We have been super busy around here getting the SM2 line ready for the OctoberHigh Point Market. I know it might seem a little early, but we still have a lot to do! We have to finalize all the sizing, make sure all categories are covered, create test prints, start framing, enter everything in the database, price, catalog, build a website, re-work weak ideas, and finally decide what makes the cut for High Point and what doesn’t. Now all of that wouldn’t be a problem if it was the only thing going on, but thankfully we are really busy with projects and orders on top of that so we are all running around trying to get everything done and consuming lots of coffee (well at least I am). Luckily we have a great team around here and I get a lot of help from my fav digital ladies Allison and Amanda !!(they did most of the stuff you see below)Woo Hoo!! So lets get to the good stuff…here are some more SM2 previews. I hope you all enjoy!!!

-Tracy

So we are working a huge project right now that is AMAZING!! It is our new line: SM2 by Soicher Marin targeted to a younger, less affluent audience than our regular line, but with that Soicher Marin distinctive style. My job (according to Ed) is to make it hipper, cooler, more trendy! Everything all in one! If you want edgy, we got it. If you want colorful, we got it. If you want traditional, we got it. We’ve been working on the concept for SM2 for nearly a year. We’re on plan but had to wait to get final product design going until after the Spring Soicher Marin line was done. I have been working on these ideas for a couple of weeks and already have about 600 images and I am only about 1/3 of the way done! The ideas have been building and building since the first mention of doing this line. We work great as a team going from concept to product pretty seamlessly. So, this is your first look at some of the ideas floating around so far. We will keep you posted on how it’ developing and you will be the first to know when the new line launches (look for it in July/August)!

-Tracy

We wanted to give you another sneak peak at some of our more colorful wallpaper designs. These were all hand drawn based on some of our antique prints, but revamped to be more modern and fun. We’ve been talking for some time about launching a textile line, but right now we are just testing it out, getting feedback and deciding if this is an avenue we should go down. I love doing it and I am excited that now we have a way to share it with the world! Hopefully it will develop into more and you all can follow it from the beginning. Ok, enough with the talking…here are the pics!

I hope you guys liked it. You will be seeing more and more as we continue to experiment with creating wallpaper!

-Tracy

We  make scores of decisions every day: what shows to watch on T.V., whether to watch T.V. at all, or read a book, what to eat, what to wear, whom to  have as friends. The choices are limitless, yet we sort them quite efficiently based on a value system we adopted long ago. Is there such a mechanism at our place of work?

Core Values within an organization, large or small, are the commandments of all behavior. Whom to hire, what to sell, what to represent as an entity, how to treat employees, social responsibility, and on and on. Too often these values are posted on websites as a menu of ethics, when indeed, they should be private and for a company’s internal consumption. After all, we don’t walk around with our [personal] code of ethics pinned to our backs. We teach it to our kids, share it with our closest friends and in general, live by them.

On April 3rd, we launch a new feature on this Blog: Stores we Love. In our editorial meeting we discussed what our criteria should be. Many opinions were rendered, discussions ensued, tears were shed, fists were thrown (just kidding). Armando looked up from his silence and simply said: “candidates should embody our Core Values.” We were stunned by the simplicity and elegance of his utterance. Of course. The criteria is self evident as we reviewed our own values that are posted boldly in our main conference room. This meant of course, that a Store we Love and want to feature, may not necessarily be our customer if we are true to our values! We love Ralph Lauren, Tom Ford and Alexander McQueen. They are not our customers.

In the coming weeks we will share with you (mostly, but not exclusively) retail Furniture & Design Studios that bring something genuine, meaningful and fresh to the table. Stores who live by the laws of integrity and innovation, who care about pleasing their customers, have impeccable taste and are passionate about what they do. We hope you love them too.

-EM