Behind the SEAMS of our June 11 Event

I often wonder why our brainwaves don’t come to us sooner. It’s January and we were talking about the 40 year celebration event. The topic is the showroom, do we update it or not? Well, not every client and vendor has seen it anyways so it will be new to the people who come to our event.

However, after attending the Exciting Windows! Conference, being around all the brilliant minds, and learning of all the new products and line-ups on the horizon, we came back and said, “We definitely have to update the showroom!” Our vision for Sensational SEAMS is heading into the next decade and generation, bringing a unique experience to Newcastle. But it’s April 27 and our 40 years in business event is June 11, a mere 6-1/2 weeks away, and we want to change everything??? Ceiling to Floor? All Displays, All Upholstery, All Drapery? Are we crazy? Can we pull it off?

The renovations of 2015 of our first ever Newcastle Drapery Workroom & Showroom is starting to show its age – you do know that was 11 years ago, right?!?! We have been so busy transforming all our client’s homes, it’s like the shoemaker with no shoes, although we had (shoes) drapery, just not drapery and a showroom that was heading into the direction we want to take it.

The “Workroom” where a lot of the drapery has been made over the years, needs to be moved upstairs, and more space is needed in a short period of time, so Jamie is eager to take down trees and make way for a 40’ container to hold our shipments and supplies.

Hundreds of fabric and trim sample books come out to find the perfect combinations that will attract the attention and inspire the vision to our clients. Before long, the fabric samples and paint chips take on the “Sensational SEAMS” purple colour trade mark, styles of the future evolve, trims, banding, beads and tassels, all making their way back into the world of drapery and the well thought out combinations for the new showroom. Large florals, matching wallpapers, acrylic hardware, cafe curtains, cushions and gem accents all get a chance to play their part in the new showings. Lighting needs to be moved and fabric sample storage need to be built.

Tamara and Jamie are busy in the wood working shop, figuring out how to make the vision come together, making a day bed out of a unique headboard, and constructing new sideboards. Our upholstery team is busy taking the old and making it new again, replacing uncomfortable seating with something that is both elegantly beautiful and cozy to sit on.

I want to thank our team of professionals and everyone behind the “SEAMS” to get our showroom updated for the event. It was a consistent whirlwind for several weeks. Our contractors are called in to build an arched wall. Our painters are skilled at fixing all the drapery holes from the previous workroom so it’s a smooth and seamless finish, all patched up and ready for the final colours. The old carpet from 2002 comes out and new flooring gives a fresh and maintenance free look. Carefully designed cabinetry is built for the many HunterDouglas sample books and a banquette cushion for plenty of seating and storage. Sleek countertops are fit perfectly into the arch. We are so pleased with all the contractors who worked under the timeline promised to make it all happen and come together for our big day.

Our vendors are shipping the goods to us immediately. Wilma is busy sewing, Jamie is fabricating custom hardware, our sewing team is stitching away, the trims are dangling perfectly and the hardware is showing off it’s brilliance of acrylic, gold and silver.

All this going on, and we are still making time for the important things of life…people and relationships! I get a surprise birthday visit from my sister Helen. Jamie, Tamara and I enjoy the hard-earned HunterDouglas Trip to the sunny south. It’s track and field day as well as a field trip with the grandkids, and time to help my sister and niece prepare for their spring planter sale up north.

It’s crunch time and the gardens are brought back to tip-top shape, we get surprised with beautiful bouquets and flowers from our clients and business partners. The mural gets installed and everyone is working diligently for us, step by step and layer by layer, right up until Tuesday night. Jamie and Helen help me install all the drapery and blinds on Wednesday, seeing everything come to fruition as planned. Tamara puts the finishing touches on the peacock cornice boxes into the wee hours of Thursday morning, along with the bed just before the event on Thursday. I am so proud of all the creativity, hard work and late hours that Jamie and Tamara have put in, along with the help of my sister Helen. I am thankful for the consistency of our Marketing & Website Teams to put the word out and get our messaging and reflections known. It really does take a team to pull this all off, lots of prayers and God’s help through it all.

It’s time to make way for the vision of the new Sensational SEAMS Showroom, a place where clients can come and experience the beauty of a country property atmosphere, colourful gardens, serene setting, all wrapped in a family business with a legacy of 40 years of service to our clients. We are dedicated to the fine details and unique creations that reflect the personal taste of our clients. Come and experience both professionalism and our testament to “We Make Decor FUN!”

Thanks for celebrating our 40 Year Business Anniversary – take a moment to watch the video here:

Next time, we will recognize the people who have helped us get to where we are at, the dedication of continued education and training, and the inspiration that competitions bring to our work and creativity.

 

 

 

 

 

Elevating Your Windows with a Sensational Touch

Wilma…Your Decorator for Life Sensational SEAMS