Home Builder Developer - Interior Renovation and Design

The 50 States Project is a yearlong series of candid conversations with interior designers we admire, state by state. Today, were chatting with Rehoboth Beach, Delawarebased Jess Weeth of Weeth Home, a firm she launched as a side project four years ago while working in the fashion business before pivoting to design full-time two years later. In addition to sharing favorite moments from two recent local projects, she tells us how her background in fashion informed her current career, shares why she partnered with a local furniture retailer to give her clients a white-glove experience, and describes her hometowns unique coastal aesthetic.

You had a career in fashion before starting your firmlets start there.I have loved design in all ways as long as I can remember, but I didnt really consider it as a career when I was looking at colleges. Instead, I went for as rigorous an academic school as I could and got a bachelor of arts, thinking I would jump into the business world in some way, and try to get as close as I could to the creative areas of business. So when the opportunity [came] to join a corporate training program and take on a buyer role at the corporate office of Abercrombie & Fitch after graduation, I was able to jump out of college and get right into a $4 billion company, which gave me so much insight into not only the design side of fashion, but also the production element.

I traveled everywhereI was in China, Korea and Turkey often, and in London and Paris for inspiration and shopping trips. I got to see the mills and fabrics and all of the production elements firsthand. I was able to have an awesome career and ended up running a pretty large team, overseeing a large side of the womens business.

Abercrombie was a brand in transition at that time, correct?Exactly. When I started, it was the heyday of a huge global company that everyone knew so well, which then became a huge challenge to overcome, because everybody had one image of Abercrombie. It was a very cool learning experience to be around all those hardworking people. You would never imagine the amount of talent on that design team. Yes, youre designing jeans and T-shirts, but the capabilities and the [sources of] inspiration are a lot bigger than that.

I was running a $350 million portion of the business with a team of 13 under me by the time I left. So [the experience of] project management, presenting to the CEO, and exposure from that standpoint cut my teeth a little bit on the business end of things.

But [the office was in Ohio], so I wasnt anywhere near home. I grew up here in the Rehoboth Beach area, and my husband and I were thinking about how to get closer to that area. We started looking in Philly and Baltimore, a two-hour drive away. He ended up getting a brand manager role at Dogfish Head, a brewery that has a pretty sizable team here, so we relocated back to Rehoboth Beach. I had never considered coming exactly back to my roots, but it was awesome. Along the way, we had renovated our historic home in Columbus, Ohio, and it sold really quickly. Then we moved here into a small ranch fixer-upper and ended up doing the same thingrenovating it completely and flipping that house. In the meantime, I started blogging about it.

In the dining room of this project, we worked really hard to strike a balance between laid-back and polished, says Weeth. I wanted it to be the kind of room where you could get out the good china but stay barefoot in jeansapproachable with a hit of coastal prep. Keyanna Bowen

Weeth paired navy grasscloth with shiplap for an elevated but still casual effect.Keyanna Bowen

Left: In the dining room of this project, we worked really hard to strike a balance between laid-back and polished, says Weeth. I wanted it to be the kind of room where you could get out the good china but stay barefoot in jeansapproachable with a hit of coastal prep. Keyanna Bowen | Right: Weeth paired navy grasscloth with shiplap for an elevated but still casual effect. Keyanna Bowen

And the blog turned into a design business?In this town, there is a huge needit wasnt long before friends and coworkers and word-of-mouth referrals started coming in and I started taking on smaller projects. I took online classes at the Interior Design Institute to learn as much as I couldI had a baby son at the time, and wasnt at a point where I could move to a city and go to design school, so I had to get a little creative in [how to] get information and hone my skills.

Had you left Abercrombie when you moved back to Delaware?I was still working remotely for the company when the design business started to grow, more quickly than I could have ever imagined. In May 2018, it got to the point that I actually went full-time into my interior design business.

The vision for this home was a light and bright open entertaining space for a fun, young couple, says Weeth. With a neutral palette at the heart of the open-concept living space, it was all about texture! Cane chairs, tufted leather, bohemian textiles, woven baskets and an abaca chandelier brought life to levels of whites and creams.Meghan J. Shupe

How did you know when it was time to do design full-time?My husband would tell you it was blatantly obvious, because I was just working around the clock. I would finish my work, do dinner with my son, and then be up and working, and the projects just kept coming. I did work remotely, but it was also starting to feel like a cheat on Abercrombies time, where occasionally, if somebody needed to schedule a 3 oclock meeting, I would go to their house quickly and then make up for [that missed work later]. It was crazy.

It just became so clear that the work was there, and I was honing my confidence and my skill set. I was able to raise my prices and start to wrap my head around the business model of design, which is complex and interesting in terms of the margins, savvy sourcing, tracking time, flat fee versus hourly, all of that stuff. It took those two years of hustling [to] feel confident that I could make the jump. Every client project that went smoothly puts that feather in your cap, where youre like, OK, I can do this, its getting easier, and Im loving it more and more because things are clicking. Now, when I source sofas, Im not looking at 2,000, Im looking at my favorite 60 that Ive already narrowed down from years of looking at and sitting in them.

The classes you took onlinewhat did you gain, and what made you realize that was an important piece of the process?I took 10 modules of interior design, so it wasnt years of schooling. I learned the history of architectural periods, some of the jargon that was making me feel uncomfortable. I knew I could style, I had an idea of what I liked spatially, and color has always been my strengthat Abercrombie, I was one of the color testers. But having that vocabulary and background [the courses provided] gave me the confidence and some good basic tools. The last thing I would want is somebody to think that I have a four-year design degree. There arent a bunch of big firms here, so interning was not an option, and I wasnt able to move to a city to attend school or work at a big firm. For me, that was my scrappy way to do it.

Woven elements continue into the kitchen.Meghan J. Shupe

What did the early projects with friends and family look like?They were furniture and styling projects. It was cool to find people looking for something different and a fresher aesthetic. Theres a lot of traditional design that I think is done really well here, and then theres a [firm] or two that does very modern design. I think I fall more in that fresh take on classic [category], that middle, breezier feel. So it was refreshing to see people that saw my home or blog or heard about me and gave me a shot. When I came with design boards and the aesthetic started to sync up, the projects started to spiral in a good way, where it was like, Oh, did you know theres somebody in our area that does this? I worked hard. My prices were super low back then. I was scrapping to gain traction, because I didnt have the internship. I didnt have a prestigious four-year degree, but I had the passion and had an aesthetic that some people were looking for.

My poor husbandI would have our guest room stocked to the brim with lamps and nightstands, little pieces of furniture. He would help me load everything. We would hang things ourselves. It was definitely down and dirty four years ago, and then one of the biggest changes came when I synced up with Mitchells Interiors, a fine furniture retailer out of Laurel, Delawaretheyre an hour away, but the owner, Derek Feist, lives in the Rehoboth area. I think its a pretty unique setup in some ways. I love a lot of the upholstery lines that they carry, and they have more of a breadth of resources for custom than I could ever want or need in terms of dining tables and beds. Plus, they do all of the receiving for me, including for [a lot of goods] from other vendors. The pricing is great and the client gets that white glove experience. We also spend a day together at High Point, where I point out new lines Im interested in and they use some of their buying power to help with that. Our partnership gives me a huge breadth of resources that I, as one individual designer, couldnt have.

An abaca chandelier is the focal point of the dining area in an open-concept space.Meghan J. Shupe

The homes master bedroom.Meghan J. Shupe

Left: An abaca chandelier is the focal point of the dining area in an open-concept space. Meghan J. Shupe | Right: The homes master bedroom. Meghan J. Shupe

How long ago did you set up that partnership?I started working with them pretty close to when I started, when the logistics were killing me. So its been over three years at this point. I feel like were on the other side with the logistics a lot more worked out, which is nice.

You opened your studio in October 2019. Where does that fit into that equation?It seems like a big jump, I know, but I had the luxury of two years of working from home for Abercrombie, and knew that I was not good at working from home. I just struggled with itI was so used to leading a really big team and being in meetings and that energy and focus. Home is home, and work is work. I was really struggling with that and wanted to have a space. Then I was getting so bogged down with the project management and logistical aspects of the job that were not paid as much, that bringing on an assistant or project manager was necessary. Even installs that dont seem that big, doing it by yourself is hard. And textiles are a huge passion of mine. I was building up this sample library that was a tool for people to understand my aesthetic and the things that get me excited. I think if it was all tucked away in our little office at home, which it was, it wouldnt be serving me as well as it could.

[The studio is] a huge investment that I had to think hard about, but because I work on so many second homes, I was meeting people in Starbucks or bringing fabric samples to dusty new-build sites. It was logistically very hard to give somebody what I thought was a high-end experience from my home. I was tired of bringing design boards to Starbucks and ready to have the presentation be a positive part of their experience rather than something that I was feeling self-conscious about.

I also think its nice for people to be able to walk in and be like, OK, so when she says shes coastal, but not too coastal, this is what she means, this is what that feels like. There have been anchors and seashells around here my whole life, and I couldnt want to be further away from that, but theres also this barefoot spirit that is why Im obsessed with living here, and why I think people move here or have second homes here. Rehoboth is super small, but it balloons [exponentially] in the summer. So its a nice way to say Im here and part of the community. We did a total gut on our building here on the main street, Rehoboth Avenue. It was a super cute boutique, but very coastal, and set up for a clothing shop. It took a couple months, and then we were able to open last October.

The bedrooms were designed to be cheery and calmingand to get you ready for a day at the beach! says Weeth. Meghan J. Shupe

Its you and your project manager. Is that your whole team?Yeah, thats my whole team as of now. My project manager joined when the studio opened. Its crazy that as of six months ago, I didnt have her. I dont know how I functioned. So thats been great.

OK, and so youre both there, and the studio is open by appointment only.Here, we have such a defined season. Its pretty much Memorial Day to Labor Day. Obviously, that extends every year, and its not like its dead year-round now. For us, it makes sense to be open full-time [during that season], when more people can walk in. We have some cash-and-carry things in here, and its been fun for people to come in and shop and see it. Im getting so much pressure and requests like, I just want to shop there all the time. Cant you make it a shop? That kind of thing. So I think come May, well extend that arm of the business and hire the extra couple of hands to be here when I have to be on-site.

You mentioned High Point earlier. Why is that so important, and where else do you go for discovery?High Point is essential for me, because of where we are. There really are no resources around hereno big design centers, no huge showrooms. It is a time for me to walk until my feet are numb and sit in everything I possibly can. Seeing something, it just clicks whether its a good fit for your clients and projects or not. I love discovering new lines and building relationships. That way, if theres an issue, theres somebody going to bat for you thats going to get it resolved.

Weeths studio. 'The focus was really on two thingscreating a living, breathing space that embodies our breezy take on classic style, and to showcase the beautiful textiles and materials we incorporate in our designs, says Weeth. I wanted clients to feel like a kid in a candy store during our concept presentations.Keyanna Bowen

How many projects are you typically working on?About a dozen at a time. Im about half-and-half right now, [in terms of] full house versus decorating. But the full house ones are on longer timelines, so in terms of all the decorating side, we have a little bit more time to pull things together. I think probably everyone loves the bigger projects, just because efficiencies pick up when youre doing bigger projects. But I dont think we will ever completely [forgo] the smaller projects. We try to impart to people that we really like to do projects to completion.

Were definitely looking to make the room feel meaningfully different and very finished when we leavenot just coming in to do the window treatments. Not that we cant use a favorite old pieceI certainly love the character and soul that that can bringbut I want to be focusing on, at the very least, the whole rooms design.

You talked about how in May, so many people are moving in. When did they approach you, and what kind of lead times did those projects come with?Thats the loaded question. The amount of project inquiries we get in January spikes, and even in the last month, too. I think once you cross the holidays and January is behind you, people start thinking about spring and summer. It would certainly be nice if people had the forethought [to think about it] back in early December.

Often theyll be like, Its March! Can you help me? Those requests havent changed, but my answers haveIve gotten stronger in my stance of being like, No. We cant start now and have a completely renovated, perfect house by May. That doesn't happen. But I will say, from working with builders around here, everybody is on that same timeline. So a lot of new builds, I dont necessarily have to set the schedule as much, because they started on the build nine months or a year ago with that date in mind. Now, am I often waiting on builders to finish up, and then it makes my life a little stressful? Sure.

A vignette near the shops entrance. Weeth focused on an array of lighting options so that the studio seems to glow from the street.Keyanna Bowen

We renovated the space completelyit was a drywall box when we started, explains Weeth. It was important to add some character and soul through reclaimed and vintage pieces. The beams came from Old Wood Delaware and the figure drawings are 1920s sketches I found on a trip to the Brimfield Antique Show over the summer.Keyanna Bowen

Left: A vignette near the shops entrance. Weeth focused on an array of lighting options so that the studio seems to glow from the street. Keyanna Bowen | Right: We renovated the space completelyit was a drywall box when we started, explains Weeth. It was important to add some character and soul through reclaimed and vintage pieces. The beams came from Old Wood Delaware and the figure drawings are 1920s sketches I found on a trip to the Brimfield Antique Show over the summer. Keyanna Bowen

What are your plans for the next few years? What do you see coming for the firm?I definitely see the shop experience, the studio experience being a big focus, just because of our location. The way weve designed it, its very well lit at night from the road. So theres been so much curiosity about it. I know that its a little unconventional to have such a focal spot thats appointment-only. So we are definitely going to make the studio experience a profitable portion of the business. [Another thing thats important to me is] curating. I dont want the pieces that you see everywhere to be here. We try to utilize our custom lines as much as possible when planning for the retail furniture items in here and some of the decorthat has been a work in progress that were excited to launch in May.

Im trying to pace ourselves a little. It would be great if this next year or two we are refining our processes and still taking on the same workload before taking on more headcount. I would certainly love to very intentionally grow this team, but I think me being as close as possible to the projects is whats right at the moment.

Whats the most inspiring thing about the business to you right now?I feel so strongly about the entire history and importance of this area, and how there really is, to me, such a vibe [in Rehoboth Beach] that hasnt necessarily been defined by a style. Theres not a West Coast or California coastal feel at all. It really isnt as specific as a Nantucket. It certainly is not a Southern vibe here, either. You have a lot of heritage components coming from Washington, D.C., and Philly, and some of that old-school tradition, but in a very laid-back way [because] people are so chill here. And theres a huge generational vibe to this town, where everybody is connected.

A lot of these homes have had iterations, and some of peoples best times are probably in these houses that are packed on top of one another on their way to the beach, and its a very inspiring thing to be a part of, especially having grown up here and seen the evolution. I love being able to bring a global lens, because I did leave and travel around the world [for my former job]. So its very cool to be able to bring, hopefully, a fresh take and style to an area that is very close to home for me.

To learn more about Jess Weeth, visit her website or find her on Instagram.

Homepage photo: Jess Weeth in her studio | Leeann Rae Pulchny

Read more here:
How this Delaware designer went from boardroom to showroom - Business of Home

IN 2009, CELEBRITY fashion stylist Thomas Christos Kikis agreed to go on a date with Derek Curl, a film producer, at an East Village dive bar. Kikis, wanting to impress, wore his best Thom Browne suit. Curl, a burly, bearded Southerner, arrived in jeans and a camo trucker hat and ordered them each a bourbon and a beer. The unlikely pair hit it off; three months later, they moved in together. In the subsequent years, their careers have pulled them in different directions: Kikis to Los Angeles, where his clients live and work, and Curl to Europe, where he owns several film distribution companies. Yet the two have found common ground and a home in a farmhouse in Andes, N.Y., three hours north of New York City.

They discovered the area by chance. In the early days of their relationship, Kikis, 35, would tag along on Curls film shoots in the Catskills, exploring local auction houses and antique stores. On one such trip, Curl, 46, noticed that there were a number of affordable 19th-century American houses in a style he calls the poor mans Greek Revival slightly ramshackle properties with neo-Classical pediments and columned porches that reminded him of the antebellum architecture of his Georgia childhood. He had only three requirements when they began house hunting: I wanted a Greek Revival; a large, old dairy barn with a stone foundation; and a creek running through the property. Kikis had just one: to be no more than 12 minutes from a place where you could buy The New York Times.

The search took years, but one day in 2016, they came upon a 2,000-square-foot, two-story, three-bedroom white-clapboard 1854 house with a large weathered barn surrounded by five acres of rolling fields. They bought it and did a light exterior renovation, but for the interiors, they enlisted Billy Cotton, the 38-year-old New York-based designer known for his exuberant, off-kilter interpretations of American vernacular. Recently appointed the creative director of Ralph Lauren Home, Cotton was raised in a Federal-style house in Burlington, Vt., and his first job was with the decoupage artist and East Village shopkeeper John Derian. His classic New England sensibility he favors straight lines, simple stripes and the innate minimalism of colonial architecture is tempered by his formal training in industrial design at New York Citys Pratt Institute, as well as his deep affinity for French Modernists, including Jean Prouv and Jean Royre.

Cotton also loves a good back story; he believes it endows a space with soul and a source of intrinsic warmth. His narratives tend to unspool gracefully, starting quietly and growing more colorful and eclectic as one proceeds through the environment. For Kikis and Curl, he envisioned a home that had been built for a refined family that had migrated from a small European city to begin anew on a farm in the New World, carrying with them only a few bits of antique finery. As such, the public areas downstairs are decidedly ascetic, as were rural homes of the era. The austere kitchen, with simple cabinets painted Shaker red and wide pine-plank floors, has walls of 4-by-4-inch vintage off-white Delft tiles, sourced from different lots, which gives them a subtle patchwork quality. In the sparsely furnished parlor, beside a rough-hewn mantle-less brick fireplace (Cotton convinced the couple not to replace it), a pair of low-slung settees covered in blue-and-white ticking face each other, and a 19th-century mahogany grandfather clock stands in the corner.

BUT THE STAIRCASE hallway, with its original turned-walnut banister, gives a hint of the idiosyncratic adornment that Cotton has created in the upstairs rooms. Here, the moldings and door frames have been painted bright white, in contrast with the cream background of the vintage-feeling Zuber wallpaper, which is alive with flowering vines and birds. The faded red stair runner, with a Swedish geometric pattern, seems particularly daring in this context. Soft light comes from a simple midcentury Italian pendant lamp in an unexpected shade of matte tangerine.

In the master bedroom, Cottons love of mixing color and pattern reaches full bloom, with peacock-blue moldings and walls papered in a dense indigo block print. To camouflage the chambers low, slanting ceiling, typical of the period, he covered it with a similar-scale block-printed fabric in red and gold. A pair of Italian gilded and painted oak twin beds one from the 18th century, the other a 20th-century copy have been made into a king-size one, draped in a patchwork quilt, while on the floor, Cotton has layered a red-and-black Tunisian rug over a geometric Turkish runner. In the corner, he added a Louis XVI-style chair covered in worn green leather. The small spare bedroom upstairs has been turned into a cozy refuge as well: Cotton created a corner bed nook from a small closet and painted the paneling a pale blue. The wall behind the mattress, which is covered by a windowpane-checked blanket, is decorated with a piece of faded red Sardinian fabric and a mirror whose glass has clouded with age. The tiny space can be closed off from the rest of the room with a striped curtain, and a red 1960s sconce serves as a reading light.

The designer pushed the couple to embrace such juxtapositions, which they might never have considered themselves although he played up the houses intrinsic Americana, he paired it with midcentury Italian lighting and vibrant wool Berber rugs. He also encouraged their reimagining of the barn, which Curl plans to use for aging bourbon.

But Cottons main accomplishment is making the place feel like home. The house has become such a haven from urban chaos that the couple recently decided to give up their West Village apartment altogether. Here, they spend time with their new friends, from the county butcher to the town lawyer to the dairy farmer next door. On weekends, they pick blackberries, swim in the trout pond down the road or fish for bass in the Pepacton Reservoir. And when they return, leaving their muck boots at the paneled front door, they are enveloped in a quiet beauty that years ago they could not have imagined for themselves: the glow of a vintage Scandinavian pendant light on the polished dining-room table, the feel of a Moroccan carpet beneath their feet, the tang of pine and wild ginger in the near distance.

Read the rest here:
A Farmhouse Fantasy Tucked in the Woods of Upstate New York - The New York Times

When you hear the word recliner, the words elegant, modern, or chic might not be the first that come to mind. For many design-oriented folk, the classic La-Z-Boy recliner has always been something of an eyesore a super comfortable one, sure, but still something meant to be hidden away in a man cave, basement or at least a den separate from the living room.

We used to have this saying, that you could always tell how much a wife loved her husband by how ugly the recliner he was allowed to buy was, says Mark Wilson, Director of Merchandising at Comfort Design with a laugh.

While the clunky recliners and motion furniture of 20-plus years ago could be something plucked out of an interior designers nightmares, todays motion furniture is telling a different story. Thanks to improved technology and a response to changing consumer lifestyles, motion manufacturers are creating designer-friendly pieces with sleeker silhouettes, improved functionality and stylish fabrics that are perfectly at home displayed proudly in the living room.

Motion used to look like a big clunky piece of furniture, and now with the advancements in technology, motion has started to look more and more like stationary furniture, says Spencer Bass, Creative Director at American Leather.

In fact, Bass said hes often seen people walk into the American Leather showroom and take a seat in what they presume is a high-back stationary piece, only to show a look of surprise when they realize theyre sitting on motion furniture.

So what changed? One piece of the puzzle is technological innovations in the hardware that makes motion furniture move. Motion furniture inherently requires more bulk to hide all of the mechanics and metal components that make it work. But as motors and mechanisms have become smaller over the years, its become easier to upholster around them for a sleeker finished product.

The introduction of power motion also offers todays consumers the option of an unobtrusive button tucked into the arm or side to control the furniture instead of the manual crank that used to be standard.

Wilson says at Comfort Design, hes seen chair arms, in particular, size down with the advent of smaller electronic parts.

Ive now got the the control system down to where I can make a 2.5-inch-wide arm, where in the past that had to have a 4- to 4.5-inch-wide arm to make it big enough to hold the components, Wilson says. So now I can do it with a 2.75- or 3-inch arm, which looks more sleek and substantially cleaner and nicer.

Its not just the improved, smaller components alone that allow for sleeker motion pieces, Wilson adds. Its also increased acceptance and interest in sleek motion on the part of consumers that drives the volume needed for manufacturers to see the benefit of mass-producing units of component pieces.

Theres now more focus on making a better, nicer-looking chair that still performs those comfortable functions, and since theres more emphasis in that category, the guys who are developing the mechanisms are much more in tune to it and theres more volume involved. That makes it profitable for the guys making the component pieces to help develop mechanisms and components that more easily lend themselves to a better-looking, more functional and sleeker piece. So its not really that they cured cancer, its just that there are more people accepting the category. That makes it beneficial for those guys to stamp out those types of mechanisms.

Along with technological advances, shifting consumer lifestyles have also given rise to a thriving market for stylish motion furniture. Where many homes used to have a formal living room meant for entertaining and a family room or den where the TV was (and where the family actually spent time), todays homes are moving toward open floor plans with one main living room featuring a TV.

American Leather is designing product with this in mind, Bass says.

We literally designed the sofa with the idea of, if there was a TV in front of me, how can the headrest articulate to get the perfect seating position to watch television, he says. This is the sofa for the living room with the TV now, not the sofa for the living room with the occasionallysat-in sofa.

These changing floor plans reflect less formal attitudes among consumers, Wilson notes.

With the consumer being more casual in their attitudes and their lifestyle, its becoming much more acceptable to be comfortable in your home, and kicking your feet up has always been a staple of that environment, Wilson says.

With the rise of streaming services, consumers are staying in to watch movies in the comfort of their home, and want to create a comfortable experience without compromising on style.

You dont have to give up comfort to get the look that youre looking for, and thats really what were striving for, Wilson says.

Founded in 1990, American Leather has been in the motion business for about 20 years and Bass says its grown to be the companys largest product segment. The most popular product is its Comfort Sleeper, a sleeper sofa offered in 15 styles that features a construction with no uncomfortable bars or springs. Along with its own product offering, the company also makes sleeper sofas for retailers such as Restoration Hardware and Room & Board.

Over the last few years, American Leather has launched three categories of its Style in Motion series of sofas and chairs, the newest of which just launched at the fall 2019 High Point Market. The Style in Motion A-series features pieces with a solid back for a more stylish look from every angle a benefit for consumers who want to float sofas in an open floor plan. Customers can also customize with three different arm styles and nine different back options, along with their choice of 177 fabrics or 100 leathers. Bass says a goal of the new A-series was to continue to offer a range of product, both in terms of price point and styles ranging from transitional to modern.

Somebody who likes contemporary may not respond to transitional, and somebody who likes transitional may not respond to contemporary, he says, so its about having all the different lifestyles of motion that your retailer can cover. What a store in Aspen or in Denver might carry would probably not be the same thing somebody in Miami carries.

Introduced about a year ago was American Leathers I-series, inspired in part by 1960s Italian mod sportscars. The Turin chair, with peekaboo welt detailing and metal sled legs, earned the company a Pinnacle Award at falls High Point Market. Across all of the styles offered, Bass is proud to offer sleek motion upholstery delivered in just 30 days.

At Comfort Design, launched in 2009 as a higher-end offshoot of Klaussner, a new partnership with designer Stacy Garcia is helping the company reach interior designers. Announced before last falls High Point Market, Garcia will debut a stylish new line with Klaussner and Comfort Design at the upcoming market in April.

With Garcias eye for pattern and color and Comfort Designs customization capabilities (they offer a variety of nail and cushion options along with more than 300 leathers and thousands of fabrics), Wilson says the partnership is moving the company in a promising direction.

The recent trend toward more transitional looks has made it easier to style motion furniture in a way that fits each consumers aesthetic, Wilson says. Twenty years ago, he says a recliner line would likely feature hardcore traditional and hardcore contemporary styles, offering little room for customizability.

Because its all blending, now a lot of the styles are going to fit in more environments, and the consumers themselves are also much more eclectic, Wilson says.

With different fabrics, nails and other design components, a motion chair with the same silhouette can be customized to fit any environment. When motion doesnt have to look just one way as it may have in the past, the consumer appeal becomes broader.

Along with aesthetic styles, Comfort Design also offers a range of motion options. Any given chair starts with manual, then graduates up to single power (a single button to power recline), then graduates up to power recline with a power headrest, and then graduates up to power recline with power headrest and power lumbar. The next version has all of these features plus a new heat and massage system that Wilson says gives a great massage and uses inductive heating technology that doesnt damage the fabric. Out of all of these features, Wilson says power recline and power headrest functions have become a given, so much so that theyll develop pieces with these features before creating the manual version.

With all of the innovations and style options available in motion today, the question remains: Are consumers aware of all that the motion world has to offer? Wilson says its hard to tell, since people only really pay attention when theyre in the market for a new piece of furniture. As consumers and designers alike continue to catch on, todays manufacturers will continue making motion thats fit for everyone, from the Archie Bunkers to the Frasier Cranes.

See the original post:
Motion Furniture Gets an Upgrade in Technology and Style - Furniture Lighting & Decor

CINCINNATI, Feb. 24, 2020 /PRNewswire/ -- Systems Integrator, Kuecker Logistics Group (www.kuecker.com) recently completed the design and installation of a new 655,000-square-foot distribution center including full case pick modules featuring ResinDek with MetaGard steel flooring from Cornerstone Specialty Wood Products, LLC (www.resindek.com; MODEX Booth 6623). The facility is used by a large retailer of closeout merchandise and excess inventory for replenishment of its stores.

The four-level pick modules are equipped with a central conveyor on each level to transport picked cases to a centralized merge point. Associates on each level pick a variety of case sizes from pallets during a single shift. When empty pallets are removed from the pick positions, the associates slide them on their ends to designated pallet drop zones.

To save time, money and provide a durable warranted product, Kuecker Logistics Group designed the pick modules with a combination of ResinDek flooring panels; ResinDek with the Gray Diamond Seal 2 finish and ResinDek with the MetaGard galvanized steel finish.

"We've worked with Cornerstone and their ResinDek flooring panels for many years; it's the best flooring product we've installed in pick modules, with high durability and fast installation time, and the best engineering services," said Chase Watt, Site Foreman and Project Manager for Kuecker Logistics Group.

"Before Cornerstone developed the MetaGard finish, we would specify a second layer of steel to be applied on top of the flooring to protect it from the pallets as they're dragged across the surface. It's a common technique in the industry for extreme wear applications," Watt noted. "The disadvantage of that is it's essentially a second installation, which takes more time and adds to the materials and contractor costs. When we saw the new MetaGard finish on the ResinDek panels at a trade show, we knew we wanted to use it in our next project."

Story continues

ResinDek flooring panels are designed and engineered specifically for mezzanines, industrial work platforms and pick modules. Backed by a 10-year product warranty, ResinDek panels have the proven structural integrity that supports live and dead load limits from 2,000 8,000 lbs. The MetaGard's steel surface is fused to the ResinDek panel with a proprietary bonding agent. To prevent sharp edges that could cut or snag, as well as providing further protection against delamination, the steel surface encapsulates the perimeter of each panel.

Hard-wearing and skid resistant, MetaGard's finish on ResinDek flooring panels delivers an even more robust surface than concrete. In testing, it's been shown to resist five times more scratches and gouges than concrete in heavily trafficked areas where dirt and debris are not routinely removed, such as 24/7 operations, drop zones, or where heavy loads are dragged across the floor. In both pilot installations and testing the MetaGard dark stainless-steel surface has been proven to withstand more than 2 million passes by automated guided vehicles (AGVs) annually. That equates to more than 20 million passes during its standard, 10-year product warranty period.

Additionally, there is no difference in ResinDek panel thickness, whether the MetaGard finish is specified or not. This ensures a smooth, level flooring surface unlike floors that have an additional layer of steel applied to high traffic areas, which can cause a trip hazard. They are also easy to clean and maintain, as well as reflect ambient light, contributing to a brighter, safer work environment. Unlike concrete, ResinDek panels do not crack, produce dust or require sealing; they are also lighter than concrete, making them faster, easier and less expensive to install. Finally, ResinDek with MetaGard costs less than other metal flooring, including diamond plate and bar grate.

As a system integrator, Watt particularly appreciated the free engineering services and support Cornerstone Specialty Wood Products provides: "Cornerstone gives you an exact drawing of your pick module and your floor layout showing precisely which ResinDek panel goes where. Panels that need to be field cut are clearly marked with instructions about which end should be trimmed. It's essentially a turnkey design that is very easy for a contractor to install quickly; they know the installation is not going to be a headache, and that saves both time and cost."

Further, because the installers Watt used to install the ResinDek panels had not worked with the MetaGard finish before, Cornerstone sent a team to train the contractors for two days to ensure the flooring was installed properly. "That's unbelievable satisfaction from a customer service standpoint. I think it's the best flooring product in the industry," Watt concluded.

For more information, visit Cornerstone Specialty Wood Products' MODEX 2020 exhibit in Booth 6623, or visit http://www.resindek.com.

CONTACT: Sandy BallCornerstone Specialty Wood Products, LLC 234688@email4pr.com513.996.4882MODEX Booth 6623

View original content to download multimedia:http://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/system-integrator-saved-time-and-money-installing-resindek-with-metagard-steel-flooring-in-full-case-pick-module-301009447.html

SOURCE Cornerstone Specialty Wood Products, LLC

Here is the original post:
System Integrator Saved Time and Money Installing ResinDek with MetaGard Steel Flooring in Full Case Pick Module - Yahoo Finance

WednesdayFeb26,2020at2:10PMFeb26,2020at2:10PM

NEW BEDFORD Gulf Coast Floor Covering is moving to Popes Island in New Bedford.

The company is relocating its business and home office from Framingham to a leased space in the Bridge Shoppes, according to a press release from Coastal Commercial Real Estate.

The lease is for a ,600 square-foot retail/showroom space located at 191 Popes Island, the release states.

Established in 2015, Gulf Coast Floor Coverings is a family-owned and operated business and offers generations of expertise and years of experience of expert installation and top-quality products sourced from the best brands in the industry, the press release from Coastal Commercial Real Estate states. They look forward to continuing to provide customers with outstanding service at their new location overlooking the New Bedford Harbor.

Neighboring businesses are Popes Island Marina, Niemiec Marine, and Fathoms Bar & Grille.

The lessor, Popes Island Harbor Development Corporation was represented by Richard Stang of Coastal Commercial Real Estate.

See the original post here:
Floor covering company moving to Popes Island - SouthCoastToday.com

Instead of a culinary dream their experience turned into their worst nightmare.

They lost faith in the company soon after the work was completed when they insisted the firms installer just wasnt up to the job.

The units were all out of alignment, the replacement oak flooring hadnt been laid correctly, the dishwasher had been installed with one leg missing, and the worktops hadnt been treated with protective oil before they were fitted.

Maria Cross, 48, and her partner Gary signed up with the Havant branch of Wickes last February, when they decided to enlarge their small kitchen by extending it into their lounge.

Theyd used Wickes to upgrade a bathroom in their previous home and agreed to settle for the firms installer do the work rather than employ an independent tradesman.

Initially they were proposing to spend around 6,000 on the project paid for by an interest-free loan, but they were told to qualify for it theyd have to spend a minimum of 12,000.

After visiting the branch and consulting with the kitchen designers they decided it might be prudent to go for a kitchen improvement plan which would enable them to pay an interest-free loan back over a period of four years.

Maria said: The work was scheduled to start on February 11 last year but the promised two weeks turned into three.

The installer who did the work was a lovely guy but it went into three weeks because he was working alone.

I was in tears after two weeks. The house was in such a mess with dust sheets all over the place and what with me having to go into hospital for surgery it was all just too much and so unprofessional.

He broke utensils in our kitchen and didnt even apologise for it, my partner had to help him carry four solid 600 walnut worktops upstairs that were something like 70kg each and needed preservation oil to be applied.

He said he hadnt oiled them and asked us to do it, but when we pointed out it wasnt our responsibility he agreed to get it done.

We took photographs of them the very next day which clearly showed theyd been oiled post installation which would not get to the joints and potentially invalidate the guarantee.

We were so concerned about the situation we took time out to discuss it with the Havant branch kitchen designer and the store manager.

They expressed disgust that wed been asked to do the work, so we then spoke to the regional manager who took an entirely different line.

He was adamant theyd been treated to specification prior to installation and queried why we were questioning the installers work.

From then on the discussion got rather heated and he refused point blank to talk to my partner because his name wasnt on the contract.

Relations having already significantly soured with the companys regional manager, they were about to get a whole lot worse when just three months later the oak wall-to-wall flooring developed a mind of its own and started separating and moving underfoot.

Initially, hedge fund administrator Maria was assured it was nothing to worry about, because it was simply the wood temporarily expanding and contracting.

Another war of words quickly gained momentum when Wickes concluded the problem was down to a manufacturing fault, but the manufacturer denied any product defect and it subsequently transpired it had been incorrectly laid.

Three further months down the line despite the wood being re-ordered the flooring still hadnt been replaced and in exasperation Maria called in the Dispute Resolutions ombudsman for assistance.

In the meantime more installation faults came to light.

Some of the kitchen unit doors had dropped, and when Gary decided to give the entire project the once-over, to his fury and astonishment discovered their 500 dishwasher had one leg missing and had simply been propped up with wood.

The couples hackles started to rise further when the firms customer relations team expressed ongoing concern about their dissatisfaction but failed come up with solutions when they complained.

Installation management appeared to take a dismissive contradictory tack, leaving their complaints falling on deaf ears and efforts to arrive at a mutually agreeable solution going around in ever-decreasing circles.

Maria decided after the ombudsman wasnt getting anywhere with their complaint it was high time to call in Streetwise to see if we could break the deadlock.

When we got onto Wickes things quickly started to move.

We reminded them theyd a statutory duty to deliver kitchen installation services with appropriate care and skill in a reasonable time.

The response to the couples complaints was atrocious, leaving them in the lurch for months on end with no one taking control of the situation to ensure the bodged job was sorted.

Maria accepted that following negotiations with a Wickes company service specialist, a series of steps were in hand to fix the installation problems.

An apologetic company spokesperson said: Ensuring customers are happy with their installed kitchens is important to us here at Wickes.

Were sorry to hear that the customer was unhappy with the service provided and we are in conversations to ensure that the situation is resolved as soon as possible.

Maria was grateful that there was now light at the end of the tunnel, and the year-long stand-off with the company was nearing closure.

We just didnt know what to do, she said. Wed never come across such a situation before and didnt know how to proceed without your guidance.

For example wed been storing the replacement wood for the floor for six months but no one would come to install it.

Thank you so much for your all your help and assistance.

Read more here:
Portsmouth couple have year-long battle with Wickes to fix wonky kitchen - Portsmouth News

Flooring Domain is a platform that lists flooring service providers in Australia. They match flooring companies with potential clients seeking reliable installation, repair, and maintenance.

(Newswire.net -- invalid date) -- Southport. QLD -- Flooring Domain is a platform that lists flooring service providers in Australia. They match flooring companies with potential clients seeking reliable installation, repair, and maintenance services.

Southport, QLDFlooring Domain has established a new online platform that creates a direct connection between flooring companies and potential clients. The platform offers a space where flooring companies can advertise their services to potential clients. The website also serves as a resource where people seeking reliable flooring companies can shop and compare services and providers through a secure platform.

The website acts as a directory of flooring specialists. Instead of browsing through multiple links searching for the right company, customers can compare different professionals listed on flooringdomain.com.au. Once a customer posts a project on the website, interested service providers generate quotes for the client to consider and approve.

Customers can select the quote that suits their budget and expectations. Flooring Domain seeks to eradicate the uncertainty that people face when looking for repair, maintenance, and installation services. Its extensive database provides a wide range of flooring service contacts. Customers can review various maintenance experts and material suppliers.

The platform has quickly become attractive for many businesses since they each have a fair opportunity to post their services and gain an influx of clients. The platform also reduces the costs that companies incur when marketing and advertising their services. Customers can find flooring experts by checking the companies listed on the website.

The website has a user-friendly interface. Its easy-to-use settings provide convenience for companies forwarding their quotes. This set-up makes it possible for experts to communicate with prospective clients. They dont have to waste a lot of time looking for leads.

This platform has proven beneficial to small businesses operating on minimal budgets because there is no joining or continuous fee required. Its an obligation-free service that new and established companies can use for marketing their services.

Customers have the chance to ask questions and obtain advice from qualified professionals. The contacts of various experts are on the directory, so there are no intermediaries whenever someone wants to communicate with flooring experts.

Flooringdomain.com.au is transforming the way people search for flooring services in Australia. Instead of searching for professionals, customers merely need to post the job and wait for experts to present their quotes. This platform is making service delivery more accessible and more convenient for businesses and customers.

See the article here:
Flooring Domain Creates Direct Connection Between Flooring Companies and Clients - Newswire

Q: I do all my own home improvements, and Im thinking about installing a new skirted-style toilet in place of my old toilet. Can a skirted toilet replace a standard toilet without changing the rough plumbing setup?

A: Lets bring everyone up to speed on skirted toilets.

Simply put, a skirted toilet means the toilet has a skirted trapway. A skirted trapway covers up all the bends and curves you see on a standard toilet bowl, creating a smooth, sleek side thats easier to clean.

In most cases, skirted toilets can be installed using the same rough plumbing setup as a standard toilet. However, installation can require some drilling and extra mounting work. Some skirted toilets now use new mounting systems that anchor the bowl directly to the toilet flange for an easier install.

Finally, having information like water-line measurements, the type of flooring in the bathroom, and even photos of the old toilet can help you find a skirted toilet that fits you best.

Ed Del Grande:eadelg@cs.com. Ed Del Grande is a master plumber and contractor and is the author of the book Ed Del Grandes House Call.

Read the original here:
Dress up your bathroom with a skirted toilet - Seattle Times

Quartz Construction San Jose, one of the prime providers of home remodeling services, has bettered their bathroom remodeling services and has aimed to beautify the bathrooms in every San Jose household.

Quartz Construction San Jose, one of the major remodeling contractor San Josebusinesses, has taken its bathroom remodeling services a level up and is now aiming to bridge the gap between aesthetics and practicality. The company has been a key player in this sector and considering the feedbacks it has been receiving over the years have been quite encouraging for the management. The bathroom remodeling services that the entity has been rendering has of course been at par with its competitors. Whether its objective to better the services gives them an upper hand or not, that remains to be seen.

Ohad Malul, the chief architect of the bathroom remodeling San Jose CAcompany, is of the opinion that that the kitchen remodeling San Jose CA has had to encounter many a challenge in its long journey so far. "With huge support and affection from our clients, we have been able to cross each and every hurdle. Its never easy to cope with the cut-throat competition that has always tried to dethrone us. With the loyal client base by our side, we have sailed above troubled waters and surged ahead. The management will always remain indebted to the San Jose community for that."

He decided to put some light on how the general contractor San Jose is planning to move ahead as far as its objectives are concerned, Malul stated. "Our customers have no doubt whatsoever in their minds regarding the top-notch bathroom remodeling services that we have been delivering so far. Going by the reports that we have with us, each and every household in San Jose is mighty pleased with our work. Our team of professionals is one of the best in this industry in the recent times and the expertise they have is simply unbeatable. That has made our work easy and thereby, we have captured the hearts of the homeowners."

A senior executive echoed his views and added, We have kept the budget intact and the architecture that we have included would give our clients a feeling of aestheticism, keeping all things practical. Aside from that, our bathroom remodelcompany is also updating plumbing fixtures, installing new flooring, installing lighting fixtures, and replacing countertops, etc.

About the Company

Quartz Construction San Jose is a leading bathroom remodeling San Jose, CA.

To know more, visit: https://quartzconstructionremodeling.com/

Full Address: 1777 Hamilton Ave #1080, San Jose, CA 95125

Media ContactCompany Name: Quartz Construction San JoseContact Person: Media RelationsEmail: Send EmailPhone: 4089662704City: San JoseState: CACountry: United StatesWebsite: https://quartzconstructionremodeling.com/

Original post:
Quartz Construction San Jose Bathroom Remodeling Services Are Aimed At Bridging The Gap Between Aesthetics And Practicality - Press Release - Digital...

Toronto made headlines back in 2009 when the City adopted a bylaw requiring the inclusion of green roofs on all new commercial, residential or institutional developments or additions with gross floor areas exceeding 2000 m2. Exceptions or green roof area reductions are permitted with a fee of $200/m2. Other cities Denver, San Francisco, and Portland, Oregon have followed suit. New York City is thinking about it.

Regulations notwithstanding, green roofs offer compelling, passive solutions to several environmental concerns. The insulation provided by the soil delivers year-round energy savings and interior noise reduction. The vegetation absorbs carbon dioxides in the atmosphere while offering wildlife biodiversity and habitat. The soils water absorption reduces downstream loads placed on storm water systems. Supporters also point to green roofs as attractive outdoor relaxation spaces for occupants.

On the other hand, buildings owners in some jurisdictions are hesitant due to concerns over the higher costs for installation and maintenance associated with green roofs. They prefer PV (photovoltaics) solar arrays on their rooftops instead. Arrays are a one-time investment with a 25-year lifespan that requires minimal maintenance while contributing positively to the propertys bottom line by creating electricity. Proponents also point to the benefits of the shade provided by the arrays to the rooftop surface in summer, claiming a reduction of the suns heat up to 20 per cent, thus reducing the demand for air conditioning.

However, the choice between a green roof or a PV solar array system does not have to be an either-or decision. There is the BioSolar solution.

Sam C M Hiu of the Technological and Higher Education Institute of Hong Kong has studied integrated green and solar rooftop systems. He says that overall building energy demands are reduced when the two are installed in tandem rather than as stand-alone systems. Furthermore, Hui says that, when installed as a duo, green roofs and PV arrays, can enhance their functions and effectiveness by cooling and shading effects, to the point that PV array systems can deliver more electricity in conjunction with a green roof than when installed singly.

How is this possible? First, the protective shading provided by the arrays reduces soil dryness, which in turn can reduce irrigation requirements for the vegetation. In cold climates like Canada, protection from the arrays significantly reduces plant loss over the winter.

In turn, green roofs add to the installation integrity of the solar arrays. Jelle Vonk, Business Manager for green roof manufacturer ZinCo Canada Inc., says, the green roof can be used to ballast the solar array against wind uplift. Traditional systems are ballasted with heavy concrete blocks (resulting in high point loads) or are fastened to the roof deck (resulting in penetrations through the waterproofing membrane with a higher risk of leakage).

From a performance standpoint, Vonk points to a study comparing surface temperature differences measured on solar panels installed on an exposed bitumen waterproof membrane versus those installed on a green roof. The efficiency of photovoltaic panels depends on their temperature. The greater the temperature of the panel, the lower the level of efficiency, he says. The three-year research test has shown that the temperature of solar PV panels installed on the green roof remained closest to the air temperature, while the solar PV panels on the bitumen membrane were considerably warmer. The result is a difference of four per cent higher efficiency annually.

Theres another matter. As forward-thinking as Torontos green roof bylaw may be, the growing popularity of mass timber construction (MTC) pits the City against Ontario Building Code requirements for non-combustible rooftops that protect roof decks from fire exposure. Green roof vegetation is, after all, flammable.

Practical experience has demonstrated, however, that project-specific design accommodations for MTC are possible, making good use of the otherwise wasted space on roof tops across major cities. Nevertheless, cities with green roof bylaws that also wish to embrace mass timber construction may have to consider reviewing their current regulations.

John Bleasby is a Coldwater, Ont. based freelance writer. Send comments and Inside Innovation column ideas to editor@dailycommercialnews.com.

Read the original post:
Inside Innovation: Is it just a choice between a green roof or PV array? - Daily Commercial News