Find a Lifestylist®

I know I've shared my Wegmans love here before, but it's great to see I'm not the only one who is crazy about this company and the great people who work there.
On my recent visit to Rochester I stopped in at the Pittsford store to get my goodies to take back to Texas with me - whenever I get the chance to head that way I bring an extra suitcase and cooler so I can bring all of my favorites back with me. One of my new favorites is the Nance's Hot Mustard that I haven't seen anywhere but there and now that my Texas friends have tried it they all want me to bring back some for them as well. I had probably a dozen of them in my cart and I think 3 or 4 employees stopped me and joked about I must be from out of town if I'm buying that much Nance's, and we talked about what a great store Wegmans is and how lucky Rochester residents are to have that resource in their own back yard. After grabbing my Killer Brownies, Ultimate Chocolate Chip cookies, Carrot Cake, and the classic slice of Ultimate Chocolate Cake, I checked out and headed to the airport. Trust me, the minute you walk into a Wegmans no matter what store or city you are visiting you can feel the positive energy and enthusiasm these team members bring to work. I'm not sure many of them even think of it as work, more like a calling. You can't not be in a great mood by the time you leave, especially if you were fortunate enough to bring home some of the fruits and vegetables straight from the Wegmans farm or a beautiful bunch of fresh flowers.
It was great to see on my receipt that Wegmans was on the Fortune's 100 Best Companies to Work for list for the 13th year. I know if I lived in Rochester I would love to work for them. Congratulations to the entire Wegmans team for this great honor. If you see someone strolling through the aisles with a basket full of Nance's mustard, it's probably this Lifestylist - please come over and say hello!

American Custom Builders is inviting neighbors and interested buyers to it's Sneak Peek Sunday today from 1-3pm. Take advantage of the opening to view our latest Lifestylist Designed home and see for yourself this fresh approach to home building and design. All of the furniture is from the local Ashley HomeStore and consumers can go and purchase almost everything they see in the homes themselves. This new marketing approach to model home merchandising is proving to be very successful - come and see the results!

Our latest Lifestylist Designed Home debuted at the Great Southwest Home Show a few weeks ago and the response has been tremendous. The home was for Champion Homes of Texas, and it was a chance to show what the new Champion Homes is all about, and if you haven't take a look you need to  - great homes with great value and style.
Take a look at the article we wrote for MHMSM about the show to learn more about where the factory built housing market is heading.

Be sure to check out the article in Elle Decor about Alice Cottrell's apartment this month. I'm honored to have this very special designer as a friend, and this is someone who get's the lifestylist concept. Her apartment is beautiful, but is also designed to make her beautiful rescue puppy Charlie feel right at home. Home Interiors that are right sized is definitely a growing trend - this home is only 700 sq. ft. but is designed to accommodate every need of the residents.

My bags are packed and I'm almost ready to go - tomorrow I'm off to Las Vegas to be a speaker at the 20th annual MHI Congress, and of course I made my reservations with the help of  my Travelocity Gnome.
Held every year in Las Vegas, this convention brings together that biggest and brightest names in manufactured and modular housing. This year keynote speakers will be Jim Clayton - founder of Clayton Homes and Harold Gross of Market Research Answers so I know everyone that attends will leave with lots of great new information to grow their businesses with. I'm honored to to speaking in from if this group for the 7th year and I hope to be invited back for many years to come.
This year I'm speaking on how a Lifestylist approaches the fast paced world of Social Media. I bought my first domain name in the early 90's and I've always been intrigued with this very cost effective way of doing marketing. Now I have expanded the Lifestylist Brand to include a presence on various blogs, Blogger, LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, FourSquare,Yelp and You Tube. Is it worth the time investment to manage and update all of these? Absolutely! One of my great new clients, American Custom Builders found me through my Lifestylist Blog so I feel investing the time in keeping up with Social Media pays dividends to my brand and my business.
If you happen to be in Las Vegas next week, come and join us at Caesar's Palace. If you mention that you read this I'll give you a copy of my new Do-it-Yourself Guide to Social Media and Networking. See you there!

Hey y'all! Just got back from Tunica, MS and the South Central Manufactured Housing Show. Part of what being a Lifestylist is all about is experiencing life to the fullest, and even though I went to view housing trends, when I saw that bus with Paula Deen's face on it beckoning me to the casino and her signature buffet, how could I say no?
The show and Ms. Deen's buffet are both housed at Harrah's  Tunica. I had stayed there in the past when it was The Grand Casino and let me just say the buffet was anything but grand, to the point that it may have been some of the worst food I have ever had. But love Paula, love her show, so decided I'd give it a go.
I went for lunch, and honestly I thought it was a great value. I think it was about $14.99, and I would have been happy if they just would have brought me up a sleeping bag and I just stayed there for a few weeks. I next to never do buffets because I don't like feeling like I have to over-eat to get my money's worth, and usually the food isn't that great quality. That was not the case here. I knew I was going to have to stay to bite sized portions if I was going to make my way to every station, but from the salads on everything was sooooo good I could have just eaten that! I'm very picky about fresh, and everything seemed super fresh and almost made to order. I wanted to try things that were Paula's signature dishes and they were even better than I had hoped. The cheese biscuits and hoe cakes were out of this world! And the Mac and Cheese.... I've had some great Mac and Cheese but this was one of the best.
There was an entire seafood selection that had mounds of shrimp, oysters and fried goodies, The Lady and Sons station had wonderful southern specialties including yams, fried green tomatoes, ham and fried chicken. And THEN there was a BBQ station and of course dessert. Had to try the Gooey Butter Cake and it lived up to it's name and reputation, but my favorite desserts were the peach cobbler and bread pudding. The only shortcomings for me were the fried pickles and the fact that they had Kool Whip for the dessert items! I didn't realize it wasn't whipped cram until I tasted it and it ruined the experience.
The Paula Deen brand was visible everywhere, and it should have been. Loved how they had recipe cards at some of the different stations so you could make some of the various things you tried at home, and while you were waiting there was a Paula Deen Gift Shop.
The restaurant was beautiful and definitely had Paula's southern charm and a very welcome feel to it. I loved every minute (and calorie) that I spent here, and may have to plan a trip back just so I can do it all over again! If you want to make a weekend out of the journey the casino also offers "Paula Deen Suites" that would complete the experience.

Just when you think you've heard and seen the worst customer experiences that you could possibly imagine, a company and it's representatives prove you wrong. I have written before about my disappointment with how I was treated at Best Buy, but that was nothing compared to what they put me through today.
I have just returned from a full week of travels where I met with great clients, got to work on fantastic projects and attended the Tunica Manufactured Housing Show. Today I spent the morning working with Champion Homes of Texas and one of their retailers. Champion understands what customer service is all about, and that's why I love working with them. They understand if the client is successful we will all succeed, and we are all in this journey together. I got to help put together a new model home that is going to be incredible, and also got great feedback as well. Be sure to stop by at Trinity Homes in Abilene and see our beautiful new home!
While I was in Tunica I had heard from Best Buy corporate. They apologized for all of the confusion and promised to call the store where I purchased my projector and have them resolve the issue. I was feeling good about things and thought Ryan handled the issue and my concerns well.
Then I made the mistake of ruining a perfectly good day by going up to the store to change out projectors. I thought it was only going to take a few minutes so I was going to call in my dinner order before I went in - fortunately the person that was with me wasn't as optimistic and she was right. We went to wait in the return line - there were two people in front of us. After standing there for about 5 minutes I asked the other people in line if anyone had been working there and they told me the woman who was working there walked away when they got into the line. I walked to the front of the store and asked if anyone could help us and he told me that three people were working in that area and I needed to just "go back in line and wait my turn".We gave up and ended up sitting on the floor - Tunisha who had left before I guess finally got the hint. Guess what - they had nothing in the system about my issues, and the manager said that no one from corporate had called about my issues and they couldn't do anything. I had Ryan's phone number with me and they called - not there. Then they informed me that what was on my receipt wasn't what I was bringing back, and the projector I brought back only sold for $349.00 and my receipt was for $649.00 so it couldn't possibly be what they sold me.
But wait! It gets even better. James the manager (who said that no one up there had talked to Ryan) calls corporate and puts me on the phone with Katie who was in Ryan's department. She informs me that it's impossible for what I bought to have been rung up wrong, I didn't buy the projector there and pretty much called me a liar. So now I have a 7 month old product that doesn't work that I paid for an extended warranty for that they won't honor. I wasn't sure what made me angrier - finding out I paid $876.00 for something that they said should have cost $349.00 or being called a liar.
So I come home, look up the suggested retail on what I have and it's actually $699.00 not $349.00. So sucker for punishment I am I call the Best Buy store. When I press 3 for sales help, no one answered the 2 times I tried so I called back on the Geek Squad line and got James. I told him the pricing he had for my machine was incorrect that it matched what was on my receipt, and he said that couldn't be right because their system showed it at $349.00. Trust me, there is pretty much no such thing as a $349.00 home theater projector, especially made by Epson. So the system that is never wrong was wrong, but Best Buy refused to even entertain this notion.

The moral of this story? The person with me found something she really wanted and was in line to buy it, and I told her that she would be walking home if she spent a dime there. I purchase a lot of electronics for my clients homes plus our Lifestylist® Designed recommends products for the home. You know that I will be very clear where anyone who asks should not make their purchases.
Then we have the other end of the spectrum where companies like Champion treat their clients how they like to be treated and respected. I had a million things to do today, but when Champion asked me to come and meet with their client I did because I appreciate their business and I want them to succeed. I will always be referring Champion Homes of Texas, Youngs Manufactured Homes in Hobbs, NM and Trinity Homes because I know that whomever I refer to them will be treated with respect, and they will get a great value for their money.

I would love to hear your customer stories - good and bad - and I'll share the best ones here. And if anyone would like a great deal on a projector that doesn't work, give me a call :)

The start of daylight savings is the perfect time for your home to "spring forward" with lighter accessories, accents and even window treatments. Slip covers for furniture and accent pillows are an easy way to change the look and mood of a space. Use a duvet on your bed and get a lighter color and fabric for the warmer months, and a darker, dramatic color for those cooler fall and winter days. These are easy to change out and store, and you'll feel like you are living in a new space!
Pottery Barn and West Elm always have great covers for pillows, and they are often on sale. They are sold with or without the pillow insert so when you aren't using them they don't take up a lot of space. I am also big on having my dining table set, and a pretty spring arrangement and fun napkins, placemats and plates can really put you in the mood.

One of my favorite foodie events that I attend every year is finally here! Savor Dallas started last night with the wine stroll and it couldn’t have been more perfect - perfect weather, perfect locations, perfect food and of course perfect wines!
My favorites were the Cakebread Cellars wines, Fedora, and the food and team at the Dallas Museum of Art.  People go to events like these for different reason, but I see it as a great opportunity to get to meet the different winemakers and chefs and really get to know what makes their creations special.
The Cakebread host was amazing. So gracious and willing to share his knowledge. They brought 5 different wines to try and I would have loved to try them all, but with the wine stroll being only 2 hours with over 60 participating companies sadly I had to keep moving. But he did share a DVD that is a Virtual Visit from Vine to Wine with me that I can’t wait to watch and learn from. And the Cabernet that I tried? Stellar!
Fedora is one of my favorite restaurants, and I was thrilled to see them on the stroll at the Nasher Sculpture Center. A beautiful backdrop to beautiful food. I still remember the dish they brought last year because it was a work of art with pomagranate sprinkled on it and tasted great as well! This year they brought a Bruschetta that was divine and I would have loved to have had more than one but I’ll just have to go back and sample them at the restaurant.
Fedora has been very generous about giving back to the community, including HomeAid / HomeBuilders Care. One of the owners was at the wine stroll serving - loved getting to visit with her and being able to thank them for all that they do.
I also absolutely loved the chef and team at Seventeen Seventeen in the Dallas Museum of Art. I wish I would have gotten teh servers name because she was so helpful, and when I told her I wanted to get some photography she brought out fresh food and helped us guard the goodies from all of the participants who couldn’t wait to sample! But what really won me over is when Executive Chef  Jason Ferraro came out and introduced himself. I’m not sure restaurants understand how much of an impression it makes when the chef takes the time to come out and greet you. It makes you feel so special, and it makes the dining experience personal.
There is so much more to talk about, but I need to get ready to head to some of the seminars and the Grand Tastings this evening. Hope to see you there!

Earlier this year Pantone named blue, or turquoise to be exact the color of the year. I'm wondering if the winter Olympic committee had consulted with them because blue is definitely a color we are seeing a lot of as we watch the winter games. I love the shades of blue and green that were chosen for the Olympics -it just goes to show how much of a difference the right colors can make in the appearance of an event, branding campaign or even a room. Using navy vs. aqua on a wall makes all the difference, even though they are both blue.
@home Builders hired The Home Idea Factory to merchandise a new model for them, and shades of blue were used in various rooms. This home was around the corner from the previous model which was in different colors, but the challenge was to use as much from the old model in the new one to keep costs down. Everything from the old bedroom was recycled in the new one but we added new bedding and headboards. The kids bath was merchandised with accessories from Target that were on trend and budget conscious. Buyers could actually go out and buy the items they saw and fell in love with in the model home. This new model home has character and personality and lookers became buyers - a community which only sold a few homes a year had 8 sales in snowy November and they now have a waiting list for the next phase.
Color  can affect your mood, and happy colors create happy customers.

As a Lifestylist, giving back is something I really believe in. I was in a board meeting the other day at HomeAid and was hearing about a special project that some of our board members did for an injured veteran. To them helping others isn't about "getting credit" it's just the right thing to do.
I found this quote on the Rent-A-Center Community page: "At the crossroads of sharing, caring and compassion is Community. It's a place where people come together with a common goal, to contribute resources and ideas in uncommonly generous and inspired ways. In a Community, compassion just comes with the territory whether that territory's a small town, a big city, or a gathering spot that's borders are only virtual. A Community is a place where no one is meant to go without and everyone belongs"
Rent-A-Center is very much this way, and I'm just beginning to find out how much so. When I travel coast to coast I've seen their stores and they are often in my neighborhood delivering. I've also seen their ads with their new spokesperson Troy Aikman so they were on my radar - great service and lots of value. But when I really took notice is when HomeAid needed some help and Rent-A-Center was the first to step up. And they are the strong silent type - not asking for their logos everywhere or even a mention - just doing it because it's the right thing to do. When a project was having problems keeping the utilities on because the homeowner couldn't afford the bill I saw someone with Rent-A-Center take the needed funds from his own pocket and help out without a word being said.
That intrigued me enough to do some research and I am blown away with how much Rent-A-Center gives back. Besides being a sponsor for the HomeAid Fairway to Haven Golf tournament, they also are very active with Feeding America, Big Brothers Big Sisters of America, have their own Make a Difference Scholarship program and much more. Check out their RACommunity page for details on how they get involved on a national level and in the neighborhoods they are a part of.
Being a good neighbor is about doing the right thing no matter how large or small (or random) that act of kindness might be. If we all just did one small thing for a neighbor or a complete stranger every day, think about what a different place the world could be!

Using color is one of the least expensive, most terrifying but also most rewarding ways to change a room. When I'm designing a new model home most builders will encourage me to use memorable colors, but when they first paint the room and see it without any accessories or furniture I often get a call wondering if they have the right information.
These rooms are a perfect example. You can imagine the call the builder got from the superintendent the first time they saw these! This is a model for Canoa Homes in Tucson, and they trusted me enough to wait and see what happened. This is also a great example of designing for your buyer, not yourself - we were targeting families with school age children. A Lifestylist targets in on what the buyer is really looking for, even when they may not realize it themselves.Once we had a few families go through the home we found that almost every female from 2 - 50 wanted that room with those paint colors. It was something the buyer might not have been brave enough to try on their own, but when they saw it completed they loved it.
This is also a great example of Partnership Merchandising. The Home Idea Factory had a great relationship with Home Interiors and Gifts - a direct sell company that we had done styling and product development with. Many of the accessories and "wallies" - the decals on the bath wall - we theirs and we identified them as such so buyers could reproduce what they saw in the room at a price they could afford. The bedding was from Bombay and the furniture from Ashley so all could be bought at local stores or from a Home Interiors and Gifts consultant.
Let your child have a say in what they want their room to look like. It might not be a color you would chose or a style you would like but by letting them be a part of the decorating decision they'll take ownership of their decisions and be even more proud of what they accomplished.
Happy Valentines Day from all of us at The Home Idea Factory!

What a crazy week in Dallas! This town is all about the NBA All Star Game which is this weekend, but mother nature decided to steal the show and dusted us with over a ft. of snow!

The is the largest amount we ever had so we decided to take advantage of it and declared a snow day. The Lifestylists were all out playing in it trying to outdo each other with snowball fights and snow sculptures and when it got dark out I realized I had the opportunity of a lifetime to get some really unique shots of the Home Idea Factory. Fortunately I share the factory with the very talented Lisa Stewart of L.a.S. Photography and we headed out to see what we could find. After she used her magic and skills I love what we ended up with, and to me these really capture the personality of what The Home Idea Factory is all about - Your Life. Your Style. Your Way.

One of the benefits of living in Dallas is being able to see some great entrepreneurs at work and experience what has made them successful first hand. Being able to ride horses side by side with Norman Brinker and to be able to learn from him was a gift I'll never forget. After attending the IBS show I started thinking about what clients are looking for in their customer experience.
Someone who understands what customers want is Carl Sewell of the Sewell Auto Dealers. Even though he isn't in the housing business his sound philosophy applies to any business model. To learn more about what has made him so successful, pick up a copy of his book, "Customers for Life". Even if you aren't looking for a car, you need to experience one of their dealerships if you get a chance. Every location is spotless - from the grass by the curb to repair bays - there's not a candy wrapper or empty water bottle in sight. There are no cases of "it's not my job" - everyone pitches in. Sewell not only takes great care of his customers to earn their loyalty, he is that way to his team members as well, and it shows. These are people who love their jobs and share their enthusiasm with everyone around them.
It's also about being a resource and helping, not selling the client. No one wants to feel like they are being forced into making a decision or buying something, but if you are the person who can give them the resources to make their own educated decisions you will definitely earn a Customer For Life.
The Home Idea Factory and Lifestylist Design are true believers in this philosophy - we have one client that we have been working with for almost 20 years! We believe in only working with a few clients so we can give them our undivided attention and become a vital part of their team. We also don't believe on settling for "doing things the way they have always been done." As a Lifestylist understanding the buyer's lifestyle is an important part of what we do, and when you walk our model homes or see our decors and designs you can see the difference. We are one of the few design companies that works with site builders as well as modular, prefab and manufactured housing builders giving us a unique insight into the housing industry.
Are you ready to make a change to increase sales and profits? We would like to partner with one more builder or manufacturer that we can share our successes with. If you think your company might be a good fit, please contact us at: answers@lifestylist.com We'll even bring you your own copy of Customers For Life to help you learn more about this great concept.

Lifestylist Design has worked on model homes from coast to coast, but one of the things we pride ourselves on is that we are very selective about which clients we work with. Customer service is a priority and I'll only take on clients that I can give my full attention to and become a part of their team. Because of this philosophy I couldn't be more proud of every model home that we do.
We have finally found the perfect client in the Dallas/Ft. Worth area and our partnership has begun! This client thinks "out of the box" and is really listening to what the buyer wants. We all say we do, but this builder is actually doing it. They have been waiting in the wings doing their research and homework, but finally the first four homes are under construction! Our new model will be opening up in the Spring at a grand opening that's going to be a lot of fun. That's all I can tell you right now, but if you want more information feel free to contact us directly at: answers@lifestylist.com
Are you looking for a lifestylist design approach that creates models that truly sell homes? We'd love to talk to you and explain the Lifestylist difference.

In less than a month one of my favorite events will be in Dallas again - the 6th annual Savor Dallas celebration of wine, food, spirits and the arts. I have gone every year, and it's something I'm always looking forward to. Savor Dallas is a unique opportunity where you get to meet the chefs and wine makers one on one and really hear what makes what they do so special.
This year as part of the marketing services that Lifestylist Design offers we can help you have this experience tailored to suit the needs of you and your guests. Our concierge service can help create an experience that you'll never forget. Be sure to put March 5th and 6th on your calendar and join us!

Window treatments are something that is needed in every home, but few people know where to find the right treatments for their needs at a cost that they can afford.
Great news! This is a design area that had become much more affordable in the past few years, and now you can get beautiful treatments without breaking the bank. One of my favorite sources is Country Curtains. The name is deceiving - much of what they offer really isn't "country" but styles that would fit in any decor. their fabrics and colors are also very on-trend and I've used them in many of the model home interiors that I've done recently as well as the Homearama House for @home Builders in Rochester, NY. They have stores around the country, but you can also purchase them on their website or from their catalog. One of the services that help take the guesswork out of finding the right treatment for your home is that they will send you swatches of the actual fabrics at no charge, and they also offer suggestions of Sherwin Williams paints that coordinate.
JC Penney is another favorite, and you can't beat the quality or price. A great service is that they use different color pallettes every season and you can find coordinating linens, towels, bath accessories - you name it - that making your decorating decisions stress free.
Whatever your price range or style is, now you can do it your self from the comfort of your new home.

Few things are as satisfying to me as helping kids explore the culinary world. You can see how excited they get when they learn they can make and bake things themselves and the more they learn, the more they want to try. I've seen it time and time again where a child will eat things that they made themselves but you couldn't force them to try it if someone else was the chef.
I just got back from spending a wonderful weekend with my grandchildren and I was able to help Jenna plan her 8th birthday. She had very specific ideas about what she wanted to do, and my job was to execute all of the things that she imagined. Her brother decided he wanted chocolate instead of a white cake, so we compromised  and had chocolate cupcakes and a white birthday cake. When I went to the grocery store to get the ingredients I realized it would be much less expensive and just as easy to make the cakes from scratch. If you are looking for a recipe for a specific ingredient, check out the package or their website -the company is only going to share recipes that put their products in the best light so this is a great place to start. I didn't have recipes with me so I checked out the back of the Hershey's Cocoa box and there were recipes for chocolate frosting and cakes. Their grandpa has always made a wonderful butter cream icing that is a family favorite so we went with that for the birthday cake. Jenna will also never let me live down the fact that I misspelled "birthday" - that's a story she'll be telling for a long time!
The kids were so proud of what they were able to accomplish, and the chocolate recipes were fantastic - I think some of the best I've ever had. Jenna wanted a pet themed party, and that's what she got.
Don't underestimate the skills and interest of your culinary kids. Even when things don't turn out exactly as planned you can still create memories and recipes that can last a lifetime.

Today was a big day for us trend trackers - Apple officially announced the iPad which has the potential to yet again change the way we live and do business. I'm already lusting after it, because I see it as the future as in how I can run my business when I am out of town as well as a way I can hopefully cut out some of my handwritten notes that even I can't understand my own handwriting. Will it change the world as we know it? I've learned to never underestimate what Apple and Steve Jobs can bring to the table so you never know - maybe it will. And I will be the first to express my unconditional love for my "geniuses" at my favorite Apple store (Dallas - NorthPark - they are the best!) - they have made it possible for me to do things I never thought could be possible without another 5 or 10 employees and a lot of consultants.
I just got back from the International Builders Show and it was more evident than ever that we need to be open to how quickly our buyers needs and expectations are changing or we will quickly become extinct. Apple is a great success story of how a company refuses to sit on it's successes - every day they are pushing the envelope and coming up with new ways to make our lives much more interesting while listening to the customer and making the experience "all about them".

Shaw Carpets had a great event in Grapevine, TX yesterday. A pie fight that was the largest in the world with 1,200 pies and 434 participants took place on their Anso Nylon carpet to show how easily it could be cleaned. Shaw understands lifestyle, and this Lifestylist has seen firsthand how well their carpets not only hold up to pie, but to other challenges as well such as pets, toddlers, and wine dinners. The best part is that Shaw made donations to Dallas Animal Advocates and their volunteers got to do the throwing. Feeding America was also a benefactor, and Shaw's donation to the organization will provide up to 70,000 meals to people in 13 Texas counties.
Thanks to Shaw for a fun event and your support of a great organization.