Catering to High End Clientele

Did you know there is an easy way to fix digital photographs right inside Studio! I'm sure this same situation has happened to you, you've taken digital photos of your client's home and oops, you realize when you get back to the office that there's something unsightly (either inside the room or in the view outside the window) that threatens to distract from your beautiful design. Photo Clip to the rescue!

Use this amazing tool to cut out clean sections of the photo. Then paste it over objects seen outside the window or cover existing dated window treatments. You can also instantly disguise piles of children's toys left on the floor. You may have to get creative and even take some "artistic" liberties but in just a few moments you'll have a nice, clean photo on which to design! If you have not yet had a chance to see the Photo Clip tool in action be sure to view this mini video to see how it works!

This week I wanted to turn the spotlight on The Recovery Room, a full service fabric showroom and workroom opened in 1989 by Freddie Graves in the Mad River Valley of Vermont. Freddie employs four people including two fabricators, a decorative painter whom she calls L. A. (Lovely Assistant), and her mother-in-law, all working in various phases of the business from upholstery to slipcovers, window treatments and soft furnishings.

About the Clients:
The Recovery Room works with designers and their clients who are building second (or third, or fourth!) homes in this popular ski area which has become a year-round destination for outdoor activities and just plain getting away from it all. Freddie's clients favor a pared down traditional look in their homes, some of which date back hundreds of years. She does a lot of panels and Roman shades in natural fibers, and adds Duettes and the new Architella shades for even more insulation in winter when the temperatures can go as low as 40º below! Freddie says she "likes to push the romance in the bedrooms" and tends to get a little more elaborate with trims, accessories and beautiful upholstered headboards. Her clients are into recycling and reusing and appreciate older furnishings so she's kept busy upholstering and slipcovering special pieces.

Favorite Project:
When asked about her favorite project, Freddie replied, "The next one!" Then she amended that with, "Or ones where I either learn a lot or make lots of money!" One home in particular was fun for her to do, or rather re-do, since the original treatments her workroom created for the home looked like "old flannel pajamas" per the customer's wishes. Her favorite designer assisted the new homeowners with her excellent color sense and Freddie and her staff transformed the home with great looking linen panels and updated window coverings.

Standing Out:
Since The Recovery Room caters to high end clientele, Freddie has found a way to stand out from other design services in her areas. Freddie started using Studio in her business about four years ago. She and her designers find it a very useful tool for checking proportions, lengths and placement. Freddie takes measurements and digital photos and prepares to-scale renderings for the designers as well as their clients. She says, "The jobs are sold almost instantly," when the clients can see how the proposed treatments will look in their rooms. Back in the workroom she and her staff utilize Studio to double check dimensions and do layouts. Freddie makes good use of the living room furniture module to show clients how their chairs and sofas will look in their new fabric choices.