"The customer is always right." 

I can't remember the last time I heard this phrase used with any sort of weight behind it.  In this day of globalization, multinationals and the Occupy Movement, I think it's difficult to say that we actually even believe the statement anymore.

Being an entrepreneur who must be constantly in touch with my customers, I would suggest that from a small business person's perspective, the customer may not always be right, but they should always feel as though they're right and at least should be satisfied.  A tall order, indeed.

Common knowledge tells us that with the quick dispersement of information across the internet, on Twitter or Facebook pages, it is increasingly difficult for anyone providing a service to control the perceptions of their abilities and quality.  In a few keystrokes, a company's name, reputation and cumulative years of experience can be quickly, unilaterally and annonomously sullied.  Is the concept of fairness, once a belief secured with a handshake, now a long-lost business principle of a bygone era?

This blog:  http://custservicestories.blogspot.com/  has started me thinking.  Some great insights into the importance of understanding the customer service experience.  I'm going to have to ponder this matter for a while.  Even if you're not in customer service, we're all service providers to someone, our shareholders, our bosses, our families.  Certainly we are all customers to some degree.  The question for me is, are we losing hold of the concept of 'do unto others?' 

Cheers!

Janice  

Yumma.  As you can tell, I am no vegetarian!  Check this out.
Steak with Mushroom Sauce
Ingredients

4 (about 4 ounces each) well-trimmed beef tenderloin steaks (filet mignon), 3/4 inch thick
1/2 teaspoon(s) salt
1/4 teaspoon(s) ground black pepper
1 teaspoon(s) olive oil
1 (1/4 cup) large shallot, minced
1 package(s) (10 ounces) sliced white mushrooms
1 package(s) (4 ounces) assorted sliced wild mushrooms
1/4 cup(s) port wine

Directions
1.Sprinkle steaks on both sides with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Heat nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until very hot. Add steaks and cook 8 to 10 minutes for medium-rare or until desired doneness, turning steaks over once. Transfer steaks to platter; keep warm.

2.To drippings in skillet, add oil and shallot, and cook 1 minute, stirring often. Add mushrooms and remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper, and cook until liquid evaporates and mushroom mixture is golden, 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Add port and 1/4 cup water; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly. Spoon mushroom sauce over steaks.

http://ca.delish.com/recipefinder/steak-mushroom-sauce-2665

One Decorator’s Nightmare.

It’s a Saturday morning ritual in our home to pour over the newspaper flyers that land on our doorstep.  Somehow each time I think I will miraculously find that one great home décor deal which will make the weekend tradition worthwhile, or at least worth the messy black smudges on my fingertips. 

For me, browsing the flyer pages gets the home improvement juices flowing.  The notion that absolutely everything that is ‘wrong’ in our house must be fixed immediately or better yet yesterday, is overwhelming.

I’m certain my husband spends many Saturday afternoons avoiding direct eye contact with me as I purposefully roam from room to room surveying the state of affairs that is our home.  Suddenly the draperies in the dining room look tired, the kitchen could use repainting, and if we’re going to repaint, what about replacing some furniture?

The thought process I go through amazes me still today.  Having been an Interior Decorator for some 16 years now, I still catch myself falling back into pre-decorator thinking.  The notion that “I’ll buy something inexpensive to fix the problem for now” still lingers even though I know better.  Perhaps we can blame television shows (on which I am guilty of appearing) and shelter magazines which make it look easy, attainable and instantaneous, with images of all the beautiful things in other people’s homes.  If only the looks were only cheaper… okay, free.  Free would be good.    

I whip myself into a home-decorating frenzy that is only placated on Monday morning when I’m thrust into the world to take on the renovating challenges in my client’s homes.  Truthfully, I’m not trying to keep up with the Joneses.  I’m just trying to keep up with me!

So, what’s a person to do with too many home renovation ‘wants’ and not the budget with which to tackle it all?   

Many homeowners struggle with the concept of “having it all, NOW.”  Not biting off more than we can chew seems to be lost on today’s consumer (I’m guilty as charged).  To conquer this, I approach my work - and encourage my clients to follow my lead - with a plan first and completing the room as a secondary priority.  Too often people try to spread their budgets (large or small) over as much space as they think possible.  With a finite number of dollars to spend, they try to redecorate the entire house. 

I am an ardent proponent of tailoring your timelines to meet your budget requirements.  When planning how to spend your decorating dollars, you must ask yourself, “Does my budget realistically allow me to purchase all the items for my home at once?”  A browse around a quality furniture store will quickly give you the answer.

My motto is “Do it once and do it right.”  I regularly suggest that clients take money allocated to designing two rooms and consider spending it only on one.  This will allow you to purchase the best quality items that you can afford while beginning to make long term investments for your home.  This approach coupled with purchasing classic styles will ensure that your money is not wasted on items which need to be disposed of five years down the road because they are already in poor condition…with a home that’s finished for now… not finished for years to come.

Moreover, consumers are probably just as concerned as I am about unwittingly adding to the problem of our community landfills.  Until relatively recently, little consideration has been given to the disposability of modern consumer goods.  When I think about the number of mere cell phones I have thrown out over the years, I shudder to think about how the waste management problem is compounded by the frequent disposal of much larger furniture items bought because people wanted ‘the-look-for-less’.

Purchasing quality Canadian goods and home furnishings is not a thing of the past.  Doing so will help boost our economy while improving the condition of the world we’re leaving our children.  Your home is likely the biggest investment you’ll ever make.  Shouldn’t the things you fill it with reflect its value?

Janice xo

Restoring and Repurposing

As a professional interior decorator, I am constantly on the hunt for new and fabulous finds for my clients. I regularly help them replace unwanted items in their homes with the latest-and-greatest decor trends available in what seems to be an ever expanding home fashions industry.
Typically on a renovation site I am presented with the question of what to do with the materials removed during the demolition process. In the course of doing business, our company has made many trips to the local dump to dispose of unwanted materials. Recently, some on our crew carefully removed and chose to reuse some cabinets from a site which were destined for the dump but where in perfect condition. Though this may sound elementary to some, I was thrilled to see the materials were not going to waste and were in fact being put to good use elsewhere, and I was even happier to know that there were people who saw the intrinsic value in these items. It made me begin to question my own role in the cycle of wastefulness, one that went far beyond the extent of my personal recycling and composting habits at home.
Since that experience, I have begun to ask myself some tough questions: Does my role as a decorator unnecessarily overshadow my role as a member of the larger society who should be making more of an effort to protect the environment and avoid needlessly adding to landfills? Do I as a professional have a greater opportunity and responsibility to be lending a helping hand to those in our community who are in need and simply want to build a home of which they can be proud?
So, I turn the tables on myself to see what I am made of, and I look to the wonderful charitable organization Habitat for Humanity to help me consider what impact I can make by learning to creatively “re-purpose” old building materials and household items; to help with looking away from the home decor trends laid out like an all-you-can-eat-buffet by the industry around me and towards setting my own trends which will ensure that I avoid unnecessarily contributing to the growing wastefulness problem. I cannot vow to be perfect in this endeavour, but I do vow to do my best.
If like many, you’ve already heard of Habitat for Humanity, here’s what you may already know:
· Habitat consists of over 35,000 volunteers and 72 affiliate organizations from coast to coast.
· Habitat Canada is a member of Habitat for Humanity International which is now building a new home for a needy family every 21 minutes.
· Habitat for Humanity Canada is a national, non-profit organization working for a world where everyone has a safe and decent place to live.
· Habitat’s mission is to mobilize volunteers and community partners in building affordable housing and promoting homeownership as a means to breaking the cycle of poverty.
If like me, this is where your knowledge about this organization ended, here’s what you’ve been missing:
· Habitat for Humanity has building supply stores open to the public which accept and resell quality new and used building materials.
· In addition to building materials, some of the Habitat ReStores carry items like furniture, appliances, fabric, lighting, window coverings and other household items.
· The sales made at Habitat for Humanity Re Stores generate funds to support Habitat’s building programs – the dollars you spend in the store help ensure that new homes will be built for those in need in your local communities.
· When you purchase something from a Habitat for Humanity ReStore, you reduce the amount of used materials that are headed for overflowing landfills
I have challenged myself in my own life and where possible in my professional life, to make a habit of regularly visiting the Habitat ReStore to search out useful building materials that when purchased, will be reused and not dumped into an already crowded landfill while simultaneously ensuring my money goes to a worthwhile organization, and equally importantly – will save me money!
I hope you will accept my challenge to drop by your local ReStore and to discover this untapped resource in your local community, and I encourage you to visit www.habitat.ca and click on ReStore to find a store near you!

Budget Art!

Adding artwork to your space needn't require a second mortgage!

I created this eye catching collage by purchasing simple clear glass black frames to display old family photos. A decorative clay tile with a favorite quote, hung in the centre of the collage helps to define the theme of the collection while adding a distinct textural feature to the display.

The beauty of using these types of frames is that the clear glass automatically incorporates the wall colour in your room, eliminating what can often be a difficult and confusing decision about choosing matte colours.

Keep the look simple by using one colour or style of photo; try incorporating black and white or sepia prints of current family photos for a warm, antiqued look.

Happy framing!

Janice

BEFORE

It's safe to say that 9 times out of 10 when I meet a potential client who has a kitchen they're unhappy with, the conversation turns to their dreams of having an island.
For many homeowners, islands are indicative of a kitchen which is large and spacious, and I dare say many are drawn to them because of what the island means to the attractiveness quotient of their home.
Beyond the obvious aesthetic beauty of having an island, the benefits are numerous. Islands often allow for a user friendly "work triangle" which means that the stove, refrigerator and sink are in close proximity/across from each other in the space, allowing for an efficient work flow for cooks and those working in the kitchen area. An island can also provide for a more effective flow of traffic in a small kitchen, allowing cooks access to the island and work surface from all sides.

Islands can also free up the surface and storage space of existing cabinets which are anchored to a wall. Strategically placed dishwashers, bar fridges and counter-top ranges can mean that the island provides alternate places for large appliances that might otherwise eat up valuable cabinet space.

Finally, and for many most importantly, an island provides homeowners with a more enjoyable cooking environment which can allow them to socialize and enjoy their guests or family while continuing to prepare meals and serve food. A kitchen is truly at the heart of a home and including one in your kitchen design can greatly alter both how you use your space, and your kitchens functionality.

However, many homeowners rush into installing an island in their home without ensuring that there is an adequate amount of space. ALWAYS ensure that you have a MINIMUM of 36" from the edge of an island to surrounding walls or counters. Avoid placing large appliances directly across from each other between a counter and an island so that you ensure not to have appliance doors interfering with each other when they are open.

Do not underestimate how much space an island requires... installing one improperly can ruin an already well functioning kitchen floor plan.

Happy designing!
Janice

AFTER

Good food, good wine and time with friends. There is nothing better in life than spending time and sharing a meal with those you love.

As a girl I was always of the belief that my family was all I had to rely on since I considered myself a bit of an oddball, not fitting in with the kids I went to school with. I certainly was not one of the popular kids and I lived mostly in my head and in my dreams. Then in high school I met a girl named Barb. I'd known her all along but did not become friends with her until we were teenagers. We were inseparable, and she made me realize the value of having a someone who you could share your thoughts and dreams with without the pressure of judgement.

I have since then been blessed with many friends who have supported and believed in me, accepting me as I am, and with whom I have thankfully shared much wine and many great meals. I have said before and think it's worth repeating that I am grateful to have many friends who I consider family and wonderful family members that I call friends.

Share a meal with someone you love! Cheers!

Janice

Pepper-Crusted Steaks with Worcestershire-Glazed Portobellos

4 14- to 16-ounce New York strip steaks (each about 1 to 1 1/4 inches thick)
3 tablespoons black peppercorns, cracked with mallet
2 teaspoons coarse kosher salt
1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (1 1/4 sticks) butter
4 teaspoons Worcestershire sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar
1 pound portobello mushrooms, cut into 1/3-inch-thick slices

Sprinkle steaks with cracked peppercorns and coarse salt. Let stand at room temperature 30 minutes.
Melt 1/2 cup butter in large skillet over medium heat. Stir in Worcestershire sauce and vinegar. Stir in mushrooms. Sprinkle with salt. Remove from heat.
Prepare barbecue (medium-high heat). Grill steaks until cooked to desired doneness, about 5 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer to plates. Top each steak with 1/2 tablespoon butter. Tent with foil to keep warm. Grill mushrooms until soft and beginning to release juices, about 3 minutes per side. Divide mushrooms among steaks and serve.