Spring is on the horizon, and that means green grass, fresh air, and warmer days are on their way. Time to store away the heavy textiles and switch to lighter linens and accessories that feel fresh and bright. We’ve rounded up a list of our home decor favorites that will bring some springtime into your client’s home.

Contemporary Spring Floral Wallpaper | Anewall  – $419

Terrace Stripe Pouf – Light Pool  | West Elm – $249

Ari Pagoda Fringe Patio Umbrella | One Kings Lane – $529

Abaca Woven Pendants | Forma Living – $300

Marisol Pillows | All Roads Design – $88 – $168

Clementine Print by Jorey Hurley | Artfully Walls – $77

Capri Blue Surf Spray Candle | Anthropologie – $30

Ceramic Pour Vase – Blue | Target – $18.99

Balinese Tassel Basket | Anthropologie – $78

Glory Hydrangea, Dotted Pot | Terrain – $48

Sandstone Weaving | Camp Provisions – $150

Dedicating budget to design a child’s bedroom is often not prioritized considering children move quickly in and out of phases. One day they’re into castles, the next day they’re into farms, it’s hard to keep up! James Hood, an architect by training with an entrepreneurial spirit, has managed to bridge the gap between childhood fantasy and practicality with Young Empire, a children’s furniture brand with a twist. His modular systems help parents decorate children’s rooms knowing that they can quickly turn a screwdriver a few times to completely transform the look and feel of their child’s bedroom.

The modular furniture system includes all of the bedroom necessities which can be built together and laid out in different ways. You can even dress up pieces with easy-to-install decorative facia panels. As the child gets older and moves in and out of phases, you can update the furniture with different themes to keep up with the child’s age and personal preferences, without having to purchase new furniture to re-decorate the room. Here, James shares his inspiration behind the brand, the practicality of the modular furniture system, and tips for launching a new company.

James – as a trained architect, what sparked the idea to build a children’s furniture brand? 

As an architect, I’ve always been drawn to the idea of fantasy in architecture, my Masters thesis was based on a study of the work of utopian architects like Claude Nicolas Ledoux, Ebenezer Howard and Le Corbusier; I was fascinated with the unbuilt or the unbuildable.

Once I began working for an architectural firm in Geneva, the realities of budget constraints and planning approval came to dominate my working day, but I’m a big daydreamer and this idea of creating and inhabiting fantastical worlds never really left me. So when I was asked by a client to come up with something really special for their young son’s bedroom, I got really excited!

I started designing this really intricate, one off castle with towers and walkways all over the place…I went completely over the top. That’s when I realized that I wasn’t bringing real value to the client. Of course their son would love it, but what happens when he grows out of his Knights and Dragon’s phase? This rather elaborate and costly flight of fancy would have to be removed and replaced by something more in keeping with their son’s age and interests.

It was this tug-of-war between the practicalities of designing a room for a child and making it a magical, fantastical place that led me to children’s furniture design and the reason I founded Young Empire, to bridge the gap between fantasy and practicality.

And why children exactly?

Children are wonderfully unpretentious; they tend to see things for what they are without the baggage of social convention, this really allows for incredible freedom when you design for them.

They’re also incredibly creative, far more so than you or I, they have this incredible capacity to fill in the blanks; watch a child play and a sofa becomes a mountain, a carpet becomes a burning lava field, with the smallest visual clues they build incredible worlds in their minds.

Of course they can also be the harshest critics and don’t shy away from letting you know they don’t like something, but helping them create the most incredible worlds for themselves is really what makes them the most exciting clients to design for.

Industrimagem Lda

Young Empire has developed a modular furniture system that covers all the bedroom necessities, bridging the gap between fantasy and practicality – how does this work exactly?

We’ve developed a suite of furniture that includes an alcove bed, a pullout bookshelf, a wardrobe and a pullout wardrobe; these pieces are at the core of any Young Empire bedroom. Every one of our furniture pieces can be combined and aligned with any other piece, giving you complete flexibility in the way you layout your bedroom. Once the pieces are arranged in the room, we get to the really fun part!

Each piece has a corresponding decorative fascia panel in the theme of your choice, no matter how the room has been arranged, each piece of furniture can be ‘dressed up’ to create a completely decorated bedroom.

The decorative panels are really easy to fit and remove, which means that as your child grows up and out of one theme, it’s really easy to update the room with a completely new décor without having to change any of the furniture.

The fantastic part of Young Empire designs is the ability to dress up the pieces with decorative fascia panels – what themes do you offer?

For launch, we have three themes available; the Knights Castle, the Country House and the Explorers Jungle. Our aim is to add another theme every two months or so for the foreseeable future.

At the moment we’re working on an Indian Palace theme, with all of those lovely carved wood moldings and floral motifs as inspiration, we think it’s going to look pretty great!

We’ve got so many themes we want to bring to life, the hard part is choosing which ones we’ll work on next, but what we’re always trying to do is to take the idea of children’s furniture a little bit further into the unexpected, creating beautiful designs for children which step away from the ‘blue racing car for boys and the pink palace for girls’ way of thinking.

Industrimagem Lda

Moving forward, you’d love to work with illustrators, artists and interior designers to design new themes and limited editions – who are some creative people you’d like to partner up with?

There are some incredible illustrators and artists out there that I think would be a great fit for Young Empire.

I love the work of Oliver Jeffers, his illustrated book This Moose Belongs to Me is one of my all time favorite children’s books. Marie-Laure Cruschi, alias Cruschiform, is the incredibly talented illustrator behind the Cabins book for Taschen. Her bold ultra-graphical style would look amazing in a child’s room! Michaël Eveno, aka Grems, is an incredible artist who works on massive murals as well as smaller art pieces, his mix of geometric forms and bright colours are beautiful and really fun.

Who are some other children’s brands that you admire and why?

I really admire Oeuf NYC, their products are beautiful and they’ve built an incredibly strong brand and their company manifesto “Be Good” is what we should all strive for.

The Dutch brand Kast van een Huis who manufacture the Amsterdam house wardrobes, have been incredibly successful at bringing ‘themed’ furniture to the world and creating a business around a single iconic piece.

I hope that Young Empire can emulate their success by bringing something exciting and a bit different to the marketplace.

Industrimagem Lda

Which apps, books, forums and resources do you use day-to-day that you can’t live without?

I’m a total bookworm, I allow myself at least an hour a day if not two to get lost in a book, it stimulates the mind like nothing else. History and Fantasy books are obviously top of my reading list and I’ll read anything about any of the great explorers.

I’m a big fan of Pinterest, it’s an incredibly powerful tool at the beginning of any project to get your ideas into line. Instagram is obviously another great resource, if used wisely, and a great way of keeping people up to speed with what’s going on at Young Empire.

What’s the best advice you have received thus far regarding launching a new company?

I think the best advice I’ve gotten so far, from a family friend who himself has launched numerous companies, is to combine a determined mindset with a practical flexibility.

It’s important to know where you want to go, but there are so many ways of getting there, if you stubbornly stick to a single path you might miss some incredible opportunities.

If I think back to what I was expecting would happen at the beginning and compare it to the way things have actually turned out, the difference is amazing, in a good way!

Industrimagem Lda

Can you offer some tips to the designers launching a new business?

I’m really lucky to be working with some of the best people in the industry; I was introduced to some incredible manufacturers who took the time to listen to me and work through some of the crazier ideas I’ve had. The furniture would not be what it is today without them and their incredibly insightful input.

So if I had one piece of advice to give to other designers, it would be: make sure you’re working with the best people you can find and listen to them, ask questions, ask for their opinion and they’ll become invested in your project, your relationship will run deeper than a simple business transaction. Your product and business will be better for it.

What’s your focus for 2017?

2017 is all about getting the word out; meeting retailers and clients and introducing them to our product. We think that we can offer them something really special and we want them to know about it!

We’ll also be concentrating on expanding our range of decorative themes, for both younger and older children, bringing real value to our clients over time.

Vincent Edmond Louis

Are you an interior designer in search of an easy interior design software and project management tool to run your business? Learn more about Ivy here.

If you have dabbled in e-design, you’ve heard of Laurel & Wolf, a leading interior design platform connecting e-designers with people eager for affordable, quality design. Laurel & Wolf enables qualified interior designers with the opportunity to offer virtual design services to clients, helping people feel good in their personal space. Historically, interior design was something only accessible to the elite. Laurel & Wolf has broken these rules and created a way for everyday, modern people to enjoy quality design. As an interior designer, e-design opens your horizons by bringing in extra income while expanding your range of clientele.

Laurel & Wolf shares with us the evolving state of the industry, the tools they’ve built to empower e-designers, and the bright future of Laurel & Wolf on a mission to make e-design projects easier and more creative.

Photography courtesy of Dustin Walker

What’s Laurel & Wolf about in 140 characters or less?

Pushing the interior design industry forward! Giving our designers opportunity and our clients access to design they deserve.

In your opinion, how does great design transform our daily lives?

We believe that well-designed, personalized spaces set the tone for a daily life that is truly yours. When you feel like your home really reflects you and your style, you’re going to feel more comfortable, bold and confident even when you’re away.

What is the criteria to become a certified Laurel & Wolf designer?

We look holistically at prospective designers’ portfolios, experience, online presentation and personal voice and taste. We also generally require that designers have an interior design certification, unless they have at least five years of exceptional industry experience. Designers must be eligible to work in the U.S. or Canada.

Designed by James Tabb

Based on your knowledge of the industry, how are the rules of interior design evolving?

Interior design has historically been a service only accessible to the very elite. Logistically, it also has not really modernized since the pre-digital era. At Laurel & Wolf, we’re taking on both of these problems and trying to rethink what interior design can look like for modern, everyday people. Our rules are there are no rules!

How is modern technology transforming the traditional interior design industry?

Technology is making it much quicker and easier to pin down what you really want. Both clients and designers now have access to endless inspiration images and products, and can really develop a clear sense of their taste. It’s also much more feasible for a new designer to get their start by leveraging great photos and design on their websites and social media. Platforms like Ivy and Laurel & Wolf are also empowering designers to run their businesses more independently with game-changing project management, visualization and communication tools.

Laurel & Wolf Office

Laurel & Wolf provides designers with the exposure and tools they need to streamline their projects with e-design clients. How has e-design expanded the business of traditional interior designers?

E-design has enabled designers to work remotely and on their own schedules, and allows them to take on projects in different styles and regions. We have so many designers from different walks of life who have leveraged e-design to pursue their interior design goals, from new moms who need time at home, to world travelers on sabbatical. We see designers who have recently relocated struggling to find local clients and keeping their business steady by working digitally. The flexibility is invaluable.

Designed by James Tabb

What are some of the project management pain points interior designers face in e-design and how does Laurel & Wolf help remedy these issues?

The main gripe we hear from e-designers coming onto the platform is that it’s frustrating trying to keep track of everything. Without something to streamline their projects, communication is scattered among calls, emails and notes and invoicing hourly can be a nightmare. With Laurel & Wolf, everything is housed on the platform, from sourcing to style boards to payment. Clients also purchase their e-design packages upfront, so designers never need to have awkward conversations about money and can just jump into doing what they love.

Laurel & Wolf Office

Laurel & Wolf designers love the “Design With Me” feature – how does this feature work exactly?

Design With Me projects are different from the other packages we offer at Laurel & Wolf because the client chooses their designer specifically. For these projects, designers can set their own flat rate per room and we keep only a small 5% transaction fee to cover credit card processing costs and access to our technology. Designers also have a direct Work With Me link that they can share on their own websites or social media to drive new and existing clients to their e-design services. They can then use the platform to house their digital projects, exchange ideas with their clients, and compile their final floor plan, style boards and shopping list to make the design a reality.

On average, what’s the standard rate Laurel & Wolf designers charge their e-design clients?

This really ranges! We generally see rates per room landing between $199-1,199. Designers can also offer discounts or run promotions on their own – many choose to do this for their return clients.

How does the Laurel & Wolf team connect and engage with your community of e-designers on a personal level, creating this sense of empowerment?

Over the past couple years, we have built out a really special Design Community team in-house. These are the designers’ advocates throughout the company and they help address any issues with Client Services, secure press coverage for designers, and pass along product and technology ideas. Having this team in place ensures that the designers are always carefully considered when decisions and changes are made. Beyond the office, we strive to empower all of our designers by creating a sense of community. Although e-design is all remote, we host events for our designers to get together in person every month. These usually correspond with a local design event, like a trade show or designer show house. So far, we’ve had meet-ups in over 25 cities around the country, and it’s amazing to see how those local communities support each other.

Why should a traditional interior designer experiment with e-design?

E-design is an awesome way to keep busy when your in-person business is slower, and the projects are generally shorter and in a smaller scale. This allows you to work with more clients at a time and really build out your portfolio quickly. It’s a great way to bring in additional income while expanding your range of clientele and experience.

What’s your focus for 2017?

This year, our main goal is to bring even more aspects of the design process into the ecosystem of our platform. We’re working on a lot of new product tools that will make e-design projects easier and more creative for our designers. Most recently, we released the first version of a new Designer Sourcing Guide that compiles millions of products from home vendors of every scale, price point and style. We believe this feature will save our designers tons of time on their projects – and time is money!

Are you an interior designer in search of an easy interior design software and project management tool to run your business? Learn more about Ivy here.

Jackie and Deb – you’ve fostered a wonderful creative community dedicated to educating, informing and inspiring the industry’s designers and manufacturers on soft furnishings. How did this collaboration come to be?
Literally in the back of a taxi. Jackie and I have known each other for many years and each time our paths crossed, we discussed the industry and our place in it. Three years ago, we were at a conference and spent a lot of time discussing what we love- (we’re both fabri-a-holics!), the state of the design industry, etc. On our way to the airport, it all came together for us in the back of the taxi. We saw a void and decided to fill it. Soft Design Lab is our passion project. It’s an online base camp and creative community dedicated to providing advanced education on soft furnishings design and business to designers and manufacturers. Soft Design Lab is meant to build a bridge between designers and manufacturers, to highlight new product, emerging trends, and start the conversation to promote better communication and profitable relationships. As partners in crime, design-wise, we complement each other, and frankly, we use our reputations as industry leaders to push our vision forward.

Manuel Canovas

What are some of the major soft goods trends for 2017?

Oh, we LOVE to talk trends! We know that it’s a buzz word that can be much maligned and overused, but we believe that understanding and capitalizing on trends is the difference between failure and success. So, here are the current soft goods trends that you should know about:

• Statement curtains take center stage
• Deconstructed stripes
• Sleep is the new luxury
• Flat is out, layering is in
• Floral fantasy – secret garden
• It’s personal – personalization and customization, one-of-a-kinds in soft goods
• Ornate ornamentation –  leading the way to a new Baroque interior

Romo Black Edition

How do you typically work with interior designers?
We interact with our community online and in person. Most of our offerings are virtual; from our downloadable PRO Guides and complimentary Take Ten Webinars, to interaction on our social media channels, intensive online expert live learning, and on-demand videos. But, we also build relationships with our community through our market tours and live events.

Based on your knowledge of the industry, what are the 3 biggest pain points interior designers face day-to-day when it comes to soft furnishings?
1. Over 50% of what is sold and specified in home furnishings is “soft” – textiles, upholstery, bedding, etc. Designing and selling soft furnishings can be one of the most profitable business categories. However, designers receive less than a semester of soft goods specification instruction in design school, if at all. The bottom line is that designers either don’t tackle soft goods, or, they do it poorly, therefore they don’t profit appropriately from this cash-rich category.

2. Most designers have little or no formal education in the soft furnishings design niche, and as a result, they are unable to adequately fulfill their clients’ needs, leaving substantial profits on the table.  Many designers steer clear of the soft furnishings niche, creating a gap that leads to a loss of market share to sub-standard, inexpensive, ready-made, product because they lack the technical skill set to successfully sell and specify. The Soft Design Lab is breaking this cycle through education and practical real world skills for designers.

3. Consumers have lost touch with what constitutes “quality” soft furnishings which perpetuates the cycle of a diminishing market and designers who don’t understand how to counteract it.

Leveliere

As soft goods gurus – what are some tips of best practices for mastering soft goods sourcing and fulfillment?
It takes a special skill set to confidently and accurately design, order, and fulfill custom soft goods. We strive to be the go-to source for this knowledge through our Pro-Books, Take Tens, Webinars and live courses. First, it’s about understanding the category, and then, working with vendors to help you understand their process, how to order, and specify product successfully. The most important tip is to build technical knowledge in each category – it’s similar to learning a new language, such as knowing the difference between a duvet and a comforter, or a cornice and a cantoneer. Then, you should understand the design guidelines and fabrication standards, along with being fluent in the math.  This includes educating yourself about proportion, measurements, clearances, projections, pattern repeats, how to calculate yardage, etc.

Leveliere

Courtesy of Soft Design Lab

Romo

Courtesy of Soft Design Lab

Birkenstocks

Bluebell Gray

Are you an interior designer in search of an easy interior design software and project management tool to run your business? Learn more about Ivy here.

Designer Spotlight: Eric Roseff of Eric Roseff Designs – Boston, MA

How did you get where you are today?
My career path was a bit circuitous, but all roads definitely led to interior design. I studied business and art in college, and took a job as a graphic designer in NYC after graduating. From there, I designed a line of hand-painted canvas footwear, which then became a retailer with a store called Salmagundi. I had a seasonal location on Long Beach Island, NJ, and then opened a second full-time location on Newbury Street in Boston.  We represented artists who designed and created home furnishings, jewelry, clothing, etc. All pieces were one of a kind.  I really embraced my art background and began doing a lot of decorative painting, murals, gilding, and Trompe L’oeil. I worked for a number of interior designers in Boston, and one became my mentor. I closed my retail stores and never looked back. I can still see how every career turn gave me something special and led me to where I am now. I am still based in Boston, as it’s truly my home. In addition to my projects in the Boston area, I do travel quite often for design projects; currently to Connecticut, Vermont, Florida, Montana and California.

Bruce Buck Photography, Ritz Carlton residential tower apartment

Eric Roseff Designs is a full service firm, working on both residential and commercial spaces. What’s the most exciting part about starting a new project? 

I get an adrenaline rush when I begin a new project.  I relish the thought of new found creativity, trying and discovering new things. Interacting with new clients and looking at design from their point of view is also exciting.

Bruce Buck Photography, Ritz Carlton residential tower apartment

How do you stay current and source interesting, new-to-market products and materials to incorporate in your designs?
I am forever curious! I will read every design publication, travel, attend markets, scour retail establishments, as well as the Internet. I also love re-imagining pieces, whether vintage, antique or new.

Michael Lee Photography

Are there certain trends, materials and/or colors you’re particularly into right now?

Color is SO important to me, and it can be extremely challenging when you factor in all of the elements of an interior. I do not tend to follow trends, but rather rely on my own intuition. It’s funny, because copper has been trending for some time and I personally embraced copper years ago. I clad my entire kitchen…cabinets, appliances, in copper. I even have a copper range!  I’ve also always had a major orange crush. I keep my mind open to new things, so I’m often surprised to where it leads.

Michael Lee Photography

Can you name some of your favorite Boston vendors that you work with?
McLaughlin Upholstering is a particular favorite. They are a phenomenal upholstery workroom, using old world techniques to create the most amazing upholstered furniture pieces. They can do anything!

Bruce Buck Photography, Ritz Carlton residential tower apartment

How does designing make you feel?
Designing makes me feel like I am forever young. It stimulates me, keeps me on my toes, energizes me.

Michael Lee Photography

What’s your business mantra?
Everyone deserves good design.

Michael Lee Photography

When you start a new project, how do you get to know your client and the space?
I really need to spend some time in the space, both alone, and with the client. When I first visit the space, I need to stand in it, almost in silence, to observe the light, feel the space, and listen to what it has to say. I listen to the client as well, often times having to read between the lines. I also ask a lot of questions.

Michael Lee Photography

How do you juggle multiple projects at once and stay organized?
This may be the most challenging thing. We maintain binders and drawers for each project. The drawers contain all materials, whether they are final selections, or things still being considered. The work tables in the office are a constant rotation of stacks of materials, paint chips, floor plans, tear sheets, etc. It can honestly look like a twister came through! I’m absolutely simpatico with Albert Einstein who said “If a cluttered desk is a sign of a cluttered mind, then what are we to make of an empty desk?”.

Michael Lee Photography

In your opinion, what’s the most rewarding part about finishing a project?
It is as simple as a smile on a clients’ face. Also, watching the space become inhabited, come to life, and function as planned.

Bruce Buck Photography, Ritz Carlton residential tower apartment

Why did you join Ivy?
I knew it was time to try something new, in an attempt to streamline and organize. It really feels like I have gained a partner with Ivy.

Bruce Buck Photography, Ritz Carlton residential tower apartment

How has Ivy helped streamline your workflow?
Ivy makes everything so easy to understand and comprehend, helping to make the business side of interior design less stressful and easier to navigate. Also, Ivy is most definitely a time saver.

Michael Lee Photography

What’s an Ivy feature you can’t live without?
The ease of creating highly professional invoices and purchase orders, and without a doubt, the 24/7 support system!

Bruce Buck Photography, Ritz Carlton residential tower apartment

Are you an interior designer in search of an easy interior design software and project management tool to run your business? Learn more about Ivy here.

After finalizing all of the odds and ends of a re-design project, the tip of the iceberg is most certainly framing and hanging the art and photography your client has approved. Adding these last pieces are essential for pulling the room together. If you’re going to manage the framing and hanging process, you need to do it right.

Enter Simply Framed, the digital industry destination to handle all of your custom framing needs. Their guided online experience helps you select frame styles based on the content, size and context of the space. They offer floating, shadowboxing, and canvas stretching as well, services not available online until now. Because they have eliminated store-front expenses, the price of their high-quality framing is 50% less than traditional frame shops. Their dedication to customer service, providing designers and consumers with dynamic ways of getting in touch, including video chat, will make you feel taken care of at all times.

Simply Framed shares with us the artists and prints shops they admire, modern day framing processes, and the 3 tips you need to know about hanging frames properly.

How does the Simply Framed framing process work exactly?

With Simply Framed, you have the option to mail in art or upload your own photos or artwork and we will print and frame it. We have a guided shopping experience that narrows down frame styles based on the type of work you’re framing and its size. Once you’ve placed your frame order, if you are mailing in art, we mail you a free tube or flat mailer, along with a prepaid return label, packing materials and instructions for shipping your art back to us. For those whose art is already in mail-safe packaging, we will email you a prepaid return label. We’ll notify you when we receive your art, and notify you again once it has been custom framed and shipped back to you. The turn-around time once we receive your art/upload is about 4 business days.

We really invest in subtle details to offer an elevated, but simplified custom framing experience.

The Veda House

What makes Simply Framed unique compared to the number of other digital framing platforms out there?

Every frame from Simply Framed is custom-made by hand to your exact art-size, no matter its dimensions, using high quality materials and methods. We frame prints, posters, original works on paper, photography, canvases, certificates, scarves and other textiles. In addition to traditional custom matting, we offer floating, shadowboxing, and canvas stretching, services not available online until now. That big, over-the-sofa statement piece? We can frame that too. We’re the only online service that frames and ships works up to 40”x60”. We also offer free custom quotes and gallery wall consultations.

Who are some artists and print shops that you admire?

We have been loving seeing so many of our artists launch new print shops and special editions to take a stand and raise money for organizations like the ACLU, arts organizations or animal conservation efforts. We’re loving Deborah Stein’s Bonbon Oiseau, Jamie Street for Eventide Collective, The Posters, Hapi Art, KT Merry Print Shop, Kate Holstein, Online gallery Uprise Art and Max Wanger who are all partners of Simply Framed.

The Veda House

How does Simply Framed partner with professionals in various industries?

Simply Framed partners with interior designers and online interior design services to offer a quick and easy way for interior designers to frame art for their clients. We have a designer discount available to vetted professionals and we have a high repeat rate with designers because they can easily quote the job on our site, saving them countless hours at the frame shop.

Can you name some Simply Framed projects you love?

We love this gallery wall at Lawson Fenning with photography by Hamish Robertson, this textile framing we did for Michelle Adams, and this amazing pair of oversize artworks we printed and framed for Light Lab.

The Veda House

How has the digital age impacted modern day framing processes?

Utilizing an online, mail-in service means that instead of driving across town to your local frame shop, you can place your custom framing order from home. Because we’ve eliminated brick-and-mortar expenses, we’re able to offer our customers high-quality framing at 50% less than traditional frame shops. As simple as this sounds, the fact that customers can email, call or video-chat with us is also a really big win. If we have a question about a job, we just ask and we can usually get a response instantly.

What are some of your best-selling frames?

Our Gallery frames in natural, white, and black are our best sellers.

The Veda House

Based on your knowledge of the industry, what are some framing techniques and trends that you admire?

We pay close attention to small details at Simply Framed, as we find those small details make a big difference in the outcome of your framed work. We ensure our gallery frames have a true square cap at 90 degrees. In our professional opinion, a true 90 degree angle is important for an elegant look. When finishing a frame in gold or silver, the amount of distress on the metal is important, as there is a fine line between too distressed, resulting in an overly rustic look, and not distressed enough, resulting in an overly shiny look. Depending on the artwork, floating on a foam core lift and using spacers to keep the work from touching the plexiglass can be important. We float on top of a mat board instead of a foam core to give a more finished look. We really invest in subtle details to offer an elevated, but simplified custom framing experience.

In our professional opinion, a true 90 degree angle is important for an elegant look.

The Veda House

What are the top 3 hanging tips everyone should know?

1. Our number one rule is to hang art at eye-level. When you hang at eye level, the piece will look as good from twelve feet away as it does from twelve inches away. While seemingly obvious, this rule is often overlooked. Turns out, there’s just one magic number you need to remember to put this rule into action: 57 inches, the average sight line for any human being. If the center of your art is placed on the wall at 57 inches, you’re in business.

2. We also follow Jay Sacher’s tip on using framed art to compartmentalize a space. Art can help distinguish or connect spaces in your home. Different styles of art might designate separate areas in an open floor plan, while pieces that relate to each other may bridge gaps between rooms.

3. When hanging a gallery wall or a cluster of art, we suggest starting by measuring the space you want to fill on the wall and tape off that space on the floor. Using the floor as your “wall” gives you the ability to lay the pieces out, move them around, and get a layout you love before actually putting anything on the wall!

Our philosophy is to select a frame for the art, not the decor of your home.

The Veda House

How does Simply Framed  typically work with interior designers?

Simply Framed can connect with interior designers in a variety of ways depending on their needs. We invite designers to connect with us about their needs and we can discuss the best kind of partnership. Connect with us here: http://simplyframed.com/pages/partner-with-us

Our number one rule is to hang art at eye-level.

 

Can you offer interior designers some tips on how to select the best frames for their clients?

Our philosophy is to select a frame for the art, not the decor of your home. If you choose something timeless, and it is framed well, you only need to frame it once and you can move it from room to room and style to style. We suggest slightly different frame and mat styles based on what kind of artwork or photography you are framing. Ninety percent of the time, we suggest a black, white, or natural wood gallery frame with a white or off white mat depending on the type of work it is. If your home has gold or silver accents and you want to pull in a metal, a wood frame with an antique gold or antique silver finish or in certain cases a metal frame can also be a timeless choice that goes with many styles. And when in doubt, just email us a photo of the project and we’ll happily provide a recommendation!

Dara Segal, Photographed by Our Love is Loud

Are you an interior designer in search of an easy interior design software and project management tool to run your business? Learn more about Ivy here.

Designer Spotlight: Elizabeth Aurandt of mercer INTERIOR – New York/Hudson Valley, NY

What’s the most exciting part about starting a new project?

All of the amazing possibilities, being able to find cool new products, and developing a new relationship with my client.

How do you stay in-the know about new-to-market products and materials to incorporate in your designs?
I read a lot of design magazines and find inspiration everywhere, from trade shows, to photos I see on the Internet, to new spaces I see as I travel and visit clients and project sites.

Are there certain trends, materials and/or colors you’re particularly into right now?
I am enjoying the warm modern aesthetic right now. l love using natural textures mixed with simplified forms, and find ways to fit it into projects in more traditional homes. I enjoy a clean, uncluttered look.

Who are some of your favorite New York/Hudson Valley vendors that you enjoy working with?
I really like working with Watermark for plumbing work!

In your opinion, what’s the most essential element to a room?
I believe each space needs to have a balance between style and function – it’s important for each area to have a use, and I make sure that’s at the forefront of my design. At the same time, I want the space to be stylish and not look like something that was thrown together for utility.

How does designing make you feel?
Sometimes I feel very stressed, but when things are going well, I feel really energized! It’s often a roller coaster, with really high highs, and really stressful lows, but I absolutely love it and wouldn’t have it any other way!

What’s your business mantra?
Balance function and amazing style with quality and great design.  

When you start a new project, how do you get to know your client and the space?
We speak on the phone, meet in person in the space, and I take a lot of “before” photos of any space I work on. This helps me understand my starting point so I know if I can use some of what is already there to help keep client costs as low as possible!

How do you maintain good relationships with tradespeople and contractors?
I try to focus on communication and timely payments. I know most things can be solved quickly and easily with a phone call or a visit to the project site, and I firmly believe in showing appreciation for the people I work with on projects. Making sure payments are made on time is always a good idea too, as it confirms that their work is valued, and they know they can trust me.

What’s the most exciting part about being an interior designer? And what’s the most daunting part?

Exciting: Completing a project and when the client is thrilled! I’m not in this for the money.

Daunting: There is always something that goes wrong which comes with a lot of stress and headache. There’s never a way to predict which problem is going to happen, and when, so trying to always stay on top of that can be stressful. Even when a problem is completely out of my control, I always feel personally responsible for something that may go wrong.

In your opinion, how is the interior design industry evolving over time?

I feel like there is some negative evolution because of speed and easy access to everything. People believe they are an expert designer simply because they can put together a cute Pinterest board. The advent of HGTV and quickie design shows make it look like it’s a quick process – very trivial, and simple, but it’s far from it. There is great detail that goes into any kind of design work that people don’t see on shows like that, so they don’t always have realistic expectations when it comes to their own design work. One thing I am loving is the trend returning to handmade, small-batch products from makers, people who still believe in the art of making things with their hands, from scratch. There is a lot more uniqueness in the market now because people are veering less towards mass-produced items, and more towards unique, handmade pieces. There are a lot of cool new designers and makers popping up – getting to see this first hand has been fun!

Why did you join Ivy?

I came across Ivy by accident on Facebook – I thought Ivy looked interesting so I went to the website to check it out. I had never invested in business management software before, but I knew it was time considering I was feeling overwhelmed by the manual work. I was impressed with the functionality of Ivy, even in the early iterations of the product.

How has Ivy helped to ease your pain points?
Ivy keeps everything organized nicely and makes creating proposals, generating purchase orders and ordering products very easy. I also like that Ivy integrates with QuickBooks Online. I love that the Ivy team is always very responsive and has a passion for discovering new ways to help each individual designer with their specific needs and preferences.

What’s an Ivy feature you can’t live without?
The connection to QuickBooks Online, as this integration has made a significant positive impact on my accounting. 

Photography courtesy of Emily Gilbert

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Our goal is to use technology to modernize an outdated industry, and leverage a focus on the customer.

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Owning our full line of production also allows us to handle small projects for in-home installations, all the way to large-scale hotel projects.

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Designer Spotlight: Jessica Lynn Williams – New York, NY

Luke Williams

Luke Williams

Luke Williams

Luke Williams

Luke Williams

Luke Williams

Luke Williams

Luke Williams