ComputerHunter.org |
|
|
|||
|
 |
New Trends in Design & Comfortable Living
For the past several years I have seen the emergence of a new trend called 'Lifestyling'. Lifestyling encompasses many elements on gracious living, extravagant and memorable entertaining, architecture, home design, and tips on where to live comfortably in spaces large and small, with less effort or clutter than you can imagine. In fact, this trend has effectively blurred the lines of traditional titles and professions. New ideas and new inspiration have created new sales to the tune of over 70 million dollars for one large company. But haven't good ideas for living always been around? The answer is yes. Certainly there have been people in the past that shared tips and ideas through books and magazine articles on how to entertain, or make a special recipe; they were mostly focused on one area. Lifestyling gurus help you capture all the pieces and put them together graciously and quickly. Collectively, they promote ideas on living, entertaining, decorating, gardening, fashion and design. The focus of some of the ideas is glamorous while others are much more practical. In fact, some of the ideas are not really "new" at all, just regenerated information with a twist. Today, Lifestyling books contain the complete picture. Add to that the convenience aspect. We can obtain many of these ideas in articles, books, websites, TV and video. Product endorsements and specialized lines are also available to top Lifestylists. Can you see why the opportunities are endless? Who are the Lifestylists? Unless you've been whisked away to an island without TV, Internet access or a newspaper, you can't escape the ideas and publicity generated by Ms. Martha Stewart. Hands down, Martha is the most well known Lifestylist out there. Whatever your take on her style, or where her career is currently headed, she has created a multi-million dollar industry all to herself. You may also be familiar with other Lifestylists like Susie Coelho, Carolyne Roehm, Sheila Bridges, Katie Brown and Colin Cowie to name a few. These Lifestylists were former fashion models and business owners, interior or furniture designers, caterers or event planners. Whatever their background, the ideas and information contribute in large ways to this new industry. In an era when fast food and fast pace reign supreme, and etiquette and formal parties have fallen off, they have brought the idea of homemaking and fabulous entertaining back into style. Standing out within a proven trend All of the ideas are not perfect for everyone. In a world where we are embracing our diversity and individual contributions, there is no doubt that the current crop of Lifestylists can stand a few more ideas. We are all becoming conditioned to receiving large amounts of information at a time. Think about how a consumer might question the value of a cookbook with just recipes over a book that explains how to shop, prepare, serve, decorate and entertain all in one book. Which do you think might capture more interest? Are your services just as interesting? Are you capitalizing on this trend? We are all guilty of focusing on our core competencies. There is absolutely nothing wrong with that. But once you've become efficient or obtained expert status in one area, it's time to expand your offerings. If you want to expand your offerings by turning what you do into a lifestyle brand ? think big and think differently. Thinking of yourself as a complete brand is worthwhile to you, your clients, and your current revenue. Look at ways you can naturally and effortlessly expand what you do. For example, I hired a caterer recently to provide food for a shower I was throwing. It would have made my life much easier if he had offered to provide complete event-planning services as well. It is a natural expansion. Even If he doesn't know a thing about planning those events or did not have the staff to do so he can easily team up with event planners that do. Riding the trend requires a different way of thinking. Caterers are not just providing food; they become consultants in entertaining. Decorators don't just decorate; they style a room around a style of life. Can you do it too? Of course you can! Begin where you are with what you have.
About The Author Lise Richards is the founder of the Artistic Lifestyling program, which helps design trade professionals, capitalize on the Lifestyling trend. The Artistic Lifestyling program is available through a licensing agreement and is expanding throughout the United States. For more information, about expanding your design and decorating services, email her at LiseRichards@ArtisticLifestyling.com director@centerofcreativity.com
Google News - Top Stories
|
|
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
How To Choose The Perfect Granite Work Surface My Grandmother used to say to me "Nothing cheap is good and nothing good is cheap". This ring true when dealing with the purchase especially on the internet of Granite Work Surfaces. In fact of all stone so read carefully. Planning Permission Tips UK - Rights of Light to Adjoining Neighbours Windows - What You Should Know Rights of light - What a minefield this topic is when developing or extending a property. This is potentially one of the most subjective Planning issues their is. Most Planning Departments will have guidance but I guarantee it will be specific in parts & definitely woolly or non specific in other areas leaving the subject wide open to interpretation. Kitchen Remodeling Guide A kitchen can make or ruin a family life. A badly designed, ill-equipped and cluttered kitchen is likely to affect the peace of mind of an otherwise happy couple. A functionally efficient kitchen makes cooking a pleasurable activity instead of drudgery. Remodeling Online Remodeling Plans The Techno-Witch and Magickal Appliances My favourite episode of Bugs Bunny is the one where Bugs turns into a witch and says: "We ride vacuum cleaners now". Picnic Tables for Casual Dining Fun Picnic tables are the perfect solution for an afternoon or evening get together. They offer everything from different shapes of a picnic table, to ones that fold up in a box. Picnic tables and outdoor benches are great for kids because they are strong, sturdy, and can handle lots of abuse. I remember the picnic tables on the playground when I was young; most of the time you were lucky if you didn't get lots of splinters from them. Now they come in all kinds of materials such as ? wood, aluminum, plastic, steel mesh, PVC, and recycled material. There are plans that you can find online or from your home improvement store if you feel inclined to do it yourself. If you really want to get close to nature and have a casual day outdoors with the kids, forget the table and just get out picnic blanket. Picnics can also be quite romantic. Doesn't it sound like fun with a bottle of wine and some cheese, just lying back on the blanket watching the clouds change shapes? It's a great way to spend a lazy afternoon with someone you care about. Would You Steel Your Household Appliances Would you steel your appliances? That is a question many consumers are now asking themselves. To Picket Fences Of the 359 homeowners in my area, 112 are running afoul of the law in a deviously blatant way by committing the heinous "fence offence;" in other words, breaching Los Angeles municipal code sections 12.21 and 12.22 which limit front yard fence and hedge height to a maximum 3 ½ feet above grade. Now that's a lot of criminal activity for one neighborhood. From Toss Out to Sensational Keeper - Lamp Re-Make When the old lamp from my children's room was turning decidedly "trash-worthy", a grand idea formed and kept me from tossing it out. Originally, it had been such a darling lamp - it had magically transformed the room into spinning stars and moons at bedtime. My boys were enthralled with it! Color Help: Many Factors Affect Color Preference Understanding color psychology helps home makers choose colors for home decorating. Hardwood Floor Care Will Keep Your Hardwood Looking Fantastic Hardwood is still the homeowner's favorite choice of flooring and caring for it takes minimal effort. Unlike laminate or engineered wood, hardwood can be refinished many times, and will add years of beauty and warmth to your home, as well as increase its value and speed its resale. Ongoing floor care is needed to keep your hardwood looking its best, however, and there are four major aspects of hardwood floor care: Home Sweet Home All of us live in houses but how many of us know how to make it a real 'HOME'. A Review of Popular Dehumidifier Products There are at least two dozen brand names marketing dehumidifiers. Review this brief summary of five of the most commonly requested brands, and you'll be well on your way to narrowing down the list. Add Value To Your Home With A Home Improvement Loan Buying a home is a big and important investment for most people, and understandably property owners want to keep their home in good condition and looking great. However, carrying out home improvements can be difficult if finances are tight and this is where a home improvement loan could really help. You can get some really good deals and rates on loans for home improvements these days, which means that more homeowners can now afford to improve their properties in many ways. Do-it-Yourself Roofing, Is It Advisable? Some Tips and Guidelines Many do-it-yourselfers pride themselves in their handiwork, you can just see their garages filled to the brim with tools for those all around jobs. But ask any of them, installing roofs or repairing them is an unexciting and trying job, but someone has got to do it. When it comes to home protection against nature's elements, the roof is one of the most important aspects. A roof with a leak or a hole can cause irreparable and immeasurable damage and harm to your furniture and appliances and don't forget your carpeting and paint, all of these in just a matter of a short time. Bamboo Flooring Is Taking The Design World By Storm Are you looking for something different for your house? Maybe you do not want to be like all of your neighbors and you want to stand out from the crowd? Alternatively, perhaps you simply need a flooring option that will stand up to a lot of wear and tear and you like the natural look? Whatever your reasons are, bamboo flooring is a hot new trend in the interior design world and for good reason. Ten Things You May Not Know About Selecting Hardwood Flooring 1) Red Oak is not the only choice Deck Building Basics In my previous article, "planning for a new deck," I outlined the steps for planning for a new deck. This article takes the process one step further. We'll look at how to get started actually building your deck. By this time, I will assume that you have your building permit in hand, a good set of plans, and a materials list. If you don't have a material list, simply take your plan to your nearest home center or building supply store and have them create one for you. Most lumber yards can actually arrange for delivery of all your materials at one time including all the nails and screws are you will need. This can be quite handy on large projects or if you don't own a truck or a trailer. The lumber yard will bring all the parts and pieces you will need to build your new deck. Using Colors in Your Room Colors play an important part in your Home Decor process. Colors are what give life and personality to your room. Duct Cleaning - Proper Principals and Practices As a qualified duct cleaning contractor I have discovered that most homeowners feel that they are very uninformed when it come to the principals and practices of proper air duct cleaning hygiene.
|
|
|
|
|
Comment by Andrew Light, Director
