Category Archives: Friends of Area Floors
The latest news and talk all about flooring professionals in Portland Oregon, by Area Floors.
March 2010: Contractors, Pizza, and Adura
On March 8th, Area Floors was pleased to host an installation clinic featuring Mannington’s Adura line. Over 20 contractors and long-time customers made their way to our Foster location to have some hands-on time with Adura. We want to thank all of you who came to the clinic as well as Mannington for hosting. We hope you learned some new tricks while you were here. We would like to especially thank Callaghan’s Custom Installation for prepping the floor before the clinic and those who stayed late to help us finish the installation.
February 2010: Vendor Achievement Award
Area Floors was proud and very humbled to receive the Vendor Achievement
Award from the Interior Design Society of Portland. We pride ourselves in the relationships we have with our clients, no matter the size of their project. It has been an honor to work with a number of members of the Interior Design Society of Portland and we look forward to a continued partnership in the future.
February 2010: IDS Luncheon
We had a wonderful gathering of 80+ members and prospects to kick off the First IDS Luncheon of the new year. The event was hosted at our Tigard Location and our partners, Fabrica Carpets and Stainmaster Fiber, were here to share the 2010 Color Forecast. These colors are represented in the various carpet and flooring products Area Floors has to offer. Thanks for all who attended and we look forward to seeing you in our showroom.
A huge thanks to the Interior Design Society of Portland, Stainmaster, Fabrica, and Tamale House Catering.
February 2010:Distinct Style Awards
On Saturday January 9th, the Interior Design Society of Portland held its first Distinct Style Awards Ceremony. With the help of the Bay Area Interior Design Society, the 124 entries were evaluated and the winners were selected. It was wonderful to have so many peers recognized for their achievements in the field of Interior Design. The 2010 winners are…
Best Staging
Pangaea, Pangaea Interior Design
Staging Semi-Finalists:
Garrison Hullinger, Living Life with Color
Angela Todd Designs, Luster of the Pearl
Angela Todd Designs, Vista
Best Redesign
Redesign Semi-Finalists
Angie Morse, Home Street Design
Josi Underhill, Decor by Josi
Anne Runde, Anne Runde Interiors
Best Color
Color Semi-Finalists
Jason Ball Interiors
Angela Todd Designs
Kimberlee Jaynes Interior Designs
Best Bath Remodel
Bath Remodel Semi Finalists
Teri Peck
Leslie Minervini, Minervini Interiors
Kirsten Havnaer
Best Kitchen Remodel
Kitchen Remodel Semi Finalists
Kirstin Havnaer, Hearthstone Interior Design
Katya Waff, Blue Pearl Interiors
Debra Byrne
The best in show was selected from the six winner in the above categories and received a $500 cash prize.
Best in Show
Leslie Minervini, Minervini Interiors
The Interior Design Society also awarded member awards for exceptional contributions in 2010:
Member Achievement Award
Vendor Achievement Award
New Member Recruitment Award
For more information visit IDS Portland’s Website.
January: Industry Spotlight
Welcome to a special area of our Beyond the Surface Newsletter where we share thoughts and insights from Portland’s housing professionals. Here at Area Floors we have the opportunity to partner with some of the best.
Kelly Callaghan
This month we decided to explore the installation side of the flooring industry. We had the opportunity to talk with an Area Floors recommended installer, Kelly Callaghan from Callaghan’s Custom Installations (CCI).
Tell us a little about yourself?
My name is Kelly Callaghan and I’m a Portland native who grew up in Laurelhurst. I’ve been in the construction business since 1978 and have been involved with everything from sheet rock and framing to plumbing and electrical. I finally landed in the floor covering industry almost 25 years ago. I have been a licensed contractor since 1991. I have developed and positioned CCI to be a top notch, full service installation company.
What kind of products do you install?
We do all types of installations including, but not limited to carpet, counter tops, showers, hardwood, tile, laminate, vinyl, linoleum, and stone . We also do repair work and will not turn down a job based on size. No job is too small.
Who is your typical client?
We work primarily with remodelers and restoration companies on commercial and residential projects for businesses and homeowners. The bulk of our business comes from the remodeling side.
How do you decide which vendors, contractors, and suppliers to partner with?
About 99.9% of our business is done through Area Floors. I like the way they take care of my clients and I’m always assured that they are going to help them out. They always give me the results that I need and have been a pivotal part of the growth of my business. It’s a partnership that makes sense for me and my clients.
How do you approach a typical project?
Typically I start by observing my clients needs and finding out what will work for their project. If the client is a home owner, I want to make sure their product selections are going to match their lifestyles.
What is the goal of your work?
My ultimate goal is to put out a quality product at a value price. I want my customers to spend their money wisely and not purchase products that do not make sense for their projects. I would never want someone to walk into a space and say “I wish I would have done something different.” I want my clients to walk into a project that we have finished for them and say “yeah, I love it.”
Do you have any secrets for a successful project?
Custom Kitchen: Product from Area Floors, Installtion by CCI
Well, it’s pretty basic. I make sure that everything is clean and orderly when I leave. Also, I try my utmost to take care of my customers. I listen to them and try to give them what they are looking for.
What projects are you currently working on?
Right now, I am in the middle of a few prefinished wood flooring installations. I am also working on a couple of bathroom remodels and a Marmoleum job.
What is your favorite thing about your work?
I would have to say the interaction with clients and meeting new people. I also love watching my business grow and keeping my employees busy.
What do you enjoy doing outside of work?
I love the outdoors. I love to snow ski, that’s what I live for, ride my road bike ( my new love), I water ski, hike, backpack, restore and ride my old motorcycles.
To learn more about Kelly or to contact Callaghan’s Custom Installation visit his website at http://www.cci-orwa.com/.
December: Industry Spotlight
Welcome to a special area of our Beyond the Surface Newsletter where we share thoughts and insights from Portland’s housing professionals. Here at Area Floor’s we have the opportunity to partner with some of the best.
Amy Troute
This month we had the privilege of sitting down with a great Portland Designer. Amy Troute, owner and lead designer of Design for Home, met us at one of her client’s homes for a look into her work.
Tell Us a Little About Yourself?
I am the owner and lead designer of Design for Home. We have a presence all over the metro area, and our studio is located in the Pearl. I am married and have five year old twin girls named Stella and Emily and a fifteen year old step son, Marcus. I have lived in Portland for almost fifteen years and love it here!
Who is your typical client?
I hate to say “typical.” I’ve worked with clients and spaces from the very simple to the extravagant. Really, a client for me needs to be somebody whose home is a priority. They’re ready to work with me to create a new space that gives them new energy and gets them excited about their home.
How do you decide which vendors, contractors, and partnerships to foster?
It’s my job as a designer to make the whole project seamless for my client. I select and manage vendors, who, at the end of the day, make me look good. Because my vendors’ work is really my work, I have to be able to count on them for the best service and product. Area Floors is one of those vendors who share my core values – listen, provide excellent customer service, and be available to continue that service after the sale!
Tell us how you approach your projects?
Along with interior design, my professional education includes marketing and communications. So, I really run a project as any business would run based on
Bigej Home, Flooring and Tile from Area Floors
client relations and project management. The creativity sort of follows that. All of the questions I ask my clients and the conversations that we have act as the foundation of the project. The rest of it is sort of engrained in me from years of client and project management. I love my job and my clients can tell. It makes it easier for them to open up and collaborate with me to create their spaces.
What is the goal of your design work?
The overall goal is always a happy client and a smooth project. There will be bumps in the road; a fabric that’s discontinued or a carpet that’s four weeks out. It’s really how you manage those expectations and how you provide alternative solutions. At the end of the day if the client is happy and they feel their space is a reflection of their family and lifestyle, then that’s all I can ask for.
What are the secrets for a successful project?
I think my secret is listening. I can create a room at the drop of a hat, but if it’s not what my client is looking for then it’s not a successful project. I love to hear, “I never would have thought of that.” As a designer, I have to bring that out of my clients by asking the right questions.
What are you currently working on?
Begej Bathroom, Tile from Area Floors
Well, we’re talking this morning at the home of a client. I’m about to present two design plans for a fabulous master bedroom suite. I’m also working with a couple of clients on remodels where I’m helping them to select carpet, tile, and paint colors. A lot of my clients are navigating living space renovations – family and living rooms, dining rooms, bedrooms. People who were looking to sell and move up have now decided to stay and make their current homes fit their lifestyles better. So, it’s kind of all over the board. I’m very lucky to be busy and loving every minute of it.
Is they’re anything else we should know about you?
I get goose bumps. I know it sounds silly and I say it over and over. Yet, when an idea comes together for a client, the way they react to the right solutions always give me goose bumps. I love what I do.
And what do Amy’s clients think of her? We’ll let you see for your self.
“Thank you so much for all of your help in making our dream house a reality for us. We would have been lost without your consultation and ideas on how to plan our home features from the beginning steps of drawing the plans up to the finishing touches that make our house feel truly unique and like a retreat. Every detail of our home from paint colors and cabinetry to flooring and countertops came together with perfection It was hard to visualize how it was all going to come together, but your vision was clear from the start and helped us make better decisions and invest in the details that truly make our home stand apart. We are so pleased with every feature of our home and truly owe you a big thank you for your professional advice and help in this project. Thank you again!”
– Mark and Amy Bigej, Hubbard OR
To learn more about Amy or to schedule a consultation visit her website,Design for Home.
October: Industry Spotlight
Welcome to a special area of our Beyond the Surface Newsletter where we share thoughts and insights from Portland’s housing professionals. Here at Area Floor’s we have the opportunity to partner with some of the best.
Design Like a HGTV star (or KXL radio host)
Designer Spotlight: Angela Todd
You can feel the active energy in a room when Angela Todd is nearby, much like you feel when you are in a space designed by her. She brings a unique combination of creative zeal and takes an organized approach to every project which gives her clients a sense of confidence in their decisions and her design capabilities. She takes pride in building partnerships on mutual trust and open dialogue. She wants her clients to walk into their designed space and think, “This is exactly what I wanted and more.”
We had the opportunity to sit down with Angela Todd and pick her brain on topics that ranged from the mood of the current housing market to the theories of design. We learned a lot, had great fun and got an even better understanding of why she is truly one of Portland’s rising designers. Here are a few of the highlights.
Who is your typical client?
My typical client is between the ages of 35-70 years of age, they generally have a dual income household and are extremely time challenged from
Copper Mountain Master Suite
living a lifestyle of juggling career and family. Most of them are middle class and haven’t worked with an interior designer before. They have a general vision of what they want, they know what they like when they see it, but they are overwhelmed by all the choices in the marketplace. Most of all they want to make sure their investment dollars go as far as possible.”
What should everyone know about today’s design clients?
People are excited to start renovating their homes, and a large segment of them have been living in their homes for 10-15 years. Since most remodels only take place every few years, I find what they want most are elements that are timeless. They also show concern about how the project will affect resale value.
How do you decide what vendors, contractors and partnerships to foster?
“It is funny you ask me that. When I met Brandy Marsh from Area Floors it struck me how much our core values aligned. Customer service is paramount to me and also to Area Floors. Contractors and clients don’t select me because I am the most inexpensive designer in town, they choose me because I will give them the personalized, outstanding results they want. Relationships are a key component in great, lasting relationships. As I have worked with Area Floors I have found their staff to go well and beyond my expectations for a surface broker. The vendors and contractors I align with make me look good, support me, and look out for my best interests. And I do the same for them. “
Tell us a quick way to approach a new project?
“I place my client’s personality in visual form.” She explains how style is a basic equation; a combination of the home’s architecture along with the home owners personal taste.
She also approaches a space by asking, “What is the inspiration for this space? “ This inspiration can develop from something within the space, a favorite piece of furniture or even a napkin. “Sometimes a client finds inspiration in a showroom like Area Floors, for example they love the linear quality of an iridescent tile for their kitchen backsplash, or the idea of a pebble floor for their master shower. She says every great project needs a starting point, and all design decisions should relate to that inspiration.”
What is on simple goal of your design work?
Contemporary Stage - West Hills
“I want my clients to walk into their new space and see themselves. It should flow and bring a smile to their faces.”
“I don’t want people to walk into a room and be shocked, thinking…”this doesn’t belong here”…”this kitchen doesn’t belong in this house”
As we are talking, you realize how much Angela loves to design. In fact she can’t help to have ideas for any space including the coffee spot for our interview. During our conversation she noticed hundreds of design details and managed to redesign the coffee shop around four small paintings hanging on the wall. Our secret plan is to do more interviews at our own homes and see what happens.
What are the secrets for a successful design project?
- There needs to be a true partnership between all parties involved. She believes in listening first.
- Work hand in hand with the customers from selection through construction.
- A designer has to listen to both the contractor and client, and respect that everybody has a specific role in the process. Understanding the roles of each involved party will increase the efficiency of the project.
You can see more of Angela’s work on her blog, in the 2009 Street of Dreams Magazine and on our blog. Her work on this year’s “Luster of the Pearl” at the Encore penthouse was remarkable. She was the only designer in this year’s Street of Dreams to undergo cosmetic remodeling improvements. (The 9 penthouses were already finished prior.) She incorporated tile from Area Floors in the contemporary kitchen and the great room fireplace.
Angela, thanks for the inspiration and the time for our interview.
The Area Floor’s Team
A few Angela Todd highlight’s
- Hosts The Design Angle on KXL 750am each Saturday from 12-2pm
- 2009 Street of Dreams Award “People’s Choice Best Master Suite”
- Vice-President elect of the Interior Design Society
- Active Member of the Home Builders Association of Metropolitan Portland and the Professional Remodelers Organization
- Featured in the Oregonian, Lake Oswego Review, West Linn Tidings and “Explore the Pearl” magazine.
- Television appearances on Better TV and Tualatin Valley Television
Oregon Remodelers Association BBQ and Social
Posted a little late 🙂 Here are the pictures from our last event at our Foster location. Enjoy!
Decorating Tips
United Tile Blog
Olson & Jones Remodel PDX
Portland Flooring Blog 