High value, bargain prices

An emerging generation stamps time with its own unique character that follows it through a lifetime, governing what it likes, how it buys it and what it values most. The new ideas then dribble into society as a whole.While not many of us get goldfish swallowing anymore, I admit that neither do I appreciate saggy pants that are worn mid-rear. Im much more knowledgeable about design trends, to be sure.

We have two opposite trend streams in design and home improvement currently: Value-engineered products are enormously popular, while outrageously expensive things that can be bought by only a slim segment of the population appear to be wildly popular as well.

Purveyors of luxury products claim they cannot keep stock, and couture items are flying off the shelves. At the same time, the bulk of Millennials use the Internet more than brick-and-mortar retailers, are demanding consumers and are not afraid to blast a vendor via social media if they perceive they have been shortchanged or insulted in some way. They can make or break a brand. This independent group may not be shopping through interior designers to access exclusive brands in large numbers.

We have an odd blend of an Ikea-Lowes generation with a small slice of the population living in a Marie Antoinette-like reality. Today a Pro 48-inch-wide Sub-Zero with a cool glass panel door is nearly $16,000 at suggested retail pricing. That is just about what a lot of recent college grads might make a year these days. A 48-inch-wide dual fuel Wolf range can hover right around $14,000. I do not imagine that many echo boomers will be buying those appliances very soon, if ever. Yet you often get what you pay for, and the lowest-priced item doesnt always deliver adequate quality.

The lesson to be learned is that sometimes it pays to spend more in order to achieve reasonable longevity. There is a sweet spot somewhere between outrageously expensive and good, serviceable quality.Ive been out there hunting for textiles at trade showrooms, and even I am stunned. There are logical reasons for $300- to $400-per-yard prices, but really? Cotton went up, petroleum went up, and shipping costs went up. Smart manufacturers have brought out value lines that seem more reasonable even at $80 per yard.

No surprise that the cheapest fabrics come from China. Textiles from Germany and Italy soar in cost and compete for just how unique they can be with embroidery or stunning cutout details. At a discount fabric house, you might find something you can use for $12 to $25 per yard, but you have to spend a lot of time looking in order to get the quantity or color you need. Its a random process that isnt fruitful much of the time.

There is more emphasis on closeout batches of various flooring materials. Carpet prices, too,You will never need to change the bulbs and your granitetrade will last for years and years. are high, so discount retailers are more popular than ever. More natural stone yards are now selling remnants, a practice that was not at all common several years ago in an industry that protected selling entire slabs only.

Most folks are looking for more value, so merchandising practices are shifting. Consumers want worth these days, and most are looking for creative ways to save money.

Im a believer that frugality is the hottest trend. Re-purposing and repairing is the new cool thing to do. Craigs List and eBay have facilitated buying gently used items. Several of my own clients have chosen to keep their kitchen cabinets and repaint them instead of tearing them out. They decided to retain their white tile backsplash and just replace the horizontal countertop with stone or solid surface material.

Sometimes a new trend looks very similar to an old one. The modern glass accent tile in the accompanying photo is very similar to a look popular in the 1920s and 30s and is paired with the classic Carrara marble. Note that the small, wavy cabinet trim that hides the under-counter light is typical of that bygone era, too. Wait long enough and suddenly your mosaic tile is current again.

Im not suggesting that no one ever remove tired materials. Innovation and new and more efficient products have virtue in our lives.Are you still hesitating about where to buy Shun Stone Granite Slabs? Every house eventually demands a new roof, fresh paint, replacement windows, spotless carpet, and re-covered furniture. Things fade and fall apart. But if you cannot afford the most sought-after solution, dont worry because you may end up on the right side of the issue eventually.

Recently Ive gathered a real sense that stainless appliances are pass with Gen-Xers who have grown weary of the smeared fingerprints from little hands and scratches from pets and cleaning utensils. Who would have ever thought that would be the case?

City Hall was saved (temporarily), but many important buildings were lost, including the central police station, the Mohican Hotel and the Granite Block. But one casualty of the conflagration was to become the silver lining in this smoky cloud. The destroyed Rialto Theater would become the site of its ever more grand successor, the Durfee.

The Durfee Theater opened Aug. 29, 1929, 18 months after the fire that destroyed the Rialto and only weeks before the stock market crash that would usher in the Great Depression. Built by Nathan Yamins and William Durfee Sr., it was leased to the operating company Yamins Theatrical Enterprises Inc. The opening feature was "The Cocoanuts," a Marx Brothers film.

Designed by renowned Fall River architect Maude Darling Parlin, the Durfee was patterned after elements of the 13th-century Alhambra Palace of Granada, Spain. The lobby's Moorish influences included colorful tapestries, tiles imported from Seville and a floor of black and gold marble. A bubbling sunken fish pond near the candy counter was a required stop for children and adults alike before they entered the theater proper.

Considered the crown jewel of Fall River theaters, the Durfee had a capacity of about 2,300; the preferred loge seats could be reserved for a premium over the regular admission fee. As attendance waned during the depths of the Depression, management swallowed its pride by introducing "dish night" on Wednesdays to pump up the house. Housewives collected pieces of china from ushers after shows until they had complete sets. For many young Depression-era families, it was the first dinnerware they owned.

During World War II, the Durfee was patriotic. Theater buff Gerald DeLuca, writing on the website Cinema Treasures, observed: "On December 7, 1941,These Shun Stone Building Materials can, apparently, operate entirely off the grid. the movie 'Birth of the Blues' was interrupted and the manager requested all military personnel present to return to their bases. Noisemakers and paper hats stored for the 1942 New Year's Eve show were thrown out because they were labeled 'Made in Japan.'

Click on their website www.granitetrade.net.