What markets or design centers do you attend?
I attend High Point typically in the Fall and visit showrooms in Dallas and Houston. I like visiting the Loloi showroom, which has a really great assortment of styles from traditional to the very contemporary. I am actually part of Loloi’s Rugs for the Original campaign and was recently published in Architectural Digest and Elle Décor as part of that campaign. I love Shine by SHO, the rugs are very contemporary and really look like artwork for the floor. I also like to visit the antique gallery to find one of a kind antique and vintage rugs.
Do you have a favorite style of rug or even fiber?
Stylewise, I love Chinese Art Deco, but I think my current favorite is contemporary, like the rugs from Shine by SHO and Loloi. Fiberwise, I love a high knot count wool and silk blend. The silk adds such a luxurious sheen and softness to the wool.
Do you purchase many custom rugs?
I do! I purchase custom rugs through a store in Austin called Black Sheep Unique. I like custom because I can select colors, knot count, fiber, pattern size and rug size specific to a project. I just recently designed a space in Monterrey, Mexico. I specified the Freeform Sofa and Barrel Chair by Vladimir Kagan and mixed in a few custom and vintage brutalist pieces. The only thing that would perfectly fit that space was a 12’ circular rug in the perfect color that I could only find through a custom source.
How is Houzz affecting your business?
Houzz isn’t really affecting my business. I get a few inquiries from there once in a while, but they typically have smaller budgets. I know designers who have a lot of success through it, but my business is mainly referral based and from people searching through Google.
Do you find that the new “Age of Instant Information” has affected your business?
Absolutely! I use the Internet for most everything other than visiting showrooms and face-to-face meetings with clients. I communicate via email a bunch, and I also use software called Wecora to present ideas to clients. Wecora is a project management tool for creatives. It is similar to Pinterest in that you can upload photos, and clients are able to leave comments on each item. I keep track of an entire project through that software from ideation to order tracking. I also use all forms of social media to advertise and to keep an online presence.
Want to see more? Go to:
www.sarahstaceydesign.com
