REPOST:

Project Using Dackor Leather White Alligator
This project is specifically complimentary because Jill Zarin's family owns Zarin Fabrics. Certainly Jill has an eye for high end materials and it was a huge compliment that she selected our White Alligator via the Closet Factory.

Jill Zarin Custom Closet Story

By:Gabi Glassman

Reality Star Jill Zarin pictured in front of her shoe closet.

Being a designer for Closet Factory is always satisfying and fulfilling. I truly enjoy creating beautiful spaces that help people organize their lives.

This fall I had the opportunity to work with an amazing client, Jill Zarin ! She is a former Real Housewife of New York (Bravo TV), best selling author of Secrets of a Jewish Mother, the creator of the shapewear line SKWEEZ COUTURE and now also  Jill Zarin Bedding; not to mention trendsetter, fashionista; The mom of Ginger (New York’s most famous dog) and just recently tennis partner of Chris Everett in a charity event.  How exciting!

Working with Jill was so much fun! Her energy and enthusiasm made the whole process from design to installation extremely rewarding.

Closet Factory Designer Gabi Glassman Werner pictured with Rocky one of the New York location's Installers.The challenge was creating a glamorous closet that would coincide with the decor of her chic Manhattan apartment while exceeding all of her wardrobe storage needs.Her apartment is beautifully appointed with silk fabrics, hand painted walls, beautiful carpets, custom wood built-ins with a mix of art deco pieces and antiques.   The color scheme was blues, teals and grays…. There were sweeping views of the East River from every room.  We decided to select a new color, Linen Light Gray Melamine, for the closet with hardware accents of large modern handles in brushed chrome.  The Linen Light Gray was selected for it’s texture and color because it complimented the hand glazed walls and grey silk carpet.  DACKOR's White Alligator doors with Mirrored inserts and Crystal Bar Handles was selected for the wall unit in the bedroom.   It was dazzling and fit the room perfectly!

Now that the decorating decisions were made we needed to address the storage problems.  Jill’s current custom closet system designed by another closet company was not working for her.  It consisted of a closet organizer designed with basic shelving, hanging rods at standard heights and a few deep drawers.  Her large selection of designer handbags and shoes did not fit into the space.  Her leggings and T-Shirts were in such deep drawers she could not find what she needed without going through the whole drawer multiple times. Because her rods were hung all at the same height it did not accommodate the variety of dresses that she owns. Almost all had a different hemline from short to long. And there was a major flaw in the current system – there was no place to store Jill’s costume jewelry and even worse her Skweez Couture line.

With some creativity and careful sorting of dress lengths the new design we can up with incorporated all of Jill’s needs.   In Jill’s new design the closet had a tower of velvet lined 3″ high Lucite trays for her leggings and Skweez Couture.  Because the fronts were clear she could see exactly what was inside each tray.  The shallow depth of the trays made it easy for Jill to find what she needed without digging or searching as she had prior.  We used lots of deep shelves to house her handbags and installed a variety of hooks on the wall behind the door for additional handbags that worked well hanging from their straps.  We custom hung her rods at different heights to accommodate the different lengths of dressed she owns.  Drawers for T-Shirts and sweaters were placed as a focal point on the back wall as well as a double-decker jewelry drawer with a lock.  Because the ceiling height of the closet was 9 feet tall we were able to use all the height to create optimum storage.
The Faux White Alligator wall unit with Mirrored inserts contains storage for Jill’s current selection of designer shoes.  There is space for tall boots as well as Lucite slanted shoe shelves for the rest of her shoes.

Close up of DACKOR's White Alligator Faces detail designed for Jill Zarin's Wall Unit.

Now Jill is very happy with her Closet Factory custom closets.  They exceeded her expectations in storage, organization and appearance.   She is so happy that she asked me to design her husband Bobby’s Closet!!!

Mark's LEGNO WENGE Kitchen Project

Previously I wrote an article which was subsequently published by Surfaces & Panel magazine entitled:

3D Laminate Thermofoils are ideal for High End Kitchens

http://thermoformingtimes.blogspot.com/2008/03/thermofoil-is-ideal-for-high-end.html

Earlier this year I decided to remodel my Kitchen and of course I used our product. Although this is certainly not the first Kitchen to utilize an affordable 3D Laminate in a high end Kitchen, each project is unique. I think that marrying kitchen design with the specialized knowledge of 3DL is key.

Below are pictures of the kitchen. I used the following products:

kitchen specs:

DACKOR  Legno Wenge drawers

DACKOR  Stone Grey- custom color upper doors

Miele Speed Oven H4084BM

Miele Convection Steam Oven DGC4084XL

Miele 30" Induction KM5753

Miele 36" Hood DA 3490 

Miele Dishwasher G5225SC

Subzero Refrigerator IT-36CIID

Everpure Water Chiller EV931830

Everpure Water Filter H140

Miele Dishwasher G5225SC

Pompeii Quartz Counters , Color Milky Way

Hafele Ribbon Strip lighting for under cabinet

Blum Soft Close and Blum Tandem Stainless boxes
Solid Plywood boxes with white melamine overlay
Higher upper cabinets for mirror install

It should also be noted that the fridge gables were manufactured by mitre folding of our laminate however on the light valances, DACKOR Stone Grey peel and stick was used. Dackor, produces and sells this peel and stick directly to Membrane Press or Vacuum Press companies or via thepeelandstickstore.com.

My experience with this Kitchen gave me some unique perspectives. I was able to learn how truly difficult Kitchen design can be, I learned a lot about how high end European appliances require special considerations, about how peel and stick can be used on the job site for specific uses such as light valances, fillers and even fridge gables.

Above is additional storage to expand the kitchen visually into the hall

Above image shows drawers lined up with Subzero freezer drawers

Above image highlights how the contrasting upper cabinets look against Legno Wenge.

Above image shows light valance lighting. Aluminum track was router-ed in.

Above image shows upper side cabinet planted on box and meeting light valance.

Above image shows mirror only used on backsplash

Above image shows the Blum Tandem Aluminum boxes. Great having all drawers in bottom cabinets.

Above image shows the flush look of the door fronts with the waterfall countertop side. Be sure to really show your top company because they typically like to have the tops overhang more.

Shot of entire Kitchen above.

The Subzero Freezer drawer. Notice the 1" Fridge gables and how they frame out the fridge.

With over 150 stock colors, I really was perplexed as to which color I'd use in my own personal Kitchen. I knew that I'd be investing most into appliances and that they would cost more than the boxes and doors since I'm (In the industry). I ultimately chose our Legno Wenge which is a stock design and our Stone Grey which is a stock transfer from German Stock. The unique thing about this Legno Wenge is that it has hints of grey inside as well as taupe. All of the walls in the house were Benjamin Moore Mineral Ice 2132-70 and most of the floors are travertine and Brazilian cherry.

I'd like to give special thanks to Reid Pasternack. http://www.reidpasternack.com
He was the interior designer of the house interior and was instrumental in the color scheme and layout.  Chris Buffington was key in the cabinet box sizing, light valance and really made the Kitchen production possible. And finally Zsolt Lovas, originally of Austria and now an Orlando based Cabinet installer did an outstanding job.

Hopefully more people will share their High End Kitchens that utilized 3D Laminates. If you have a project that used Dackor 3D Laminates and would like to share your project please email me.

What a business can learn from an Eagle

In a previous article: "What a business can learn from an Octopus", I spoke about the intelligence of the Octopus and drew comparisons between the Octopus and niche manufacturers in North America.  I gave specific intelligent tactics that the Octopus use for survival and then compared that to tacts that a manufacturer could use in positioning their product or services.

Living here in Florida, its not uncommon to see a Sandhill Crane or a long legged Heron walk around as they hunt for worms or geckos. If you live near large trees or the water it is also normal to hear the squawk of a Hawk. But seeing a Bald Eagle is always a bit more rare. I think most people stop with awe when they see this beautiful bird glide through the air. Aside from being our National Bird, its simply a remarkable animal. But what tactics do the Bald Eagle use for their survival and how can we draw comparisons that can be learned in business?

(and before we begin, save any joke about Mark, the author, being bald and writing about the bald eagle until after you have read the article in its entirety, you get why at the end)

BE AN EAGLE 

RARE:

So we know that Eagles are rare and that its a federal crime to kill a Bald or Golden Eagle. Felony convictions face a maximum of $250,000 and misdemeanor convictions can face up to a $5,000 fine. In business, being unique and serving a specific niche is key to most small businesses's survival. If you are a custom manufacturer of components (for example) is it your lead time, your profiles or what specifically make you rare in your segment? Its important to be as rare as possibly but remember that if you are too rare that extinction could be a prediction. A little competition actually creates more overall awareness for a given product segment. And its the hard times that build the Eagle's character.  Its important to serve an industry where you know you're the Eagle rather than the pigeon or even worse a buzzard. A pigeon pecks at the ground for scraps, a buzzard feeds on the dead. Be an Eagle.

FEARLESS:

Eagles have amazing hunting strategy and can be cunning. Have you ever witnessed a video of an Eagle throwing a goat off a cliff as a killing tactic?  If your business is to survive and flourish you must have the courage to be different, to focus on creating value for your clients in every way you can. If you are a sales person you have to accept rejection and understand that  you will often get a "no" or face rejection. But what we all do is not life or death, so fear of rejection is silly albeit natural. When Eagles mate they lock talons and copulate while falling to the ground. Its called the spiral of death however, its shows that they love how they live, without fear. Even how Eagles learn to fly is done with a specific flare.  Momma Eagles gather an Eaglet on their back and soar high. When they glide to ground they do so gradually and gently so that the Eaglet gets the feeling for their wings as they drop to the ground.  Eaglets can be a metaphor for new hires, new ideas or new products. Its important to soar high but be there to catch your eaglets to make sure they don't fall to the ground and die. But flying is a must for growth and ultimate survival so if an Eaglet refuses to fly, the Eagle rips apart the nest and nudges them off the cliff.  The Eagle knows when the time is right and so should you. You must know when to launch your Eaglets when YOU feel the time is right no matter how much they cling to the nest. Remember, you've already let your Eaglets get a "feel" for their wings, you've already fed them, nurtured them and when its time for the world, rip apart the nest and nudge them off the cliff if they refuse to fly. And since Eaglets are born and bred to fly. Feel the pride when they soar.

AMAZING VISION

Eagles pick the highest spot in a terrain and the keep a sharp eye out for their prey. They can spot prey the size of a rabbit from 2 miles away !  But as a human, its not eye site ,  mental vision is our key. To have mental vision, we must see far into the future of to predict the needs of our clients. We must develop the vision to see what colors will become the new market standards and see the way to developing the business for the market rather than scavenging for the business created by others. Although its impossible to always be the originator of every idea, if you make your business solely on the copying of others by duplicating other's designs , profiles or work you are modeling your business on a different animal (such as the pigeon or the vulture) rather than the Eagle. Its not impossible to create a business solely by copying others however eventually if your competitors find a way to protect their work you may find yourself unable to adapt to becoming an original when you've spent so much time bottom feeding. In other words, you could become extinct.Remember that pigeons peck and fuss about and vultures bottom feed. Eagles soar to new heights and find new prey. Eagles are game changers and pay no mind to pigeons. If your business is always nipping at the competition by price, you may want to ask yourself  why you do not believe your product or service is worth the market price and try to find how you can improve upon your quality, service or value proposition.

HIGH FLYERS

When a storm comes, Eagles use the air current by flying directly towards the storm and the wind lifts them like a rocket as they fly up above the clouds.  In business, downturns can happen, markets change, new competition arises. Instead of giving up, laying low or seeking shelter, why not face the challenge like the Eagle. Instead of hunkering down, fly up to get a 10,000 foot view and look for new opportunities that only an Eagle could see by climbing to that height. The office industry is an example of this. Many office furniture producers became Healthcare furniture producers as the office industry became more competitive in past years. When the storm settled and other Office furniture manufacturers came out from their shelters they noticed that the companies that were thriving the most were the ones that diversified in an intelligent way. These diversified companies are now strong in Office and Health Care.

ENDURE

At about the age of 30, Eagle's bodies begin to deteriorate due to their age.  It has been reported that some Eagles do something completely amazing when they get 30 years old, they retreat to a mountain top and over a 5 month period they rebuild. The eagle knocks its beak on the rocks, plucks out their talons and then all their feathers. When they emerge they are revitalized and can life up to another 30 plus years. Think humans can't do this? I'll never forget back in the 90s when I was visiting Indonesia. I witnessed an Indonesian woman become ill and her friend took her into a room and raked a coin down her back till it was covered in welts. When they emerged from the room, her back was completely red and you could see the raised skin. Although years prior, I lived in Malaysia for nearly a year my Malay / Indonesian was very limited but I do believe they used a word similar to "Kerokan" to describe the technique they were doing with the coin. I deduced that this simply created shock on the largest surface area organ of the body "the skin". And the back is the best place for this technique. Although I had never heard of this before, my mind is always open to learning from others and I could only reason that the damage done to the back is a way to hyper stimulate the immune system into hyper drive. Whether its a technique similar to acupuncture or whether its a placebo, the body's ability to heal itself is unquestioned.

So in reality, humans have the power of an eagle. But alas, Western society has taught us to drug up, take antibiotics and after all, aren't we supposed to live the life of a pigeon and not the Eagle? But we can be Eagles !

And since plucking the feathers out for the Eagle actually makes them stronger  and they are reborn, I decided a few years back to shave my head.  As mentioned, in the beginning of this post, to reserve your joke till the end. ... OK, so I noticed the feathers on top just weren't as thick as they once were and I began to feel less youthful just as I'm sure the Bald Eagle experiences when it turns 30.  So although I did not pull out my talons or bang my beak on rocks, I figured the least I could do would be to shave my feathers (hair) completely off and start anew. So thats how I prefer to see my bald head.  So, aren't you glad you waited before emailing me a joke on the irony of me writing about the bald eagle? Now you know, its not simply male pattern baldness..... but the evidence of someone who faces the reality of their age and takes the control to rejuvenate. (cue rolling eyes)

So won't you join me in becoming a bald eagle? Shave your head.....no?  Or at the least, fall in love with this beautiful animal and embrace its ways into your life and into your work. Be an Eagle.

How to use dead stock or overstock to negotiate pricing with furniture buyers

In the company I work for, Dackor, occasionally the company has overstock /dead-stock of some items. I am sure that other suppliers also have this problem at times. In this article I'd like to give a strategy on how furniture manufacturers or component manufacturers can use Dackor's or other suppliers overstock or discounted items to increase margin or also to protect existing products.

First I'd like to explain what overstock is and why it occurs.

1. CANCELED PROJECTS: If a supplier of laminate has a project that cancels that does not mean that it is easy to find another project to use that specific color.
2. OFF COLOR: Sometimes in production, the color can appear in range by computer but visually the color may stand out as being too off from the target. So this is another case where overstock can occur.
3. CHANGING MARKETS: Finally there are cases where colors just simply stop selling so the company could end up having too much inventory for the demand.

OK, so now is the time to talk about how as a cabinet, furniture or component manufacturer you can use overstock which is discounted to protect their margins on their normal items.

SCENARIO: Lets imagine that when bidding out a large job using a good selling color we'll call "Top seller". The GC or buyer may say to you, "I'd like to go with your company but you need a tighter price". Now in some cases you'll stick to your price and loose the bid but in many cases you may find that you lower your price for certain GCs or buyers who pay well or who you have a long standing relationship with. But.... have you ever been in a situation where you have refused to lower your price and they stuck with you?

So the question is "When should I lower my price?"

STRATEGY: One strategy to use is to counter to a requested price reduction for a project with "OK, we can lower our price but we'll need to use an Overstock Color that we can obtain for less money". The buyer may counter with "No , we want to get a lower price but keep the "Top seller" as the spec.  What are they telling you when they say this? They are basically saying that price is not the most important thing but rather , they have a need and that need is that specific color.

In all negotiations its important to know where you stand. If your company has promoted that color, had many successful jobs done with that color then there is a lot of effort that has gone into the past to build up both your company's name and also the demand for a specific color you are putting on your product.

RESULT: What you may find is that when posed with the option "OK we can accept the different color at the lower price" this means that price truly was the most important factor for that project or client. However, "If the company counters with "Never-mind we will stick with the existing "Top Seller" and pay the price you quoted" it means that their request to have you lower your price was actually a bluff. They had their mind set on that color and also in using your company.

OBSERVATION: Its important to observe your past bidding habits. If there are some GCs or accounts that you find yourself lowering your price for even when selling your "Top Seller" or other standard colors then keep in mind that you would have lowered your price anyway. So if they do choose to go with the Overstock Item that costs less you may be able to recoup some of your losses in margin. So what we have just discussed here is how to use colors to negotiate.

SECURING LAMINATE: The key to the above is to understand your company well , your client well and also have good communication with your supplier of laminate. You need to make sure that your supplier of laminate is willing to hold their overstock for you till you can secure it for the project, you need to know what will happen should you need more laminate and finally you need make sure that a key person in your company is negotiating with your GC or buyer to explain the costs of making your product but its not necessary to give exact costs as often the laminate alone may not explain the discount, however keep in mind that these are based upon discounts you would have taken anyway.

MAINTAINING MARKET: Another thing to note is that by not discounting your "Top Seller" that you do not ruin the market price for this color or simply lower your price for no reason. You may find that if budget project start using that laminate and generally use the lowest bidder and the least expensive materials that in essence their projects will be less appealing. It doesn't take long before your good customers who are willing to pay a fair price for your product will see this "Top Seller" in budget applications and slowly move to other colors and possibly other suppliers who only focus on supplying their type of company.

SUMMARY: I hope that this post helps your company to discover a new way of using colors to protect or stabilize your margins. If you are a manager, bidder, or purchaser and you have questions about this please contact me. I am dedicated to not only marketing colors but in helping companies to become more successful and profitable.

RefaceSupplies.com

Refacing has never been easier than Dackor Peel and Stick solutions on their stock colors. Visit www.dackor.com/reface

 The company offers all of their stock colors with only a 3 yard minimum which is made on demand as its ordered and shipped out in 1 to 3 business days depending upon production. It comes in 54" wide peel stick and has a super high tack which is perfect for refacing furniture, cabinets, cabinet doors, desk tops or even applying to walls.

Peel and stick woodgrains for wall

Dackor's customer base can serve as direct buyers of the material however there is a new site set up to serve companies or individuals without accounts.  This site is called "refacesupplies.com" . Here individuals or companies can purchase swatches or yardage of peel and stick woodgrains, stones, glosses or abstracts.With easy to navigate pages and quick check out you can order material or samples for an affordable cost. 

Visit www.refacesupplies.com