Stars belong in the sky, not on my walls

Posted on December 29, 2011 by Carrie

Starring. What is it? It can mean a lot of things, according to Merriam Webster, but in this case, I’m referring to something else. When it comes to plaster, “starring” is what happens when pigment isn’t fully integrated into the product, and reveals itself when it is spread on a wall. It manifests as a burst or streak of color that differs from an otherwise evenly-colored wall. Here’s a picture of what starring can look like:

In this post, I’m going to address a potential problem before it starts – How to minimize pigment starring. We don’t get many phone calls about this problem, but I anticipate it could become a new issue with the introduction of our blended color system. It won’t be an issue for everyone, just for those who opt not to follow our mixing instructions. (I have to say that carefully and with respect, because when I was an applicator, I didn’t follow the mixing instructions, either.)

Here’s a scenario from our office – This occurred a few months ago:

Our warehouse staff was making a large sample board of a new color that combines Sugarloaf White with another color, in this case Havasu, and came to me worried that the color was starring on the board. I asked, “Did you paste the pigment [as it says to do on our instructions] prior to mixing?” Of course, the answer was no. “Did you let the product sit wet for a while before you re-blended and spread the plaster?” Again, no.

With the introduction of a system that requires applicators to combine separate color packs into one bucket of clay, thorough mixing of our product is extra important. Here are some tips to help ensure your color will have significantly less starring in the topcoat:

  • ***These are similar to our official instructions as listed on our color packs.*** Add a bit of water to the pigment and mix thoroughly into a paste prior to adding it to the plaster. This gives you a chance to break up any clumps or large bits of pigment that might not dissolve as easily in the plaster/water mix.
  • If you do decide to add your dry pigment directly to your wet mix, blend it thoroughly and then let it sit for a while before spreading. Aim for an hour or so, but more won’t hurt. If you can mix the night before, even better. During that time, the water permeates and softens bits of stubborn pigment that haven’t blended with the rest of the plaster. Then, prior to use, re-blend the mix to integrate the color with the plaster.
  • Consider getting additional mixing tools to help with the blending process. I use a great hand-mixer (commercial grade) to combine the plaster and pigment and pulverize any clumps of pigment when I’m making samples. Other people use Cuisinart food processors or blenders to ensure their pigment is as fine as they can get it.

If you follow any of these suggestions, you will minimize the occurrences of starring while using our plaster system. I hope this was helpful. Contact us with any questions!

Posted in How-To, Resources, Troubleshooting | Tagged , , | Comments Off

Paint matches for American Clay colors

Posted on December 28, 2011 by Carrie

Of all the blog posts I’ve written in the last 2 years, the most popular entry is this one, in which I identify paint colors that are most similar to our standard American Clay colors.

We’ve recently introduced some new colors, and I wanted to be prepared with paint matches for all of them, too. These paint swatches are the closest match I could find using Benjamin Moore paint colors, the most popular brand for which I receive requests. Some of them are matches, while others are only near-matches.

All paint colors were matched to Loma finishes only, and are offered as a starting point for your matching process. Compare these paint colors to your wall surface, then adapt the paint color if necessary.

Without further adieu, here’s a complete list of all of our colors and their coordinating paint matches, including our standards (in bold). Included in our list of standard colors are 11 new names. The rest of these colors are blends that can be made using our standard color packs.

Whites and Lights

Blues and Purples

Yellows and Oranges

Subtle and Neutral Tones

Browns

Grays

Deep and Dark Tones

Reds and Pinks

Greens

Brights

Posted in Color-Matching, Resources | Tagged , , , , | Comments Off

Pantone’s 2012 Color of the Year

Posted on December 19, 2011 by Carrie

Last week, Pantone released their 2012 color of the year. I heard it first on NPR, and based on their verbal description, I thought it sounded an awful lot like one of our standard colors. I’ll get into that in a second. In the meantime, let’s have a look at this new hue.

The color, described by Pantone as “a spirited reddish orange, continues to provide the energy boost we need to recharge and move forward.”

They go on to say “sophisticated but at the same time dramatic and seductive, Tangerine Tango is an orange with a lot of depth to it,” said Leatrice Eiseman, executive director of the Pantone Color Institute®. “Reminiscent of the radiant shadings of a sunset, Tangerine Tango marries the vivaciousness and adrenaline rush of red with the friendliness and warmth of yellow, to form a high-visibility, magnetic hue that emanates heat and energy.”

I had a few reactions to the news:

1. I think this color will be far more popular than Pantone’s 2011 Color of the Year, Honeysuckle.

2. I love this color. Bummer, though. This means that all my red-orange clothes will blend in among the 2012 masses.

3. This also means the bright red-orange logo for my side business may look less unique (I teach Social Media for Business at CNM). My designer and I may have to start over. Blah.

4. This looks a lot like one of our new standard colors, Eureka. Hooray for happy accidents!

I was pretty excited to already have a similar color in our standard line. Most people haven’t even seen it in person, yet. Let’s have a look at a room plastered in this color, shall we?

This image was taken at a New Mexico guitar shop whose owners selected Eureka as the color for their sound room. When Croft dropped in to see the results, he described the color as “a warm, glowing red”. Up to now, our staff had only seen the color on samples, so seeing this space really brought it to life.

In my day-to-day workings with clients, I get a lot of requests for warm reds, so I developed this color with that end goal in mind. It’s a fortuitous coincidence that it may also be 2012′s trendy “it” color. Whether or not this color takes off in the color world remains to be seen, but I forecast that it will indeed be well-received by the public. I think we’ll start seeing lots of orange-red options at local retailers in the near future.

How else might we see this color show up? Here are some other warm red and orange rooms to give you a sense of how this color affects a space:

Source: The A Estate

Source: Surface and Panel

Source: Paper Blog

Source: The Tao of Dana

As you can see, oranges and reds can come in lots of different hues and tones. If you have questions about Tangerine Tango, Eureka, or other orange-red options, give us a call!

Posted in Design & Color Trends | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Info on Advanced Applications with Lime

Posted on December 5, 2011 by Carrie

Here’s a photo of a set of our American Clay display doors. Lime-gauged and limewashed samples are the 5th and 6th columns (if you’re viewing left to right). The vivid colors on the far right sides of each door are limewashed.

Today I received an email asking questions about our lime-gauged clay plaster and limewashed plaster samples and how to achieve these colors. I want people to truly understand what they’re getting themselves into, so I took time to answer the question with plenty of information and resources (which you’ll find below).

I would not recommend that a homeowner dive into trying these techniques themselves, so I was happy to offer this information to help prevent a potential call coming in from someone overwhelmed or disappointed with our lime products.

Here’s the email I received from a dealer today:

I had a DIY clinic on Saturday, lots of interest in the tiles that are mounted on the American Clay display doors–esp. the Lime Gauged and the Lime Washed.  Can you tell me which plaster these samples were made with?  And, what was the methodology for these samples (i.e. how much lime putty was used in the gauging? how much lime putty was used in the wash?).

Also, I need your opinion on the lime wash (in general): Would an installer be able to easily reproduce the colors of theses tiles?  And, would an installer be able to achieve a monolithic color with lime wash, such as these samples tend to indicate?  One customer is especially interested in Wild Horse Smoke Lime Washed, but wants a wall that is a solid color, no evidence of a wash per se, just the resulting depth of color.  The wall is about 14 ft high, so I do not want to encourage them to think they can get a monolithic color if this is going to be an ordeal–I want them to have realistic expectations about the results they will get.

I’ve been meaning to ask this for a long time, but just never got around to it.  Now that I’m seeing some interest, I need to know.

Thanks so much!

I’m glad this dealer sent an email before selling the product to DIY’ers. These are great questions that we receive on occasion, and I’ve addressed them before in different places. I figured it might help to have one post that addresses everything all in one place.

Here’s my extended answer in response to this inquiry:

Our samples are hard-troweled Loma gauged with Lime, and the others were hard-troweled Loma with Limewash over the surface. Here’s some basic info about these processes that ought to help understand them a bit better…

Lime-gauging and Limewashing are advanced techniques that should be attempted by installers who are (at the very least) experienced in plastering, and who have had some experience in lime or decorative finishing techniques. I would NOT recommend them for DIY’ers or homeowners who aren’t experienced with lime.

With lime-gauging, you need to work quickly to compress the clay plaster when it is leather hard, because you can’t re-wet and re-work the plaster once it is dry. This may be challenging for people who aren’t used to plastering, so keep that in mind when people want this look. Here’s a link to a video on how to mix lime putty into our plaster (1/2 a container into Loma, Porc, or Mar, or 1 full container into 1 80-lb bag of Enjarre):

Basic Lime-Gauging Mixing Instructions

Here are my instructions for limewash. You add one color pack to each container of 3:1 limewash to achieve results similar to the colors on your display doors. For bigger color packs like Painted Desert, Palomino Valley, Chesapeake Bay, Bryce Canyon, Mauna Loa, Georgia Clay, or Sugarloaf White, you’ll want to add more water, enough that the consistency is more similar to that of skim milk. You can deviate from these instructions, but this will help you achieve the look seen in our samples.

Limewash requires multiple people working on a wall at once in order to get the desired outcome. It often results in a mottled effect, and not as flat or even as you see on a tiny 3”x6” tile. The effect you get greatly depends on the amount of water mixed with the lime putty. A 3 parts water to 1 part lime mixture will be mostly opaque and flat, and will result in a look more similar to a painted wall (and not a clay plaster wall). I don’t believe it would be monolithic, but this is the mixture I would suggest to get results most similar to a monolithic surface. A mixture of 7 parts water to 1 part lime or greater, even up to 15 parts water, will results in a mottled patina-like finish that allows more of the clay finish underneath to show through. It can be a very beautiful effect (more desirable, I think, than a thicker 3:1 limewash ratio).

I would not recommend that someone attempt a limewash finish by themselves – They should always try to work with another person or several people to help achieve desirable results.

For help creating a limewash look, here are links to videos we made around the time we released this product:

Mixing American Clay Limewash

Limewash Tools

Improper American Clay Limewash Application

Proper American Clay Limewash Application

Lastly, make sure to mix limewash just before it’s needed, and not long before. Many of our colors contain Ultramarine Blue, which isn’t lime-safe, and the color will degrade if left to sit in a container overnight.

This was probably more info than you needed. I hope it helps!

Using lime is a bit more complicated than meets the eye. I want people to have a realistic expectation about our product, and these two techniques pose a few more challenges than a standard clay plaster application. This dealer was smart to email with her questions. I hope this information will come in handy for her and our readers.

More questions about lime? Send ‘em our way!

Posted in How-To, Lime | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

The skinny on Snow Canyon and Oyster Bay

Posted on December 2, 2011 by Carrie

One of our most popular colors is Snow Canyon. What some people don’t realize, though, is that there’s more to Snow Canyon than meets the eye. In this post, I’ll give you some background information on this beloved color that will likely help you understand it a little better for use in future American Clay jobs.

I’ll frame this post as a series of facts. These are the points that seem to throw people off the most:

Snow Canyon is the color of American Clay plaster without any pigment in it.

That’s all it is. When you’re looking at plain Loma, Porcelina, or even Enjarre, you can call it “Snow Canyon”, and you would be correct.

Marittimo without any pigment is nearly the same color as Snow Canyon.

Marittimo has a funny history. A couple of years ago, Marittimo shifted from a slightly darker, more gray color than our other plasters to a lighter, cleaner color similar to our other finishes. The color has always been called “Oyster Bay”, and it is still called Oyster Bay. We have kept the name the same to minimize confusion, but really, it looks like Snow Canyon.

Just because you order Snow Canyon doesn’t mean you’re going to get the same color every time.

The color of the plaster is determined by the raw materials as they arrive to us from manufacturers. If the color of the clay changes, then the color of our plaster changes. We don’t control for the color of our raw materials. When I get a call from someone looking for patch material for a Snow Canyon wall from 4 years ago or even 7 years ago, I have to custom match the color to ensure that the new material will match their existing wall. “Snow Canyon” can mean a light, creamy oatmeal color or a neutral light gray. It just depends on the age of your material.

Here in the office, Snow Canyon is also referred to as “Base”.

If you ever speak with staff from our office, you may hear us use this term. If we say something like “Enjarre Base”, we also mean “Snow Canyon”. Same thing.

Oyster Bay is only available in Marittimo, otherwise, it’s a custom color.

People who aren’t super-familiar with our material will sometimes call looking for a sample of Porcelina in Oyster Bay (or Loma, or Enjarre). As mentioned above, Marittimo used to be a different color from the other plasters. It was different enough that it was given its own name.

If someone is seeking Oyster Bay in another finish, it’s usually easiest to let them know the details about that color, and then they’ll usually change their request to Snow Canyon. Sometimes, though, a client insists they want the color of original formula Marittimo, the darker, grayer color that used to be available. In that case, it’s a custom color. I have matched it. It is possible. It’s not expensive, but it’s important to plan for that expense as part of your American Clay job, so be sure to ask your client plenty of questions to ascertain their color needs, budget and expectations, and plan carefully so this expense doesn’t come as a surprise.

Snow Canyon is sort of white, but not really.

People will sometimes call us expressing disappointment that the Snow Canyon color isn’t white. We know this. It’s a neutral, grayish tone that can look white depending on what it’s next to, but as we all know, color is relative. Currently, Snow Canyon looks most similar to Benjamin Moore’s OC-15 Baby Fawn or 858 Athena. If you’re looking for a bright white,  you won’t get it with our product, even if you go with Sugarloaf White. Softer, earthier tones are more realistic.

So there you have it. Snow Canyon has some complexities that require a few more questions before you dive into using it. We’re always happy to help you navigate the details, so don’t hesitate to ask us questions when planning your next American Clay job.

Posted in Resources | Tagged , , , , , , | Comments Off

One color in three different strengths

Posted on November 8, 2011 by Carrie

I filled a sample order today, and realized that these colors may be worth sharing on the blog. Here’s a photo of (from left to right) Palomino Valley in full strength, half-strength, and 10% strength. I have a Snow Canyon sample on the right for comparison.

This kind of scenario can be helpful in a few different situations. I’m often asked what color should be used on a ceiling that will coordinate with an existing American Clay wall. In a case like this, it would be really easy to use the 1/10th Palomino Valley on a ceiling next to a full-strength Palomino wall. The pigments are the same, just in different strengths, so you know they share some commonalities that will help them coordinate in the same space.

It’s also helpful if you have a client who likes a color, but isn’t sure if it’s the right tone. I had a friend who loved Bryce Canyon, but felt her house didn’t get very much sunlight. She was afraid the color would look far too dark. We offered her a sample of Bryce Canyon in half strength, and she loved it. The color was still rich, but was relieved of the intensity she feared for her small, dark space.

Consider offering a color in differing strengths to your clients – It creates a wealth of options fairly easily. Something important to consider, though – Some of our color packs are very small. Wild Horse Smoke, for example, could by multiplied 7 times to create a deep, rich color, but let’s get real. Who wants to buy 7 color packs for a bucket of clay? I wouldn’t. In cases where you think you want to intensify a color, give us a call to see if there’s a cheaper option available. In this case, we could provide the same intensity of color (super -strong Wild Horse Smoke) for less than $30 retail.

If there’s a standard color you’d like to see in differing strengths, let me know. I can mix them, photograph them, and send them your way.

Posted in One Color, Three Ways, Resources | Tagged | Leave a comment

I Hate Lake Tahoe

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Carrie

There. I said it.

This poor color has been through the ringer over the years. Don’t get me wrong – It’s beautiful. I love the look of it, but the poor thing has a history that makes me crazy. I figured I’d share the details here in the event that it helps prevent problems for someone seeking this color in their next American Clay job.

Once upon a time, Lake Tahoe was introduced to our line. It was comprised of beautiful french Ultramarine pigments, and the color was striking and luminous. There are beautiful photographs of this color (like the one above) that have resulted in countless phone calls of customers dying to know how to achieve the same look in their own space.

There’s only one problem. There are a few problems, actually. Here are the reasons why I say I hate Lake Tahoe:

  • Pigments have changed – Originally, the pigments came from France. Then we sourced them from a domestic company. Then, a couple of years later, that Ultramarine Blue pigment was discontinued. Now? It’s made from a different Ultramarine Blue altogether. This means the color has shifted dramatically 3 times since it was introduced years ago.
  • Marketing photos are never accurate – The photo at the top of this blog entry is not really what that wall looks like. I’ve seen at least 4 different versions of this photo, and each of them looks like a different color. Sadly, though, everyone wants the color in THIS picture. Of course, this was also from the time when Lake Tahoe was made from French pigments. Not available now. Sorry. Bums me out, too.
  • Color-matching is not possible – At least a few times a year, a dealer or applicator will call and say they need to do a repair or a new wall in an existing house with Lake Tahoe walls, and they want me to color-match it to the existing color. Can’t do it. I can get close, but it will never be exact. Super annoying.
  • Some dealers charge a lot for this pigment – Once upon a time, like French pigment time, Lake Tahoe was expensive. It isn’t expensive anymore. We still get calls from customers who tell us their dealers are charging a very high price for Lake Tahoe, which now carries an estimated retail price of around $20.

Poor Lake Tahoe…I don’t really hate it. I just don’t enjoy these problems. I do my best to mitigate them as they arise, but sometimes people get very disappointed when they try to work with this color.

Do any of our other colors have this problem? All of our colors have seen shifts over time, but this one is definitely my problem child. We’re still working through things in family therapy, but I’m doing my best to understand it’s not Lake Tahoe’s fault. We’ll get through it.

All jokes aside, it’s a great color, but it comes with a long history. If you have an interest in this color, give us a call so we can help you through the color selection process.

Posted in Troubleshooting | Tagged | Leave a comment

A side effect of the economy

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Carrie

For those of you who’ve been reading this blog for a while, you know I like being able to answer a question or provide a solution that helps a client move forward on a job and get the results they’re seeking. What don’t I like? Clients not having the tools they need to get the job done. In today’s blog entry, I’m going to share an example of a situation in which a dealer became stuck and unable to move forward with a job.

This morning I received an urgent email from a dealer saying that they were in need of some custom product. They asked – Can we ship it today? Yes. They have a client who’d hoped to complete a job this weekend, and the product won’t get there until the middle of next week. Bummer. This client is NOT happy.

I offered to help recreate the order on-site using a few of our most popular products (our best-selling plaster and our two best-selling colors). Sad answer – The dealer doesn’t have the products in-stock.

This type of scenario is becoming increasingly common. Customers expect that when they visit a dealer, they’ll be able to purchase the product they’re seeking. They expect that it will be in stock and available for them to take home that day, the day they need it. In recent years, we’re finding that dealers are choosing to keep the bare minimum of stock in their stores. It’s probably affecting more than just American Clay customers – I’m sure this is happening across the board with most products offered at a retail store. The result? Walk-in customers are unable to purchase what they need. The sale may or may not be lost, but I can guarantee that dealers are losing at least some money.

Money’s tight for a lot of people. I hear that. I have to ask, though, how many last-minute drop-ship orders with exorbitant shipping fees will it take before a dealer realizes how much money is lost because they can’t afford to keep stock on-hand? As a result, we get calls from clients who want to order directly from us. We ask if they’ve checked with their local dealer, and the common response is, “They didn’t have what I needed in stock.” If a customer is in a hurry, we fill the order, but we want our dealers to benefit from these sales. I want to be able to assist dealers who call in with scenarios like the one we saw today.

It’s a delicate situation, and I don’t want to preach to dealers who are doing their best to serve their customers. I do want to help however I can, and these scenarios  result in a lot of frustration for all parties. My suggestion?

As your bare minimum, stock our top-selling products, and order the others as needed. I’ll list my suggestions here, but dealers can do what feels like the best fit for them.

  1. Loma plaster
  2. Porcelina plaster
  3. Enjarre plaster
  4. Sugarloaf White color packs
  5. Acacia color packs
  6. Chacolatte color packs
  7. Nantucket Sand color packs
  8. Savannah Moss color packs
  9. Napa Olive color packs
  10. Osage color packs
  11. Tucson Gold color packs
  12. Sulphur Spring color packs
  13. Jasper color packs
  14. Amber Grain color packs
  15. Wild Horse Smoke color packs
  16. Bluefield color packs
  17. Up&EZ binder
  18. Primer Sand

I could make this list longer, but I think these are the products that we receive the most calls about, and sell most frequently. We do our best to empower dealers, but without product on-hand to help their customers move forward, we often feel stuck. As we know, most customers want things instantly, and shipping time adds a layer of inconvenience that is necessary, but disappointing. If there are things we can do to help, please contact us with feedback.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Math, plaster, and details in-between…

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Carrie

This blog entry will talk about the challenges (okay, my challenges) of being an artisan working with the technical side of clay plaster. I’ll also touch on some techniques that help me keep track of my work in hopes that it may aid some other applicators.

My skills in business, social media, communication, teaching, and fine arts aren’t too bad, but I am SUPER SLOW when it comes to math and science. I have to be extra careful in my line of work.

I can’t tell you how many times in the last few years I’ve been asked if my professional background is in Chemistry. No way. Not even close. That would be super helpful, though, and I can see why they ask. My job involves all sorts of research and product development, as well as quick calculations to ensure that results are correct for plasterers using our product.

Try to imagine, though, getting a call like this: “Hi Carrie – I have 3 walls in Loma in a 70/30 blend of Sugarloaf White and Nantucket Sand, but now I want to do an accent wall in Enjarre. I want the color to be 3 times stronger. Oh, and I only have 30-lbs of Enjarre, so it’s not a full bag. How do I make this work?”

Now, picture me closing my eyes and getting really quiet. It’s common for me to have to pipe up and say something reassuring like, “I’m still here, I just a need a minute to think about what you’re asking.”

The most recent example of this came early this morning from an old plastering friend who caught me in the middle of my first cup of coffee. Jokes were exchanged about how I needed to talk to him an hour later after I was fully awake. Yeesh…

I’m a tried-and-true artist type, and my right brain dominance means I think more easily in images than in numbers. As a customer describes their scenario, I often have to imagine myself duplicating their efforts in my color room, and calculate quantities as if I’m making them myself. Usually, I tell people I need to think about it and crunch some numbers and give them a quick call back. It usually works out fine, but it feels kind of comical in the moment as I’m scrunching my face up trying to think extra hard to find the answer to their question in my slow-math brain.

I also get a lot of calls from people who get carried away in their studios and create a beautiful custom color using a little of this and a little of that, and now need my help trying to decipher what they may have done to arrive at their final color. That’s very much like me, or at least it was before I worked here. It’s a lot more fun to go to make something beautiful in the moment. Writing down the steps it took to create a color or finish takes a lot of time and can feel tedious.

Knowing what I know now (which isn’t saying much – I get stumped every day by new questions), here are a few pointers to help make custom color record-keeping easier, and to help the process go more smoothly over time. Some of this will feel practical, and some not, but arguably, all are smart investments if you create wall finishes for a living.

  1. Keep a journal. Get a cheap notebook (it doesn’t have to be fancy) with the sole purpose of keeping track of details on every single job you do. Really. ***Things to keep track of: client name, date, job details such as the room in which the plaster was installed, pigments used, lot numbers of pigments, plaster used, lot numbers, and description of the finish.*** I keep track of my samples in a notebook, on the samples themselves, on the computer, and on each invoice. That’s 4 places. I know – It’s a lot.
  2. Learn and practice converting quantities. This was the biggest hurdle for me when I became American Clay’s color specialist. Everything we use is measured in lbs or grams. I convert between these measurements using whatever program comes up on a Google search (term: “grams to lbs” or vice versa) or on my iPad (using a conversion app).
  3. Consider investing in 2 scales – A decent gram scale (for creating small samples) AND something like a postal scale (for weighing out pigment for jobs). These scales are best if they measure to a hundredth of a gram or tenth of a pound. I can help you source scales if you’re interested.
  4. If you make samples for your clients, make yourself an extra sample to save for later reference.
  5. Keep extra material in case you run out in the middle of a job and need to do a color match. This will also come in handy if a customer calls you down the road and needs some repairs. A good rule of thumb is an extra 10% than is needed for the job.
  6. Test everything. Don’t assume that you’re going to get exactly what you expect from a bag of plaster and pigment. I get a lot of phone calls from people frustrated that actual plaster doesn’t look like a photo on the internet. Make samples prior to a job…every job.
  7. Label everything, everywhere. As I mentioned in #1, I have to write everything down as I do it, and in multiple places. If I forget to write something in my notebook, then at least I have it written on the back of the sample, and I’ve also saved it in my computer. Things disappear. It’s nice to have back-ups. My memory is terrible sometimes – I’m sure I’m not alone. The little bit of extra time spent up front is worth the trouble in the end.

So, there you have it. I talk to a lot of creative businesspeople on a day-to-day basis, and some of these details don’t come naturally to us. I hope that at least one of these points proves helpful. They’ve been a lifesaver to me, not to mention a money-saver and time-saver. I know some of these ideas were fairly general, so feel free to contact me at the office with questions. I’ll do my best to help.

Posted in How-To, Resources | Comments Off

Crazy for Color

Posted on September 14, 2011 by Carrie

In the last 24 hours, something amazing happened that demonstrates just how much color means to consumers. We know that color is important, but it’s not easy to describe or quantify the value of color in someone’s life. This case is a great example of just how much we love color, and what lengths people will go to to get an extraordinary product.

Similarly, I think I truly understand now how much a special color or product can mean to my clients. I’m not sure I can remember a time I wanted something so badly. It’s a little embarrassing to admit – This story is kind of ridiculous.

Last night I came across a press release that described the madness that ensued when Target released their Missoni line of products. This didn’t happen last month, or even last week. This all happened yesterday. In less than 24 hours, Target sold out of their Missoni products, with an unprecedented response to their release in stores. I, of course, missed it, since I don’t watch TV or follow trends or fashion happenings. I know of Missoni, though, and like many others, I love the company’s amazing sense of color and unmistakeable patterns.

Reading this press release caused feelings to bubble up that I haven’t experienced before. I hate shopping. I don’t go out on Black Friday to fight crowds for products that are in demand. Here I was, though, pining away for these beautiful colors. I had visions of putting their gorgeous throw on my sofa, and snagging colorful tumbler glasses for summer get-togethers with my friends. I wanted some Missoni badly, and here I was discovering that it was already too late, no less than 16 hours after its debut.

Now, I’d have had plenty of notice if I bothered to keep up with the news. People all over the country wrote about Missoni’s new lower-price products. Sadly, I’ve been up to my eyeballs with TEDxABQ planning, and had no idea what was coming.

After reading the press release, I reasoned that I didn’t live in New York City or Miami or Los Angeles. I live in ALBQUERQUE, NEW MEXICO, and we aren’t exactly known for being concerned with trends. Certainly there would be some Missoni left at my local Target.

Fast forward to this morning at 8 am, when I got in line behind 20 people at the store’s entrance. A bunch of friendly people, all there for the same thing. We all wanted some Missoni. Big time. So, we enter the store and quickly scatter to assess the situation. Any scarves left? Nope. Women’s clothes? Forget it. Any great shoes? Oh, size 1. Size 3. Rats! I head over to home goods, where I’d hoped to snag a set of glasses, a rug, and a beautiful throw blanket. None!

So, was there anything left in the store? Yes, but not much. I was fortunate enough to land these beauties. That’s right. I got a pair of rain boots. Yes, rain boots, and I live in the desert. The irony. I’m pretty happy, though. These $35 rain boots are going for $150 on eBay. I’ve always wanted a pair of rain boots, and now I have them. It hardly ever rains here, so today I’m wearing them around the office.

I’m still trying to wrap my head around the moral of this story. I’m sad to have missed out on such beautiful products for my home. I think I have a better understanding of my clients now, though, when they call requesting a specific custom color. They’re often insistent that nothing else will do.

Have any of you experienced such a yearning for color? It was a first for me. To be totally honest, the madness isn’t over, yet. The women in our office have banded together to shop Target periodically in hopes that they’ll replenish their stock, and we plan to buy for each other if we get the chance. We’ve all got the Missoni color bug. Someone help us.

Posted in About the Author, Design & Color Trends | Leave a comment