This has been a year of exploration for The Funky Little Chair, and I know I’m not the only one. Hindsight may be 20/20, but foresight is impossibly fuzzy. It’s really hard to tell the difference between an opportunity and a distraction. If time and energy are limited commodities, where should I invest them? It’s …
I’m home after a busy week in Birmingham, helping out at Design Industry by Grant Trick. It’s always eye-opening to be there, and see a business so completely different from my own. My focus now is education. But as a professional, my target market has been reupholstery for the retail client – sofas, chairs, cushions …
A few years ago, as we were preparing to remodel our 1950’s kitchen, I checked out a stack of books on kitchen design and layout. Kitchens are a super functional part of the home – we essentially WORK there. So a kitchen that’s poorly designed is extremely aggravating. I was surprised to discover that a …
One of my absolute favorite perks of being an upholsterer is that I often get to work with headphones in – in fact, it helps me focus and stay on task. I may not have lots of time these days to read a physical book (alas alack!!!) but I nonetheless ingest a hearty diet of …
What are you listening to? Recommendations for the workroom Read More »
Last week, I had the AAAAAAAAMAZING experience of teaching at Custom Workroom Conference . Afterwards, I enjoyed a visit with two friends: Jeanelle Dech, founder of The Workroom Channel and The Curtains and Soft Furnishings Resource Library, and Ceil DiGuglielmo, host/creator of The Sew Much More Podcast. As we discussed the many challenges of running …
Strategic Partners: What they are and where to find them. Read More »
Get ready to celebrate, because October is Upholstery Awareness Month!! What: A month-long opportunity to recognize, celebrate and share the skilled craft of upholstery. How: Find share-worthy examples of upholstery work – that which impresses you, inspires you, amazes you. . . and share it! BE SURE when sharing someone else’s work that you have …
There’s a great line in MadMen where Don Draper tells Peggy Olson: “If you don’t like what people are saying, change the conversation.” And that, my upholstery friends, is what I’d like to discuss. Locally, we’re headed into an uncertain year, pushing the boundaries of our little education model. Can we create better tools for …
Lately I’ve been thinking about roads and bridges . . . Isn’t it amazing, I can leave my house and hop on a road. That road might take me to a friend’s house, or a job, or a restaurant where I’d like to eat dinner. I can look on a map, and plan where I’d …
Here’s what we’re going to try now. Next year, The Funky Little Chair will be moving into a shared space with Grahn’s Upholstery. We will turn our clients over to Grahn’s and begin focusing exclusively on the challenges of education and professional training. Grahn’s, like many of our busy shops, has struggled to attract and …
I have a confession to make: these past 9 months, I’ve felt rather despondent. Two years ago, I took the scary leap into a shop of my own, determined to make some difference in the educational void facing our community. I had very few answers, but how do you discover solutions if not through research …
