CURRENT ISSUE
| Cover Story |
| Columns |
| Ahead of the Game |
| Column | |
| By Judith Clark | |
| Saturday, 30 June 2007 | |
 There are multiple philanthropic organizations pertaining to our industry offering seminars, classes, conventions and conferences to help us get a leg up in the industry. Why, then, are these events so poorly attended? It could be that everyone knows it all; that might be it. But, I, for one, find that I learn something new at each event. After 28 years in the industry, I can still learn new concepts and ideas. Plus, our clientele needs us to keep them informed, and we owe it to them to be as educated as possible. One of these organizations, the International Furnishings and Design Association (IFDA), held its annual conference in Atlanta in May. The main topic of the conference was green design. Yes, this topic is in every magazine, both trade and shelter. And, while it might seem to be an overexposed term, it is my responsibility to keep informed for my client, so I grab all the information I can by attending such events. The keynote speaker was Josh Dorfman, founder and CEO of Vivavi, a New York-based, eco-friendly furniture retailer. Known as the Lazy Environmentalist, Dorfman believes that if it isn’t easy to be eco-friendly, he won’t do it – and neither will others. The furnishings shown on his Web site (www.vivavi.com), are all healthy, durable, made of sustainable materials and won’t hurt the landfills. Many of his pieces are made from bamboo or Kirei Sorghum plant; both are sustainable grasses. These beautiful and stylish furniture cabinets are created with a low-VOC, water-based lacquer to promote a healthy indoor environment. The Oeuf Crib has a clean contemporary look for eco-conscious parents with eco-friendly, medium-density fiberboard (MDF). But isn’t MDF and eco-friendly an oxymoron? That’s what I would have thought, but I learned there is such a product made of recovered wood fibers that eliminate the hazard of loosening joints. Dorman’s motto is “live modern and tread lightly.” With his array of beautiful, peaceful furniture, it serves to assist the creative juices to flow in all who attend. Dorfman can also be heard on the Lime Channel 114 on Sirius Radio, Monday at 11 p.m. EST. Leading the Pack It is always difficult to take the first step forward. But Karen Raymer has done just that by opening Atlanta-based Waldenour, the first designer showroom carrying only pure and natural furniture. Waldenour is a store for discerning quality-conscious buyers of green, organic and sustainable decorative fabrics, wall coverings, furnishing and accessories. The showroom illustrates that beautiful interiors can be green, as well. Waste Not The IFDA conference wouldn’t be complete without finishing off with low-VOC paint information presented by Randall Smith, CSI CTD president of Benjamin Moore Paints. Benjamin Moore has made great strides in waterborne technology through the use of new raw materials to lower VOC content in its products, while improving application and film performance. Performance benefits of waterborne-based products include non-yellowing quality, coating flexibility, better gloss retention, better fade resistance, low odor, low VOC and easy cleanup. Carl Seville, owner of Seville Consulting, was the home building specialist. Seville is a green builder, consultant, educator and writer on sustainability for the residential construction industry. He founded and served as vice president of SawHorse Inc., an Atlanta design/build firm, for 25 years. Under Seville’s direction, SawHorse renovated the pilot homes for the EarthCraft House Renovation program. Seville and Sawhorse received more than 100 combined national, regional and local industry awards for their earth-friendly remodeling projects. Recently, Seville has been building homes using 30 percent less wood, an effort which helps sustain our forests. John Wells, president and CEO of Interface Americas, presented on the trend of modular carpeting. Interface is a top mover as a producer of sustainable carpeting, and the company is looking to achieve a zero footprint by 2020. In other words, no waste and no emissions in less than 15 years. To achieve this, Interface’s goals are focused on zero waste, benign emissions, renewable energy and resource-efficient transportation. Since the company’s carpet is produced in squares instead of continuous rolls, 15 percent less material is needed per job. This also makes it easier to replace damaged areas with less carpeting. The concept has been popular in commercial design, but is moving into the residential design field, as well. Moving Forward It’s so wonderful to know that so many people are working hard to sustain our world. We need to contribute with our own good deeds and actions. Seminars of this kind are meant to assist us in bringing information to our clientele. How can we bring this information if we don’t attend programs? Across the board, it is known that we are not attending valuable and educational programs. Being too busy is generally the reason given. But, if we can’t take time out for enrichment and education, we might not remain so busy. A little time management can go a long way in freeing up some valuable time to devote to continuing education. Let’s take this one step at a time. The first hurdle is to put the desired event on your calendar as soon as the information comes across your desk. Attending furniture shows such as High Point in North Carolina or the World Market Center in Las Vegas are vitally important for those buying, as well as those looking to keep abreast of new products. Now, calendar a date for making your travel arrangements in enough time to be cost effective. Let coworkers and clientele know of this great opportunity for attending an educational event, and plan your schedule around this event. You will find that your clientele will be more than happy to step aside for a few days knowing that you are becoming more knowledgeable for their benefit. You will be thought of as a step above the rest for your interest in advancing your career and your clients’ projects. We all know that taking time from work for professional improvement can only add up to a fatter bottom line. Don’t think that you will lose valuable dollars by leaving work for a couple of days. The knowledge gained during educational seminars and furniture shows will grow your business by leaps and bounds. Don’t forget about the networking that is also a component of these events. We all need to get away from the work-a-day world to exchange thoughts and ideas with our peers. This is not only therapeutic, but working out business and industry problems with friends and colleagues will lead to solutions that might amaze you. Even if your problems are not solved, it feels great to talk about them with like-minded folks. Take the first step and sign up for a seminar. Let’s collectively raise the standards of the industry by learning all that we can, and keep ahead of our own game. Judith Clark, FIFDA, CID, is the international president of the International Furnishings and Design Association. She is also the owner of Design Elements, a home furnishings store in Danville, Calif. For more information, call 925-837-5839 or visit www.judithclark.com |
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