Another piece in place…
It was a little over a year ago that I sat at my computer banging out the finishing touches on the Square One Interiors business plan. There were, as you can imagine, multiple brainstorming sessions, coffee stained drafts and chicken scratched revisions in my efforts to put into words a roadmap of where I wanted this journey to take me. In all that planning mayhem, there were a few recurring ideas that made the leap from first draft to final hard copy.
One of the ideas that grabbed hold in my mind from the moment I put it on paper, was to get involved with and promote the work of Kansas City’s local artists. If you weren’t aware, Kansas City is ranked nationally as one of the top cities for creative individuals. What better way to promote these artists and their amazing work than to showcase pieces regularly? Ok, small confession, there may have been a teeny, tiny ulterior motive as well. I mean seriously, who wouldn’t want to look at beautiful art each and every day right? So, it is with much excitement (giddiness really) that Square One Interiors will officially throw open our doors with gorgeous original art from a very talented Kansas City native. Brady Legler has graciously agreed to become our first major installation in what will become a regularly rotating exhibit. Read on for a bio of Brady’s work:
Brady Legler, New York, NY
Brady’s color palate is often as bright and vibrant as any Impressionist painting. Splashes of electric turquoise vibrate against fiery reds. Slashes and spirals infuse the abstract paintings with a sense of movement. The overall effect is emotional and optimistic. People meeting Brady for the first time might think he is reserved, but the paintings tell a different story. “I like to work on big canvases because I like to see walls covered in color.”
His use of acrylic paint and non-traditional application methods give his work a sense of depth and texture. Layers appear on the canvas as paint is slathered on then scraped away. “I see my paintings the same way I see people in layers. Sometimes the layers have to be peeled away to see the true meaning.”
The artist, Brady Legler, is a student at the Parsons School of Design in New York and a native of Kansas City. His life, much like his art, is multi-faceted. He began his creative process designing jewelry. The jewelry is sold at high-end retailers throughout the United States and select boutiques.
This may be a little cliché, but to me, having Brady’s bright and bold canvases in our space seems to be icing on the Square One Interiors cake. Many thanks to Bob and Brady Legler, for helping us achieve one of our major goals!
Be sure to swing by the Square One Interiors showroom to see Brady’s work live and in person. Join us for the Grand Opening on July 8, 4pm-8pm. We will also be holding an exclusive Brady Legler event later this summer so bookmark our Events page and stay tuned for updates!
Peace + Love + Furniture
Courtnay
Stock Tip: This week, Dr. Scholl’s is a sure thing…
Ah, it’s nearly time again. A mere 36 hours until manufacturers, industry professionals, client end-users and eager students decend upon the Merchandise Mart’s four million (yeah, million) square feet of interiors heaven. For me it’s a love/hate realationship. I love to see all my friends, industry people and new products. I hate however, the fact at the end of the day my feet feel like they have been run over by a Mack truck then chewed on by wild animals.
If you are not familar, Chicago and The Merchandise Mart play host to my industry’s largest event of the year: NEOCON World’s Trade Fair. NEOCON has taken the term “one stop shopping” to the extreme. There are literally thousands of products and resources for commercial interiors enthusiasts. Whether your interest is corporate, retail, healthcare, education or government; you’re sure to find what you’re looking for.
Take a sneak peek at what’s in store for this year’s show:
Exhibitors: Get your walkin’ shoes ready. Taking in 700 showrooms and booths over 18 floors and 4 million square feet, you’re guaranteed to have some sore feet. Like I said…Dr. Scholls would be a wise investment this week!
Education: Discover new ideas and techniques from top industry professionals with over 150 CEU- accredited seminars, tours and educational programs. Can you say brain overload? Hope they give handouts!
Networking: Catch up with old friends and make new ones! Explore the excitement of the industry with over 40,000 design professionals and hundreds of exciting networking events and parties.
I don’t know about you, but I’d say that is A LOT to pack into three days! If you are Chicago bound this week, I’ll see you there. You’ll easily recognize me, I’ll be the one with ice packs strapped to my feet. If you can’t make the show this year, don’t fret. We’ll be doing our own “miniCON” in July!
Peace + Love + Furniture
Courtnay
Home Sweet Home…
I know, I know…it’s been nearly three months since my last post! I’m a little frightened at how the time flies by but rest assured, now that summer is upon us and the total craziness of construction and moving is over I’m going to get back to posting regularly.
I must say that taking up work residence in Kansas City’s River Market has been one of the best decisions I’ve made. Seriously, I was lucky enough to stumble smack into my dream space! It really goes to show it is who and not what you know. A HUGE thank you to Kelly Jander, Shaul Jolles, Courtney Beaumont and Alan Waterman for helping me find and get into such an amazing space in one of the coolest communities in Kansas City. If you haven’t been down to the River Market in a while, I urge you to get down here pronto! The City Market is always bustling with activity, the local restaurants are pretty darn tasty and there’s even great shops to get your buy on.
But that’s not even the best part. My favorite thing about the River Market is the true sense of community. Delware Street is filled with a fun mix of both residential and commercial tenants and I really don’t think there is a more dog friendly neighborhood in this city! Not a day goes by that I walk down the street and don’t get a hi or a friendly wave from a neighbor. From the first day Square One Interiors moved down here, everyone has truly welcomed us with open arms. So thank you River Market community for making each work day seem more like a vacation day!
I’m still venturing out to the various restaurants and shops but here are some my favorite places so far. Go check them out next time you’re down here!
Cascone’s
If that isn’t enough to get you down here maybe a party will motivate! Come join us for the GRAND OPENING of the Square One Interiors new showroom. We’re celebrating with food, cocktails, live music and great door prizes, so save the date and come celebrate! Thursday July 8, 2010 4pm-8pm. Please RSVP to hilary@squareoneinteriorsllc.com
Hope to see you there!
Peace + Love + Furniture
Courtnay
Love at first art…
If you are a regular to my blog, you remember me writing about Hello Art last year. If you are new to the site, scroll on down to the post titled Hello Art and check it out!
Well folks, I can officially call my self an art collector now. I made my very first original art purchase last week! A huge thank you to Hello Art, the Arts Incubator and artist Heinrich Toh for such an awesome event! Members of Hello Art had the pleasure of attending a private showing of Heinrich’s work and a sneak peak at the print process he uses to create his beautiful collection.
It was a treat to see Heinrich’s creation process, but even better than watching him work was hearing his story and learning the meaning behind the art. The story is where the work comes to life. At first glance, I had formed one opinion but after hearing Heinrich’s thoughts, feelings and where he was coming from personally when he created each piece, I began to form an entirely different opinion.
I must say, I was excited back in the fall to be joining such an amazing group of people committed to strengthening and expanding Kansas City’s art scene. Now, after taking full advantage of what Hello Art has to offer, I am blown away by the talent, the programs and all the fabulous people I’ve met!
Take some time to check out Hello Art and Heinrich Toh. If you are a collector, an artist or just an art lover like me, you will enjoy everything this group has to offer! I will proudly be displaying my new Heinrich Toh pieces at the Square One Interiors showroom when we open in May.
Peace + Love + Furniture
Courtnay
Taking a walk on the client side…
Wow, I can’t believe it has been nearly a month since my last post. Apologies! Things have been crazy hectic but that is no excuse! The past few weeks have been quite a roller coaster ride. As many of you know, I’m smack in the middle of opening a new showroom in the River Market. Construction work is beginning to feel like my second (or third) job. Good thing I’m married to a contractor huh?
This little endeavor has given me a unique perspective on what my clients and prospects go through on a daily basis. Take the average person’s zillion to-dos, emails and other “day” job responsibilites add the stress of project managing construction timelines, budgets, finish and furniture selection, move coordinating etc…you get the idea. Makes plate spinning look like a piece of cake! There is a huge difference between helping with a handful of aspects in a new space and having your hand in the project from start to finish.
To help contain some of the chaos, I’ve created a project management kit that has become my roadmap to sanity. It’s helped me stay on top of what seems like a million details without going completely batty. I’m still working on the final polish, but if anyone is interested in a sample kit contact me at courtnay@squareoneinteriorsllc.com
At the end of the day my hope is this experience will help me be a better partner to my clients. Now I can say I’ve been there done that…and have pictures to prove it!
Peace + Love + Furniture
Courtnay
Glass Cullet? Huh????
Glass cullet is the term for glass that has been recycled, cleaned, crushed and ready to be processed into new product. Thanks to one of the coolest community programs I’ve seen lately, Ripple Glass is making it easy for Kansas City residents to recycle their nearly 150 million pounds of used glass each year.
Bravo to Boulevard Brewing Co. for going to such lengths to reverse the effects of their 10 million bottles disposed of annually. That’s a lot of beer people!
Ripple Glass is the culmination of Boulevard and other local companies and community organizations partnering to create a state of the art glass processing plant and 60 dedicated recycling containers placed throughout the city. Coolest part of this? A local company is now converting all that recycled glass into fiberglass insulation. This will save tons of energy resulting in lower emissions while producing a product that helps save even more energy!
Interesting statistic: Throughout the United States, nearly 30% of all glass containers are recycled.
Scary statistic: Last year Greater Kansas City ranked last among major metropolitan areas with a recycling rate of 5%.
So here’s our chance KC. Ripple Glass has made it SUPER easy to recycle all our food and beverage glass.
Step 1: Go to any local Price Chopper and purchase a cool home/office personal collection bin. It’s only $4.99 – affordable is good!!
Step 2: Toss all your glass food and beverage containers into the bin. No need to separate by color, remove labels or rinse the glass. (I know you’re excited but don’t do crazy – no windows, cookware, dishes or as RG says, no ham sandwiches.)
Step 3: Go to www.rippleglasskc.com, locate the nearest collection container, swing by and dump your glass!
Step 4: REPEAT
See, super easy! Let’s get Kansas City ranked at the top of national list. I’m headed to Price Chopper right now to pick up two bins – one for the office and one for home! I challenge all of you to do the same.
Peace + Love + Furniture (and glass recycling)
Courtnay
Back into the swing…
Brrr. It’s been a chilly and slower start to the new year than I anticipated. Starting week one of 2010 with a nasty head cold is not what I had planned but I’m finally starting to feel a bit better and ready to kick our new decade into gear!
2009 was a pretty exciting year – you know a company launch and all! :) But I will say, 2010 looks to be pretty exciting itself. We have lots of big plans and we’re getting really close to crossing off a couple of big goals set before we started in July.
Thanks to 2020/Creative we have a fabulous fresh new website: www.squareoneinteriorsllc.com (A special thank you to Pete & Jeff – you guys ROCK!) So after you’re finished reading this post, feel free to have a look around! We are still in the process of adding content and lots of great tips and tools so please check back often for cool new stuff. While your at it, take some time to join us on our social media sites. Become a fan on Facebook, follow us on Twitter and connect with me on LinkedIn. I promise it will be worth it! Each connection is a chance to win super cool products and prizes throughout the year. First drawing is February 15th for a Diffrient World Chair from Humanscale.
The new year finds us with a new home! We’ll soon be moving into the historic River Market onto what is the most charming street in our city. (Ok, so I may be a little biased) We’ve got some work to do in the space, but we’re targeting March as our open date. I’ll be posting construction progress and sneak peeks via Facebook – so see another reason to become a fan!
We’ve also got a couple of really cool community projects in the works. These are taking place later this year so they are still in the planning stages but we’ll update everyone via Litterbook (my pet name for LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook) and the website soon.
So see, an exciting year lay ahead. Bring it on 2010!
Peace + Love + Furniture
Courtnay
Paperless, shmaperless.
For those of you who know me well, you can picture my desk. For those of you who don’t, I’m a piler people. My paper situation is a heap of organized chaos with a dash of crazy. I live in a very paper heavy world. Drawings, brochures, faxes, proposals, invoices, revisions and it goes on and on and on. It’s not an ideal situation, or a very green one for that matter.
I’ve always been intrigued by the notion of companies going paperless, albeit a little skeptical. Don’t get me wrong, I think it’s a fantastic idea. I’m just trying to grasp concept versus reality – at least in my world. But do you know the average office employee uses approximately 10000 sheets of paper per year? I saw a figure that equaled out to around $3600 per person per year for the life cycle costs. That’s a lot of money!
Even if a company can’t go “paperless” there are still many ways to decrease actual paper consumption. Get some good ideas from Waukesha County Wisconsin – they have had great success during their paper reduction initiative. See some of their tips and tools:
So, in the spirit of a new year – resolutions and all. I’m testing a couple ways I can implement more digital files and less paper usage. I think it’s mostly going to be a discipline thing on my part, habits are hard to break you know!
Peace + Love + Furniture (and paper)
Courtnay
It's not business, it's personal.
In the past week I’ve met with approximately 30 people – a mix of both vendors and clients. When meeting or greeting these 30 or so people, I gave or received a hug from 11 of them. Now, I know that’s a strange thing to keep track of and I usually wouldn’t tally up a hug list (cause that’s weird), but clearly this hugging phenomenon triggered a response because here I am blogging about it.
I’ve been pondering this all weekend in anticipation of today’s post but find what I’m trying to say hard to put into words. Maybe all the warm and fuzzy feelings have gone to my head and I’m reading too much into it, but those hugs represent the way I want to do business. I’m not saying we all need to replace handshakes with hugs so don’t start running the other way! :) I am saying my company and the way I do business are defined by the relationships built. In my opinion, the people I genuinely like to greet with a hug are certainly people I want to continue doing business with both as client and provider. These people are or are becoming good friends. I mean how much fun is it to work with all your friends every single day?
Am I being too much of a romantic? I don’t think so. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve heard the old saying that people do business with people they know, like and trust. Isn’t a hug a good indication of all that? I know I wouldn’t spend my time and money with people I don’t enjoy working with.
So really business isn’t always just business. It’s people and it’s very personal.
Peace + Love + Furniture
Courtnay
Hello Art…
When I was a teenager, all I wanted to do was move to a big city like Chicago or New York. I dreamed of becoming a famous fashion designer and thought Kansas City was way too boring for what I had planned. I’m 34 now, and while I still harbor a nagging desire to be a fashion designer, I have accepted the reality that I will only ever design for myself. I’m ok with that. I now channel my creative energy to my grown up dream Square One Interiors and helping local artists achieve their dreams.
Something I’ve learned since I was a bored bratty teenager is what an amazing city we live in. Not only do we have great jazz, barbeque, a hoppin’ new entertainment district and a world-renowned performing arts center rising out of the ground, but Kansas City is nationally ranked as one of the top cities for artists!
Nestled right in the middle of the Crossroads Art District is a new organization I am excited to be a founding member of. Hello Art was created and sponsored by the Arts Incubator as a way to enhance and expand the Kansas City Arts scene. (That’s right, we have an art scene.)
Hello Art provides a connection network for artists, galleries, collectors and even the curious beginner enthusiast (me). Through year-round local events such as First Friday’s, Hello Exhibitions and special viewings, Hello Art introduces new and experienced art collectors and emerging and established artists to one another. It’s my goal to help promote as many new artists as I can so don’t be surprised to see featured work in this blog and art on display in our future showroom.
Learn more about Hello Art at www.helloart.org and while your there become a member supporting the creative side of our great city and be part of building Kansas City as a world-class arts center!
Peace + Love + Furniture
Courtnay
