Help us help the Central Virginia Foodbank

Last year, for our 'holiday sale', LaDifference decided to do something, well, different. We wanted to give our customers a holiday 10% discount, but with a twist. For every donation of 5 cans/boxes of food or a donation of $5 to the Central Virginia Foodbank, a customer received get 10% off one item in the store.

With no limit to the number of donations & discounts, the program was a success. We raised enough food & money to provide nearly 10,000 meals to the CVFB, who works with Meals on Wheels under the umbrella of Feedmore to provide meals to our area's neediest citizens.

Because success breeds success, we're doing it again.

Starting today, Nov. 24th, for every donation of $5 or 5 cans or boxes of food that you bring to LaDiff for the Central Virginia Foodbank, we will give you 10% off one really cool LaDiff item of your choice... the more your donate, the more 10% discounts you'll get. The promotion runs until Sunday, January 3rd, so you have plenty of time to help the foodbank while you help yourself to sale prices on furniture and home accessories.

If you are on our mailing list, watch your mailbox for the postcard about the event, and you'll see ads pop up in local papers, too. Thanks to the team at Elevation (Aaron, Frank, and CJ, big shout outs to you), we have a beautiful, hopeful television spot too, that you can see right here.

At the end of the sale, in the first week of January, we'll tally up the donations of canned goods and money brought to LaDiff and present everything to the foodbank at that time. As you can imagine, the need is greater than ever right now. The extraordinary team at our area foodbank knows how to stretch your single dollar into 5 meals... so that $5 donation in exchange for a discount can add 25 meals to someone's week. Pretty powerful. You can learn more about the Central Virginia Foodbank at their website or follow them on Twitter. (Please note, they are also looking for volunteers this season, too, to help with sorting and the like!)

To learn more about LaDiff's holiday promotion to help us provide food for our area citizens while helping our customeres save on fun furniture, visit our website for details.

From the LaDiff team to you, Happy Thanksgiving.

Why we love a GOOD Sale

Sales are fun...and I'm not talking about just for the consumer - which I happen to be.
(And I'm quite good at being a consumer, too!)

At LaDiff, we have FUN with our sales.

First, there are the 'games' we've played...in the past we've asked our customers to

• search for secret items
• sing patriotic song
• wear specific colors and/or outfits

But the real fun is in knowing that we're offering really cool LaDiff stuff ON SALE.

Right now LaDIFF is in the midst of our first HALF OFF sale.

When you have a sale called 'half off' you get a lot of questions. We've tried to answer the most frequent ones on our website page about the sale. Here are a few of my favorites:

1. Is everything HALF OFF? ... all of the ads say "select items" and "over 600 items". And wouldn't we tell you if it's the entire store? So, the short and easy answer is "no" (we aren't crazy).

2. Is this the best price? ....uh, it's half off. HALF OFF our regular price. Let me put it this way: this is BETTER than what our employees pay. So you're getting the employee discount and then some. Woohoo! (short answer: "yes")

3. Is my HALF OFF purchase final sale? ... you bet your bippee it is. Period. End of story. (P.S. We also need you to be IN the store when you purchase, because most of the items are last-of floor samples... you'll want to look it over before you buy.)

4. Are you going out of business? "Wait, people really ask you that?"...Whenever we have a clearance sale, we hear this question or a variation of it from at least one person during the event. Crazy, huh? That said, in today's economic climate, and having watched many of our friends and colleagues close their businesses, the question is at least more reasonable. The answer is a resounding NO! We enjoy what we do, our business is strong, and we can't wait to show you all of the cool stuff we have on order coming in 2010... which is the reason we are making room with a HALF OFF sale to begin with.

Sometimes, with clearance sales, we look around us at a sea of 'older than it should be' inventory and too many 'as is' items. This time, however, the buyers are thrilled at the selection we are offering our customers. One of my very favorite chairs sold early on the first day of the sale: a gorgeous, comfy swivel chair from Italy in a truly luxurious leather. Mmmmm.

Want to know what makes us (or any furniture store) decide to put something in a sale like this?

• Vendor discontinuation: means we cannot order it any longer - for our store or for you.
  
• Older floor models that we want to change up to another finish or color or style.
• Too much inventory of one thing! We get a little over-eager sometimes...
  
• Scratch & dent - accidents happen; we touch 'em up and mark 'em down!
• Something that just doesn't make the 'best seller' list. We love everything we buy. Some items are 'hits' and some aren't. That's just the way it is...
  
• Something new is on the way to take it's place! When we need to make room, we mark down what's 'in the way'.

So... there you have it... the little secrets of the method behind the HALF OFF markdowns. The idea is to reduce inventory to make room for new product. So, they are not going to apply to custom orders. They are not going to apply to new items. They are not going to apply to best sellers.

In the end, there were over 710 items marked at HALF OFF... and, with day #3 of the sale starting today, there are still LOTS AND LOTS AND LOTS of terrific bargains left FOR YOU!

The sale ends Sunday, Nov 22nd. Come on down and
LET THE FUN BEGIN!

So, what did you REALLY think?

We knew we were taking a risk.

Double entendre is always risky.

Some people won't hear the 'risky' part, and the joke goes over their heads. Others ONLY hear the 'risky' part, and ignore the safe part, and take it far too literally.

Since mid-October, LaDiff has been running a TV commercial called "Passion for Dining." The concept came from Aaron Dotson, Frank Gilliam and team, and was produced by C.J.Hawn, all of Elevation Advertising. Very talented people with very creative ideas... and this was no exception.

Let me back up.

In July, we asked Elevation to create our 4th of July tv spots.
They were animated and hit the mark.

For our 'Perfect Seat' upholstery sale in September, they came up with an even more clever idea including a variety of 'seats' (young, old, small, large, dressed up, casual, etc.)

But....... they had this other idea they wanted us to do. It was a take-off of a Cialis or Viagra or similar spot: the one with the two bathtubs. Andy would be in one and I would be in the other. The copy would be about it 'being time' and 'being in the mood'... then 'yes, let's have a sale.'

Yeah, ... cute... but, uh, no.

The 'butt' ad was clever. Lucy loved shaking her booty for it, as did quite a few LaDiffers.

The next ad... for our dining sale... was all about the double entendre.

Here we were, sitting around the conference table: two 40-something women, a 20-something woman, and my 50-something husband, listening to the Elevation ideas. They were great. If we'd had the money, there would have been three spots that would have run in rotation so often you'd think we were an upcoming Lifetime movie! Instead, we decided on one. This one. The one that has gotten a lot of attention.

We even got written attention in Holly Buchanan's blog about 'marketing to women'... and she did NOT like it.

But... We like it.
It's risky.
It created buzz.
And... it's "LaDiff."

Check out Holly's blog and the reactions/comments... and watch the ad itself... right here... and let us know what YOU think. (To friends who have already commented on the blog and/or on Facebook... THANK YOU.)

Too much???

Elevation is doing our NEXT tv spot too: about our promotion that benefits the Central Virginia Foodbank. Stay tuned... it's wonderful.

(by the way, dining furniture is STILL on sale for one more week... sale ends 11/15... so, hurry, if that's the room you need to furnish or redecorate next!)

Comfort, Color, and a some 'star' sightings....... LaDiff's recap of the October 2009 High Point furniture market

1. COMFORT is king: deep, plush seating wowed us. Sink into comfort. Don't want to get up and keep walking comfort. No 'perching' on the edge of your seat; we're talking become one-with-the-furniture comfort.

2. FABRIC is BACK in modern design. While microfiber covers and ultrasuede are still out there, and still have their places, ‘REAL’ fabrics in rich textures are BACK: linens, chenilles, woven cottons, etc. This only adds to the lushness of the COMFORT (see #1!).

3. Where there is FABRIC, there is COLOR. After the safe sea of brown, brown, and brown (okay: tan, taupe, and chocolate), we loved seeing the other colors of the earth splashed around: cranberry reds, plum purples, ocean-inspired teals, and pumpkin oranges, all mixed with new neutrals like pewter grey! Our friends at American Leather did it particularly well!

4. MID-CENTURY MODERN was the style inspiration. Heywood-Wakefield-inspired case pieces, trim upholstery, clean lines – minimal yet fun and funky. Keeping with that feeling, AMERICAN WALNUT brings the essence of the 1950’s and high craftsmanship to the almost 2010’s. LaDiff faves Copeland, Skovby, and BDI showed it off with new introductions throughout.

5. INNOVATION – George Emerson presented his Geneva Sound Systems, where you can get really big sound out of sexy, small boxes: it is SO MUCH better than some other European options we’ve seen, and a whole heaping lot prettier in your room!

6. ‘PURPOSEFUL ECLECTICISM’ (defined in an earlier blog) from was rampant in the urban rustic/loft living looks from GUS* Design, Archetype, and Design Workshop. Cold, raw steel mixed with distressed woods; clean lines and minimal arms on a deep seated down-filled sofa; rustic textures against glass & metal. GUS* even puts ‘tree trunk’ patterned texture onto an otherwise very mod clear acrylic accent table: love it.

7. ECO-FRIENDLY IS AFFORDABLE – it does NOT cost more to be GREEN. The discovery of highly affordable and completely eco-friendly upholstery resource BKind3 was a delight, and speaking to Carl Gustavson about his BiOH-foam (soy) cushions, SFI lumber frames, and fabrics made from recycled plastic bottles, inspired us to “be kind” to our planet. We are also ‘getting in bed’ with North American mattress manufacturer Natura who has been eco-friendly since before the expression existed!

8. Last, but certainly not least, some LaDIFFERS get star-struck by famous designers: Lisa hunted down Thom Filicia , and I came within spitting distance of Candice Olson (note, I would never spit on Candice: 1. b/c she is very tall and could hock one right back on top of my head, 2. b/c she is truly divine). Thom is adorable, and Candice is gorgeous, and both are talented and charming, but neither had the naive appeal of this uber-star, Mr. Squarepants himself...
High Point just doesn't get any better than this!

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P.S. if you aren't on LaDiff's email list yet, or following us on Twitter or Facebook, you'll want to! We have big exciting stuff happening that will only be told to our ONLINE audience! Sign up now!

Friends

The best part about spending 2 weeks a year in High Point, trudging around from showroom to showroom, sleeping in a strange bed, working 14 hours/day?

Seeing friends.

Yep.

That's it.

Sure, it's fun to see really cool furniture - especially when some of our friends have been particularly inspired - but the best part is the 'catching up.'

"How ARE you?"

"We're good... we're good."

"How is business?"

"Better... we think it's getting better. Yes. Definitely getting better."

"Ours too... what a year."

"No kidding!"

"And your kids?"

"Still growing!!!"

"See you tonight?!"

"Absolutely!!!"

Yep......... buying furniture (on EVERY level -supplier to manufacturer, manufacturer to retailer, retailer to consumer)... is ALL about the relationship.

... and we wouldn't have it any other way.

Purposeful Eclecticism

There is a trend afoot in decorating and entertaining that I will call 'purposeful eclecticism.' It's where the home/apartment dweller has purposefully mixed styles and eras and colors and textures... not because they had to (think hand-me-downs) but because they wanted to... and they want it to look 'effortless', like they accumulated their goodies over time.

I find this intriguing and delightful.

It used to be that people aspired to have "the complete set", or... sorry, hate this furniture term... the "suite". The bedroom suite, the dining room suite, the living room suite: think sofa, chair, and loveseat that ALL MATCH. People saved their pennies to buy their furniture this way, and then they lived with that 'suite' all the rest of their lives.

Which makes me think that today's eclecticism is not something born of 'need' but because of 'want'.

Think about it... true eclectic decorating usually starts out of need: can't afford the 'matched set' so you figure out how to make the mismatched one look terrific. My parents' apartment while my dad was in grad-school was the ultimate in mismatched items, many of which were later painted this odd shade of green because, naturally, they had gallons of leftover green paint from some other project. Items are repurposed from bedspreads into draperies and pillows. It was recycling at its finest.

Now, however, the appeal of DIY, the lure of the thrift store or yard sale, and the encouragement to re-purpose and recycle, has created a new level of eclecticism that is truly purposeful (with the illusion of appearing 'effortless').

On a recent episode of Dear Genevieve (yes, like many of you, I HEART HGTV, especially Genevieve, Candice, David, and Vern...)... Genevieve Gorder (who got her TV start on Trading Spaces many moons ago) brought life to a couple's Victorian era dining room by buying them MISMATCHED dining chairs from different periods. She then covered the seats in the same fabric, to bring them 'unity'. Her decorations? Fruits and vegetables. There were two big pieces in the room that she bought new: the table and the chandelier. Everything looked great.

Okay... so why would I - a retailer of NEW furniture - be espousing the ideas of purposeful eclecticism? Well, first off, because I like it, and I do it myself. My living room has an antique carved Brazilian cabinet, an early 20th century baby grand piano, an original-to-the-house stone fireplace, and... lots of modern furniture, lighting, & rugs.

Designers are touting the beauty and benefit of 'mixing things up.' LaDiff friend and Richmond designer Kathy Corbet recently led a seminar titled 'Mix it up! Incorporating Contemporary Styles into a Traditional Home.' On her blog, Kathy says "Simple touches can provide a smooth visual transition when combining periods and adding modern touches."

We LaDiffers love to mix things up. Our belief is that as long as each piece has integrity unto itself, and YOU love it, you can make it work. If you trust your own instincts, you'll find that you are drawn to similar colors or textures, that, when mixed together, become something layered and wonderful. (In fact, mixing things up is part of the reason we started Vive - more global/ ethnic/ one-of type furniture, located next door to LaDiff.)

Compare it to fashion:
* a beautiful antique cameo pin worn on a chic black sweater is truly elegant
* a vintage 1960's dress looks sexy with sleek modern boots
* jeans and a t-shirt are instantly dressed up with a vintage scarf and handbag

Now let's do it with furniture:
* you've inherited Gramma's antique iron bed - flank it with glass tables for a modern update or warm it up with solid cherry
* vintage 1950's white laminate kitchen table? how 'bout some Danish inspired colorful bent-ply chairs to go around?
* that exquisite antique Persian rug from Aunt Mary? sleek black Corbusier-inspired leather upholstery lets the rug be the star
* naugahyde lazyboy circa 1974? ... we recommend that you donate that item to Caritas' furniture bank and start OVER (there are some things we just cannot help)

You don't have to start from scratch! In fact, we wish you wouldn't. If your furniture has character and 'good bones', work with it. Just add some quality, fun, and color where needed.

Purposeful Eclecticism... hard to say... fun to do! Let's do it together. Get started at: www.ladiff.com

Toot! Toot! That's our 'own' horn you hear!

Well... it's Monday... so it's time to write another blog entry.

This morning, Carol Hazard and the Metro Business section of the Richmond Times Dispatch did it for me.

The comments from Jerry Epperson, furniture industry expert & analyst and downtown Richmond neighbor, are so flattering that our buttons have been popping off our shirts all day!

A big shout out and thank you also to Alice Lynch, with the Virginia Capitol Foundation, and, of course, to our partner of almost 30 years, Ivor Massey for their nice words, too!

You can read the article online by clicking here.

Below are a few photos that appeared in print, including the wonderful 'empress of LaDiff' (as my dad calls her), Miss Lucy.

And, of course, if you want to know even more about LaDiff, we hope you'll visit us in person. For starters... visit ladiff.com and check out our story and our 'stuff'. Thanks!