Casual Living

Photos from my trip to Montana

I find inspiration from  many things in my life. Certainly as you know from my previous blogs, nature and beautiful things inspire me.




Majestic Horse Grazing

Included in this category are animals. I get refreshing and inspiring ideas from majestic horses that are free to roam in a green pasture, are running together or moving cattle.


Look at the Rich Brown...Read More

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Triple Creek Ranch

The word inspire is defined in Webster’s Dictionary to produce or arouse a feeling, thought, etc. and to fill or affect with a specified feeling, thought, etc.

I recently spent some time in a beautiful part of our country enjoying nature, animals and small town hospitality. This is an easy way to be inspired on a daily basis by the feelings that are generated by this gorgeous part of our nation.

The first part of my trip I spent in a small Montana hideaway in the mountains just above Darby, at a gem of a ranch called Triple Creek Ranch.

&...Read More

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Remember when Brown was the new Black? Well it appears that Green is the new Black. Not so much in color but in statement.

The direction of fashion dictates the direction of home textiles and decor. Right now the fashion trends seem to be moving towards ethical, organic, and sustainable fabrics for clothing. As a society we are becoming socially conscious and environmentally savvy.

There are a number of books out in the marketplace that discuss the topic and are worth the read. First is Tamsin Blanchard’s Green is the New Black ...Read More

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Double Chaise

This morning on the Today show the topic of staycations was promoted once again and showed how a family can enjoy their backyard. My ears perked up when they were describing the comforts of home inside a camping tent, which included throw pillows. My love of accessories and throw pillows in particular caused me to stop what I was doing and pay more attention to the segment on staycations.

This subject is becoming increasingly popular with the high rising price of gas and the troublesome economy. But staying at home does not need to be a ...Read More

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Hummingbird Nectar
        
 
Glass Blown Hummingbird Feeder

If you are looking for a colorful accessory to add life, art and nature to your yard, consider a beautiful hand blown glass hummingbird feeder. These pieces of complement your backyard with color and invite hummingbirds to flutter and stay a while.

Hummingbirds are small in size and large in personality. They are brilliantly colored, do not harm other plants or a...Read More

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If you have been following my blog recently you will know that I am giving you suggestions on how to promote staycations as a marketing tool to increase sales in your stores. Here are another few ideas for you to consider using as a marketing tool.

 Solution # 3: Partner with local designers or offer in-store designer services to your customers to promote the ability to transform a home environment.

Consumers are discovering that outdoor living is more than simply dressing up patios with a few select pieces of furniture, alternatively people are transforming their common backyards into specialty rooms complete with televisions, bars, kitchens, heaters, and water features. Drapes, carpet, lamps, plants and trees are being used as accents as well as room partitions.

To assist your target market ...Read More

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Here are 2 solutions that will help you promote staycations to your customers and increase sales.

Solution #1: Promote the idea of making your home a destination.  
Utilizing visualization is a fabulous way to promote the feelings that
will encourage your customers to want to create a very unique
home ambiance. Show photos of Bali, Hawaii, a luxury resort   
pool setting or perhaps a picture of your favorite destination.


You can run a contest for people to enter their preferred
destination of choice that can most easily be replicated in their own
backyard. The winner can be awarded time with a local designer
and a member of your sales staff to design the destination of their
drea...Read More

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How do you get a message to your customers and communicate with them? The answer to this question is through promotion. It is important to adjust to the changing needs of the consumer, as well as in response to competitive pressures of the environment. What exactly do your customers want and need? Rather than placing products first in your advertisements, you need to find out what the customers want and then create the solution, product or service to represent the main focus of your promotion.

In this current economic condition, many people are choosing to stay at home, vacation at home = Staycation. “A vacation that is spent at one's home enjoying all that home and one's home environs have to offer,” as defined in the Urban Dictionary. Experts say it's not uncommon for overscheduled families to choo...Read More

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    Remember the slogan dreamed up many years ago by a purveyor of margarine with an irascible Mother Nature roiling when given margarine disguised as butter?

    Well, just as then, we know today that not many things are made by man that duplicate something in nature well enough to fool anyone really paying attention. But we have been able to create products that will resist whatever Mother Nature throws their way.

    Thankfully fabric manufacturers have created durable, fast drying, satin, mildew, soil and fade resistant outdoor fabrics that resemble some of the finest indoor fabrics available. These fabrics maintain their good looks and remain vibrant for years.

    We need to educate consumers that these outdoor fabrics have been improved over the years and are better than eve...Read More

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                                                             ALISO CREEK BEACH, CA

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THANKS

Thanks to those of you who took the time to say hi to me on the 17th floor! I greatly appreciated your feedback regarding my Blog. It is nice to know that you are reading my Outside Views Blog. Please feel free to write a comment anytime.

Last week at the Casual Furniture Pre-Market, there were lots of changes, as I had predicted earlier, specifically the new additions of casual furniture showrooms on the 15th floor.

SUMMER CLASSICS
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Stainless Steel Cleaner

How do you clean your stainless steel products inside and outside your home? If you want to remove grease, grime, fingerprints and water spots then a great product to use is Weiman Stainless Steel Cleaner. This product also provides a streak free shine to your BBQ and stainless steel appliances.
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