Our Top 5 Resolutions for the New Year
Posted by Brad | Filed under news
Quite a few people set resolutions for the New Year. I'm one of them. Resolutions shouldn't just be for people--they can be a great motivator for companies as well. Businesses that want to keep their doors open should always set goals, but resolutions are a little different. Goals are often concrete: loose 10 pounds, save $5000 or increase profits 7%. Resolutions on the other hand can be measurable, but are often more open-ended steering you in a new direction that may not have a measurable result. You tend to see resolutions like: loose weight, be kind to strangers or exercise more.Towards the end of every year I set goals for the upcoming year. This year I made a separate list of resolutions and since most all of them directly involve our customers I thought I might as well share them.
- Offer a wider variety of home furnishings. We have great customers and I get a lot of letters from them letting me know how happy they are with their purchase. Unfortunately, once they have their dining chairs we really don't have a lot of other furniture to offer. I get people telling me that they would buy just about anything that we would make and I want to give them the opportunity.
- Communicate better. We do a pretty good job now especially pre-sale and during shipping. Where I see room for improvement is post-sale. We need to do a better job following up to ensure the customer is happy. I'd also extend this to sending out emails to customers (that opt-in) about new products that are in the pipeline. I also want to blog more. I've been lax about this lately, especially considering all the great stuff that our customers are doing.
- Ask customers what they want. Most businesses have products that they offer customers. I think this is the wrong way to go about this. We want to make what you want, so you don't have to make compromises in your decorating.
- Make our web site more customer-centered. I personally think that we have a great site, but nothing is perfect. I want to customers to have the information at hand when they need it. This is a hard thing to do because you can overload people with too much. The best way to deal with this is showing the customer information based on where they are in the buying process.
- Offer customers a voice through services such as Facebook, Twitter and Flickr. Our customers have great things to say and they often want to share their experiences or show what they have done. Social networking is the best way to do this and we are going to commit a lot of energy to it. It also opens us up to criticism, but it also keeps us honest and our feet to the fire.
I hope this gives you some kind of idea what we are looking to do in 2010. As I've already mentioned, our business revolves around you and we want to hear what you want. Feel free to leave a comment here or send me an email at brad@carringtoncourtdirect.com.
Have a great 2010!
Brad Haas
President Carrington Court Direct
Some Modern Additions
Posted by Brad | Filed under news, dining chairs
One thing we are working on is to offer more selection in our line. Although we have some contemporary designs, we've tended to lean toward more traditional styles. This is not to say that you could not get a modern feel from a traditional chair. Just by selecting the right fabric a chair could look either traditional or contemporary. For example, a dining chair with a toile on it would look very different than one with bold colors and geometric shapes.
Several customers have suggested styles they would like to see and these week introduced two new chairs with a nod to the modern. The first is the Modesto Dining Chair. It is really a departure from our past products. The flared, concave back sets this one apart from the rest of our line.
The other new chair (Fresno Dining Chair) has many of the great features of contemporary designs. It is very symmetrical with a short back and crisp lines. The linear layout is broken by a single large button on the in-back. I really love the look of this chair. I'm not sure what it is, but I'm reminded of a freshly pressed pair of pants with its nice, straight creases.
Of course, we will be introducing even more news styles in the future. As always we want to here from you with any suggestions.
Slipcovers - Change the Look of Your Dining Room Without Spending a Lot of Money
Posted by Brad | Filed under news, tips, slipcovers
The holidays are coming up and I know many of you would like to redecorate before having friends and family over. Of course this is easier said than done, especially during a recession. Even if you have the money you may be reluctant to part with it.
We think we have a solution that will allow you to dramatically alter the look of your dining and parsons chairs without costing you a fortune. What am I talking about? Slipcovers. We have added five new slipcover styles to our line and there are more to come.
At the very least, a slipcover allows you to change the look of a chair by permitting you to change the fabric without going to the expense of buying an entirely new chair. Slipcovers can also dramatically change the look of a chair. For example you might go from unskirted to skirted. You may want to have one color on your chairs for fall and winter and then take the slipcover off for spring and summer. A slipcover offers a lot of flexibility and since they are relatively affordable, you can get multiple sets to change the look as often as you like.
Slipcovers may not be for everyone. Although they are tailored to the chairs we offer, you won't get the crisp look of an upholstered chair. However, I have to admit they can really come in handy. My family uses slipcovers in our breakfast room. With two cats and two children they are more of a shield than anything else. If we get food or cat hair on them, we can just take them off for a cleaning. And when company comes, we take off the slipcovers and have pristine chairs to display for those special occasions.
Rise to the Occasion With Our New Bar Stool Collection
Posted by Brad | Filed under news, bar stools
A frequent request from customers has always been for bar stools. After all, people frequently want all upholstery in a room coordinated. We've come up with a variety of offerings which should please just about everyone.
In putting together this group we've tried to cover all the bases. We're offering both counter and bar height chairs. So, you get either a 24" or 30" seat height. In addition you can choose from over 200 fabrics or leathers. Finished legs or upholstered--the choice is yours.
Of course these bar stools still must meet the stringent requirements of everything we sell.
- Quality...Quality...Quality
- Affordability.
- Customization.
- Speedy Production & Delivery.
While many of the styles are similar, the details are what make each stool unique. Styles include camel, crescent and rolled backs. Some chairs have full seats, while others have borders. Nailhead trim is available and this option is gorgeous on the leather stool. Another refinement is the brass footrest which provides both protection and a touch of class.
We hope you like what you see. We're always open to suggestions and would love to hear your feedback. You can comment on this post or email us directly (info@carringtoncourtdirect.com) with your ideas and questions. As always, check back often. There is much more to come.
Designed By You - The Burlington Parsons Chair
Posted by Brad | Filed under news, parsons chairs
During a typical year, we get hundreds of customer requests to make tweaks or changes to our chair styles. Occasionally one of these modifications ends up being a new style. That's how the Burlington Parsons Chair came to be.
This chair is actually a variation of the Button Back Parsons Chair, which has been in our line for many years. Though the new chair may be inspired by one already in our line, there are some great new features. The back has a seam running its length. That seam is held together by a vertical line of five buttons. Compare this with the tabs and buttons on the Button Back Chair. Another unique feature is that the back, seat border and corner pleats are in a contrasting fabric. While you can order the chair in a single fabric; the contrast option gives you a lot of choice in putting together a chair that will go great with your decor.
The Burlington Parsons Chair is a great example of the flexibility you have. While it's not always possible to create a custom design, we'll always consider it. There also may be some extra expense since there is a lot of extra work in creating a custom design.
So, what is the best way to communicate your ideas with us? The easiest method is to fax or email a diagram of what you want. It doesn't have to be a professional rendering--just something to give us an idea what goes where.
We look forward to seeing your ideas. Keep a lookout for more new customer inspired designs in the future. I'll be posting them here frequently.
We're Not Just For Dining Rooms Anymore
Posted by Brad | Filed under news, wing chairs
Carrington Court has always offered other types of furniture besides parsons and dining chairs, but they were our sole focus on our website. Over the last few months we have greatly expanded our offerings and you can now order wing chairs, easy chairs and arm chairs. This is just the beginning and going forward we will be regularly introducing new designs.
I'm sure many of you are wondering what took us so long. The reason was simple: we could not provide the same service and value that we do for our dining and parsons chairs. Whenever we entertain the prospect of offering a new product it has to meet these requirements:
- Can we make it both high in quality and affordable?
- Will the cost of shipping be reasonable?
- Can it be delivered in a reasonable amount of time?
Quality and affordability are usually not an issue, but with oversize items shipping costs and delivery times have always been a problem. We don't want you to pay an arm and a leg to get your furniture or to wait months on end to have it delivered. Earlier this year we finally worked out a good shipping solution--one that meets our requirements.
In the last month or so we started offering wing chairs on the site and today we started an entirely new category called "Living Room Chairs." I know...I know. It's not a very originally name, but it encompasses a variety of furniture styles that are usually (but not exclusively) found in the living room.
So without further ado here are our to latest additions:
These are both great designs, but I've got to say that the Chandler Chair is just absolutely gorgeous. This is just the beginning and there is more to come, but if there is a particular style that you would like us to offer; we want to hear from you.
Even More Choice -- 3 New Fabric Collections
Posted by Brad | Filed under news, fabric
Our fabric buyers not only try to keep up with the latest trends, but also have the unenviable job of ensuring we offer a little something for everyone. It's not an easy task to determine what other people are going to like, especially since tastes are relative. Occasionally, I'll hear something like "This is not something that I'd pick out for myself, but we've had several customers requesting something like this."
Luckily, I can honestly say that I like all the new fabric collections we're adding to our line. First up we have Cheryl. The design is pretty unique, but the colors are classic. We've had great success with toiles in similar colors and hope that these two continue the tradition.
Our next fabric is called Polly Spice. This look goes way back and is what many would describe as "Country French." It's a simple design in a light mustard color with red roosters.
Finally, we have the three fabrics in the Celia family. I'm really a fan of these because they are a traditional floral print with a twist: they have a slightly washed look (especially the Primrose and Wedgewood). When I say washed, I do not mean worn out. The background colors on the fabric are muted just enough to make the floral designs really pop.
Introducing the Regency Dining Chair
Posted by Brad | Filed under news, dining chairs
As I mentioned before, we're going to be releasing new products at a rapid pace throughout 2009. Our latest addition is a design that makes me extremely proud. Our philosophy at Carrington Court is one of offering quality at an affordable price. Quality is more than just the materials that make up a chair--it is also the craftsmanship of the men and women that build each one.
Over the last couple of years we have sort of become specialists in nail-head trim. Using brass tacks in the construction of a chair is not only time consuming, but it is also a skill that takes a professional to get it just right. Luckily, we have just the right people to do this job. Hammering in several hundred nails in a straight line is one thing--tacking on the teardrop pattern in the Regency Dining Chair is an entirely different ball game. It takes time, patience and experience.
I think the end result speaks for itself. It really does reflect our philosophy and I believe that there is a lot of value in a chair with this combination of price and craftsmanship. The Regency Dining Chair is one of my favorite styles and I think it will draw a lot of praise in your dining room.
Modern Minimalism - The Albany Dining Chair
Posted by Brad | Filed under news, dining chairs
Many of the dining and parsons chairs we sell can be either contemporary or traditional depending on the fabric you select. However, I think with the exception of the Curved Back Dining Chair, most of our styles are viewed in a more traditional light.
One of our overriding goals is to give you choice so that you get furniture that is exactly what you want. We don't want you to have to settle. With that in mind we've added the Albany Dining Chair to our line. It features an entirely new curved, tapered leg and a full seat. This combination creates a very clean, minimalist design which is perfect for those looking for a modern dining room chair.
Throughout the remainder of the year we plan to offer many more new designs. In the first six months in 2009 we've added more new styles and categories than we did in the entire previous year. We'll be posting everything new on this blog and if there is something in particular you want us to make, we want to hear from you.
The Nantucket Parsons Chair
Posted by Brad | Filed under news, parsons chairs
As I mentioned previously in my post Perfect Blues for a Beach House, we had a customer that sent in some fabric for chairs to place in a beach house. We liked the colors so much that we decided to find something similar to offer our customers. It was a shame that we didn't get some pictures before her chairs shipped out, because not only did she have great taste in fabric, but also put together a chair design that was stunning.
After we added the fabrics to our line, we decide to go all the way and add a new chair to match. The Nantucket Parsons Chair is a combination of several styles that we've offered for a while. It has a scrolled back and a banded, kick-pleat skirt. You have the choice of using a contrasting fabric for the border which runs around the seat and the back. While this chair was envisioned for a beach home--you can select from hundreds of fabrics that will allow you to add it to almost any environment.