It is unbelievably rewarding to spend time with our existing clients and meet new friends. We also love catching the new trends from other members of the Interior Design field.  I was at the IIDA UnŸVeiled event in Scottsdale recently and found some noteworthy items.

The event was held in The Galleria, a beautiful venue designed with a more than a passing nod to local icon Frank Lloyd Wright.

My first stop was at the Lights Up Arizona, www.lightsuparizona.com booth where I was entranced by the sassy new lamp styles on display. I loved the bright colors and whimsical shapes. The Rose sconce was really wonderful. The white woven fabric hugs the wire frame and creates the flower.

The keyword for everything this year was BOLD. Bold prints, bold colors and bold designs were everywhere I looked. Wallpaper and fabric designs were large in scale. The Seabrook booth www.seabrookwallpaper.com showcased some really eye catching designs.

Even the new furniture designs were fresh and zippy. I loved this Perillo chair from Dauphin Design, www.dauphin.com . It was every bit as comfortable as it looked.

Everyone at the event was buzzing about the clever motivational phrases and words displayed by Airpark Signs & Graphics, www.airparksigns.com . The bright little motivators were popular swag items.

And since we are such pet aficionados here at Helser Brothers, I had to have my picture taken with the Petutopia Pup, www.IIDASW.org.  The Southwest Chapter of IIDA sponsors this annual event to benefit a local animal charity. This year’s recipient is Poverty’s Pets, a Phoenix Community Project. Architects, Designers and Contractors join together to create the perfect “Petutopia.” The finished designs are auctioned off during a day long event for pet lovers.

Hat’s off to the great folks at IIDA for a great show.

 Outdoor Living is the hot topic this time of year. One of my favorite outdoor treatments has no discernable function but is absolutely gorgeous.   Helser Brothers client Janet Suchon manufactured and installed this asymmetrical tab top treatment to frame an arched window. I particularly like the sheer audacity of a purely decorative treatment mounted on the outside of the house. This picture makes me wonder what’s on the other side of the arch!

 Fans of the movie “The Last Mimzy” will be glad to know that the title character has a namesake alive and well in Scottsdale, AZ.  Mimzy is a two year old Standard Poodle and the faithful sidekick of Elyse Risinger, owner of Arizona Custom Drapery Store & More. Elyse recently stopped by to pick up an order and graciously allowed us to snap some pix of Mimzy and his very favorite person.

I had the privilege of spending last week at the CHF School in Charlotte as a guest instructor. What a great time!

The week started with a new 2-Day Class on Specifying Custom Hardware. We shared a huge amount of information on topics ranging from the perfect template to designing truly custom hardware. Monday morning brought a new group of students for Outdoor Living. As you can see by the picture, we made a boatload (pun intended) of outdoor products from Umbrellas to boat seats! 

The Charlotte WCAA Chapter sponsored an all-day educational event with Design Guru Jackie Van-Tobel on Friday, March 26. In a brilliant and innovative move, vendors were stationed around the perimeter of the speaker’s room so we were in on every minute of the excitement. The place was packed and it was enormous fun seeing old friends and meeting new ones. Jackie’s presentation was entertaining and spot-on demonstrating new design trends and up to date colors. She was a fount of great ideas about how to turn those trends into products and profit for our industry. Jackie also showed off her new Fabric Collection and to the delight of the crowd announced a sampling program and upcoming Jackie Von-Tobel patterns! Check it out at www.JackieVonTobel.com!

 We had our collective breath taken away this week by Mark and Catherine Schultz of Silk Mountain Creations in Indianapolis. The road from “Before” to “After” was paved with all of the elements of terrific design. A great concept, accurate measurements, a perfect template and beautiful craftsmanship (ours and theirs…) all combined to make this treatment drop dead gorgeous! 

 The before shot and Corbel detail show some of the challenges the Shultz’s had to work around. The client wanted the Corbels to be shown completely which left very little room for hardware.

As you can see, the hardware complements without overpowering the space and the panels are extravagantly luscious. Mark and Catherine estimate the weight of the center panels to be close to 100#!

What a great industry! We were absolutely overwhelmed with fantastic entries for a trip to Maisson de Objet in Paris with Deb Barrett and Susan Schultz .

The task of choosing  was tough yet we were finally able to boil it down to an equally qualified group of finalists. Barring sending a whole delegation, we resorted to the “pulled from a hat”  method for final selection. Viola, we have officially chosen our first Helser Brothers Euro Field Blogger. She is articulate, knowledgeable (has a BA in European history), and a terrific writer who finds humor and inspiration in even the mundane. Her entry made us look forward to her impressions and unique take on her daily experiences. We knew she belonged in the pool of finalists when we read ”I would probably agree to scrub public toilets in the Metro in exchange for free tickets – as long as I get to talk in my Pepé le Pew voice and wear fabulous, leopard-print rubber cleaning gloves and a chic hairnet, bien sûr! ”

Please join us in congratulating Rebecca Deming Rumpf of Custom Interiors by Rebecca in Charlotte, North Carolina.

Au revoir Rebecca!

Helloooo…Tableaux Buyers! It’s getting close to the end of the year, so now is the time to check your stats!  If you are anywhere near the magical 75 or 150 square foot mark, don’t miss out on our great Discount Program for our Top Tableaux Retailers! 

Silver Level:  75 Square Feet SOLD = 7.5% off every order next year*

Gold Level: 150 Square Feet SOLD = 15% off every order next year* 

*Discount starts as soon as you sell 75 or 150 square feet and continues all the way through the next calendar year. Square footage accumulation begins anew each January 1 for the balance of each new year and once attained includes the following year as well. 

Just e-mail Jocelyn@helserbrothers.com and get your square footage to date. Maybe now’s the time to give yourself a gift that will keep on giving!

Quelle Opportunité Fantastique!

Just a little French lingo to announce a spectacular opportunity for one lucky and talented design professional!
Jay and Mark are offering a trip to the City of Lights, PARIS! As in France!The winner will join Industry Experts Deb Barrett and Susan Schultz as one of a select group of 12 at the Maison et Objet show January 19-27, 2010. The trip includes a Cruise on the Seine and a visit to the Louvre among many other delights. It is truly the trip of a lifetime. There are a few qualifications, a passport, an engaging personality, and the ability to share the journey as you blog for us through 7 days of non-stop Francophile fun. You will get to be our eyes and ears on this trip, submitting daily posts about the products you see and your ongoing adventure.See the fine print below for details on just what is included in this offer and apply today! The trip is coming fast so we need to choose a winner on November 30th. Just send an e-mail to sendmetoparis@helserbrothers.com explaining why you are the perfect person for the job, then keep an eye on www.whyhelser.com for the big announcement. Ooh la la! (Wow in French – start practicing!)

The Fine Print:

Paris 2010 includes:

-  7 days /7 nights, January 19 – January 27, 2010, in the City of Lights
-  Airfare to/from JFK or Chicago. (Winner is responsible for getting to JFK or Chicago.)
-  Hotel d’ Aubusson, Four-star, double-occupancy Superior room in the heart of St. Germain (Super-convenient location and we’ve stayed in this hotel and love it!) Five minute walk to the subway, direct line to the show. Walking distance of the Louvre, Orsay, Notre Dame, Sorbonne; surrounded by art galleries, restaurants and shops.
-  Daily Breakfast at the hotel. Value of $140.00
-  Airport transfers Value of $80.00
-  All zone metro passes/carnets for 7 days. Value of $85.00
-  Admission to Maison&Objet and Planet Mueble trade shows. Value of $78.00
-  Welcome reception at M&O from show management
-  Exclusive M&O trend presentation with Q&A opportunity Priceless!
-  As-you-wish meet-ups for cocktails or dinner to review the day, compare notes, share stories, etc.
-  Pre-travel web session(s) with Deb and Susan to preview locations, M&O planning, travel details, our Paris faves and more
-  Cruise on the river Seine. Value of $80.00
-  Free entrance to the Louvre or Orsay. Value of $26.00
-  High Tea one afternoon in the Aubusson’s Grand Salon. Value of $25.00
-  All taxes and service included.

Value of this gift: $2800.00 !!!!

  One of the best things about living in Arizona is the vibrant colors of southwest style.  This beautiful hacienda in North Scottsdale is a perfect example of bold saturated colors that lift the spirits and promise a vacation life style every day. I adore the bright bedding with the soft sheers that frame the courtyard view. Picture an afternoon siesta or a good book on a lazy afternoon. The owners of this home have named it Casa de la Felicidad, which translates to House of Happiness. It makes me happy just looking at it!

Drapery hardware is from our Artigiani line.