Urban Mercantile

What's in the window this week?

Scrambled. Scattered. Out of sorts. Behind the eight ball. Yep, that's what I've been feeling. I don't know what's gotten into me. Could it be Summer? Could it be this nice weather Mother Nature is treating her beloved San Franciscans to that has put me in such a state? We've been busier than usual this Summer and that in turn leaves little time to process shipment, blog, and be the on-top-of-it kind of person I enjoying being 90 percent of the time.

Two big surprise hits in the store this week are worthy of mention. First, these silky pillows that I ordered way back when in January are finally here and delighting passers by in the our window. I customized these pillow designs with a manufacturer at the Atlanta show. The palette of ivory, petrol bleu, and browns have wide appeal for our customers. The unique embroidered and embellished designs are kicky without being distracting. Sizes available are 16x16in, 18x18in, and 11x21in. Prices range from $28.00 to $38.00.

Next, the furniture I blogged about after ICFF has come in and several designs sold out immediately (thanks to big windows for display!). We've already received a reorder (thanks to a prompt shipping program from the manufacturer!). And we've already had a few special orders for items that we're not stocking. Our shoppers are really taking notice of this simple furniture with an eco-friendly focus. Color me thrilled. Pieces like the kid's stools and magazine racks run about $68.00, with the larger pieces starting at $198.00.

Who's your daddy? More dude gifts. . .

Reminders aren't necessary for our savvy shoppers, right? So I don't need to mention that Father's Day approaches. But if you need a nudge, here are a couple more ideas for fathers or any other dudes in your world. In our little neighborhood most of the fathers I see are under 40. These younger, hipper dads want cool stuff. For example, the wallets shown here are printed with old textile images. They look a little like tattoos to me. There's a snake skin design, as well as an Asian sea image and a dragon. Each are $39.00 and designed by D.L. Rhein. Today I sold one of these wallets to a teenage girl who promptly put her change from the sale into it and tossed it in her purse. I guess they have broader appeal than I expected, but who wouldn't dig them?

The Iittala Tools designed by Antonio Citterio and G.O. Löw are made in Finland of brushed stainless steel. These have been good sellers here since opening day. Handsome, dashing, and stylish they're a studly update to any bar and kitchen. The heavy handles fit well in bigger hands. The bottle opener is $42.00, the spreader is $35.00, and the cheese slicer is $55.00.

Dad's day approaches

So Father's Day is around the corner, right? What a tricky holiday it is for a lot of retailers. Not only are a lot of people already away for the summer (or enjoying more entertaining activities outdoors), but dads are also notoriously difficult to shop for. I thought I'd touch on a couple gift ideas for new and old dads alike that might inspire you as you shop for pops.

These lacquer boxes by Pacific Connections are clean and handsome, fitting attributes for the men in your life. A San Francisco-based company, Pacific Connections creates these stylish Asian-inspired boxes for a multitude of uses. The business card box shown in the foreground is $29.00, the cube is $37.00. Both boxes would tidy-up a desk or dresser in no time flat. Cards, clips, watches, and cufflinks, can be stowed in elegance.

National Stationery Show: day two

Thanks for your comments on recent posts, both through the blog and email messages. Day Two at NSS included meeting a few new vendors as well as reconnecting with existing vendors.

A terrific example of the new trend in eco-friendly production was a new exhibitor Bird Dog Press from Lyons, Colorado. Their studio and the mill which provides them paper operate off the grid when wind and water power provide enough juice. And their designs were fun and original. If only I had pictures to show you. My bad. When the goodies come into the store, I'll post some nice shots. I ordered coasters, monogram cards, and note sets.

From Los Angeles, Evil Ink showed off some super-hysterical cards. The "hook up" and the "break up" collection gave me the giggles. I only ordered a few cards from this collection, as some were a bit rough for our customers. Check out the collection online for a good laugh. They also displayed some very cool melamine plates (yep, I got a thing for melamine) with amazing graphics. I ordered a few sets. Again, no pics. Could I be more inept?

Urban Bark, another new vendor, does very nicely composed layered graphics. This technique is not  new or unique, it's just that they execute it very well.

New exhibitor, Ilee, showed beautiful florals and a terrific calendar. The line has a lot of breadth and obvious talent in their designs; not everything worked for me, but overall a very strong showing.

Returning stars, those vendors I've decided to continue with also made a strong showing. Most of these card-makers have been around for a few years and know the business by now. There's no evidence of boredom or a lack of inspiration in their work.

Stacey Pancake of Pancake and Franks, displayed several new designs. I picked up a few and reordered a few that always sell well. This line represents from San Francisco!

Also from the 'hood is Le Vu's line, Paper Ink Studio, a wonderfully lighthearted collection of cards. Always a strong seller in the store with sweet messages and endearing graphics. Le delivers the cards seconds after I place an order.

Two Trick Pony out of Milford, Massachusetts, offers original graphics featuring animals and botanicals, as well as strong geometrics. Also a strong seller in the store, I'm happy to continue on with them.

Hailing from Westville, New Jersey, the gals at Spruce Avenue continue to create inviting images and graphics on their screenprinted cards. A wonderful palette and unique illustrations make them an easy inclusion in our permanent collection.

Last year, I picked up the calendars from Pikku. This year I added pillows and wrapping paper from this entrepreneurial East Burke, Vermont couple. Their cards are elaborately constructed with the use of a sewing machine; though as much as I adore them, I don't think we could sell them. Pikku has that scandinasian look I'm a sucker for.

From Portland, Brian Reed's line, Old School Stationers consistently delights me. The new designs this year were very different from past years. I'm happy to see Brian expand his line. His cards and wall art impress the toddlers and the old timers alike. Beefy paper and bold inks capture our shoppers' attention

Canadian card line That Sky Blue also showed new designs that still call to me. Everything from the whimsical to the classical is available from these gals. A strong seller in the store, thus I'm anxiously awaiting delivery.

For today's post, last and certainly not least is Lucky Start Press. Sarah's collection of type only cards speak to me. I love type. Her clever idea of stacking related terms on an unfussy card make it easy for the less-eloquent card buyer. As well, the monograms are a strong seller for us.

National Stationery Show: day one

On this first day of the show I'm looking for new vendors, exhibitors that have not shown at this show before. The Stationery show is huge. It occupies the entire second floor of Javits. Again, like the International Contemporary Furniture Fair which is also at Javits at the same time, I walk every aisle. Sometimes new exhibitors are placed in a not-so-appropriate category, so it's worth it to me to stroll every aisle, looking for that misplaced gem.

This year the NSS exhibitors, at least the newest or most inspired veteran companies, showed off surprisingly fresh designs. In past years, much of the stationery looked confusingly similar. I think many new printers saw the success of early leaders in letterpress and screen printing and decided to run with knock-off designs. I saw much less of that this year, and it's about time.

Also big this year was a broader push toward eco-friendly operations. In the past, many vendors printed on recycled paper stock and used soy-based inks. That was all good and fine. . . then. Now several of the vendors I ordered from are using power off the grid or the paper mills they buy paper from are working off the grid. Some of these printers and mills are using water power or wind power to operate their studios and factories instead of electricity (or as an adjunct to electricity). This was very encouraging news. At our store now, it's pretty safe for us to say when asked about which cards are printed on recycled or post-consumer recycled paper, that we can confidently affirm that virtually all of our cards are printed on the eco-friendly papers using eco-friendly inks by folks that are taking pretty big steps to leave a smaller carbon footprint.

This being my first Stationery Show as a blogger. I made a critical error. I did not take nearly enough pictures. Lesson learned. It wasn't until I went through my orders (and I ordered a lot!) and reviewed vendor websites that I realized my mistake. So I'll include a few shots and include links for those of you who want to dig deeper. The upside is that I can take specific product shots when the goods arrive in the store and post them a little later.

In no particular order. . . here goes. Discovering Susan Conner of SusyJack put a big smile on my face. Susan has a broad line of goods which are inspired and fresh. I enjoy buying goods from talent like her because she offers more than just cards. Susan really thinks about how her designs are sold and used by today's shops and consumers. Expect to see her line of screen printed cards, wall art, and pins in the store shortly.

Pearl & Marmalade of Chicago displayed a great collection of vintage-y modern cards. Look for two- and three-hit letterpress cards with graphic appeal.

From Seattle, Benjamin Paul featured a beautiful collection of koi fish cards that I thought would be a nice diversion from some of the botanical motifs we tend to have a lot of in the store. As well, I ordered calendars which will be a no-brainer gift over the holidays.

SoCal-based Tiselle showcased a few edgy cards with skulls intertwined in brocade graphics. From afar they appear sweet, but up close they're something different altogether. Owner and designer Tiany Wang did not look the type to design cards with skulls in them, but I don't ask questions. I just buy what I like.

Also from Los Angeles was Dee & Lala (ampersands are big among the stationery lot). Their cards feature original graphics of animals. The thing I liked is that they use a odd-sized card (not the typical A4). The gentle creatures on the cards will endear young and old.

Sweetbeets, from Ontario, Canada displayed a small collection of clever cards. They're pretty specifically depicting images appropriate for new baby cards and early birthdays. It will be interesting if these cards can dethrone our leaders in this category.

I'll post about more new stationery finds in the next day or two. As well, I'll feature some of our veteran vendors.

 

 

ICFF: day three

Finally, I'm feeling like I might just catch up on posts. Now that I'm home and the Memorial holiday is over I can attend to the blog (among the other piles of work I have around). Many of you have asked what it's like to shop at trade shows. I liken it to shopping at a flea market. There are booths and booths of things that are not what you're in the market for, and some booths you might have to dig deep for treasure. And sometimes a great new thing just jumps out. But to be sure I haven't missed anything, I do tend to retrace my steps. That's why these shows can be exhausting. Basically, it's like walking from 10am to 6pm. If you're lucky you can sit during lunch. I'm not complaining; there's always some very nice people to interact with along the way. So what caught my attention on this day?

Denmark's Ferm Living is a line I've had my eye on for a while. They approached me about a year ago to sell their wallpaper. As much as I loved the designs, I wasn't sure about testing the waters of a new category like wallpaper. This year they launched a whole home collection. Now this is something I can jump on board with! So I bought everything: wallpaper, wall stickers, dish towels, pillows, etc. As far as I know, we'll be the exclusive retailer in San Francisco for this line that features great graphics with a scandinasian slant. I liked one of the wallpaper designs so much I ordered a roll for myself. Prices are reasonable, though the wallpaper might be a bit pricey if you're accustomed to shopping at Home Depot.

Next, I found a wonderful rug collection by designer Robin Gray. Her line is simple, but with broad customization. Though Robin displayed some amazing technical designs, I decided to pick up the shaggy and loopy designs in solid colors of my own choosing, like bright orange and lime green. I added a couple neutral colors for those that refrain from splashes of color (no judgment here). I'm glad to have a made contact with such a warm and encouraging businesswoman as Robin, and I look forward--with her help--to creating bespoke rugs for our more discriminating customers (and design clients). The rugs I ordered won't be in the store for a few months as they are made to order. But in keeping with my goal to find good stuff at a reasonable price, they'll be worth the wait.

Lastly, another rug line captured my imagination. Lawrence of La Brea showcased some very interesting fabrications, including recycled denim patchwork rugs and metal thread woven rugs, but I opted for a more downplayed style of rugs made of jute. Jute is the natural, and ultimately biodegradable, plant fiber utilized in rug making since ancient times. They offered a few bright colors and a few neutrals, both palettes I think will appeal to our customers. Subtle woven patterns add texture to the fields of color.  A 6x9ft rug will retail for about $1200.00. And the smaller 2x3ft rugs will retail for about $132.00. These beauties should be in the store shortly as they are warehoused in Los Angeles.

ICFF: day two

Sorry folks. I'm really behind on posts. Stay tuned for more on my New York trip.

My hosts and good friends E.L. and D.C. prepared a most delicious breakfast this morning. Homemade scones and fruit, and a strong cup of coffee put me in a really good mood. This beats running to the Starbucks stand in the hotel lobby any day. We poked around Brooklyn later and enjoyed the little sunshine we've had here. I probably should have hustled to Javits, but I was having such a pleasant day with my BKLYN peeps.

My finds this day were a nice diversion from all the super-glamorous stuff everyone goes bananas for.  For example, these eco-friendly tables and stools are from Indianapolis-based inmodern/ecotots. Prices were reasonable considering the many steps they take to assure an eco-aware production process. The plywood layers are adhered with a human- and earth-friendly glue in a vapor free environment. The stains are alcohol based and wear well for durability. Not only are they working wonders with safer production, they’ve broken through the barrier of the manufacturing efficiency of such products. My order was ready to ship by the time I returned from a day of shopping. This will make special orders a breeze, as our customers appreciate quick deliveries of custom items. Adult and children’s furniture will be in the store in about a week.

Next, I discovered this line of ceramics in the Design-Boom section of the show. This area is usually filled with students or small upstart operations, both from the States and abroad, where smaller items are featured. You might see here accessories, jewelry, gadgets, and handcrafted items. Over the years, we’ve discovered several small-scale artisans and vendors. Like, Laura McKibbon and her company cul de sac design. Unlike many other ceramists, she prefers to work with earthenware. Her glazes are a soft palette that sells well for us. Her graphics are both botanical and typographical which also have broad appeal and in keeping with our store aesthetic. I hope to have an order in to her in time for a ceramics show I’m planning for the end of June. Prices will be reasonable considering the handmade attention the pieces receive.

  

ICFF: day one

Finally. I don't heart technology today.  Especially when it outwits me.

I'm in NYC for the International Contemporary Furniture Fair (ICFF). I've been coming for the last five years. But this my first visit since the start of my blogging life. And sure as the rain we've had here in the Big Apple, I was cursing my computer, my camera, my image editing software, and my own thickheadedness as I tried desperately to make my first post from the show. I was thwarted but survived.

So, I've vented. That's done. Now on with the show. It opened on Saturday to, from what I can tell, a good sized first day audience. Day One is usually a media frenzy. The interior design and product design glitterati walk the aisles as cameras flash. The first hour or so, I'm completely overwhelmed. For the uninformed, I get overwhelmed at Home Depot. But I do here what I do at any big name grocery store or home improvement center, I start at the far right side and walk every aisle in a calm and orderly fashion. By lunchtime I have my bearings.

The big trend this year still seems to be eco-friendly furniture, fixtures, and accessories. Also popular this year are screens, room dividers, and free-standing fireplaces. Rugs, wallpaper, and lighting are still hot, lo these many years. And though my photos might not illustrate it, it's obvious many manufactures and designers are still creating ultra-modern items with fat price tags. In turn, the trickle-down from this elite list provides inspiration to those in the trade and the upstart product designers, as well as an encouraging wink to resellers that perhaps the economy isn't irretrievably in the can.

If you've managed to stay entertained this long (for lack of any other stimulus), allow me to briefly hit the highlights of what I thought were good looking new furnishings suitable for the store and design clients.

These ceramic garden stools were perfectly scaled and glazed. Designed by Tucker Robbins of New York.  I stopped short of ordering them for the store (though I might look for something similar), as the retail price would have been over $900.00. Nevertheless, a stunning adaptation of an Asian garden stool, appropriately priced for higher-end clients.

The lights by London-based Tay Lighting are not entirely new. I saw some of them last year, but they still amaze me. Each are produced by hand with exsquite craftsmanship. These I would consider selling at the store; prices start at roughly $350.00 for the tube shape.

Large scale furniture is not something we can handle in our little store, but small pieces do exceptionally well. These petite painted metal stools/tables (I love convertible or multi-functional furniture) were a big find. They easily hit that scandinasian chord I often refer to. German firm Vitra, a major player in contemporary furniture production, working with every rockstar designer and architect in the last fifty years still has sass and class. The poor twenty-something girl in the booth did not have a price, but I'll be digging deeper for details. They are also available in a weird, prune color. I'm not sure if it was bad can of powder-coat paint on the samples or what, but that was a miss for me.

Also from Vitra, were these little dim-sums cum pouffes. A little savory and a little sweet, constructed with multi-media approach to home fashion. Homey without feeling too church bazaar. 

The MYTO chair is a small miracle in design collaboration. Chemical company BASF (Germany) first commissioned KGID to design an application for their Ultradur® High Speed material. A virtually indestructible material used in the auto industry. Konstantin Grcic heads his team along with Italian furniture company PLANK to build a plastic cantilevered, highly-engineered, indoor/outdoor, physics-defying chair. Not only is it strong, comfortable, and available in several colors, it's production is safer for the environment than traditional methods of manufacturing. The MYTO chair would retail for about $375.00.

Scandinasian pillows

So I have a thing for pillows. You've probably figured that out by now. I love intelligent color combinations and great graphics. Here are three designs by Paper Cloud that speak to both sensibilities. Paper Cloud is a talented husband and wife team in Cincinnati who remain married in spite of the demands of running a business together. Each partner, having grown up in Ohio, bring what could be called a Mid-western simplicity to their work. Their designs have that scandinasian element to them, which is why they fit so perfectly in the store. You might guess, if prompted, that these designs originated in Stockholm or Tokyo. But no, they hail from much closer to home.

Each design is hand silk-screen on 100% linen. The chocolate daisy design on maize is warm and inviting. The chocolate dandelion on natural linen is more conceptual and neutral. And the aqua onions on green are vivid and endearing. The 16x16 in pillows covers come with a hypo-allergenic polyfill insert; $78.00 each.

Sonoma weekend

You might be wondering why I haven't posted in the last couple days. I was in Sonoma county celebrating my birthday with friends. Being without cell service was actually a rare treat, but nothing like the Spa service at Osmosis which was completely mind-altering. I'm a sucker for pampering.

I could fill a page full of photos and info about the trip--where to go, where to eat, what to buy, etc.--but then I would have been WORKING. A couple simple things really inspired me. For one, all the "antique" stores that my friends and I popped into were very well merchandised. Items were arranged by color or use or material. I was impressed, and I thought I was a pretty good merchandiser. Remember, the product is another man's junk. These stores are bit pricey, but it sure is easy to find your favorite collectible.

Nature is always an inspiration. But show me a person who isn't inspired by the outdoors. Everyone can appreciate the smell of clean air, the crashing waves on shoreline, and trees as old as the Constitution. Right?

I loved this simple arrangement of antlers, basket, crate on a rolling cart. Every other month in Elle Decor is a similar arrangement; either is some Parisian flat or some Vermont vacation home. I almost bought the basket, but I'm trying to pare down.

This wisteria tree in a sun-drenched cemetery is bursting with tiny, intricate blossoms. I wanted to lay down in the shade beneath it and take a nap, breathing in it's delicate fragrance. I'm thinking of ways to bring more of the outdoors into my little apartment. But I might have to settle for bonsai.