Monthly Archives: December 2009

Liar Liar Pants On Fire!

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Posted by Denise Smith on December 10, 2009 – 1:13 pm
Filed under Uncategorized

I am having some issues with my scanner, so as I wait for my printer software to reload—grrrr—I wanted to write a quick post about a discovery I made yesterday.  For some reason, my neighborhood is the constant target of solicitors who leave paper ads on the door.  I believe this is the work of a service, because I have seen one person placing multiple ads.  Now it isn’t the copious amounts of litter that I am protesting today.  It’s that one of the ubiquitous cleaning service postcards featured a picture that I just noticed on my competitor’s website.

 It only took a few minutes of digging to find out:  Yep. It’s a stock photo.  ON A DECORATOR’S WEBSITE. 

Now before you get all, “We have come to expect faked -up photos in the advertising world.  Since when does a Big Mac look like it does on the side of the tractor trailer?”  Let me say:  This is unconscionable.  This is flat out lying.  This makes me sick to my stomach that someone would be out there, right here in the Metro Region, passing work off that is clearly not hers. 

And for the record: Every Image On My Business Website (DecorateYourSpace.net) Is MINE.  EVERY.SINGLE.ONE.

 

 …and none of them are of my own home.  They are all from clients who paid me for my services.  But that’s a rant for another day…

Paid to Party?

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Posted by Denise Smith on December 3, 2009 – 8:00 pm
Filed under Arlington Rooftop, Current Projects

The Brown Bunny cocktail at Cure bar in New Orleans. The $9.00 drink combines Punt e Mes, an Italian aperitivo, with applejack, dry vermouth, lemon and Peychaud's bitters

My appointment for this evening was rescheduled.  The owner of the restaurant I am designing, the soon-to-be manager, and I were supposed to meet in Dupont Circle to bar hop.  Yea, you read that right.  I’m getting paid to order fancy drinks in cool, DC night clubs. 

Okay, if I haven’t yet clicked away from my obnoxious bragging, I have to confess that it really isn’t THAT glamorous.  My task isn’t to have fun. I’m along to catalogue the reactions of the others with me.  And here comes the work:  I have to take those reactions and apply them to our establishment.

Likes 
  • Technology– Anything that gets plugged in, flashes, buzzes and pops.
  • Textures 
  • Stripes and geometric shapes
  • Metal
  • Brown, gold and black
  • Focused lighting
  • Leather
  • Varying wood tones
    •  Dislikes
  •  High contrasts
  • Heavy fabrics
  • Curves and curlycues
  • Useless tchotchkes
  • Ambient light
  • Brass
  • Team pennants

    • Bottom line:  It is apparent without any more gallivanting that a clean, masculine aesthetic will prevail. But we still need to check the competition.

    Don’t blame me if I tap my toes and sip a trendy cocktail.  It’s RESEARCH.