Archive for August, 2011

Ask Vicente: Trashcans

Posted by Vicente in Ask Vicente on August 31, 2011

Name: June

City: Astorville

State: Ontario

Country: Canada

Comment:

Okay, this might be unusual however, where do you hide the garbage holders? what are they made of?  This is something I struggle with in every room as I don’t want to see them, however I don’t want to have to travel to far to use them.  How do you handle this?  Thanks in advance.

Vicente Responds:

When designing a home I try to disguise the trash bins as much as possible. In kitchens I like to hide trashcans in base cabinets with pull-out waste containers. For bathrooms, I use stainless steel bins so they disappear. I prefer to not have any trashcans in bedrooms and living rooms. In an office you can always put it under the desk in a coordinating material, but it’s a trashcan and it will always be a trashcan. My advice would just to try to make it disappear as much as you can. Anyone out there have any tricks for camouflaging trashcans?

4 Comments

Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery…really?

Posted by Vicente in Interior Design Business on August 25, 2011

How can we protect our designs? I just opened a national magazine to find an American manufacture’s ad for a piece of furniture that I have been carrying in my showroom for the last 3 years. Once your work is featured in a magazine it becomes public domain and I find that manufactures use our designs for “inspiration” for their products. Besides being frustrated about seeing your design being reproduced under another name, what can we do? Yes we can copyright but if they change one slight detail it’s no longer protected. One thing that I have learned is before any meeting with a manufacture I usually draw up a contract that protects the designs I will be showing, making sure they don’t turn around and use them. People say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery; I say it’s truly annoying.

I don’t understand why so many American manufactures use other designer’s ideas instead of just hiring that designer and having them do something custom for them. I know companies like Donghia and Baccarat have stepped up to the plate and have sued people for stealing their designs, hopefully putting the fear of God into them.

For those of you out there that are in or trying to get into product design this is a big question. What does everyone think about imitation? Do you have any ideas on how to protect yourself and your designs? Have any of you dealt with this? What happened to you?

29 Comments

Looking Forward To…

Posted by Vicente in Friends, Travels on August 23, 2011

I am off to France in a few weeks. First I will head into Paris and hit up a few flea markets and hopefully catch some new shows. A good friend of mine, Tim Corrigan has this wonderful chateau and has been generous enough to invite 16 of his friends for a long weekend. I have been there once before and it is quite an extraordinary place, with incredible gardens, which I will try to get a few shots to show you. The chateau was featured in Architectural Digest and I heard that it will be in Veranda as well. Tim is the only person I know that can take a grand chateau and make it feel homey, I cannot wait to get there!
Believe me these invites don’t happen often in my life so I am very excited about this trip to France.

8 Comments

Another Snag

Posted by Vicente in Interior Design Business on August 17, 2011

Just when I thought business was picking up we hit a snag again! I am not sure how the new state of our economy will affect this industry, but I will be holding my breath for the next couple of months to see what happens. For me business was just getting good again and usually right after summer is our busy season so I will just have to wait and see what happens.
Does anyone have any predictions, thoughts, or insider info?

19 Comments

Ask Vicente: Showhouses

Posted by Vicente in Ask Vicente on August 16, 2011

Question:

I may be participating in one next year. I’m concerned about out of pocket expenses.I know, of course, you try to get as many of your workrooms and vendors to donate or discount as much as possible. However, I’m concerned that my desire to get it right and make it as beautiful as I can, is going to cost me big time.

Any works of advice?

Vicente Responds:

It is important that you decide what you want the room to be; a design statement or a means to try and get new clients. I have done 3 Showhouses and none of them have ever resulted in potential clients. I did however get publicity from them, but had to work hard for it. Publicity is great and if you decide to do the Showhouse you should reach out to as many editors as you can to try to get coverage. If you are able gain publicity of the Showhouse it will help secure donations. Let us know what you decide and if you were able to get clients from the Showhouse and don’t forget to send pictures.

3 Comments

Ask Vicente: Fireplace

Posted by Vicente in Ask Vicente on August 11, 2011

Question:

Hi, I have come across your blog post where you encourage readers to ask questions. This is so generous of you that I could not NOT take advantage. We are in the process of renovating (and giving some character) to a regular suburbia block house. It is in a popular neighborhood and we hope to sell it at some point and move somewhere less high profile. So, I would like to ask a question about updating a fireplace to be more modern/classic (not traditional) and less “suburban”/mainstream/boring. I’ve attached a picture. Any comments and suggestions from you would be cherished on my end

Vicente Responds:

I would lose the step back over the mantle and furr out the walls making them flush to give the fireplace a modern feel. Take the wood out as well. If the colors work together for you, I would reface the hearth and fireplace with a black marble or slate. Anyone out there have any other suggestions?

14 Comments

CNNE

Posted by Vicente in In the news on August 8, 2011

Here is the segment I just filmed for CNNE while in Atlanta, hope you all enjoy it.

Thank you Kohler & PDI for all your help!

2 Comments

Ask Vicente: Inherited Antiques

Posted by Vicente in Ask Vicente on August 4, 2011

Name: Peggy

City: Greenville

State: SC  

Comment:

My husband and I have just inherited some nice antiques (New England style) from my mother-in-law and I’m having a hard time integrating them so that our house does not look so dark/heavy and traditional. I prefer a mix of modern and antique. Do you have tips? Thanks!

Vicente Responds:

Peggy your problem intrigues me, I would love to see pictures of the room and the antiques. If you send them we could explore the possibilities on the blog as many people struggle with the same problem. Can’t wait to see them and open up the discussion!

2 Comments

Perspective

Posted by Vicente in Travels on August 1, 2011

America's Mart

As you can see from the image above America’s Mart in Atlanta gave me such a warm welcome… I had a great time at the lecture; it really is a natural high for me to do these talks/book signings because of the lively conversations and interesting feedback I get from the audiences. Thank you Jessie for putting it all together!

Right after the lecture I was rushed off to film a segment for CNNE! We shot the segment at the PDI showroom, which was perfect since it was all about the new and exciting bathroom products that are coming to the marketplace. I highly recommend visiting this showroom if you are in Atlanta.

Lauren from Kohler came down to help out with the shoot and give us all a tutorial on the new Numi toilet, which does everything besides make you coffee in the morning. After 4 hours of shooting the same clips over and over again, we rushed to the airport so I could get on an earlier flight and drive to Montauk when I landed. Although it was a long day I was excited about the shoot and the possibility of doing more with CNNE.

As the plane landed in NYC there was a huge spray of water that hit the plane so when we pulled up to our gate I looked around to see what had caused it. While trying to find the source I saw a hearse pulling up to a Military plane where a woman was standing, crying and carrying an American flag. The pilot told me it was a family receiving their son from Afghanistan. This moment made what I had thought to be such a significant day so trivial. The rest of the weekend I focused on the mother holding the flag, which she would drape over her son’s coffin, it is an image I will never forget.

America's Mart, Kohler, Numi

9 Comments