Happy Holidays!

 Happy Holidays from our home to yours!

Welcome 2021!

Welcome 2021 - new year, new opportunities.  We are so excited about the opportunities in front of us. Smart design continues to get more affordable and easy to install. What changes do you plan on making to your home this year?

This is a kitchen that we designed with Signature Kitchen Suite -one of the leaders in smart appliance technology. Precision cooking is one of my focuses this year, and their sous vide option has completely changed how I cook. We can't wait to find out what's next!

Open Kitchens

Open kitchens are definitely what consumers are looking for these days. The kitchen has become the theater of the home and no longer is the cook in a small galley kitchen by themselves, now they are the center of attention.

The Lifestylist Brands Wins Award for Best Model Home Design

What an exciting year this has been! So many new customers and opportunities it's hard to keep up some days.

With home building being on the rise right now and model homes being constructed in every new subdivision we were especially pleased to be given the distinction of Best Model Home Design by the Manufactured Housing Institute.

The home was the Ashford model which was built by SE Homes of Texas - a division of Clayton Homes.

Ahead of The Curve at the Las Vegas Furniture Market

The Las Vegas Market is something that I make sure to attend twice a year. Not only do I find the newest and most exciting furniture and accessories for my clients there - the seminars are also full of important information that I don't find anywhere else.

Ahead of The Curve is always a great presentation that highlights great finds that 3 or 4 designers make at the various showrooms at market. With so many showrooms and products being shown it's impossible to see everything but this seminar always introduces me to things I might have missed if I didn't attend.

This market Thom Filicia, Timothy Corrigan and Dallas designer Michelle Nussbaumer shared their finds with us as well as some great suggestions on how to tailor products to your customers lifestyles. As a Lifestylist® these were tips I can use!

Pool Restorations

There's nothing like adding a little sweat equity to your home, and we've been spending the last few months restoring the 1940's pool at The Home Idea Factory.

It was a lot of work, but we love the results.

Happy Thanksgiving!

All of us at The Lifestylist Brands would like to wish you all a very Happy Thanksgiving. May it be filled with family, friends, love and great food!

African Orphans Send Message of Hope to Tornado Survivors

My sister and her family live in Edmond, Oklahoma and are one of the lucky families that have a storm shelter. Tornadoes touched down near them last weekend but what happened to them was nothing like what happened to the residents of Moore, Oklahoma.

Last Summer they had an unbelievable experience - they packed up trunks and suitcases full of shoes, clothes, blankets, and other needed items and headed to Maisha International Orphanage - an amazing labor of love in Kisumu, Kenya. The stories and images they brought back are life changing, and it's a great reminder of how a small donation or offering can be life changing to these kids.

The beautiful souls at Maisha wanted to do something for their friends in Oklahoma City and Moore, and made this video as a way of showing their love and support. What a great reminder this Memorial Day weekend how precious life is and we all need to live ours to the fullest.

Helping The Salvation Army Do The Most Good

It's heartbreaking to watch the news today and see the devastation in Moore, Oklahoma. My sister and her family live in Edmond, OK and I have clients that have land lease communities very close to where the tornado touched down. Sam - my nephew and favorite Jr Lifestylist spent the afternoon in their storm shelter a few days ago having a picnic with his pets -I'm so glad that he made sure they were safe as well as his family.
People always think that "trailer parks" or "mobile home parks" are the worst places to be during a disaster like this, but that just isn't true. I was glad to hear that the Yes! Communities in this area only sustained hail and wind damage and no one was hurt. Their on-site managers made sure that everyone got to where they needed to be and are now busy helping them get emergency supplies and repairs. That's one of the advantages of living in a well run land lease community - there's always someone there to help.
If you would like to help the people of Moore that were affected by the storm, I encourage you to donate to the Salvation Army. They truly do the most good with every dollar that is donated.

Top Trends Seen at The International Builders Show 2013

We are back! Not only is home building rebounding and people are buying new homes again, the International Builders Show has returned to Las Vegas!

We just got back from a great week of exploring new products, speaking about design trends and networking with the brightest and best in the industry.

After walking all of the show floors and show homes, these are the top products and trends that we discovered.

On Hand by ODL One of the things I love about this year's Builders Show is that there were products that were innovative but affordable, and On Hand by ODL was one of these. This ingenious product adds storage and a communications center into a door without taking up any additional space in the home. The adjustable shelves make it easy to store everything from hair bows and Lego parts to dog collars and your spice collection. The communications center and be used as a white board, photo gallery, or anything else you want to display - every home needs one of these!

Tub Art by Kohler Bathing has become an art, and as always Kohler is offering products that let us do that in style. Besides the traditional built-in tubs, Kohler presented free standing tubs that would add elegance and artistry to any spa bath. They also showed beautiful faucet sets that added the personal touch. Kitchens and baths continue to be a large focus in the home, and Kohler continues to be the leader in how to make these areas function - beautifully.

Embracing Education Conventions like the Builders Show are a great place to keep up with trends and products. We were so impressed that Clayton Homes - the largest home builder in the US brought their General Managers to the show so they could find the best products and trends. Howard McGirt, General Manager of SE Homes of Texas walked the show with us and shared his thoughts on what was hot and what was not. It's easy to see why this innovative company sells so many homes every year!

500,000 Bottles of Beer Great product - great people. Loved learning how they used 500,000 bottles in the exterior of this building - the ultimate example of recycling and green design.  A Realm of Design offers GeeenStone which is made of 100% recycled glass aggregate and 99.8% renewable materials. The glass makes an ordinary exterior extraordinary -they said when the lights shine on the building at night it has a magical iridescence. The company offers numerous products from Fountains to Flooring and ships nationwide.

Light My Fire Fireplaces aren't what they used to be - today's options include alternative fuel, direct or indirect venting, indoor or outdoor applications... the options are endless! The Builders Show offered something for everyone but the message was clear - every home needs a fireplace in it somewhere! I also loved how Heat N Glo talked about trends and consumer requests in their marketing - not just selling but educating.

Glass Houses Glass is showing  up in every room of our homes. It was great to see new designs in windows and doors that played with light sources -the future is truly bright! Get ready to see doors and windows that play with the light by using screens and prisms that create patterns in places that you wouldn't expect them. Look for more paints, lighting, and materials that find ways to take advantage of natural lighting.

A BOMB Shelter? Who knew that this form of factory built housing would steal the show.  Atlas Survival Structures proved that at the International Builders Show there is something for everyone. These structures are priced starting at $72,000 and apparently these underground homes are gaining acceptance. Lots of people toured the home and had a new perception of what consumers are truly looking for in their new homes.

Happy Holidays From The Lifestylist® Families

Happy Holidays from The Lifestylist® Brands. Here's hoping that your holidays is shiny and bright!

The Future of Factory Built Housing

Change can be a very scary thing, but when a company like SE Homes of TX - a division of Clayton Homes - can change people's perception of manufacturing housing it's exciting!
The recent home show that they had at their Ft. Worth, TX location shows why SE Homes of TX has emerged as a leader in design and lifestyle. All of the 5 Lifestylist® Designed homes were very well received, but the one that stole the show was definitely The Monarch. I've shared photos of this home with consumers living in very high end site built homes and with custom builders and developers, and none of them can believe that this is a factory built home.
I've never seen this floorplan before. It is perfectly in tune with today's home buyer and the lifestyle they are hoping to achieve. It's open, the master suite is in a separate part of the home and has access to the very cool patio that is enclosed on 3 sides and ships as part of the home.
The "pet parlor" has also been a hit - this space in the utility room featured a pet shower with hand held showerhead, and a feeding drawer that can be closed when not in use.
I'm excited about this positive direction for our industry, and think you will be as well. For more information, visit the SE Homes of TX website or email Ryan Blackburn at: ryan.blackburn@sehomes.com

Bob Vila Article Embraces Factory Built Housing

There's nothing we love more than a positive story about factory built housing, and BobVila.com has a wonderful article about the history of factory built housing.  Lifestylist® Suzanne Felber was honored to be interviewed and quoted in the story, and what is really exciting is that the author of the story - Jane Dagmi - was so intrigued about what this form of housing offers she's continuing to learn more and visit communities on her own. I'm looking forward to more of her stories in the future.
One of the things that has always been a detriment to our industry was the perception the press has, so having writers not only like our homes but also want to know more is a step in the right direction.
Be sure to also take a look at the timeline that Jane did -it's one of the best I've seen.

ROC USA Helps To Make Home Ownership Achievable

As a Lifestylist® I spend a lot of time tracking trends and listening to people's dreams and realities. One of the biggest dreams a person often has is a home of their own, and that dream comes in all shapes and sizes.
Land lease communities are a great way to own a home of your own on a budget, but a lot of potential homeowners are afraid of the fact that they don't own the land that their new home is sited on.
When I attended the recent MHI Congress and Expo I was introduced to Paul Bradley and the ROC USA team, and loved having the chance to speak with them and to learn more. ROC stands for Resident Owned Communities, and they help residents of land lease communities buy their communities and own a part of it. I was fascinated to learn that they are a non profit, and loved that the first thing that they do with their homeowners is to choose a new name for their community and start the re-branding process.
NPR and "All Things Considered" recently featured ROC USA on their broadcast, and you can see our interview with the ROC USA team on Lifestylist.com.

Modular Construction on The Rise

It seems like people are finally beginning to realize that factory built housing may be a better way to build - I've had two site builders ask me if the projects that we are working on might be more efficient if we do a modular build instead of the way they traditionally build. What's really great is these are both commercial projects - one is a clubhouse and one is transitional housing for 14 so I'm really proud of my clients for looking at all options. In fact, Champion Homes is doing quite a few commercial builds, including hotels for a major hotel company - I can't wait to see (and stay in) the finished buildings.
Many people have the misconception that using modular construction is very limiting - I'm always surprised with how many people think you can only do 1 story. In fact, all construction has some limitations, but with modular you can build multi story buildings just as you can with site built.
This beautiful home in Montana that was built by the EnergyMate division of Patriot Homes is an example of what can be accomplished using modular construction. It has a 2 story family room and rock fireplace in it -they just completed the fireplace on-site with rocks they found on the ranch.
Before you make a decision on who is going to be building your next home or building, you might contact one of the many fine modular builders that might be the right fit for you.
If you need recommendations on who might be a good fit for you, feel free to contact us at: answers@lifestylist.com and we'll be happy to share our list of qualified builders with you.

Mardi Gras Greetings

Daisy loves the Lifestylist® philosophy of Life Celebrating Style.  She is also open to any excuse to wear her favorite hats and attract attention.  Mardi Gras Greetings from Daisy the diva dog and the Lifestylist® family!

What's Mine is Not Yours - Intellectual Property

Seth Godin is my guru. He is so no nonsense but funny at times, intellectual but down to earth, and what I really love about him is that he can get a point across faster than anyone else I know. His Purple Cow book started me on a new road to being more involved in marketing and social media so I'm forever grateful. When I worked on the Purple Cow House Campaign with Patriot Homes I made sure to get permission from Mr. Godin, and we credited him for the phrase (and gave out his Purple Cow Book).

Today I got a great post from him titled "Simple Thoughts About Fair Use". So timely, and as always so well written. In this new blogging, social world I'm always stunned to see how many people are using other people's photography, ads, brands, and stories without permission. This article is a must read for anyone who is even thinking about posting on Facebook, Twitter, or a blog and using someones text or images.

I'm fortunate enough to have access to a very talented photographer - Lisa Stewart of Lisa Stewart Photography. The images you see in my blogs, on my Lifestylist Design Facebook page and on my website have been shot specifically for my use. I do that so I'm not using other people's work and having copyright infringements.

Lifestylist® is a term that I successfully trademarked in 2002 - my registration number is 2583235. I'm very proud of this because I thought I had a good idea and made the extra effort do "do the right thing" and spend the time, effort, and money to trademark it. You would be amazed at how much time I've had to spend since them protecting my mark because people haven't bothered to do their homework and see that it's trademarked before they use it in their own businesses.

Before you decide that you have discovered the next great phrase, or "borrow" a photo from someone else be sure to read Seth's post. Wondering where to learn more about these topics? The US Patent and Trademark Office has a great site, and it is also where you can search trademark registrations and applications.

Social Media Lifestylist® Guidelines for 2012

Happy New Year from the Lifestylist® family! I'm really excited about 2012, and the opportunities that come with it.
A lot of being a Lifestylist® is about being a trend tracker and doing research. Today I read something that was written by someone else titled "Social Media Lifestylist Guidelines for 2012" - boy does that sound dull! The first thing that comes to mind is a big dusty manual full of rules and regulations, and that is exactly what social media (and being a Lifestylist®) is not about.
The tag line I have always used for my Lifestylist® brand is "It's All About You". I didn't want the brand to be about me telling people what to do - I wanted to listen to people's wants, needs, and dreams, and help them achieve those even when they didn't know that's what they were really searching for. I don't want to dictate, I want to educate. I've learned that listening is so much more important than anything I will ever have to say, because sometimes if you let people express their thoughts they will find their answers.
Social media is such an exciting new frontier because it gives everyone the chance to tell their story to the universe. It's become a great equalizer because almost anyone  on any budget can get access to a computer and a free site and share their thoughts.
There's a down side to this though as well -there's not as much editing as we've seen in the past. We have to learn that even though someone may have written it, there is the possibility it might not be true. Before we share or depend on information we find we have to be sure and check the facts. As the guardian of the Lifestylist® trademark for almost 10 years now I've seen how many people want to tie into my brand but aren't willing to go through the legal process to acquire a brand of their own.
So what are the real Lifestylist's guidelines for 2012? Never call them guidelines, live your life to the fullest, listen to those around you and you can never laugh too much or have too much great food and wine!
Here's to a boisterous 2012!

What I Learned From Santa

The holidays this year were truly magical - I was able to introduce my new grandson to the magic of Christmas. As part of that we took him to the mall to get his picture taken with Santa, and not only did we get a photo, but I also was reminded of some major mistakes we sometimes make when marketing and merchandising our homes. If you would like a copy of the entire article, feel free to email me at: answers@lifestylist.com
Here are 5 things I learned this year from visiting with Santa:
1. Presentation isn’t Everything. This Santa display was one of the most amazing I have ever seen, but most of it had nothing to do with why we were all there - to see Santa. You need to have a total package, and the lifestyle that is shown in your models, community and marketing needs to be what they will really experience in your homes. You can spend a fortune creating your presentation, but if it isn’t targeted to your buyer you are just throwing your marketing budget away.
2. Never Say No. No one likes to be told what they can’t have, and there are ways to avoid having to say no to your customers. I understood that Santa was a business, and I would have been happy to pay a fee so I could shoot my own photos that would have been fair to all involved. Customers appreciate it when you try to come up with a fair compromise, and they then feel like you are working with them, not against them.
3. Let Me Entertain You. Interactive presentations, or having different ways to have your customers really experience your homes is a great way to create memory points. One of my favorites was doing up a line drawing of the builder’s home that the customer’s kids could color and take with them. Having your home and information on a potential customer’s fridge? Priceless. What you don’t want to do is overwhelm the customer with loud music, a pushy salesperson, or too many choices. They come to your sales center because they want to buy a home and they want you to educate them on why their new home should be one of yours.
4. Less Can Be More. Putting everything including the kitchen sink into your model homes can talk a customer out of buying a home from you. Over merchandised homes, or homes that have dated, damaged furniture and accessories in them turn a customer off. You are better off doing a well merchandised home that plays up your homes features and only merchandising a few key areas than just filling a model home with “stuff” from the warehouse.
5. Building the Dream. Just like visiting Santa for the first time, buying a home should be an exciting time for your buyers. If you and your sales team aren’t excited about selling them a new home, how do you expect the buyer to get excited? Make the buying experience a positive one, and not only will your customers buy from you, they will refer their friends to you as well.

Happy Holidays From The Lifestylist®