Working with Pro Decorators

[Grammie]

Today a local Decorator came to my home to see if I could help her with a project. She is a customer referral and a top professional decorator. She saw a decorator job I did in the past and was interested in seeing what else I had to offer. Normally I don't have clients at my home but anyway I awoke from night shift and 1 hour later had this person in my studio. She was very nice and so encouraging. She looked at some of my projects, designs and my CQ. I am quilting some wonderful fabric for a girls room that will be upholstered to a chair for her. She was thrilled about it.

She asked if I would do a presentation for a group of decorators not just near home but in Houston. She is retired but still does big jobs from time to time for friends. She is getting a list of decorators and locations that she would like me to visit with if I am interested. She believes I'll be booked within a few months for year. She was so excited about all the wonderful designs. She said most is sent out of state and even in Dallas and Houston to be quilted and that most of the time it is not the quality they want but the only option they have. She thinks customers would be happy to pay more for my services and decorators would too.

Has anyone dealt with this? I'm glad I have the market to tap into but I want to be alittle more educated on the possiblities. I told her it would be after the 1st of the year as I am booked for the rest of the year. She said great as that would give her more time to get some more information for me to consider. Has anyone structured their prices for Decorator rates or would you charge the same. I find they are alot of work to deal with and I will charge more to work with them. Usually it is a big job which includes, bedding, skirts, shams, cornices and furniture coverings. Others are charging by the sq foot and sq yard. She is going to get the prices they normally pay to help me get a compatible rate in place. She agreed that I should charge more. She also is interested in wholecloth quilts.

I'm still soaking in on all the ideas we talked about today and her excitement about it all. She knows I am not deciding until I fully understand all it will involves and to what degree. Worried I might be putting my feet in hot water. lolol

Anyway, Have any of you considered this avenue or been there done that so to speak. Seems there is a really good market for it at least where I am. I will do some more homework on it. That's for sure.

[mxley]

Grammie Tammie,

I have worked with professional decorators on occasion, when I was still re-upholstering furniture.

In my experience, they wanted me to discount my labor by about 30% "because of all the work they would send my way". Well, the jobs still took the same amount of time, I lost out on the fabric selling profit, and not one ever delivered another job!

Not all of them dealt with me this way, but enough did that I became very wary.

So the question is - Do you LIKE making pillow shams and cornice boards? (Personally, I HATE making cornice boards and draperies, LOL.) Do you LIKE making yards and yards of ruffles? Do you LIKE making slipcovers? They're very fussy (of course, I do hate the "shabby chic" type slipcovers - when I make one it looks like it's upholstered, not like a slipcover.)

Do you want to expand your business in this direction? Be very sure that you do, because it can become a real GRIND if you don't love it! And I never met a decorator who planned adequately ahead of time - everything was a big emergency. Fabrics ordered don't come in on time, customer decides to have a big party, whatever, everything becomes a big deal.

Were I you, I would agree to just quilting upholstery fabrics, at first. Let someone else do the fabrication. Sure as shoot, if you agree to make a cornice board, they're gonna wonder why you won't install it, too! And if they have their own installer, and THAT PERSON screws up, it's still you eating a bunch of time to help make it right. You might well be dependent on someone else's measurements, but if the final product doesn't fit, the blame can be assigned any number of places.

And if you decide to work on cornice boards, you will need more equipment than the average quilting studio has - an air compressor, a pneumatic stapler, and possibly a band saw.

So from my experience:

1. No decorator discounts until you have a well established relationship with a particular decorator. Then, maybe, if they really do bring you lots of work. They add on to your price, no matter what you charge them. Right and just, but that's no reason to screw yourself over.

2. Start with just quilting upholstery yardage, and use your regular price. If they love your work, they will flock to you without a discount. Later, decide if you want to expand into the bedding/drapery/slipcover arena.

3. Remember, many decorators are used to treating fabricators as "3rd world laborers". They often don't understand why you won't work for $5-6/hour. After all, you're a laborer. It's our job to reeducate them, LOL.

So, while I do not want to be negative about this business, I DO want you to be informed.

Many decorators out there WILL appreciate your work, and VALUE your input. If this is the sort you can hook up with, it could be a really profitable and productive and valuable relationship.

I just want you to be aware that not all of them are as honorable as one would wish.

If you have any other questions, please feel free to contact me.

Mary

[Grammie]

Just to be clear. I will only quilt fabric. I don't plan on becoming a furniture builder or seamtress in any form or fashion. I will be paid to simply quilt ONLY.

Thank you for the advise. I can see how it could get out of hand for some. I have no problem being very clear on what I am willing to do. I run my business not the decorators. Besides I have plenty of quilts to do also. lol

I'll bet they can get kinda pushy at times. Humm. Something to think about.

Thanks.

[mxley]

Hi Grammie Tammie,

I'm glad to hear that you're clear on what you will and won't do! This will make all the difference in a successful relationship with a decorator.

Sorry I was a bit wordy in my reply, but I did want you to be aware of the pitfalls, LOL.

Cheers,

Mary

[Grammie]

Mary I know what you mean dear. I really appreciated you. Thank you very much. I have heard that this type of work can be demanding so your not alone. I have heard of other bad experiences. I do want to be careful how I approach this if I decide to take it on so to speak. Thanks abunch.

[jeanros]

I have been an upholsterer since 1972, and I have also quilted for many years. Last year I got my first long arm( Millennium) and love it.

I can remember when people wanted their upholstery fabrics quilted around an area of flowers or some type of print, using that spot on a center of a cushion, center of a back rest.

I would do that for people today BUT I would charge more for the time it takes to quilt it. I enjoy both, so I still do upholstery work for others but I make time to do my LA quilting also.

Jean

Millennium

[xtraquilts]

Grammie-

I have had only one relationship with a professional decorator-a shop in downtown Dallas when I had just started my business. I did the work they desired, they paid me and then the check bounced-it was over $500. Anyway, in the 8 years since that incident, I have been lucky enough to not to have had that happen again.

So beware of wolves in sheep's clothing!

Sue

[Kay M.]

I have had limited experience with decorators but it has mostly been negative. The rates they expected were less than I charge my quilters. Also, they were pushy and implied that their work would have to come first. They were not willing to wait in line. So, I decided not to include them in my business. I don't offer pantographs and only do a limited number of allovers. I love the easy money but become bored if too much of that business comes my way. I only quilt part-time so I can afford to be a little picky. Kay

[quiltaholi_518]

The only one I had contact with insisted she charged XXX dolars, and regardless of what that was, I could only charge her half of that amount, so I told her I would deal direct with the end user only. I have made too large an investment in education and equipment to have someone "mark-up" my work...........

[SherryRogers]

I used to work with some decorators as well. It worked out fine for me at the time but they have since fallen by the wayside. Someone else probley said this already but most are on a very short time frame and are not willing to wait for your schedule. They also need to mark up YOUR price to make a profit which will make some work for them un-affordable if you charge accordingly. (which I suggest you always do)

[Giftedhands]

I too have been approached by a couple of decorators. One wanted a fitted bedspread, king size, with some very expensive fabric, piping, etc.

I remembered my "business plan" and no where did it discuss becoming a laborer in the home dec market.

My response was "I will be happy to quilt the fabric for you, do you have someone who will cut and sew the details?" I priced it at my "quilting rate" and never heard from her again.

Cynthia

[Mary Beth]

Cynthia,

Perfect. I was just sitting here thinking, would I work for a decorator??? Then my next thought was, I love the quilting - that is why I got into this - I love quilts. For me, I don't want to do that kind of work for someone else. I will stick to the quilts and leave the decor to someone else. Just not for me.