| Interior design buildings housing high-end fabric, | | | | ordinary homeowner have been running from one |
| furniture, and home accessories are considered | | | | garage sale, flea market, swap meet, thrift shop |
| number one on the interior designers' shopping list | | | | to the other looking for bargains, while designers |
| of decorator-only showrooms. The Decoration | | | | have been discount shopping in style.The fact is, |
| and Design Building in New York City--better | | | | some of these exclusive showrooms have for |
| known as the D&D Building, and the Pacific Design | | | | many years had sales open to the public at least |
| Center--also known as the Blue Whale in Los | | | | once a year. If you've been lucky enough to be |
| Angeles, California have broken the cardinal rule of | | | | on the right mailing list, you may have received an |
| designers only admission. Despite the grumbling of | | | | invitation. Occasionally, designers will tell some of |
| a variety of interior designers--most of whom | | | | their clients about the sales. Designers and |
| make their money from markup commissions on | | | | shopkeepers often stock up at these annual sales |
| the fabrics, furniture, and home accessories sold | | | | on things they frequently use. The discounts are |
| to their clients--are other trade-only showrooms | | | | deep.Now that the secret is out, these are |
| destined to follow?The fabrics, furniture, and | | | | resources to you, the general public do-it-yourself |
| home accessories in these fortresses of design | | | | decorator. There are no organizations to belong |
| are expensive, custom-made, and oftentimes | | | | to, no degrees to obtain. In other words, you |
| unique, one-off pieces. The showrooms are glitzy | | | | don't have to be a member of a private club with |
| and meant to intimidate the general public. | | | | a secret handshake and a code word to get |
| However, they are extremely designer-friendly. | | | | in.Connie LeGendre empowers homeowners |
| They are well-laid out, provide all manner of tips | | | | designing their interiors through e-courses and |
| and clues for interior designers to easily make | | | | newsletters. Do-it-yourself homeowners are |
| fabric, furniture, and home accessory selections | | | | encouraged to ask questions about their projects |
| and coordinate their clients' projects. Fabric | | | | when signed up for a Free, downloadable e-course |
| samples and furniture and home accessory | | | | "7 New Secrets to Unleashing the Designer in |
| brochures for less portable items are available for | | | | You" at A trained architect and interior designer, |
| the designers' client presentation boards.Although | | | | fifteen years teaching and running her design |
| the merchandise here is expensive, the price you | | | | business with high-end clients demanding |
| see is not what the professional designer gets. | | | | cost-effective and unique solutions, Ms LeGendre |
| You, the client, see the retail prices; while the | | | | brings that considerable background to her online |
| designer pays the wholesale price and charges the | | | | tips, information, solutions, and Q&A website. The |
| client the difference as a commission. This is what | | | | mission is to help translate financially out-of-reach |
| could be termed "high-end discount shopping in | | | | design into affordable creations for anyone who |
| style."Yes, the secret is out. You, mr. and ms. | | | | wants to do it themselves. |