Walls, Warmth and Fun
Caroline Kennedy, Editor-in-Chief -- Gifts and Dec, 10/1/2008 12:00:00 AM
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Caroline Kennedy |
What do you do with a blank boring wall to make it interesting? To many of us, that is a daunting question. A blank wall to a decorator — be they a professional, a homeowner, an apartment dweller or dorm room occupant — is like what a blank piece of paper or computer screen is to a writer. The possibilities are endless, but what to do, where to began? Paint? Wallpaper? Framed art?
Of course, paint is the simplest and most obvious answer. But then you still have a blank wall, only now it is tinted! For some, color is enough; but many, like me, can not live with color alone. We want something else to add interest and capture the eye — pictures, posters, photographs or artwork of some sort. These too have inherent problems: For the budget-minded, there is the expense of quality framed artwork; for the tenant, there is the damage hooks needed for hanging can do to the wall.
Well, hooray for our ever-inventive industry! Now there is an affordable type of wall decor that gives decorators flexibility and room for individual creativity — wall stickers and decals. This category, which has been slowly emerging under the radar in recent years, exploded onto the gift and home decor scene and has generated a lot of buzz this year. Curious? Turn to page 20 to see what this new way of brightening up a room is all about.
And speaking of brightening up a room … This month, we also take another look at the candle category. Long a favorite way to add a warm glow of soft light to a room, candles continue to be strong sellers, especially as we move into the winter season. They are a staple of the gift retailer’s merchandise mix and regular part of the home decor vernacular. If you watch any of the multitude of home improvement programs like I do — I have to admit, I am addicted to them — you’ll notice how when they “dress” a room for the final reveal, candles are always used to help lend ambience to the room. This has helped to popularize the use of candles, especially in multiples. And to maintain interest and grow sales, candle manufacturers are continually adapting their lines to follow fashion currents in lifestyle, fragrance, color and design. For that reason, this evergreen sales commodity remains fresh and on trend.
Once the walls are decorated and the candles lit, why not encourage customers to enjoy using the room by playing a game? For the upcoming holiday and winter season, games make an ideal gift suggestion for families, a fun party activity and a wonderful way to bring families and groups together. Don’t send your customers to the toy store to purchase them when you can offer a fine selection of enjoyable, giftable games yourself.
As you know, we editors travel to a lot of gift markets each season. Did you ever wonder what products stand out and pique our interest? Wonder no more; when you turn to page 34, you’ll see some of this summer’s standouts.
We would love your feedback!
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