A New Way of Thinking

A different way of thinking about the outdoor room is to focus on being inside the outdoors. What would you expect to see inside your family room? A warm fireplace, plush sofa, comfy love seat, rocking club chair, accent end table, custom drapes, decorative throw pillows, cozy throw blankets, some scented candles, a cocktail table, a bowl of fruit, a stereo system, a piece of artwork, and a flat screen television. The options are limitless. You just need to imagine a place that you want to spend most of your time, after that you need to create this image just as you envisioned it to be.

This is simply a unique approach to marketing outdoor living to consumers and to get them to believe in the notion that living outdoors can be the same as living indoors, all the identical amenities exist.
...Read More

Comments (0)

Designing for Fall

The holiday season is upon us with nine days left until Thanksgiving. Now is the opportune time to utilize colorful fall fabrics and accessories to accent your showroom and outdoor living space for the festivities.

Fall squash is abundant this time of year and helps to add colorful accents to tabletop displays. Fall leaves and acorns scattered around the squash and adorned with a pumpkin scented candle complete the arrangement.
...Read More

Comments (0)

No one needs to tell you how very important it is that you are transparent in your business dealings and everyday life. Just take a look at the mortgage and banking industry or Enron and WorldCom, who avoided paying corporate taxes.

Now is the time to be clear and open to your customers. What better way than to share information with your customers on energy effective products that you sell. There is a growing appeal and standard of living movement that encourages businesses to operate in ways that answer, rather than produce both environmental and social setbacks.  These businesses implement philosophy, strategy, and systems that improve the quality of life...Read More

Comments (1)

Tips on How To Choose Color for Next Season

Times are changing and we are all waiting on the sidelines to see what direction we will be going in the near future. Now and in our past we have focused on the welfare of the world. Being socially conscious and responsible in the business segment and in our personal lifestyles is a prominent consideration.

We are reconnecting with home and family, a safe haven that protects us from what is happening in the world. Driven by increasing prices we are making a concerted effort to be cost conscious. There is a renewed sense of hope and respect for America in the United States and around the globe, just as we are all embracing cultural diversity.  

These factors: the economy, recycling and global awareness are creating a definite impact on the way we lo...Read More

Comments (0)

Its that time of the year again when the cool breezes are blowing in from the north, but your not ready to go inside just yet.

New To Market this 2009 season from Outdoor Couture™ by OW Lee are five newly designed luxurious warm and cozy woven garden throw blankets that are weather resistant. These Outdoor Couture™ throw blankets are woven with Sunbrella™ yarn to add that soft finishing touch to these garden throws. The newest colors are Garden Sage, Tuxedo, Chocolate, Sienna and a mixture of Spa with Chocolate. These throws are stain, fade, and ...Read More

Comments (1)

A growing number of homeowners will be considering improvements in and around their homes once the money starts flowing back into Main Street. It’s smart to promote the reasons to shop in your specialty store so when they are ready to shop your store will be top of mind and here are four reasons why:

• Reason #1 

Improve your Homes’ Style by visiting a specialty casualty furniture store that provides a unique opportunity to learn about casual furniture from the experts.  Storeowners and their staff are specifically connected to the products that they are selling and are knowledgeable about the trends, quality, warranty information and style. 

• Reason #2

The selection of prod...Read More

Comments (0)

We as Americans are so Blessed with the Freedom and Right to Vote for the President of the United States.

Please take the time today to go to your local polling place and cast your personal vote for the new President.
Be prepared for long lines and possibly inclement weather, it is worth the wait to utilize this very precious right that we as Americans are so fortunate to have.

May God Bless America and may life in the United States and the World continue to improve and prosper.

These are my outside views...Marcia Blake

Comments (0)

WARM UP AROUND AN OUTDOOR FIRE

Setting the clocks back is a sure sign that fall is here. The kids have loads of candy from their trick or treating escapades, the days are shorter, the leaves are colorful, and the weather is crisp & cool in the morning and evening. Some areas of the United States have already experienced snow, and the stores are all indicating that the Christmas Holiday season is near.

This is still a fabulous time to spend outside in your backyard, garden, patio and pool gathering areas, huddled around a fireplace or fire pit, with the flames burning bright and warming the air. Not only is it great for warming your body...Read More

Comments (0)

If you are forever striving to present a finished look for your outdoor room and showroom, one that closely resembles the indoor living space yet offers all of the benefits of outdoor living then you should consider using an outdoor lamp that reflects the creators love of nature nevertheless complements your lifestyle.

 Shady Lady Lighting has been producing indoor and outdoor lamps that suit your way of life from sunny coastlines to waterfront towns and lake cabin appeal to high mountain sophistication. I recently had the opportunity to ...Read More

Comments (1)

Halloween is the occasion to let your imagination go wild.  From spooky to mischievous to totally stylish, there are infinite & amusing ideas to spruce up your Outdoor Room and to implement your designs.

This is a wonderful time to express your individuality whether you decorate in a ghoulish style or fashionable approach to this scary holiday. One technique is to drape your outdoor furniture in black, then strategically place skeletons in relaxing positions on your sofas and club chairs. Scatter carved jack-o'-lanterns, pumpkins and gourds around t...Read More

Comments (0)

It is that distinctive time of year when families assemble to share food and tender recollections of the past year. So it is the perfect time to arrange your residence or store for this welcoming period. Utilize the finest natural objects of autumn to decorate inside and out. Unite candlelight and ordinary essentials from the outdoor environment in imaginative fresh traditions. Convey the cozy autumn atmosphere to the spirit of every get-together.

Decorate your indoor and outdoor fireplace mantle with candles, vases and garlands. Mix live fall foliage, fresh fruits and vegetables with artificial materials to create a beautiful table centerpiece display or hanging wreath. This will suggest the feeling of welcoming abundance.

Whether you sit inside or out make use of  a snug and warm throw blanket, this throw blanket will provide a pleasant feeling of c...Read More

Comments (0)

Our discussion regarding these challenging economic times and how very important it is to drive customer traffic to your store by developing one to one relationships with customers, as well as, adding value to build clout with your customers, we have begun exploring the topic of blogging. To continue we now move on to the low cost and high return these blogs produce.

•   Low Cost, High Return

Blogs are inexpensive to set up, operate and maintain yet give you the opportunity to tell your story over and over. This creates better communication enabling you to grow your business with competitive differentiation. You know a great deal about your business, share it with your customers. This will help set you apart from the competition and show your expertise within the casual furniture industry niche.

...Read More

Comments (0)