Differentiate in the Details - Special Not Spendy Options

I came across a terrific product that made me realize there is still opportunity in the details. Modernhousenumbers.com is a small company based in Arizona, offering a very basic product, with stand-out design.  Adding small, well-designed details to your homes will help to differentiate them from the competition, as well as offering a profitable option your competitor hasn't thought of. 

Modern House Numbers offers an element of design in an often overlooked detail - house numbers, mailbox numbers and even street curb stencils.  Four up-to-date fonts are available, and the house numbers come in multiple sizes. Wouldn't your home buyers find value in a reasonably priced but incredibly stylish house number as an upgrade?

The website is a treat as well - start by typing in your own house number, and you will automatically see them in each of four available fonts. Wow - '5320' never looked this good before - (SoHo is my personal favorite). The product assortment is simple and clean, just like the product design - aluminum house numbers, mailbox vinyl numbers and curb stencils with all matching type face.

A sustainable product, the numbers are made of recycled aluminum and cut with water jet machinery to lower energy use and contributes no pollutants.


Started by two young architects, Modern House Numbers is definitely filling a product void. See their product at http://www.modernhousenumbers.com/
Bulk orders for your next developments are available.

The Soho Direct-Vent Gas Fireplace by Heat & Glo

The Soho is also a terrific but small detail that will help differentiate your home from the competition without using valuable floor space. See sexy footage of the SoHo burning here. At just under 30" square, it offers a lot of style in a small space. In fact it frames in at only 11 1/2" deep.  For those of you reading overseas, the Soho is available internationally!

______________________________________________________________

The Design Minds at Hearth and Home Blog is geared to support design center staff and the new construction industry in selling options and upgrades to the new home consumer. Subscribe for updates. Contact Krisann Parker-Brown for merchandising or marketing support of your design center. She will be happy to work with you on your assortment and presentation to ensure you are on track for upcoming decor trends and your target home buyer.

Krisann Parker-Brown is the merchandising manager for Hearth and Home Technologies, the leading manufacturer and retailer of fireplaces and hearth systems.

Krisann supports design centers and new construction builders in presenting Heat & Glo, Heatilator and Quadra-Fire hearth systems, and consulting on design center merchandising, point of sale and the consumer experience.

Krisann is a member of the Retail Design Institute. Contact her at brownkr@hearthnhome.com or 952-985-6537.

Twitter http://twitter.com/kparkerbrown

LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/krisannparkerbrown

So, uh, What are you wearing right now?

Thesaurus.com lists the definition of  "out-of date" as:

Main Entry: outdated/out-of-date

Definition: old-fashioned

Synonyms:

anachronous, antiquated, antique, archaic, back number, behind the times, dated, dusty, démodé, has-been, moth-eaten, musty, not with it, obsolete, old, old-hat, out, out-of-style, outmoded, passé, square, tired, unfashionable, vintage

Antonyms:

current, fashionable, modern, new, popular, up-to-date

The Heat & Glo RED40 SeeThru Fireplace

Although the home design industry, architects, and designers pride themselves in differentiation, style and design, lately I'm not 'feelin' it' when walking display homes across the country.  Understandably, with existing new home inventory still at 7.3 months of supply, builders are avoiding risks when finishing homes or offering options.  This very real challenge has led my builder friends to limiting options and finishes to what is 'safe'.

Unfortunately, in the words of the Cowboy Junkies,  "My heart doesn't beat like it did once before".  I used to leave models and design centers overwhelmed and desirous with personal wish lists and 'option envy'.  To be honest, lately, it's been a little 'blah'.  I would say it might be time to add a little spice to the relationship. Ok, I'll come clean - I've secretly been eying custom home product.  But honestly, it didn't go any further than that...

 

Home buying is both an emotional and financial decision. A goal, then, is to help the consumer fall in love with your home, over the other 262,000 new homes across America that currently have a 'for sale' sign in the front yard.

 The great thing for us to observe from custom builders (who really seem to be doing ok, right now, given everything) is not how many options they offer, but what options help their product stand out.  Obviously sku reduction focus' will continue with all of the large builders, but let's make ultra-sure the options left are the ones that make a home buyers heart beat faster and fall just a little short of breath.  No matter who the buyer target, there is something out there your competitor isn't doing. And have you EVER seen a custom house without a fireplace? At least not one that made you hot...(sorry, bad pun intended)

The Heat & Glo Metro Fireplace

Back to the definition above: I think the antonyms are what catch my eye here. current, fashionable, modern, new, popular, up-to-date. In our category, custom builders are doing very well with contemporary fireplace options. The great news is, there are now modern fireplace options in every price point.  If the first time buyer has a choice between a home with a traditional woodburning fireplace (or Heaven forbid - NO fireplace!) and a beautiful modern work of fire art, which would they choose? Not always, of course, but much of the time.

Don't kid yourself - I am not just seeing this in Miami and L.A. - try even Indianapolis, Raleigh, and Atlanta.

It is a well known fact in retail that you have to offer flavor to drive the basics.  As an example, in apparel retail, when white and black tee shirts (easily 60% of the sales) are offered on a table with trend right colors, sales of the basics AND colors increase.  A modern fireplace is like that trend-right color on the tee shirt table.  It draws the consumer in, creates an emotional and memory connection point. Now the future homebuyer has got a little crush on you, and those other 262,000 homes out there don't seem quite as exciting.

Heatilator launched a really exciting product this year that addresses this market at a terrific value.  The modern Evolution is built on the same chassis as the Novus (the best selling direct-vent gas fireplace ever) and has an incredibly modest pricepoint. If you are currently offering the Novus, or would like to offer a modern option with minimal changes to your framing, consider offering the Novus and it's modern sister, the Evolution. 

Let me know what you are doing with options and finishes in your homes to 'keep the fire burning' and the love alive.

The Heatilator Evolution

______________________________________________________________________________

The Design Minds at Hearth and Home Blog is geared to support design center staff and the new construction industry in selling options and upgrades to the new home consumer. Subscribe for updates. Contact Krisann Parker-Brown for merchandising or marketing support of your design center. She will be happy to work with you on your assortment and presentation to ensure you are on track for upcoming decor trends and your target home buyer.

Krisann Parker-Brown is the merchandising manager for Hearth and Home Technologies, the leading manufacturer and retailer of fireplaces and hearth systems.

Krisann supports design centers and new construction builders in presenting Heat & Glo, Heatilator and Quadra-Fire hearth systems, and consulting on design center merchandising, point of sale and the consumer experience.

Krisann is a member of the Retail Design Institute. Contact her at brownkr@hearthnhome.com or 952-985-6537.

Twitter http://twitter.com/kparkerbrown

LinkedIn http://www.linkedin.com/in/krisannparkerbrown

High Point Insights You Can Use At Work

Canvas TM Linen Bedroom Chair, Shown at High Point

The High Point Market will be happening October 17-22 , and the focus is on 'different, green and value focused'. Download the free High Point Market Fall Fashion Report here.

The 2009 High Point Fashion Report brings attention to the fact that 'value' has become very important at every price point. From a designer perspective, clientele are newly focused on staying within budget numbers on home projects. High Point is seeing and predicting a return to basics, comfort, subtlety and substance. To reflect this, even the Pantone Color Forecast for 2010 has added an additional palette of neutrals for the higher dollar purchases (i.e. carpeting, window coverings, etc.)and color in the accessories. For example, we can expect to see a newer 'fresh' grey, with purple and lilac accents.

High Point is also predicting a move toward more quality goods. Given the economic times, the mid and higher range consumer mindset is turning to choosing key pieces as 'investments' rather than choosing less expensive pieces that will need to be replaced later on.

A final prediction (we have talked about it here before) is the trend of diminishing scale and size, and useful well-designed and crafted components.

Canvas TM Hand-thrown Earthenware Plate Set

If you are close to a National or regional home furnishings market, I encourage you to go once or twice a year. You will get an amazing amount of insight, and be able to talk to your consumers with authority about what you have seen. It will also recharge your display creativity and give you great merchandising ideas for your design centers and model homes.

The leading US markets are Las Vegas (especially for contemporary and transitional), High Point (traditional and transitional), Atlanta, Chicago. Even regional markets (LA, Dallas, Minneapolis, Boston) have lots to see, as the major manufacturers have at least some presentation. Subscribe to email updates from markets to hear about trends, attend training webinars, see speakers and do networking. Look for terrific educational offerings, the High Point National Home Furnishings Association will offer these seminars on everything from selling to consumer science to social networking to design and trend forcasts. Download educational schedule here. Check market websites for great articles,videos and training, to share with your team, even if you can't attend.

Here at Hearth and Home, we will absolutely have the perfect fireplace, mantel and surround to complement current and emerging decor trends for your home buyers. Fireplaces are the focal point of a home, and create an emotional connection with your home buyer like no other category. Visit http://www.fireplaces.com/ to see the newest award winning designs, or create your own personal dream fireplace with our exclusive Hearth by Design tool. Be sure to take a look at the terrific contemporary line of fireplaces, available for every pricepoint of home buyer.

Being current and knowledgeable about upcoming decor trends will differentiate your design center and models and give your home buying consumers an added confidence and inspiration. Finishes impact most categories in your design center, especially flooring, trim and cabinetry. Setting your design center and model homes apart from the rest is important in this competitive market. That won't be changing anytime soon.
_____________________________________________________________

The Design Minds at Hearth and Home Blog is geared to support design center staff and the new construction industry in selling options and upgrades to the new home consumer. Subscribe for updates. Contact Krisann Parker-Brown for merchandising or marketing support of your design center. She will be happy to work with you on your assortment and presentation to ensure you are on track for upcoming decor trends and your target home buyer.

Krisann Parker-Brown is the merchandising manager for Hearth and Home Technologies, the leading manufacturer and retailer of fireplaces and hearth systems.

Krisann supports design centers and new construction builders in presenting Heat & Glo, Heatilator and Quadra-Fire hearth systems, and consulting on design center merchandising, point of sale and the consumer experience.

Krisann is a member of the Retail Design Institute. Contact her at brownkr@hearthnhome.com or 952-985-6537.

Twitter http://twitter.com/kparkerbrown

Linked In http://www.linkedin.com/in/krisannparkerbrown

101 Fresh Colors Inspired By Nature

Apartment Therapy had a great piece referencing House Beautiful's recent published color palette inspired by the elements. In 4 slide shows, House Beautiful showcases colors inspired by Earth, Air, Fire and Water.

(This is close enough to "Earth, Wind and Fire" to hook me into a mental earworm of "Shining Star" and "Boogie Wonderland" - "Honey, you... are... my shining star...")

"Fire"

The New Cosmo Modern Fireplace by Heat & Glo

Back to color - There are 101 colors in the presentation, within the following inspirational groupings: Earth, Air, Fire and Water. Click each of these links to see a slide show of paint colors. It makes sense that within each element, the colors work beautifully with each other. The swatches shown here are Apartment Therapy's top picks from each palette.

Color is the first element of design that is noticed by the viewer. It is also the least expensive update in merchandising a retail space as well as a home. In your design centers and model homes, where could you update a wall or room with color to create more visual impact, bring your presentation more 'current' and 'fresh', and connect to your home buyer?

Paint is cheap.
Maintaining design credibility with the home buyer with current minimal staff and budget? Priceless.

_______________________________________________________

The Design Minds at Hearth and Home Blog is geared to support design center staff and the new construction industry in selling options and upgrades to the new home consumer. Subscribe for updates. Contact Krisann Parker-Brown for merchandising or marketing support of your design center. She will be happy to work with you on your assortment and presentation to ensure you are on track for the upcoming decor and lifestyle trends.

Krisann Parker-Brown is the merchandising manager for Hearth and Home Technologies, the leading manufacturer and retailer of fireplaces and hearth systems. Krisann supports design centers and new construction builders in presenting Heat & Glo, Heatilator and Quadra-Fire hearth systems, and consulting on design center merchandising, point of sale and the consumer experience. Krisann is a member of the Institute of Store Planners, now the Retail Design Institute. Contact her at brownkr@hearthnhome.com or 952-985-6537.

Contemporary and Green - Heat & Glo Gets The Cover Shot!

The growing trend for contemporary design is melding with the consumer demand to be as green as possible. In the April issue of Met Home, the cover story is "Renovation Goes Green and Gorgeous!" The title of the article is "Urban Eco-tecture", which highlights Bay Area architect Anne Fougeron's rework of a SoMA loft into a family home and work offices. The live-work project won an honor award from the American Institute of Architects.

The Heat & Glo multi-sided fireplace is featured prominently in the dining area, framed "in a floating eight-foot high Carara marble wall". A raised hearth extends the length of both sides of the fireplace, and creates a niche perfect for seating or displaying art. See a slide show of finished images of the loft.

Finishes for the home include original concrete, poured resin and concrete, steel, glass and wood. Furnishings include trademark mid-century pieces, and staples from Design Within Reach. Accessories are original pieces of art, minimally and strategically placed, with appropriate scale for the high ceilings of the loft.

Your new home purchasers will also be interested in contemporary and clean design, balanced by green materials, products and practices. Heat & Glo offers a very exciting line of contemporary fireplaces that meet National and regional green building programs, The Modern Collection.

When specifying fireplaces, you can be confident that a direct vent fireplace will meet LEED and other green building programs. IPI technology, available on many Heat & Glo products, is a patented technology that saves gas, energy and money by lighting only when needed, rather than a standing pilot light. In addition, you can speak to your home buyer about protecting the indoor air quality of your tightly constructed homes by using a direct vent system versus unvented or wood fireplace systems.


A recent white paper from Calvert, a 'socially responsible' investment management firm, surveyed sustainable practices by the top U.S. home builders. From the "Greener Pastures for America's Homebuilders?" report: "In the green building market there is a first mover advantage: Companies that make a concerted effort to integrate sustainability into project sites, construction materials, and construction processes, as well as to provide energy, water and habitat conservation options in finished products, will be able to build a brand image as the environmental choice for home construction. This brand will help environmentally conscious consumers make their selection of a home builder." You can receive a free copy of the white paper here.


A key point of the report indicated that lower scoring builders may or may not be addressing the green issue, but the lowest ranked builders "make virtually no mention of the environment on their Web sites or in other reports...".


Consumers understand that green is not an all or nothing proposition. Most likely at this point, (just from a controlling cost perspective) you have already improved your impact on sustainability, conservation and environmental factors. Your current product assortment already reflects some green choices: make sure you are calling it out to your consumer, through your Web site, printed materials, design centers, point-of-sale and especially through your selling team. Work with your manufacturer partners for information and training to sell options and upgrades to green minded consumers. For more information on how fireplaces fare with the green building programs, read this informative article from my colleague, Jim Plucker.

_________________________________________________________

The Design Minds at Hearth and Home Blog is geared to support design center staff and the new construction industry in selling options and upgrades to the new home consumer. Subscribe for updates. Contact Krisann Parker-Brown for merchandising or marketing support of your design center. She will be happy to work with you on your assortment and presentation to ensure you are on track for the upcoming decor and lifestyle trends.

Krisann Parker-Brown is the merchandising manager for Hearth and Home Technologies, the leading manufacturer and retailer of fireplaces and hearth systems. Krisann supports design centers and new construction builders in presenting Heat & Glo, Heatilator and Quadra-Fire hearth systems, and consulting on design center merchandising, point of sale and the consumer experience. Krisann is a member of the Institute of Store Planners, now the Retail Design Institute. Contact her at brownkr@hearthnhome.com or 952-985-6537.