

“The problem everyone faces is labor. I just read a long thesis about the labor issue by the New York Times that found that American families are so well off financially that fewer need to work. Yes, the stock market and home prices are up handsomely, and Uncle Sam has been generous recently with pandemic-related giveaways, but it still doesn’t feel right for 4.3 million [workers] to walk off their jobs in August.”

The Skilled Labor Shortage is Very Real

In a piece from March at BusinessWire.com, we learn that “While millions of Americans affected by pandemic job loss are still looking for work, the number of skilled trade jobs in the U.S. is far outpacing the supply of qualified workers to fill them. A new analysis by the skilled trades division of staffing leader PeopleReady finds that the most in-demand skilled trade jobs are remaining unfilled the longest, roughly a month on average, due to the shortage of qualified workers.” (emphasis added)

Further, “The skilled trades are in dire need of workers right now, with a particularly high demand for apprentice-level and skilled labor positions. These are steady, well-paying jobs that hold a bright future, even in an unpredictable economic climate,” said Jill Quinn, executive leader of PeopleReady Skilled Trades. “For the millions of Americans who are struggling in their job hunt right now, our message is simple: Consider a career in the skilled trades.”

The reason(s) for the scarcity of high-quality and artisanal workers are two-fold (at least). While it is true that “The skilled trades labor shortage, predominantly driven by a mass exit of baby boomers retiring from the sector, can be an opportunity for people looking for work, especially those who have little to no experience in the skilled trades and need job training.” (emphasis added)

It also appears to be true that “Although the skills shortage in manufacturing has been a pervasive issue for the past several years, our research shows us that far more manufacturers today (54%) than a year ago (38%) are having a particularly hard timing finding candidates with the right skills to fill critical job openings. At the same time, 54% of manufacturers say that negative industry perceptions are impacting their ability to recruit Millennial and Gen Z talent, which is equally challenging.” (emphasis added)

It’s a Nuts and Bolts Issue (Literally)

As an interesting side note, the supply chain problems for luxury furnishings extends beyond the foam shortage and shipping issues we’ve mentioned before.

In an unusual source for industry-related news, Slate.com, we’re told, “Additional fallout from the February storms [which is the original cause of the ongoing foam shortage] has left other factories playing catch-up in churning out domestic supplies of nuts, bolts, fabrics, drawer rails, and brackets for holding together chairs and shelves. This tends to affect more expensive products.” (emphasis added)

And, “Lumber is the other crucial raw material for furniture that’s become much pricier and more difficult to come by … [and] a lopsided supply-and-demand dynamic has been playing out in the sector. There’s been a run on wood not only due to the demand for furniture, but also because of a boom in home building and renovations. At the same time, sawmills pared back operations after the Great Recession and now don’t have the capacity to ramp up production, even if the timber they want to cut is in plentiful supply.” (emphasis added)

Unfortunately, it seems few solutions for any of these problems are being offered by “experts” in the media. However, despite that lack of advice on how to fix things, good news can be found, as evidenced by an article at WoodWorkingNetwork.com:

This included increases in orders as well as decreases in order backlogs. We also saw increases in furniture production and, despite the soft labor market nationwide, employment numbers in October were also on the rise.

“The furniture manufacturing industry experienced strong sales and orders in October and was ranked as the third-highest growth sector in the rankings compiled by the Institute for Supply Management (ISM) in its latest report on manufacturing activity.”

Patience and Optimism are Needed

Based on what we’re seeing currently, not everything is negative so patient optimism seems to be the order of the day. And, though the furnishings labor shortage remains a moderately short and serious long-term problem, we may be seeing light at the end of the tunnel.

Ted remains available for business consulting to the trade and may have the answers you need to cope with our current market. Call us today for the latest on lead times from the Kravet Family of Brands