New use for jute webbing

[momto3fatdogs]

A mate of mine covered a few couches in potato sacks, sold a few and actually had a feature article about them in a magizine, those curtains would have gone well with them. He was busy for a while till the novelty wore off. 

Nah they still doing THIS! Lot's of DIY'ers doing it on French looking type chairs. Pinterest is covered up with them - Potato sacks is a good analogy - looks more like rough burlap to me. Sure couldn't have it with cats - even declawed ones. What ARE people thinking when they do this type of stuff.....

Sam

[baileyuph]

Yes, no craftsmanship, symbolism over substance or something like that.  I appreciate great craftsmanship, like the boat (June did) that was showen couple weeks ago, Perfect! you were on your game June.  Not a wrinkle or anything anywhere.  

Too add, I appreciate expensive window furnishings,outstanding craftsmanship is just "over the top" any where you find it.   I am drawn to furnishings like custom area rugs with very expensive binding and fringe.  The last I had done, the trimmings might have been more costly than the carpet I had it done on.  That type of work, I never get tired of.  My Henredon down and spring cushions, I will never part with.  Glad I got them when I did, because I doubt I could be satisfied with the offerings today.

It is interesting, the things I like are expensive, but I never ask the price.  

Gene, I suppose you work with designers with reputations that draw nice clients?  There is significant credit to you to achieve that association.  I know you enjoy what you do.

Doyle

[gene]

Thank you for the kind comments, DB.

I do work very hard, but more times than not I enjoy what I am doing and it just does not feel like hard work.

Years ago I attended a convention of motivational speakers. Zig Ziglar was at his peak and the premier speaker.

Zig said something like, "Don't worry about your own money. Focus on helping others make money and you will find that money falls into your pocket."

There is a caveat of truth in this. If I can make money by helping others make money, then I'm in business. (Pun intended.)

And this is what I do. I provide a level of service and quality that is second to no one, at competitive prices, that help Interior Designers make money.

I'm in business to make money for myself. In working with ID's, I do make money for myself by helping them make money.

I do not have an adversarial relationship with ID's. I have a win/win relationship. (Stephen Covey's 7 Habits of Highly Successful People)

And I would add that those ID's who need an adversarial relationship get their upholstery needs taken care of elsewhere.

gene

[sofadoc]

I do not have an adversarial relationship with ID's. I have a win/win relationship.

I used to have several "win/win" relationships with ID's. But over the last 25 or so years, as the number of home improvement stores and discount retail fabric outlets have risen, the number of "truly" professional decorators has dwindled. Most now work for a small/mid-sized design firm. The rest are "bottom feeders" just looking for the cheapest, cheapest, cheapest price.

But just because all MY relationships with ID's are adversarial, I'm not arrogant enough to think that successful ones don't still exist around these parts.

For whatever reason, ID business just isn't a sector of the trade that I covet anymore. I used to. But I found myself forsaking all my "Off the street" customers just to stay caught up with ID work that I was usually doing at a cut-rate.

I recently met an ID at her client's home to give an estimate. I drove 55 miles into miserable rush-hour traffic.

Every last pillow was going to have at least 3 fabrics and 2 trims, and she wanted me to tell her EACTLY how much of each to buy. We spent over 3 hours going over everything. Then the next day, she called back to say that she was changing all the fabric/trim choices, and we would have to meet and go over it all again.

At that point, I remembered why I stopped pursuing ID business. I just don't need the aggravation.

I still have a couple of "Old timer" decorators that I have worked with successfully since the 80's. But they don't do that much anymore. Maybe a couple of jobs a year.