Let's Talk Rayon

Rayon rugs are HOT HOT HOT. So what are they? The terms Rayon and Viscose are legally interchangeable. Rugs with the label “100 % Bamboo Silk” are actually 100% Rayon and the labeling is actually 100% illegal. Same goes for labels like “Luxcelle” and “Silkette”. The FTC says the fiber content of rugs must be immediately recognizable in the label. Many manufacturers will go to great lengths to avoid labeling their rugs “Rayon.”

WHY WOULD YOU WANT IT?

Rayon rugs give you ALOT of look for a fraction of the cost of more durable quality wool, cotton and silk versions. The design and color variations are almost unlimited AND SUPER FUN. Machine manufacturing time is almost nothing. This makes them very affordable and very popular choices for low traffic areas. However, it’s important to know that… no surprise, you get what you pay for.

WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

1.     Rayon has poor strength. Unlike cotton, which gets stronger when it is wet, rayon LOSES its strength, up to 50% of it’s strength! This means that when rayon rugs are cleaned, you need to use caution.

2.     Rayon is very lustrous. This means that the pile “shades” or distorts under wet feet, a small liquid spill or a pet accident. Water based cleaners will flatten the unforgiving pile. This is VERY difficult or impossible to correct.

3.     Rayon crushes easily. Like a love crush gone really wrong, this gets complicated and the pile gets “matted”. Aggressive vacuuming only makes it worse.

4.     Professional designers enlist companies like Fiberseal (fiberseal.com) to apply protection and offer clean-ability suggestions at the point of delivery in the home.

If you understand all of the above and need to make quick, inexpensive changes to your space then Rayon is a great choice! GO FOR IT!

(excerpted from FIBERFACTS, 2018)

Fairfield Chair - Ooh La La

Have we told you how much we love the quality craftsmanship and a stylish selection offered by Fairfield Chair Company? Stop in today and let us help you find just the right piece for your home. 

25 Years - Wow!

Many thanks for Mike Gennaria and Housetrends Magazine for this wonderful feature. We are thrilled to be celebrating our 25th anniversary this year.

‘Hoffman & Albers Interiors, a full-service design firm and furniture store located in Blue Ash, Ohio, is set to celebrate its 25th anniversary. Coinciding with this milestone will be a sale that kicks off with an open house on October 4 from 6-8 p.m.

The kickoff event will include a trunk show of the newest fabrics, area rugs and trims, surprise giveaways, refreshments and light bites, live accessory switches demonstrating the impact of accessory details and drawings for holiday tablescapes.

With 25 successful years in business, we wanted to learn more. The following is a Q&A with owner Ann Hoffman.

Q: What business advice have you received that has stuck with you?

A: Honesty, integrity and establishing long-lasting relationships with clients and everyone involved in the business. Your reputation depends on all of those factors.

Q: In a world where many businesses and corporations are owned and operated by men, your team at Hoffman & Albers Interiors is largely female. What does that mean to you, to be a female entrepreneur and also to work with a team of female designers?

A: My former partner and I had to “sell ourselves and our concept” to an industry that

was primarily male, including factory reps, bankers and landlords. It made us work harder and more purposefully. My husband, Jack, was hugely instrumental in advising and establishing business and banking relationships and offering unending support to our business plan. We’ve had a greater sensitivity and insight to our clients’ needs. “Those women” have survived a challenging 25 years in business!

Q: What are some past design trends (from any era) that you would love to see again?

A: Neoclassical, Country English and Country French. !

Q: What are some current design trends that excite you?
A: Clean, timeless and classic design. You can involve some trends, but only if it is appropriate and it excites your client.

Q: What are some misconceptions about using an interior designer?

A: That designers are expensive. If you select the correct designer, he or she can actually save the client money and create a unique and personalized space.

Q: What is Hoffman & Albers Interiors looking forward to in the months and years ahead?

A: Staying in the forefront of interior design service in the greater Cincinnati area.

Throwing it Back

#tbt. As we prepare for our 25th anniversary celebration, we came across this Hyde Park Living article from 1993. 

"When entering Hoffman & Albers Interiors, we want customers' first impression to be excitement. We want them to have the most wonderful and memorable shopping experience that they've ever had before so that they can't wait to return and discover new merchandise." Twenty-five years later, that sentiment remains the same. 

Please be sure to join us on October 4th as we celebrate 25 years of design. 💥 Learn more about the great, local philanthropy that we are partnering with, along with plenty of other event details here:https://bit.ly/2AytEIb

A Life Well Lived

From one of our favorite lines, Robert Allen offers a fresh take on some lovely new options. Chintz-like motifs. Blossoming fruit trees. Fresh takes on crewelwork. Elevate your designs with lavish, large-scale florals from Madcap Cottage's new collection, A Life Well Lived.

Duralee

Since 1952, Duralee has been offering fresh fabric, cutting-edge trim options & innovative furniture frames to the interior design industry.

We're proud of our long standing relationship with this wonderful manufacturer. Stop in today and we'll help find the perfect style for you.

You're Invited

#tbt. Throwing it back to 2005, when we excitedly announced the move to our current location at 9405 Kenwood Road. It's hard to believe that was 13 years ago!

Please be sure to join us on October 4th as we celebrate 25 years of design. 💥

Learn more about the local philanthropy, Operation Give Back, that we are partnering with, along with plenty of other event details here:https://bit.ly/2AytEIb

2018 Pantone Color of the Year

Ultra Violet
Inventive and imaginative, Ultra Violet lights the way to what is yet to come

Ultra Violet is Pantone's color of the year for 2018. Ultra Violet, which cannot be seen in the light spectrum, leaves some up to our imagination. Pantone has taken this idea of a color that cannot been seen with the naked eye and have used the transcendence of this idea to create a color. This beautiful and rich interpretation of a dark royal purple with a splash of red is intended to aspire for something new and exciting.
 
Ultra Violet is showcased in the latest fashions, advertising and in home trends. It is a leader in the idea of contrasting colors with all the available grays and taupe neutrals that have been popular for the last few years.
 
 The paint industry has created their own color palettes that are also very rich and inviting. They are different than Pantone colors, but their colors choices actually work well with Ultra Violet.
 
 A couple of these leaders are Sherwin-Williams and Benjamin Moore. Sherwin-Williams has created  a darker, saturated Marine Blue called Oceanside. This color is a great compliment to Ultra Violet with some of the same contrast and tonal qualities. Benjamin Moore has changed up their color of the year to a rich red-orange color called Caliente. They have paired this color with blush, rose, grays, and golds. It is a warmer color palette. 
 
So this year there are choices! As never before. . .

As designers, we can help create a color story that fits your home and your style using these beautiful colors. We can go bold and glamorous or subtle and quiet, or anything in between. Whatever the direction, you can bet that Hoffman and Albers Interiors will have the newest colors available for your hands on dreaming, painting, playing, creating, and realizing the home of your dreams.

Come see us at Hoffman and Albers Interior Design.

Cynthia E Stewart, Designer.

Local Interior Design Inspiration: Alicia Cummings

A great piece of art can pull a room together. Much of the art displayed in the Hoffman & Albers interior design showroom was created by local artist Alicia Cummings. We sat down and discussed her story and how she got involved with Hoffman & Albers.

Tell us a little bit about your background.

“I have had a love for various art forms for as long as I can remember- from loving to color and draw as a kid to having fun putting colorful outfits together. My real love for exploring my own art came in high school. I had a phenomenal high school art teacher that helped shape my abilities and paved the road for my career choice. Creativity also runs in my blood. Both of my parents are musicians and I have always been influenced by their talents.”

What are your favorite mediums to work with?

“Painting has become my favorite medium of choice, but my stronger roots in drawing still serve purpose. Both go hand in hand really – I am still learning how to paint!”

What’s your thought process like?

“My process in creating work is always organic. Often themes or symbolism come out subconsciously. Landscapes are a recurring interest of mine. I love creating serenity and often play with light and reflections in various ways.”

Do you do any custom work?

“I have created custom work for multiple clients. It’s fun to challenge myself with new projects and ideas. As an interior design lover myself, it brings even more joy to create a custom piece for a specific space. If I can get enough feedback on what colors they want to pull or what fabric choices, textures, etc. are coming into play, it makes the process seamless. “

How did you get connected with Hoffman & Albers?

“I have always been in love with this store. I love the eclectic mix and unusual finds. As a customer myself, one of the designers (Nancy) came out to my home years ago when I bought a piece of furniture there. She commented on one of my paintings hanging in our foyer and encouraged me to contact Ann to share my portfolio. The rest is history. I have been so blessed to sell my work in this exquisite store. I am eternally grateful to Ann for giving me this opportunity to share a piece of me. This is really a dream come true.”

See more of Alicia’s work in the Hoffman & Albers showroom, located at 9405 Kenwood Road in Blue Ash, Ohio.

What FRIENDS Taught Us About Home Interior Design

The characters of FRIENDS taught us so many life lessons about love and friendship, but they also taught us a few things about home interiors…

The One with the Apothecary Table

Ever enter a room and feel you just stepped into a furniture catalog? Phoebe understands, and she hated the mass-produced furniture market, claiming everyone ends up with the same stuff (we’re looking at you, Ross & Rachel). Luckily, almost everything at Hoffman & Albers is fully customizable!

Each room should have a basic design theme or color scheme to guide you, but don’t overdo it. Pieces should flow together, but not everything has to match perfectly. Like Phoebe’s fashion style, having some mismatching elements and eclectic furniture adds personality and depth to a room.

 The One in Barbados, Part 1

“You don’t own a TV? What’s all your furniture pointed at?” Seems silly, but Joey actually had a point here! Every room needs a focal point. It doesn’t necessarily have to be a TV, but maybe a piece of artwork, a fireplace, a table, a window.

The goal is to create an intimate space with a clear purpose. Your furniture should fill the space but allow for movement – think in clusters. Furniture that’s just pushed up against the wall may create a nice open space but probably feels boxy and limits conversation.

The One with the Secret Closet

Monica showed us even the most organized people struggle with finding a place for everything. But instead of creating a mountain of clutter in a secret closet, find little ways to create more storage. Every little bit counts!

Replace your living room coffee table with vintage trunk. Store blankets, movies, game controllers, etc. Do a lot of crafting? Use a wine rack to organize markers and a paper towel roll to keep track of your ribbons. Hanging shoe organizers are extremely versatile for more than just shoes. You can stuff anything from hats/gloves/scarves in the pockets to cleaning supplies or spray paints.

The Purple Wall

Monica & Rachel’s purple wall is a great lesson in choosing your furniture first! When designing a room, most people want to get everything freshly painted before worrying about furniture to move around or avoid getting dirty. It makes sense! But doing it this way severely limits your selection of furniture and accessories!

Picture yourself walking into a home improvement shop and the many paint swatches that line the walls. There’s so much more variation in paint than in furniture options.

If you start with your furniture, you can pick the piece you like best without being limited by a specific, predetermined color scheme. Once you found what you want, you can take home multiple paint swatches in a seemingly infinite variety of shades to see how well the colors work together.

Bonus Tip: Even a small variation in light can make a big difference. Test your paint colors on a small section of the wall and monitor them as the light changes throughout the day. What looks great in the soft morning light could look harsh and unflattering in the bright afternoon sun.

Interior designers at Hoffman & Albers can help you conquer all of your interior design decisions. When you finish binge-watching FRIENDS, come visit our showroom located at 9405 Kenwood Road in Blue Ash.