TECHNOLOGY

High Point Furniture Market: Interview with Sheilah MacSporran

May 1, 2012 by Katie Williamsen 1 Comment

Another High Point Furniture Market has come and gone and your next chance to visit is not until October. If you are wondering where to get your interior design fix until then, look no further than the online interior design mood board creator, Olioboard. At the market I met the wonderful co-founder and CEO of Olioboard, Sheilah MacSporran.

About Sheilah
Sheilah and her partner, Cole Mackin, live in Vancouver, Canada. Together, they also run a successful web design business called Keele UX. After creating successful websites and mobile apps, they wanted the chance to create something for themselves.

About Olioboard
Olioboard was conceptualized in late 2008 and launched in June 2010. Users have created their own digital interior design mood boards. Users browse a product library of over 150,000 products, including West Elm, Crate and Barrel, CB2, Ralph Lauren, and more. Select any item, drag it onto your mood board and create a 3-D space. Users are also able to shop for all products used in their mood boards.

Where did the idea for Olioboard come from?
I love interior design just as much as I love web design. This lets me combine both of my loves. I wanted to create a site I would enjoy and have fun with. We created a project I really enjoy and others like it as well! I’ve already designed my ideal home ten times over.

Who is using Olioboard?
Design enthusiasts love Olioboard. It is a great tool for people who just bought home and want to design the interior. It is easy to do that on Olioboard and no need to commit until you are happy. There is also a large community of professionals who use it to conceptualize, work with budgets and present the end idea to the client.

How many are currently using Olioboard?
Currently, there are over 65,000 users. We gained a lot of new users when Olioboard appeared on the Today Show and the Nate Berkus Show. I had an interview on the Nate Berkus show in New York. It was my first time on TV, it was very exciting! Nate was so sweet and made it a nice easy process. After the show launched, the users started piling in.

Olioboard is open to anyone. Just create a username and password and begin to design your dream home. If you are an interior designer, there is also a Pro plan for a small monthly fee.

Connect with Shielah via Twitter @olioboard.

Filed Under: HIGH POINT FURNITURE MARKET, LIFESTYLE, OLIOBOARD, SOCIAL MEDIA, TECHNOLOGY Tagged With: High Point Market, Interior design, Mood board, Olioboard, Sheilah MacSporran

High Point Furniture Market: The SXSW of the Furniture Industry?

April 30, 2012 by Chantelle Grady Leave a Comment

Spring 2012 was my first opportunity to attend the High Point Furniture Market, and bear witness to what is said to be the largest furnishings industry trade show in the world. I’ve worked on production shoots centered on the furniture industry and am no stranger to it. I am not, however, an “industry insider” by any means. So, it was interesting to be able to get a sneak peak of what really goes on behind the scenes at this over a century-old semi-annual event.

My focus was on the market culture that exists during this time. For six days, the City of High Point nearly doubles in size, with an international population flooding the area. I make the South by Southwest comparison because it rings true. The now infamous festival in Austin, TX, basically creates the same kind of fervor that Market does in High Point. Like SXSW, High Point has an interactive component with the use of social media and technology. It also has entertainment with concerts, and a few celebrity sightings. Martha Stewart, anyone? If you consider that fact that Market kicked-off the same weekend that the River Run International Film Festival was closing in nearby Winston-Salem, then you also have the movie component. See the connection? So, it is a big deal. It’s probably the area’s biggest deal that locals not connected to the industry know anything about. Ironic, since most of the city nearly comes to a stand-still for a week during both the Spring and Fall markets.

Photo of Elaine Smith from elainesmith.com

You see a lot at Market. Some of it seems logical…buyers and sellers making deals to move product into stores. Some people have an idea exactly what they’re seeking and zero right in to find it. While others explore, just looking for that spark of inspiration.

One company stood out, though, with a simple, old-fashioned technique: curiosity. Mine was peaked by a masked woman walking around the International Home Furnishings Center (IHFC). I had seen her a couple of times, and again when I turned a corner. Of course I had to ask her what was up with the mask, and she told me. She was a live model for Elaine Smith, a designer of pillows and accessories. I walked with her back to the showroom space, in a sort of “Take me to your leader” moment. There, I spoke to Mark Eitel, the company’s VP. He told me that the masquerade theme was inspired by the annual carnival in Venice, Italy. He said that Elaine Smith was inspired by the city, and other European locales, to create her new line. They often use mannequins and live models known as, “The Elaine Smith Girls,” to bring the concept to life. “For us, it’s just about elevating the presentation,” Eitel said. Eitel went on to tell me that the High Point Market is their favorite, because they feel valued when they come here. “They just really seem to roll out the red carpet.”
There’s much to appreciate about the atmosphere during High Point Market, and it explains why so many continue to show up year after year.

Filed Under: BUSINESS, HIGH POINT FURNITURE MARKET, TECHNOLOGY, Uncategorized Tagged With: City of High Point, Elaine Smith, Elaine Smith Pillows, HIGH POINT FURNITURE MARKET, Martha Stewart, SXSW

High Point Furniture Market: Interview with Jaime Derringer

April 25, 2012 by Katie Williamsen 17 Comments

High Point Furniture Market takes place twice a year, in April and October. On Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending my first market and had the opportunity to interview bloggers and editors covering the market.

When I found out Jaime Derringer of the wildly popular Design Milk was attending market, I knew I wanted to get in touch with her. She took time out of her busy schedule to talk to me about her blog and her first experience at market.

About Jaime
Before Jaime began blogging, she worked as a project manager in marketing, advertising and publishing for medical and pharmaceutical companies. In 2006, when she and her husband moved into a townhouse in suburban New Jersey, she discovered blogs and her passion for design.

About Design Milk
Design Milk is a blog dedicated to modern design and boasts a global audience. It focuses on art, architecture, interior design, furniture and décor, fashion and technology.

How did you start Design Milk?
In 2006, I had a job with a lot of down time and was online a lot, looking for furniture for our new home. I discovered design blogs around the same time and used my own blog to catalogue items I was finding for my home. Then I started to find other cool things and began posting about them. More and more people started to read it and people liked the things I was posting about. I did it part time for three years as I worked full time, then I quit my job to follow my dreams. Design Milk is my passion, 110 percent. I wake up everyday happy I’m doing it.

What do you like about High Point Market?
Market is different than what I normally write about on the blog. I try to spot trends and new design innovations that are accessible to everyone when shopping for their home. The products at market are what we deal with everyday.

How do you use social media?
Social media is the single best thing I have ever done for my blog. Not only does it drive tons of traffic to the site, but it allows readers to easily access the content and pick and choose what they want to read so they do not have to be bombarded with their RSS feed. Twitter, Facebook and Pinterest are valuable tools. They can be a challenge to manage, but at the end of the day those are the best tools I’ve ever had for my blog, bring readers in and keep them interested.

Look for Jaime’s market posts on Design Milk, complete with video in the next few weeks. You can connect with Jaime on Twitter @designmilk.

Filed Under: HIGH POINT FURNITURE MARKET, LIFESTYLE, SOCIAL MEDIA, TECHNOLOGY Tagged With: Design Milk, High Point Market, Interior design, Jamie Derringer, Social Media

High Point Furniture Market: Interview with Crystal Gentilello

April 24, 2012 by Katie Williamsen 1 Comment

Crystal Gentilello, founder and editor in chief of Rue Magazine, was kind enough to spend some time chatting with me about Rue and her experience at the market. She is also a Style Spotter at market, so make sure to follow her board on Pinterest.

About Crystal
Crystal has a background in English and journalism, but has a true passion for design. After college, while working for a publisher, she became friends with a couple of interior designers. Their success planted the seed that design was a feasible career option. She started a design blog (formerly known Plush Palate) as an after work hobby. With her eye for design, she was able to form a captive audience. Two years after the launch of her blog, she made the decision to launch Rue Magazine.

About Rue Magazine
Rue, an online lifestyle magazine, was founded in 2010 by Crystal and Anne Sage. Since its inception, it has become a leader in the shelter magazine category.

Where did the idea for Rue Magazine start?
After blogging for two years, I had the idea for the magazine. I didn’t realize how much work it would be to create a magazine. As I was setting up my first photo shoot, I mentioned it to a friend, Anne Sage. She was really excited about the project. She became involved and took ownership of the project, becoming a bona fide co-founder of Rue.

What are your plans for your personal blog?
Rue is my number one priority and passion. I wake up and thinking about Rue and the future of Rue. My blog is fun and a great way to have a daily conversation with my readers. It also allows me to be part of the design industry daily.

How will your experience at the market tie into Rue?
I think it is important for bloggers and editors to come to come to High Point because it is one of the biggest trade shows in the country. You see everyone; it is a great networking opportunity. It is a great place to spot trends and see the best of the best in one spot. Without a doubt, some of our finds at High Point Market will show up in Rue’s upcoming issues.

Where do you see Rue going in the future?
I want to continue to grow our readership, online presence and advertising program. We would like to publish more often. Right now we come out every six to seven weeks. We would love to bring that down to every four weeks to provide our readers with more content. The possibilities are endless right now in our day and age because of technology. We are excited about making it an interactive experience. We would love to see the business grow in an e-commerce way. There are a lot of exciting things in the works that readers will start to see.

The next issue of Rue is scheduled for a May 3 release. You can connect with Crystal on Twitter @crystalg.

Filed Under: HIGH POINT FURNITURE MARKET, LIFESTYLE, TECHNOLOGY Tagged With: Blog, Design, High Point Market, Interior design, Pinterest, Rue Magazine, Twitter

High Point Furniture Market: Interview with Roxy Owens

April 23, 2012 by Katie Williamsen 2 Comments

High Point Furniture Market takes place twice a year, in April and October. On Saturday, I had the pleasure of attending my first market. I had the opportunity to interview bloggers and editors attending the market.

I sat down with Roxy Owens, founder and designer for Society Social, and the writer behind the delightful blog, My Cup of Te.

About Roxy
Roxy grew up in a small North Carolina town, just an hour away from High Point, and received her undergraduate degree in marketing from North Carolina State University. Roxy made the move to the Big Apple to pursue an MA in marketing from Parson The New School for Design. She started off in the fashion world, working at fashion week and interning with Donna Karan. After graduation she became a buyer for Belk. When the economy started to fail, she found herself stuck in an office crunching numbers and not feeling creatively fulfilled, and so her blog My Cup of Te was born.

About Society Social
Society Social boasts a line of fun, festive cocktail carts, tables and chairs and accessories introduced in summer of 2011. You can visit Society Social at High Point Market hosted by Acacia Home & Garden, IHFC, Wrenn Wing #346.

How did you enter the blogging world?
I’m one of those crazy, idealistic people, if I’m not happy, I’m not going to do it. I quit my job, I was unemployed for a year. I was happier, I was poor, but happier. During that time I started my blog. I really felt like my blog brought me back to who I was. I read other blogs like Design*Sponge and other interior design blogs and Rue came out and I knew, this is what excites me.

What is the focus of your blog?
My Cup of Te chronicles my personal journey. I blogged about the whole process of starting Society Social. I think that is what helps sets the brand apart. People want a personal connection.

Where did the idea for Society Social come from?
As I read interior design blogs, I saw a gap in the market for fun designer bar pieces at a price point people in their twenties can afford. Personally, I love to entertain and hangout with family and friends. The bar cart is where it all started.

How do you use social media for your blog and business?
I am a huge advocate of social media, which stems from my marketing background. I am always sharing. People like to connect. As a small business owner, I can’t afford an ad in House Beautiful, so I use social media to market my business. It’s genuine and I love to connect.

It was wonderful to meet Roxy and I wish Society Social success at the market!

You can connect with Roxy on Twitter @SocietySocial or @MyCupofTe.

Filed Under: HIGH POINT FURNITURE MARKET, LIFESTYLE, SOCIAL MEDIA, TECHNOLOGY Tagged With: High Point Market, Interior design, North Carolina, Social Media

All Your Thoughts, Are Belong to Us!

March 30, 2012 by Brandon Pierce Leave a Comment

It started with my discovery of the “Imagination Board!” – a mind controlled skateboard.

This made me ask: If they can mind control a skateboard, what else is being mind-controlled?

The most common interface device I’ve found so far is the EPOC neuroheadset. Retailing at $299, I’m more than a little blown away. I mean, seriously, did any of us think mind-controlled skateboards, phones, or video games? I didn’t, and I’m a complete nutter for sci-fi!

Like any new interface technology worth the time, the EPOC neuroheadset has a development community and SDK (software development kit). It takes a village, right? I won’t lie though, most of the posts I saw in there are completely over my head.

Here’s a brief list of some of the applications developed (or in development) for use with the EPOC neuroheadset:

StoneHenge

The object of the game is to develop your Emotiv EPOC skills and rebuild Stonehenge, moving the giant triliths to reconstruct the monument. Your mission is to put triliths in the east, west, south, north of the sacred site, and finally to raise the ancient temple which was buried in the middle of the stone circle.

NeuroVault

A typical NeuroVault task, a game developer would use NeuroVault to capture a gamer putting a new game through its paces.

Afterwards, they could playback synchronized video, audio and EEG data, and see immediately which events in the game excited the player, or were frustrating, challenging or just downright boring. Because NeuroVault lets you review the data at your leisure, its very easy to visualize the exact events which trigger changes in emotional state.

Board of Imagination (in development)

After the reading of many charts, the application of copious amounts of saline, and not just a little bit of ‘OH YIKES,’ Chaotic Moon Labs is proud to introduce not the Board of Awesomeness 2.0, but rather the Board of Imagination. Using the same drive system and Samsung-built brains as the Board of Awesomeness, this new board is operated solely on the power of your imagination, no controller here. “LOOK, MA: NO HANDS!”

NeuroPhone (in development)

A new device from Dartmouth College lets users select and dial a contact’s phone number just by thinking about it.

Filed Under: PRODUCT REVIEWS, TECHNOLOGY, Uncategorized Tagged With: emotiv, EPOC neuroheadset, mind-control, technology

Board of Imagination!

March 26, 2012 by Brandon Pierce 1 Comment

Here I am waiting around for my Hover Board, long after Michael J. Fox floated across the big screen more than two decades ago, when I hit upon a new type of skateboard from Chaotic Moon Labs, an Austin based company of awesomeness. This new board from Chaotic Moon Labs honestly makes me more excited than the Hover Board “imagined” in Back to the Future..

The new “Board of Imagination” is different from any other skateboard ever invented.

Why? Simple: the Board of Imagination is mind-controlled.

Here’s a video that literally blew my mind:

So the question I have to ask: Is this Science Fiction, or for real? The answer is: it’s for real…

I followed my sleuthing to an article on CNET, by Molly Wood, which lead me to the Emotiv Store, where you can actually buy the EPOC neuroheadset (the mind controller device). Judging from the video of Molly Wood using the Board of Imagination, it isn’t totally easy to control. There’s a bit of a learning curve, but I still want one!

Is this the dawn of a new era of Jedi devices, mind controlled and full of imagination and awesomeness? What’s next, will we be reading each others thoughts through wireless hairnets?

Whatever the future tech may hold, keep up the awesome development, Chaotic Moon Labs!

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Inspiration for this post owed to: @braernoch

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Filed Under: PRODUCT REVIEWS, TECHNOLOGY, Uncategorized Tagged With: Board of Imagination, Chaotic Moon Labs, emotiv, EPOC neuroheadset, hover board, mind-control, skateboard, technology

Wayfair : Bringing Nobility Back to “Homemaker”

March 22, 2012 by Danielle Hatfield 2 Comments

Kristine Kennedy is on a mission. Since becoming the Editorial Director of Wayfair.com, the largest online-only retailer of home furnishings, she has made it her mission to bring the pride and passion back to the label of “homemaker”. . . one blog post at a time.

With a dynamic approach to building the Wayfair brand and a fresh digital presence, Kristine has made social media content her main focus by creating a growing community of loyal brand advocates and “She is committed to offering inspiration, ideas, advice and conversation to everyday people.”

The Wayfair brand is offering customers, who are passionate homemakers, inspiration and value as well as information. Committing to an active online presence on social sites such as Pinterest, Facebook and Twitter as well as having a stable of industry influencers like Kate Smith, president and chief color maven at Sensational Color, Matthew Mead, former style editor of Country Home magazine and Erika Johnson, the voice behind Radiant Republic blog (just to name a few) Wayfair shares with readers a colorful and active community of inspiration with ‘My Way Home’.

Kristine shared quite simply that Wayfair is committed to bringing nobility back to the moniker ‘homemaker’. “We want it to be a description about those who are passionate about their home, and we all are passionate about our home.”

Note: Special thanks to High Point University for hosting the 2012 Knabusch Shoemaker Seminar where Kristine Kennedy was the keynote speaker.

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Do you blog about your ‘homemaking’ adventures? If so, what makes your house a home?

Is an active online presence key to making you more loyal to a brand like Wayfair?

Were do you look for home inspiration online?

Filed Under: LIFESTYLE, SOCIAL MEDIA, U.S. NEWS, Uncategorized Tagged With: CSN Stores LLC, High Point University, homemaker, Knabusch Shoemaker, Kristine Kennedy, my way home, Wayfair

Top 5 Piedmont Triad Resources for Small Business Owners

January 6, 2012 by Danielle Hatfield Leave a Comment

When it comes to owning your own business, finding resources that actually help you succeed without requiring a huge investment of time or money are rare.

This list is meant to inspire business owners to think outside of the box when it comes to what may not be traditional resources to most.

Help to a small business owner comes in many forms.

1) Ed Mckay’s Book Store – Learning about your industry and where you can grow your business is crucial to making the changes you need to survive. Ed McKay’s is one of my favorite places to invest in books for my business library. I can stay in my budget and come out with an amazing selection of books that keep me up to date, inspired and focused on success.

2) Habitat Restore – Whether you are building your home office or furnishing one off site, Piedmont Triad area Habitat Restore Store outlets are a great place to shop for chairs, desks and any thing else you may need to make your space work ready. Not only do you save money – you also support a great cause!

3) Public Library – The public library is an amazing community resource. You can take computer classes, access their premium business databases, receive planning consultations as well as receive direction in career development. It is as simple as contacting your local business librarian.

4) Board of Advisers – Having a trusted Board of Advisers that you can turn to as you make decisions for your small business will help you grow and learn faster that going it alone. It’s recommended to include people that are outside your area of expertise so that you can learn from their unique perspective and see the bigger picture of where your business can grow. Inc.com has an amazing article on How to Assemble a Board of Advisers.

5) Attend Local Social Events – Professional Networking and Educational Groups that offer FREE memberships such as Linking Greensboro and Linking Winston Salem are great examples. They offer social events that share the best and brightest from in and around the Triad on a regular basis. Not only to you get to network with other area professionals and small business owners – for the price of lunch, you get to learn from Triad’s brightest leaders who speak on a wide range of topics. They also offer networking online via Facebook, Twitter and Linkedin Groups – so even if you can’t make their events, you can still connect and benefit both personally and professionally!

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As a small business owner, what have been your top 5 resources to grow your company?

What resources have you discovered that are free or have little to no cost to you and your company?

Filed Under: BUSINESS, DIY, FACEBOOK, HOW TO'S, LINKEDIN, RESOURCES, RESOURCES, TWITTER, Uncategorized Tagged With: Edward McKay Used Books & More, Habitat ReStore, Linking Greensboro, Linking Triad, Piedmont-Triad, small business advice, small business resources, Triad Resources

TECHiquette : Cell Phones and Public Speakers

October 24, 2011 by Danielle Hatfield Leave a Comment

Yesterday while I was attending the WithIt Educational Breakfast at High Point Market featuring keynote speaker Maxwell Gillingham-Ryan of Apartment Therapy 3 cell phones went off. Yup. 3.

I have to say that the first “oops I left my cell phone on” moment brought the room to a chorus of roarous laughter – due in large part to the timing, Maxwell’s great sense of humor and the ring tone that blasted the Day-O tune.

The second ring was quickly silenced by a blushing attendee. In the tables around me, I saw that everyone was quietly checking their phones to make sure their ringer was off. . . a reminder that, for those of you who know me from the Linking Greensboro Luncheons, I try to offer before the event starts out of respect for the speaker & those attending the event.

The third ring was the worst. It was a cell phone grenade. Not only did the person continue to let it ring as they made it toward the exit from across the ballroom – they answered it “Hello, Hold on a second I’m attending a conference . . .” to stunned looks from everyone they passed on their way to the door. Maxwell paused until the person left the room and continued with his brilliant presentation without skipping a beat.

My TECHiquette tip for the next time you are attending an event or anywhere in public that your cell phone will be a distraction to those around you . . . put your cell phone on vibrate.

And if the call that you receive is important . . . PLEASE for the love of all things etiquette, let it go to voice mail until you leave the room and are in a situation to give the caller your full attention and NOT be a disruption to those around you.

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As a speaker, how do you handle the situation when a cell phone grenade goes off?

How do you handle the situation when your cell phone accidentally goes off at an in opportune moment?

Do you have a ritual of checking your phone before you take you seat at an event or enter a quiet space?

[UPDATE] Be sure to check the your alarms on your phone too! I was attending Julia Rosien‘s presentation and had an alarm go off to my deep embarrassment. Just because your ringer is off does not mean that your phone will be silent!

Filed Under: BUSINESS, OPINION, RESOURCES, TECHNOLOGY, Uncategorized Tagged With: Cell Phones, etiquette, TECHiquette

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