Be real (and honest) when selling your furniture

I like to look on Craiglist, Ebay and my absolute favorite, 1stdibs, for eclectic pieces not only for clients but for myself.  It's much like panning for gold - sometimes you get really lucky and find absolutely the most fantastic things. 

Then sometimes you don't...

Please, do not get me wrong.  With certainty, I am not a mean spirited person - far from it.  I will give you the shirt off my back and my last dollar bill if you need it but, sometimes, I have issue with the "verbage" I often see. 

The following are examples of experiences I have had:

Is that "vintage?"  ...Really?
Please refrain from telling me something is vintage simply because it has become weather beaten and/or worn out in your backyard.  Weathered and worn don't necessarily mean vintage.  It might be better to tell the reader you have some pieces that need a little TLC.  Trust me, there are lots of people who get a tremendous amount of satisfaction from refinishing furniture.

Put down that spray paint can! 
Please don't feel the need to spray paint your powder coated outdoor furniture. Once done it's ruined and can not be brought back to the original condition making it worthless to a potential purchaser.  Either call a company that specializes in restoration of outdoor furniture or again, tell the reader that the furniture is structurally sound but requires a new powder coating.  Re-doing a powder coat is not as expensive as people may fear.  I have told my clients often to re-powder coat pieces rather than spend money on new furniture.

What you see MUST BE what you get.
Don't post a picture you found on a website of the item as it would appear if brand new.  People are willing to drive a fair distance to look at your pieces and are bound to be terribly disappointed when they arrive and the furniture needs work.  A camera phone or even a quick snapshot with a disposable camera demonstrates to a potential buyer what they are really buying.  Complete honesty up front is going to save everyone a lot of time and it will also help the seller find the right buyer. 

Don't give away the store.
If you have something that was handed down to you from a friend or family member, it is well worth doing some research as to the origin of the piece or collection.  You just might have a "diamond in the rough."  I once had the pleasure of attending an estate sale at the home of a most delightful couple.  They had an Eames lounge chair and ottoman and were asking a paltry $80.00 for the lounger and $40.00 for the ottoman.  I could feel the vultures circling!  In good conscience, I could not allow this sweet little couple to sell something so potentially valuable.  I talked to the husband and he removed the price tags from the piece until they could get someone to come out for an appraisal.  The chair and ottoman were original, having still had the paper tag on the underside of the chair!  The moral of the story is: If your not sure about something's value have it appraised.  Just be certain about the appraiser is properly credentialed.

Keep the guesswork to a minimum.
On the other hand, don't tell someone something is made by a company if it is not or you're uncertain of its origin.  There are wonderful designers and retailers in the market place that are more than happy to look at photographs of your furniture and confirm the manufacturer.  Of course, its better to be safe than sorry.

Do the right thing.
Just tell the truth.  It has been my experience that there are buyers out there for almost every thing.  If you can't sell it then perhaps a donation to a local charity might be in order.

Why do I do this?

I picked up an interesting magazine the other day entitled - Homes on the Water - where everyday is a vacation.  Great magazine if you can find it.  I highly recommend taking a look though it for idea's on space planning and conceptualizing your vision.  But it also made me think...

When you look though a magazine for ideas, most publishers don't include the vendor in the photographs. This thought leads me into the title of my blog today:

"Why, do I do this?"


Well, for starters, I have a passion for outdoor furniture and outdoor living.  The freedom of being in the outdoor space and helping others realize their dream outdoor room simply makes me happy.

Though my years of working in the outdoor industry, I noticed that while most outdoor furniture retailers carry a large selection of furniture, they generally limit their associations to seven to ten vendors.

When I thought about that one day, it blew my mind.  The reality is that there are thousands of outdoor furniture manufactures.  The manufactures commonly represented on the showroom floors are usually the companies that have the larger advertising budgets and the name recognition that goes along with the larger budgets.

Is that to say that the furniture is not the best quality?

Absolutely not!  The furniture is great quality but it might not be what you are looking for.

I want to show consumers choices.

I want people to be able to see all the collections available to them through the eyes of someone who loves outdoor furniture - someone who does not benefit from pushing one brand over another.

By starting A Room Without Walls, I find myself able to showcase and give consumers a view of collections they might not have been able to see thought their local outdoor living retailers or even magazine ads.  New and fresh companies that have a passion for outdoor living are creating some AMAZING furniture and accessories.

So, Why, do you do this?
 
I do what I love and I love what I do.  Period.

I get to share some of the most beautiful furniture in the world with my guests at A Room Without Walls  and that is not a bad way to spend the day!

Jane

Tea Cups - Oh Alice!!

If you have followed my blog you will know I have a passion for Alice In Wonderland.  I love Alice and all her perils.  I think there have been moments in my life that had me feeling like I was seeing things though the looking glass and I certainly have an interesting cast of characters around me!

As always, a good part of my day revolves around finding new and interesting pieces to share on my blog and with clients. When I found the Tea Cup set you couldn't have wiped the Cheshire cat grin off my face!


The Tea cup collection is taken from Alice In Wonderland.  Holly Palmer is a British designer who started her own company ( we love that ) after finishing school in 2008.  Holly is on the radar as a designer to keep your eyes on.


The Rose- Tea Cup Stool

Wall Mount - hang them up for indoor or outdoor. What a great conversation piece!

Coffee Caddy - yes you can put them away when not in use.  Again, a great conversation piece







RED!!!  LOVE, LOVE, LOVE.... The Red!













Available in these standard colours or mix them and make it personal.















Holly Palmer your a genius!  I love your work!

Harbour - A Step Outside

Harrison and Nicolas Condos wanted to take the family business to the next level with a desire to bring a fresh perspective and add their own vision to the very successful Tecno  furniture, founded in 1976 by their father Jim Condos.  

In 2007, that vision became a reality when Harbour Outdoor was born.  Harbour Outdoor has an intense desire to expand beyond the border of their home land ( Australia ) into a global company. 

In May of 2010, Harbour Outdoor opened their first showroom in the United States.  The store is located in Los Angeles, making it easier for the North American consumers to purchase and receive the absolute best in customer care.

While going global, Harbour Outdoor has stuck to it's roots of being a Australian company and designs around what is familiar about the beautiful city of Sidney.  

Harbour Outdoor is creating unique outdoor furniture that is exceptional in not only style, but craftsmanship. These attributes are evident in all of their collections, from the contemporary to the more traditional pieces. In 2011 they will add two new collections to their growing product line. 

Balmoral and Clovelly, named after two of Sidney's most famous beaches, both have a contemporary feel and style. 

Harbour Outdoor introduces

a custom self-assemble sofa system never seen before in the outdoor world. A sofa with 12 different possible section configurations and a vast array of colour options. Balmoral offers users utmost versatility where a removable cushion cover system allows ease of maintenance and flexibly in colors.

Balmoral is situated on a solid High Pressure Compact Laminate surface supported by laser cut, tapered, powder coated aluminium legs. Innovative Polymer slots support the interchangable stainless steel structure within the back and arm cushions. Which are enveloped in a fully removable sunbrella fabric cover featuring contrast colour piping.

A high style, low maintenance collection for the ultra contemporary user. Clovelly’s Dining Set, fuses modern interior styling with outdoor living. Clovelly dining chairs are constructed from zinc plated mild steel and stackable for ease of storage. They are available in two different styles; 1. Steel slatted seat and back as shown below (seat cushion is available for extra comfort) 2. Batyline seat and back slings.

Clovelly’s Dining Table broadens Harbour Outdoor’s successful use of High Pressure Compact Laminate surfaces and powder coated aluminium frames. A drop shadow effect is incorporated by raising the surface above the frame, leaving the impression that the surface is floating. The lines of the 4-inch wide flat bar legs form a seamless synergy of style and function across the surface, as the laminate has been cut to echo the symmetrical form of the legs.

Harbour - A Step Outside, indeed, outside in style and design!!!

Red Dot Awards

 The Red Dot quality label distinguishes works which have been certified by a jury to have very high design standards. In total, only 6.4% of all submitted works received an award in last year’s competition. 


Here are a few of the Red Dot winners in the "Garden" category.. 

Axis-  Gloster     

The collection has dining and deep setting elements along with side and coffee tables.  It is available in both a teak and a sable shade (painted) mahogany finish. 

When you first look at Axis the simplicity is striking, but look at little closer and the detail and angular sweep of the collection are even more so.

Gloster only uses the finest grades of teak, hand selected from their plantation in Indonesia.  Mahogany is being used by Gloster in their Estate collection as well as Axis.  Gloster offers cushions, in all their exceptional fabrics, for seats and ottomans.   

Flat - Gandiablasco 

Yes, Yes, Yes!  An absolute favorite of mine is Gandiablasco.  Na Xamena is STUPENDOUS! I greatly covet this collection! 


I have heard whispers that Spain is currently in a design renaissance and with the addition of Flat.  I can see why! The lines on Flat are perfect - along with unsurpassed attention to detail.  Mario Ruiz has created pieces that speak softly yet say so much.  These pieces are strong yet never overpowering, awkward or soon to be dated.  I believe the Flat series will stand the test of time and continue to be enjoyed for many, many years to come. 

The Chaiselongue 


Made of thermo-lacquered aluminum in your choice of a white or bronze finish. It is as beautiful as a fine sculpture.   

The modular sofa can be combined in a myriad of combination to include arms or not. The low profile matches the height of the low cocktail/chat table. Both are in lacquered aluminum with a choice of white or bronze finish. Sectional pieces come with cushions. 

Wave- Royal Botania  

One of the most innovative pieces created in years - the Wave hammock. Since it's inception during the 2008 season, it has been turning heads and causing pause.  The elegant sail feature that cradles the body and the  single base creates the illusion of floating on the ocean. Perhaps, even "floating in the trees" cushioned on a single leaf. 


















The Wave hammock is designed by Eric Nyberg and Gustav Strom for Royal Botania.  Crafted from the finest materials, electro-polished stainless steel and two types of weather resistant
fabric.  All are used for the sail and the hammock.  Although fixed at a single point, the Wave is sturdy and will endure all types of weather conditions. 

As you can see by all three of these designs, collections and pieces, there is  a tremendous amount of innovation and excitement to be found in the outdoor market place.  Stay tuned for more Red Dot award winners this week.