viva verde

because we have been making some big changes in our store, i decided (well more like had to) redecorate and design some of the displays in the store.

had these old wine cases in storage and with a little help from the drill and stud-finder, made a totally cute new product display, green goes well with natural wood colors!

(lovin’ the new Baby Section!)

took the old branches in the small space off and mounted them on the wall, took some old magazines and layered them to make large butterflies and attached them.

(this is a great party decoration idea that is easy for kids to do!)

the back space is almost finished with the major layout. i transfered some of the decorative items from the front and created a warmer area with lighting and Peace Lilies (they take out a TON of bad air!) and aloe.

i still have to figure out product and the work-station of the space…guess what i will be doing at 5am!

working on the new wing of the store, and what has become a moving project has now turned into a complete metamorphosis of the entire work place…YIKES! i was only thinking of the big changes, but what about the small?

one thing that was a real treat: Path Design left their awesome remodeled restroom. now i could repaint and tear out the floor, add a new window or even gut the whole thing, but why?!? Rachel installed these GREAT cork tiles, which i have been wanting for the other restroom back when they were in Domino Mag. they are super affordable and if you are patient, you can install them yourself.

(moving in the displays)

The entire back space is white and grey, good for choosing colors, but low on personality. Rachel painted the bathroom, Aztec, from Green Planet Paint and it is the only “warm” wall in the entire store…gonna keep!

I decided to go through one of the best deals on the planet: IKEA “as-is” section for shelving or other tiddies. i found these simple and clean looking glass shelves for displaying nick-nacks. they were only$2.49!! so i bought 4 just in case.
the rest is just what i already had in my old restroom and the store: vintage mirror from a display, local artist painting, Family Van candle, and various glass objects that were in storage corners.

(awesome cork flooring & the light teal really highlights the walls huh!)

(this is how we are come Sat evening…and boy am i tired!)

When our store expanded in early 2007, we joined forces with local interior design firm Path Design in a collaboration to provide services, furniture and awesome displays that highlighted the talent of principle, Rachel Hulan.

Now, after 1 1/2 years, Path has outgrown their office space and must relocate in order to accommodate their ever expanding clientele. NOW WHAT??

(what will be empty soon-what will happen next??)

I have been a little worried, not because of what i could do with the extra space, but the problem of how to display, organize and FIT what i would like to do.

Based on what customers and the industry have been telling me as well as my gut instinct, i really think that i should move into the home improvement/green building area as we are selling paint at an alarming rate. We also have a LARGE number of people coming in everyday wanting to buy and look at materials. Path had a “Design Bar” in the store that was open t0 the public about one a day month…this is giving me ideas…

(the Design Bar: was a good idea, but was only open 1 day a month)

I have also decided to reorganize the “original” part of the store. Not that i do not love eco-fashion, but over the past couple years, i most definitely have a better perspective on what people want out of eco-clothing.

Nicole, from Random Nicole (yes my niece) is now coming into RLT and will be setting up her ever growing Craft Kitchen DIY classes from the smaller space.

Keep reading over the next month & 1/2 to find out what the h-e-double toothpicks i do and how it is accomplished…lots going on…

there goes my summer vacation.

Love the butterfly garden! But I really want to add something to it that reflects the themes of the store: the combination of nature and human creations.

Remember i went to the Tree Huggers Ball a month ago? Well i happened to meet these great ladies from the Orange Circle who have a kick a** garden and garden art store….one of the things where these AMAZING metal flowers: check-check

I am obsessed with the large obnoxious ones, it makes me fell like i am an insect in the grass or hanging out out on a leaf. I met the creator, Richelle (of The Elegant Garden in Orange) at the store and this is what i bought, what do you think?

i have been watching cars stopping at the light next to the garden, people can’t help but look…a customer’s little girl even pretended like they smelled like roses…AWESOME!

Will be carrying these soon…LOVE THEM!

I am very very fortunate to know the fabulous people that run Back to Natives: a local non-profit that encourages and educates on local conservation and restoration. Well these fantastic people held a seminar at the store and focused on this nasty excuse of ivy as an area to build a native CA butterfly garden YES!

(before: yes i know, boring and ugly…you dont want to know what we found in there!)

(Reggie and Lori to the rescue!!!)

(it was not that easy. ivy was growing there for over 30 years probably, took several days of work to get them out-and there are still some roots!)

Remember: ivy does NOT go into green waster, it is evasive and will take over everything, it must go in the trash. Reggie, in addition to making a stellar plan (i will show it off later, it is framed in the store), designed this awesome path made from decomposed granite (aka “the road less traveled”) in the middle of the garden with a collection of native, butterfly attracting plants like yucca, 3 different types of sage, blue-eyed grass, deerweed and others (Reg, don’t hate me for forgetting!)

(2 months later)

this was only after watering the garden every few days for the first 2 weeks and then removing weeds/ivy every so often. So beautiful and EASY to care for…we get a ton of compliments all the time, it smells good and people stop littering around it

If you are interested in getting a consultation with the amazing Reggie to have your own garden, contact him at Back to Natives or..

we also sell the seeds at the store!

my friend Brett just stopped by and showed me this AWESOME company Blik Surface Graphics that do these super creative and and fresh decals for walls and windows. Check-check!

(the words are a MUST!)

already have a ton of ideas! i will be posting about future displays using these decals soon.

I have been thinking about bringing in some cardboard pieces to kind of change things up. We have so much here, gotta do something with it (we recycle or ship back out whatever we have so hold your tongue!) that is creative.

While on my search for inspiration, i ran across this AWESOME site for Swedish recycled cardboard furniture-Retur Design Studio.

(umm this doesn’t look like the crap i have in our recycle bin)

(check this out- LOVE IT!)

pieces range from $100 to $1000 (make sure you do the currency exchange first). The only issue i have is the distance shipping….but i am definitely inspired.