The Mirror Company

Fitzpatrick-Horror stories? I have one! I have one! And I’m embarrassed to admit, it was on my own watch.

I acted as the Owner/Builder/General Contractor on my ensuite (fancy name for a master bedroom and bath—together) remodel two years ago. (Cue Peg, laughing hysterically). I specified a wall of mirror behind my custom-designed vanity, surrounding an inset mirrored medicine cabinet and two compact fluorescent light sconces on either side.

I obtained two bids from two reputable companies, one with whom I’d worked previously: A and B. With the company I didn’t know, I followed exactly the process Peg outlined in the previous post. I approached a counterperson who directed me to a salesperson who sent an estimator out to my job and then finally an installation crew showed up.

I specifically wanted as few seams as possible in the mirror; two, the way I figured. Company A’s estimator said his crew could not do that, but if I could handle six seams, the price was $288. Company B’s estimator said two seams was no problem. His price: $426.

I paid a deposit to Company B, since my objective was to have the fewest seams and I didn’t mind paying for it. When B’s crew shows up, however, the lead installer says he can’t do two seams and must do six, no matter what his boneheaded estimator said.

By the time you’re ready for mirror on a bathroom, the job is almost over. And even I, the anal- retentive-designer-from-hell, was exhausted from running up against similar situations in almost every trade and material. I let the guys install with six seams. And I cringe every time I look at it, knowing it’s not what I wanted and I paid $138 more than necessary.

The moral of the story: This crap even happens to the pro’s.

The other moral of the story: If you have a person overseeing your job, be it architect, designer, general contractor, or spouse, you want the most picky, perfectionist you can find. Because in remodeling, the details just wear you down, and the siren song of compromise seems real sweet at the end of a trying project.

The Window Company

Koontz - Realized I haven't updated on my window company dilemma. Here's the news to date:

The window company came out to look at the problems on the installation job of their windows and though they talked a good story, what they actually did was give the installation contractor a heads-up that I would be calling him and they left it to me to resolve the problems. So after many calls, I get the contractor back on the job. He was polite, talked a bunch of bullshit and made another appointment to come back and do some corrections. He did return, did most of the corrections we talked about and blew out once again. My partner or I will have to finish correcting the issues on the install-some simple, like they didn't shim under the window joints, (three windows are tied together on one wall and in an effort to level them, shims were inserted under the windows at either end-but not where the windows are screwed together, so they are pulling apart because they are unsupported). A stupid mistake that will undermine the window and the client will never know why things are going awry, because the mistake will be covered by trim work. It infuriates me and I am beginning to think that consumers cannot trust anyone to do quality work without supervision.

Forewarned is forearmed they say-so here's a heads up for everyone. When you go to a large company to contract for a job, you speak to a counter-person, who then directs you to a sales-person. The sales-person then sets up an appointment for the estimator to come out to the project site. The estimator then sets up the project with a contractor. The job date arrives and a crew of people you've never seen before shows up to do the work, (and the contractor, whom you've possibly still not met, may or may not be on site at that point. Chances are if he or she is on site, they won't stick around for long...that's what they have the crew for).

If there's a problem on the job, the client might talk to the crew, who refer everything back to the contractor, who blames it on the estimator, (who didn't know shit from shinola regarding installation techniques), and the estimator tells you that it's the sales persons' fault for not explaining things correctly in the first place. Apparently the only one off the hook is the receptionist! NO ONE is responsible and no one really cares; or so it seems to me...

Solution-The best one I've come up with is to only use companies where the people I deal with have a vested interest in how the job turns out and what I later say about the company. Usually that means I try to deal only with family operated and/or small companies, where everyone involved gives a damn because it's more than just an hourly wage to them.

Does anyone else have horror stories about well known companies? Would love to hear them and be forewarned by them!

Trends

Koontz - Jody had a post regarding naming that new trend. How about-"Year 2006 Mr. and Mrs. Jone's", (as in keeping up with the Joneses). Or if that's not pithy enough; what about, "I can talk you into anything". Still not succinct enough..."'06 Awful", that sounds about right...!

Trends drive me nuts. I like to know about new products-though I never believe the claims about them, and neither should clients. New products are new; hence, they don't have the right to claims of longevity in real world situations because...that's right, they're new! But I cringe every time a client talks about some new trend they saw in a magazine and they just have to have whatever it is. It doesn't matter if it works with their life or home, they want it! I just want to slap them and tell them to get a grip, (and yes, I stole that from a movie---great line!).

Trends should be looked at and then discarded from the mind. Don't concentrate on trends, or on what "everyone" is doing. Concentrate on the product and it's benefits for you and your life---then make your choices. Following the trend doesn't make you look current, hip or smart. It makes you look like a follower. It makes you look like everyone else! Following takes no intelligence or style, it simply takes money-and if you have enough money to blow on just looking like everyone else---well, you don't know the freedom of money!

I dare anyone to write and tell me the benefits of following a trend...

The Edifice Complex; A Provocative New Book

Fitzpatrick-Here's one of those posts where I discuss things to do with the theory and sociological impact of architecture. So if you're reading for DIY info, skip along.

My mother gave me a subscription to dwell magazine (thanks, Mom!). No, I didn't misspell the title; it's lowercase in that semi-pretentious way you see a lot of things done in the upper eschelons of architecture. That semi-pretentiousness is one of the reasons I didn't subscribe when the mag came out a few years back. But I'm glad to have it now and it's chock full of thoughtful, and critical, writing on architecture and design.

In the February/March issue, Iwas struck by an interview with architectural critic, Deyan Sudjic, on his new book, The Edifice Complex. In it, he examines the relationship between client and architect, and the impact of this relationship on culture. This is interesting precisely because there is so little of it; architecture and design journalism being for most intents and purposes a promotional tool of the industry. Unfortunatley, I'm behind on posting, and the April issue is already up at dwell, www.dwellmag.com, so I cant' link to it. But it's worth a gander at the book on Amazon or at your local bookseller, and certainly worth a subscription to dwell.

In the dwell article (Feb/March, page 148), Sudjic explains:

The book isn't meant as a hatchet job on architects. I just wanted to explain the circumstances that architects operate in . If you listen to architects, the client appears as an idea, an abstraction; but the unsanitized reality is dirtier. The truth is that clients are influenced by motives like wanting to elevate themseves and put down other people, while architects will just do anything to be able to build. It's a two-way relationship in which both sides use and abuse each other. With someone like Philip Johnson, you can read the work as a way of satirizing the clients he flattered to their faces and abused behind their backs.

And this applies doubly for interior designers.

Provocative, and the book contains no glossy photos to distract from the discussion. Sudjic also mentions Tom Wolfe's From Bauhaus to Our House (which is in my own library and which I've mentioned in this blog before), as one of the rare books on the architect/client relationship and it's impact on society. That's a short and fun read for anyone wishing literacy in modern culture.

Name That New Trend

Fitzpatrick-I'm still stuck on stuff from Surfaces, but wanted to discuss further the trends we saw there.

Retro 60's/70's. It's baaaack, but at once more polished and textured; think, Babe Paley's apartments and the Getty's and St. Laurent discovering Marrakesh. Elements:

• Laquer; gloss is in, especially white, yellow, orange, espresso.
• Morrocan patterns; in furniture such as benches, headboards and end tables.
• Texture; capiz shells, rope, wool rugs, beading, ethnic fabrics.
• Stones; onyx, high polished and translucent.

The secret to this look is the balance of gloss to texture, sleek to pattern. As with everything in the new century, borrowing the best and combining skillfully creates success. For some easily accessable and economic examples of this style, see the West Elm catalog; www.westelm.com.

If you've seen some good examples of the new style or would like to give it a name (I'm stumped, and I've yet to see it christened by any of the shelter mags), drop us a line.

And as always, a trend's a trend; take it (or a few key pieces of it) or leave it.

New Product Revives Jaded Designer

Fitzpatrick-One of the best things about trade shows is their power to revive one's passion for the industry that one got oneself into all those years back.

Certain products remind me that practicing interior design allows me to bring beauty, comfort, safety, efficiency and new ways of looking at objects, and the world, into my client's lives, homes and businesses. Here are some products I'm still remembering from Surfaces, North America's largest flooring expo. (I'm awaiting permission to link to product photos, so pix should follow):

From artE Espina, a totally hip, family firm from the Netherlands (all female designers, by the by). It's a small thing, but check out this round kitchen or bath throw rug and it's fun, funky citrusy self. The backing is made of small rubber studs, no need for an extra rug pad, and it's washable. Go to artE Espina, the Fun Collection for 2006, 2007. www.arteespina.com. Then take a peek at the Harvest Collection.

Not to be outdone by the Europeans, our own Merida, a division of Meridia, gave us delicious new wool area rugs in updated retro graphics. See the Viewpoint 2005 collection; definitely on the forefront of this new updated 60's/70's look we're seeing. Magnificence; the Hydrangea area rug in Redstar, a fabulous hot pink on espresso colorway, www.meridameridian.com.

Gorgeous new product; a way to revive that loving feeling. If you've fallen in love with something new, send us a line and (pending manufacturer link permissions) we'll post it.