A YEAR FROM NOW....

Do you remember the spring and summer of 1993?  Maybe you'll recall when you received your first or second or tenth AOL floppy disk?  That was only 20 years ago!!  The dial-up connection and that voice saying "You've Got Mail!"  Then the movie "You've Got Mail" in 1998 hit as families were purchasing their first computer and everyone was signing on to AOL. For a few weeks AOL's launch of 4.0 used the entire world's production of CDs to market their portal to the rest of the web. That was only fifteen years ago and in one year their 8 million users increased to 16 million! E-Bay and Amazon joined in and showing us what online marketing might evolve to. Five years ago, my guess is that you never would have had a business page on Facebook and if you had a cell phone it would never have been a "smart one." 

The first time you meet your customers isn't when they walk into your store, you probably met them online somewhere.  They might have seen a tile they liked and searched for a showroom that carried it.  Are your links with all your suppliers active? Is your website inviting? Are you making a personal connection or just listing what you carry? Are you aware of what customers are saying about you on Yelp or Google+? Do you know what your online strategy is for the next year or three years?  How do you differentiate yourself from the rest of the marketplace?  Look at the big companies that stumbled on the start line of the internet; Blockbuster and Barnes and Noble and decide to look ahead with some purpose.  This is not something that's going to reap immediate benefits, it's a two or three year process to build a real presence which is why you need to start now.  Don't play catch-up. Be Netflix and Amazon rather than Blockbuster and Barnes and Noble.  Your choice.

LEAVING $$ ON THE TABLE

How much $ money $ are you leaving on the table when your efforts to build your social media profiles don't match your calls to action.  Here's what I've discovered as I go through website after website of stone and tile shops.  You write the "about us" section telling the story of the family business and how it was started by your grandfather or father and you give his name and then you ask them to email you to sales@yourwebsite. You've just broken that social connection. You talk about your customer service being the best and if they have any questions email showroom@yourwebsite.  You've just broken that connection that is so valuable. Here's the bottom line, people want to do business with people not websites! So make your website personal and use your names. Let your future clients know who your designers are and what they've done and how to reach them. If they are going to pay $5,000 or $50,000 on a remodel of a bathroom or kitchen, don't just tell them, show them! How do you differentiate yourself in the market? EVERY website says they put customers first and don't have ANY testimonials from satisfied clients.  

In a random survey recently 66% of homeowners questioned are comfortable with the upturn in the economy and are ready to invest in their homes.  If they are going to spend money with you chances are they are going to check you out online. It's all about strategy in social media. Do you have negative reviews on Yelp or Google+? Have you Googled or Binged your store lately? What your customers are saying about you is out there in an internet cloud and you have to know what the conversation is and you have to participate.  Maybe two years ago the website being up was just enough.  It's not enough now. How far would you drive to visit a friend? What store might stay open late to design your project because you don't get off work until 6PM? Again I'll ask, what are you going to do to be different and special in the marketplace? My educated guess is that you'll be rewarded with lots of business if you make the shift from impersonal to personal.

GO FROM SURVIVE TO THRIVE!!

Are you ready to go from survive to thrive??  Join me for the Rock Your Tile Shop Mastermind beginning on October 29th, 2013.  It's time to Rock your shop, examine your brand and get the feedback you need from 30 like-minded entrepreneurs!  This is your wake-up call for profits and you need to decide right now that you're worth the investment in yourself and your store.  If you're waiting for the market to change, believe me, it has!  There is more competition on-line and in big box stores than ever before and if you're looking for resources, new ideas and support, this is your golden opportunity.  Email me now for an application, there are only 30 spaces available and are limited to one space per city or town.  

SOCIAL MEDIA & BUSINESS

The absolutely most confusing thing about business right now is rooted in social media.  Do we blog, use twitter, have a fan page or a personal page on Facebook, and then there is LinkedIn, Pinterest, Houzz, Instagram and a ton of other places where you can spend your day!  My feeling is that what you do first is what you feel comfortable with and then test your limits and move onto something new.  I like pinning on Pinterest, it's all about patterns in stone and tile, but I also add carpets, clothes and wall coverings in the same pattern.  For me, it's about inspiring designers, homeowners and shops what a great floor they could have, or mosaic wall.  CJ Dellatore recently posted an interview with Irene Turner who started pinning three years ago and now has over 4.5 million followers, that's a lot of potential clients, but Irene likes to pin and a few minutes in the morning and late evening is relaxing.  I used to get lots of emails from clients with photos of their finished bathrooms, backsplashes and floors.  Had them all saved on my company computer and when the system crashed they were gone.  Now you can have clients post on Pinterest and look at all the testimonials that you could have to re-post on Facebook or any send an email to that list you've been building for awhile and have never used.  Not everything has to be done at once, so find a place to just begin. It's not about advertising, it is all about connecting with your current clients and future clients in a new way.  Vote on the bathroom of the month, or the top ten backsplashes, make it fun.  If you want to be part of an intensive class on waking up sales, join the mastermind beginning on October 29th, 2013, for more information visit uniquedesignresource.com and call me.  

Coming up with lots of new ideas for tile shops to increase their business.  Best advice seems to be ENGAGE, reach out into your community and fill a void.  Become a weekend art gallery for local artists, sponsor a fashion show for local charities or have a mosaic party and spruce up a fountain or benches at your local park!

For a street fashion show contact your local high school or community college and see what ideas all of you can do to support your future models, dress designers and music geeks.  Everyone wins and the name of shop is all over the community!

Thinking outside the box is great for everyone!!  Want more ideas??  Sign up for the class starting on October 29th and kick off your best year in a long time.

ROCK YOUR TILE SHOP MASTERMIND

In the past few weeks I've been visiting tile shops to see what's new and have found the same mind-set. Sales are picking up but things are still slow and everyone is doing the same old things that they have been doing for years and getting the same results!  What if you could join forces with thirty other tile shops that want to catapult their earnings for the coming year. Be a part of a tile sales revolution and share what is working for you and what isn't without making costly mistakes.  It could be a change in your window display, partnering with your neighbors to have a Saturday Special; there are lots of possibilities but they have to work for you.  The best part of this is that once you sign up you'll be the only store in your town to be a part of this group.  As an early bird special before October 20th, you will receive a free one year membership ($839.00 value) to Easy Tile Design which is launching in January 2014.  Check out my website for more details.  Unique Design Resource

GRATITUDE

It's been a long time since I've written a post and for that I am very sorry.  As I learn more and more about this techno world I discovered that over 27,000 of you have visited my blog and not only have I not thanked you for coming, I didn't even know that you had been here before now!  So from the bottom of my heart, thank you.  For the comments that have come in lately for me to keep writing, I heard you and here I am.

My goal is to build a community for tile layout patterns.  Movies are a great place to look at floors, actors crossing a room usually have a great floor to walk across!  Just watch Angels and Demons and see the beautiful floors of the Vatican.  Actually most of them were recreated on a sound stage... but you get the point.  This octagon and dot pattern is absolutely timeless.

I see the floor as a canvas onto which all other design flows.  Floors set the tone, backsplashes in kitchens can tie all the elements in a kitchen together and bathrooms can allow you to feel as if you are walking on water, feel crisp and clean or surprise with a wow factor.  It's all in the choices you make as a homeowner or designer.  

So stay tuned and there will definitely be more to follow.  I am truly grateful to all of my visitors, you won't be disappointed. For more tile layout pattern ideas please visit my Pinterest site or Unique Design Resource.  

WEDNESDAY WEARABLE ART

I don't think this outfit will ever show up on a red carpet, but it should!!!  Absolutely amazing wearable art that is made from porcelain fragments from the Ming and Qing dynasties by artist Li Xiaofeng from China.

He cuts each piece to size, polishes the edges, drills tiny holes and laces all the pieces together with silver wire.  If you live in earthquake country, like I do in California, next time you find your china on the floor here is something to create besides a mosaic table top for the back yard.

His works have been displayed at Virginia Miller Galleries in Florida.  Visit them online at virginiamiller.com for more information.

WEDNESDAY WEARABLE ART

"Bold, rich and unique" is how many clients describe BonTon Handmade Tile.  Based in Minneapolis, Mary Anderson created a line of ceramic tile with exclusive hand mixed glazes.  All tiles are made to order custom designs using old world techniques. Tile styles include: Art Deco, Art Nuevo, Contemporary and Traditional.  For more information on tiles or purses, go to BonTondesigns.com.

I love the designs of her purses.  Just like Mary's tile designs they are fresh and unique works of art.

So for handbag aficionado's here are some new choices for you.  

Love the look of  purple/blue mosaic with a deco from Landmark Metalcoat (landmarkmetalcoattile.com).  There are many more to choose from, so please visit BonTon Handmade Tile at their website or Facebook Fan Site.  Prepare to add BonTon to your list of suppliers for that bathroom renovation that you've planned for the future!!!

For kitchen and bath designers, here's a new way to advertise your business whenever anyone asks about your purse!!  Happy Wednesday and visit the BonTon FB fan page and boost them over their 400 fan goal by 4th of July.  

TILE TUESDAYS AT DWELL

New patterns in either ceramic or concrete or both can be found at ogassian.com.  The organic flow from walls to floors with the same design in different sizes and materials is stunning.  The design concepts of Daniel Ogassian are individual works of art for those searching for that bold expressive signature.

The architectural impact on an indoor or outdoor wall of this cast concrete pattern is amazing.  Paired with hexagonal flooring in cast concrete in the same 16" size, or even larger hexs would be such a unique custom look.  Blend the concrete or ceramics into your choice of colors.

Add a concrete cast sink in the same or complementary color and you have an unforgettable combination for yourself or your client.  A Los Angeles based artisan, Daniel Ogassian also designs furniture.

DWELL ON DESIGN

Enjoyed my visit to the Dwell on Design Show at the LA Convention Center.  Since this show was all about sustainability, I honored the adventure with a ride on three subway lines to get there.  

The first Heath Ceramics pattern is Little Diamond Mix shown in Campari Red, Paprika and New Chamois.  

I've always love the visual effect of this pattern from ancient times until now.  Roman artisans worked this pattern below into a church floor.

Found some great new layout patterns by Heath Ceramics called Dwell Patterns.  Heath believes modern design can be functional and expressive, bold and organic.

This is a Wide Hex Twist shone in Canvas Sage and Vanilla Bean.  There are very few patterns for pickets and I love this twist.  If used for a kitchen back splash or bathroom wall it would be fun to cut a few pieces of milk glass or mother of pearl to occasionally drop in for layered texture and reflections.  Go to heathceramics.com for more tiles and patterns.

Another favorite find at the show were these great wall pouches.  Vertical walls on a roof top garden or patio walls can be used for cooking herbs or flowers bring a whole new look to outdoor art.  For more ideas and products have some fun at rootpouch.com.

NEW PRODUCTS

I love finding new products that make your life easier.  Using Laticrete's epoxy grout was the only way to have a stain resistant grout and generally no need to re-seal, bad news was that it is gritty and clean up with vinegar made it impossible to use on marble or travertine and it's inflexibility ruled out using it with glass. That leaves ceramic, porcelains and some granite tiles.  Now there appears to be a new product that is a lot more versatile.

Doing some research into GroutBoost and would like some feedback, especially with my Facebook friends who are in the stone business.  I know everyone has a favorite brand of grout and this is an additive that you use instead of water and can be mixed with Laticrete, Custom, Mapei or Tec.  Do you get the consistency that you want when it's mixed?  Does it clean up with water well?  Has anyone used it with slate or sandstone?  My favorite sealer is Bulletproof by StoneTech but it's not on GroutBoost's approved list so I'm wondering why.  I prefer to use products that I know won't change the look of the stone and that one is a personal favorite.  Hopefully GroutBoost has been out long enough that someone is a real fan or did you try it once and decide it's not for you?  Please let me know.

TILE TUESDAYS

The fun of making lots of new friends on Facebook allows me to see new products (at least they are new to me) that are amazing.  I love the pottery and tiles that come from this factory near Naples, Italy.  May just be the excuse I need to visit the Amalfi Coast for the first time in years!!  Romeo Cuomo's factory hand paints with such beautiful colors that making a choice is going to be almost impossible!!  You can find Romeo on Facebook or go to his website http://www.officinaceramica.com.  The ceramic infused lava-stone tables will dress up any patio, breakfast room or sidewalk bistro!!

There are so many sizes, shapes and patterns to choose from for the tables... I honestly can't pick just one as a favorite!!  Poppies, lemons, oranges, sunflowers...  The same is true for the dinnerware or tiles!!  Check them out and find something special for your clients.

MEMORIAL DAY MONDAY

On Memorial Day I'd like to spend some time celebrating a few generations of service in my family.

My great-great great grandfather Keen served under Old Fuss and Feathers Winfield Scott during the Indian Wars.  General Scott was later the Secretary of War at the beginning of the Civil War. 

My great great grandfather Winfield Scott Keen was a drummer boy in the Civil War.  Taken prisoner toward the end of the war he spent several months in Andersonville Prison before returning home to finish school, marry, move to California in a covered wagon and have a family.  

Great Grandfather Joseph Burke didn't have a war to serve in and instead served as the sole assemblyman from Orange County around 1913.  It was a time of strawberries and orange groves in Orange County and very few people.

My grandfather, Russell Burke was a sailor in World War I.  Luckily for him he never made it out of San Diego.  He lived to watch the Dodgers and play golf and had his first hole in one at the age of 80.

My dad, Gene Clarke, passed away last month at 87.  He was a proud member of the Naval Air Force and was a gunner in VPB 146, he's on the far right.   He rarely spoke about it until after his retirement and Baa Baa Black Sheep re-runs were on TV in the 80's.  The aviators from TV and my dad's squadron were in the same theater and he began to tell some of the stories of his days on the real islands in the South Pacific rather than the fake ones in the Channel Islands!  It took 52 years and an act of Congress and they were finally given their air medals aboard the USS Kitty Hawk by Vice-Admiral Bennitt.  

To the hero's in my family, I salute all of you!!!  Thank you for your service in creating this country, preserving our country and bringing peace to the world.   

CHANGE YOUR CLOCKS, CLEAN YOUR STONE FLOORS

Since it's automatic to change all of your clocks and the batteries in your smoke alarms every year at this time also check out your stone and tile.  If you have marble, limestone or travertine floors it is time to have them professionally cleaned and re-sealed.  I'm reminded of story several years ago when a bank manager called from Chicago about the dark, ugly stains on his limestone floor.  Bank customers came in from the snowy outdoors with salt on their shoes and there was a huge stain spreading under the free standing counter where they stopped to fill out their paperwork.  For some reason the bank manager didn't think stone floors needed to be regularly cleaned and re-sealed and the floor had been down for four years!  A stone cleaning professional was called in and he removed the stain, cleaned and re-sealed the limestone and gave the regular cleaning crew valuable tips on how to maintain the floors.  Needless to say, the bank now has a yearly appointment with professionals for cleaning and resealing.

When cleaning your stone floors, vacuum first and then mop with a mild stone soap.  I like to use steamers, they use less water, clean very well and dry faster.  

There are several ways to check your counters and grout.  With a slightly damp sponge, squeeze out some water drops on your stone counters or floors.  If the water beads up, your seal is holding, if the water is absorbed into your stone it's time to re-seal.  In the shower or tile counters if the water darkens the grout, it's time to re-seal.  

Attention Commuters: Stop to Enjoy the Tiles

By BEN GOLDBERGER

Published: January 29, 2010

The city’s latest effort to liven the drudgery of commuting as part of its Arts in Transit program was unveiled at the Belmont C.T.A. station on Thursday.

José Moré/Chicago News Cooperative

Tiled mosaics at the Belmont C.T.A.station on Thursday

David Csicsko, a Lakeview artist, designed the tiled mosaic mural of bright, multicolored faces riding the train that stretches across the main staircase of the hub for the Red, Brown and Purple Lines.

Mr. Csicsko said his idea was “to really make it about diversity and celebrating all of the people who come in and out of this station.”

He said he also found room on the mural for depictions of his dog, President Obama at age 8 and “the Goddess of Belmont, who watches over all the club kids as they do crazy things at night.”

Most commuters passed by, oblivious, but Kasey Dieb, 17, a Lane Tech student, said the mosaics made the station “much more welcoming.”

José Moré/Chicago News Cooperative

David Csicsko, a Lakeview artist, designed the tiled mosaic mural that stretches across the main staircase of the hub for the Red, Brown and Purple lines.

AZUL MARY

Found this new onyx slab called Azul Mary, amazing gray with brown and gold accents.  Wonderful in a bathroom  to go with so many gold or gray stones for the floors and walls.  Glass accents in all the colors of the slab would make this a stunning addition to any home. 

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY OF LAS VEGAS STONE - PART 2

This was the first time that I had visited the Wynn and the Wynn Encore and to be perfectly honest I was not impressed with the floors.  They seemed schizophrenic to me, the mosaics were modern and the marble surrounding them was classic.  It looks indecisive, if you wanted to go modern, do that, and if you want the classic look, go there.

The overall look fails when you add in all of the wall treatments and lighting, nothing makes it's own statement when the flooring is so confused.  If you used a solid marble without the surrounding grid lines the mosics would pop out and be interesting.  The yellow grids pull your eyes away from the mosaics which adds to the lack of clarity of an overall vision.

This cafe demonstrates the confusion in the design vision.  I understand that in Vegas, the casinos only make money when poeple are gambling and so you don't want them taking leisurely breaks.  So the fact that this cafe is so jumbled may be on purpose, I just find it visually uncomfortable.  Cues for the design should come from the modern mosaics in the back because that is your initial sight line as you walk by, the iron base tables work with the mosaics but not the red and cream fabric cane chairs.  Red leather and black iron chairs would blend with both the mosiacs and the lighting giving the whole room a pulled together look and would be far more inviting for a drink or snack before heading back to the tables.

The new Wynn is the same look the only difference seems to be the butterflies instead of flowers.  I realize that massive amounts of planning, installation costs and heart went into the design of the Wynn Casinos.  I just think it fell short of what could have been done in the common areas.  The rooms, suites, restaurants, nightclubs and bars all have their own unique visions and I'm not including those in this critique.

I'm just still trying to figure out what came first, the rugs or the mosaics?  That's my chicken and egg question for the week!!

TILE TUESDAYS - NADEAU COLLECTION

Recently I came across a new source for custom mosaics in Phoenix, Arizona.  The animal print tiles are my favorite find in a long time.  What a great way to accent a bathroom or dressing room and carry the print into fabrics or floor coverings.

The options of using a mosaic like this are endless, you could do one entire wall and the other walls with white or black subway, square or long modern tiles and insert liners of the matching zebra.  The surrounding floor or countertops can be black absolute or white thassos depending on the architectural choices that you made in the rest of your house. 

Another choice of the animal prints is the cheetah, this is a softer look and can be mixed with gold or noce travertine or black Brazillian slate tiles or slabs.  You can keep finishes honed or mix it up a little with polished black granite or polished Jerusalem Gold. 

Any pattern can be made in any stone you may choose and the lead time is less than the shipping time from any foreign port.  Visit http://thenadeaucollection.com/ for more information.

THE GOOD, THE BAD AND THE UGLY OF LAS VEGAS STONE

Recently I visited Las Vegas and found some beautiful uses of stone and some that were less than appealing.  The Red Rock Casino won my personal award for the best use of stone.  The designers and installers have every resource at their fingertips and usually a decent budget so I hope to see some great work.  The use of onyx in the back bar is beautiful and backlighting really shows off the stone.

To incorporate this into your own home bar, you can use tube lighting under the bar top.  I have also seen kitchen islands done in onyx that were lit from underneath, what a beautiful way to have shimmering light at night.  Just remember that onyx is very soft and scratches easily, I would never reccomend using it on the floor unless it was tumbled material. 

This quartzite table makes an interesting architectural statement.  The top is polished and the underlighting picks up the mica flecks in the stone.  This piece is incredibly heavy so the choice for leg supports is really important.  I think that this kind of design poolside for a bar or island for your outdoor kitchen would be a unique look as no stone would be the same.  For pool landscaping, quartizite is avalable in tiles, random flagstone and pool coping, the good news is that quartzite does not retain heat like some other stones which makes it perfect for the outdoors. 

More later on the Good, the Bad and the Ugly of Las Vegas Stone.