# But I Have Notes.

An episode of [The Install: Life & Design with Paloma and Caroline](https://invisiblenetwork.ai/podcast/1885981800), 29 Sep 2026, 1 h 14 min.

Audio: https://api.riverside.com/hosting-analytics/media/01cee629c02be16951ba327158167fba29f8091648ce8c602d52412a7c3aad05/eyJlcGlzb2RlSWQiOiJmOWEzZjg0Yy1kODBmLTRlYTMtYmRhOS1mYjlkMGM5NmEwMzEiLCJwb2RjYXN0SWQiOiI3Y2ZlNDgzNC0zOTgyLTRlZmEtOGUxNi05MDdkZTQ4ODUyMjkiLCJhY2NvdW50SWQiOiI2OTY5MDBmYmNiNTY4OTM1YWE2NWJkYTIiLCJwYXRoIjoibWVkaWEvY2xpcHMvNmFiMWE1ZWY3YTM3NGEwMmE4YTgxMTFhL3RoZWluc3RhbGxwb2RjYXN0cy1zdHVkaW8tMjAyNi05LTIxX18yMS00Ny0yNy5tcDMifQ==.mp3

Paloma reports from the Southern Living Idea House in Texas, where the rooms are ready for their close-up—and her hotel room could use a second opinion. Caroline returns from a dreamy Alexandria project visit to a sofa saga involving disappearing yardage, multiplying delays, and enough chintz to test anyone’s composure. Between a spirited debate over whether audiobooks count as reading and a fall-fashion review featuring questionable shoes, purple sweatpants, and opposing views on satin shorts, the ladies have notes. They finish with thoughtful gifts for the designer in your life—with one important distinction between a grand gesture and a measuring tape. Subscribe and Follow Subscribe to The Install Edit on Substack: https://theinstallpodcast.substack.com/ YouTube: @theinstalldesignpodcast Instagram: @theinstallpodcast TikTok: @theinstallpocast Paloma: www.palomacontreras.com Instagram: @palomacontrerasdesign TikTok: @palomacontrerasdesign ShopMy: @palomacontreras Caroline: www.carolinegidiere.com Instagram: @carolinegidieredesign TikTok: @carolinegidieredesignbts ShopMy: @carolinegidiere Music Attribution Music licensed through Soundstripe. Code: SUDAKA5LHSDHNL85 Chapters 00:16 — Texas Reveal 02:16 — Hill Country 06:00 — Calamity Club 08:01 — Reading Rules 10:38 — Southern Storytelling 17:41 — Opening Night 20:28 — Hotel Hangups 24:04 — Thoughtful Design 27:13 — Lived Experience 29:59 — Shower Politics 31:24 — Alexandria Homecoming 33:14 — Sofa Saga 43:11 — Holding the Bag 47:22 — Fall Forecast 48:40 — Fluffy Business 51:27 — Evening Affairs 53:47 — Gothic Florals 55:01 — Playful Proportions 55:52 — Bomber Debate 57:46 — Burgundy Season 58:09 — Suede Versus Leather 1:00:36 — Questionable Shoes 1:03:35 — Purple Reign 1:05:33 — Finishing Touches 1:07:05 — Satin Showdown 1:09:17 — Designer Gifts 1:13:10 — Until Next Time

## Transcript

Caroline Gidiere: Hey Paloma.
Paloma: Hi Caroline, how's it going?
Caroline Gidiere: I'm doing great. I see you're in your beautiful room in Fredericksburg.
Paloma: Yes, I am here at the Southern Living Idea House. I'm here this week for the grand opening. So it just I guess it opens on the eighteenth. so by the time this comes out, it will be open. And we had the big reveal party last night with all of the different sponsors. And then there's a friends and family event tonight. So lots going on and it's been really nice to to reveal what we've been working on for the last year.
Caroline Gidiere: What I've seen looks incredible. Incredible.
Paloma: Thank you.
Caroline Gidiere: Which so you've done the master or the primary bedroom, the study,
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: and the primary bath? Is that correct?
Paloma: So the house was divided. Okay, so it's Southern Living's 60th anniversary and they hadn't been back to Texas in a while. So Sid last night gave a speech and he was like, We had a hard time narrowing it down. And so we decided Sid Evans, editor
Caroline Gidiere: That's Sid Evans E I C.
Paloma: in chief, and he was like, We just decided if we're in Texas, we'll go big or go home and have three designers. So they divided the house into thirds, and I was responsible for the primary suite, which is comprised of the primary bedroom, bathroom. Two closets. And then I also have the study, powder bath, and a guest casita that has a living room,
Caroline Gidiere: Well, nice.
Paloma: a bathroom, and the bedroom. So we had quite a bit of the house. Yeah, it's been really fun. Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah, that's great. Who are the other designers?
Paloma: so Jean Lou from Dallas did the main living spaces. So it's basically like
Caroline Gidiere: yeah.
Paloma: a big great room, a kitchen, dining, living.
Caroline Gidiere: She's so good at those
Paloma: She's wonderful and sh yeah, she's got a really great modern sensibility and it just
Caroline Gidiere: big spaces. I remember yeah. Yeah.
Paloma: really lends itself to this particular house. And then she also did some outdoor spaces and then Marcus Mahon from Austin did the guest spaces and what else did he have? Like laundry room and what he called a party garage. He like really decked out the garage, yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: Okay. Well tell where is Frederick? I was trying to tell Steven and I don't even know where Frederick I was like, it's an hour from Houston. It was like where?
Paloma: No, I know. I feel like peop people in Texas know it. and I feel like anytime I've posted about Fredericksburg over the last year, they assume Virginia. But
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm.
Paloma: it's Fredericksburg, Texas. It is in the Texas Hill Country. So it's between Austin and San Antonio. It's actually about four hours by car from Houston. So it's quite a haul for me. I don't I don't like being
Caroline Gidiere: Mm.
Paloma: in the car. but it's really beautiful. It was settled by Germans in I don't know, the 1700s, 1800s.
Caroline Gidiere: Okay.
Paloma: And there's a lot of original historic architecture. Like the main street is really cute. They've done a lot for historic preservation in the town. it's also very near or in the midst of the Texas wine country. In case you didn't know, Texas has a wine country as well. Yeah. I'm not a big fan of Texan wines. They're a little sweet for my taste.
Caroline Gidiere: Mmm, I've missed out on those Texan wines. Which what which ver varietals if I can pull a word from Sideways.
Paloma: I couldn't tell you because I don't drink them, honestly. I kind of avoid them. I'm l like if I'm No, there's there's both. There's red and white. primarily red. They just tend to be very sweet. Yeah,
Caroline Gidiere: So we we don't know red or white or nice. Is it like a muscodine?
Paloma: I haven't had them. I haven't tried a a Texas wine in a long time. In fact, when I'm
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah.
Paloma: here and if I order a glass of wine at the bar, I'll be like, is that what is that Texas or California? Do you have anything from France?
Caroline Gidiere: What what is that? the peach flavored wines that they drink on on a god, my favorite show with
Paloma: Like a bellini?
Caroline Gidiere: more Rose when she had to do the commercial for my gosh, hold on. Hold on.
Paloma: Peach, I can't think of it. Like, I mean there's like peach schnapps, a peach bellini.
Caroline Gidiere: No, she did have you not
Paloma: I've watched It's Creek, I just don't remember that. I don't remember exactly what it was for.
Caroline Gidiere: Okay, okay. It's the the Y com commercial, what's it c until you've raised a fruity glass of Well, I'm trying to remember the name of the vineyard, but it's like this. I feel like if you get away from the California vineyards
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: and and you're not in France or Italy, you're talking about a sweet wine that's made from like s a stone fruit or Some weird, my gosh, too funny. That is one of my favorite that and then towards the end where she takes David with her when they go back and they get so wasted from the
Paloma: I mean, God, how long has it been since that aired? Like ten years probably. I don't remember all of these details, but God bless Katherine O'Hara. She was so funny. I need to go back and do a rewatch.
Caroline Gidiere: gosh, yeah. I love to pull it up sometimes when it's when, you know, like I I just need comfort. I wanna watch something
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: that I've already always already seen before. So I watch like Seinfeld or
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: It's Creek every now and I I d Herb Erlinger. That's what it is. Herb Erl Erlinger's stone fruit winery.
Paloma: Ugh.
Caroline Gidiere: and she's you know, she trips over trying to say it and the drunker she gets drinking. The wine, the harder the time she was saying it anyway. Okay. Well,
Paloma: That's too funny.
Caroline Gidiere: yeah, I'm not a huge fan when we get beyond the like our classic vineyard locations. And I d I
Paloma: Yeah, yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: just don't do sweet wine.
Paloma: I agree, yeah. I had a ranch water last night, not a Texas wine.
Caroline Gidiere: there you go. Yeah. I mean, that is what Texas we oughta be making in Texas. If we need a beverage,
Paloma: That's right. That's right.
Caroline Gidiere: it needs to be tequila.
Paloma: Mm-hmm. I agree.
Caroline Gidiere: Okay, well, I thought we would do a mini little book review and give our thoughts on the Calamity Club because we both read that recently.
Paloma: yeah, I yes. I finished reading it, gosh, probably a
Caroline Gidiere: Well, let's ago.
Paloma: yeah, a good while ago, probably early August, I finished reading it. But I've really enjoyed it. And what's interesting is I am very much a lover of tangible things to read. So I will read a hardcover paperback book. I'm not reading on a device.
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm.
Paloma: and I love, you know, a paper magazine. I love to hold those things in my hand and flip through them. Love a bookmark. and I bought the the
Caroline Gidiere: You have a bookmark collection, don't you?
Paloma: not quite a collection. I think you suggested I should have I should collect them. I just said I buy I tend to buy them when I'm traveling. Like if I find them in a museum
Caroline Gidiere: okay.
Paloma: gift shop. I bought the hardcover copy of it, and it's you know, it's a long book. It's this big, it's heavy. And this was around the time that I'd had surgery, so I wasn't supposed to like it was just like very awkward trying to read it. And so I decided to listen to the audio on Audible,
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Paloma: which I've never done. I've never listened to a book on audio. And it was fabulous. I don't know if you've listened to it, but Alex Koeler a designer from Chicago that I'm friends with, she is a voracious reader and will read like four novels in a week. And
Caroline Gidiere: Mm. Jeez.
Paloma: she listened to the audio of this one and was like I I was like, are most are they all like this? Do I need to be listening to books? And she's like, No, no, this is This was next level. The actress who does it is so good and really captures all of the subtleties between the characters. I mean, it was like theater. It came to life for me. And I was at some point
Caroline Gidiere: huh.
Paloma: while I was reading it, I think I was also driving here. So on my four-hour
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm.
Paloma: drive here and four four-hour drive back home, I got to, you know, listen to a good chunk of the book. So actually devoured it that way instead of reading it the traditional way. And I really enjoyed it.
Caroline Gidiere: It's interesting, a couple of points on that. One, listening versus reading, can you say that you've read the book? What are what's your opinion?
Paloma: I okay, I mean that's an interesting question. I feel like technically no, I didn't read the pages on the words on the pages, but I have the same comprehension of the book that you do from having read it.
Caroline Gidiere: Knowledge in your brain. Okay. This is a huge, you have hit on a huge bone of contention between me and my husband. Okay.
Paloma: Mm.
Caroline Gidiere: And it started back in law school when we were at a cocktail party and somebody said something about Barbarians at the Gate. It was a book that I had listened to on tape. And that was when
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: you had to go like check them out of the library and
Paloma: And by the t yeah, the tape on the tape recorder.
Caroline Gidiere: Exact actual tape. Anyway, he was and he called me out in front of everybody. He was like, What are you saying? You've not read that book. You listened to it. And I was like, Well, what's the difference? I'm like, I can have a conversation with this person about it because
Paloma: Yeah
Caroline Gidiere: I have the same information in my brain. He was like, It's not the same thing. And don't ever say that you've read a book when you've listened to it. And I was like, I I don't agree with you. Okay, cut to a book group that I joined last year and went once.
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: Cause I just like, I wasn't interested in the books that they were they kept recommending.
Paloma: Sure.
Caroline Gidiere: but there was a conversation because we were going to read Theo of Golden. Have you ever read that book? Okay. I'm
Paloma: I haven't read it, no.
Caroline Gidiere: going to send it to you. It's my one of my favorite books of all time. You will absolutely love it. Okay. They were like, we need to do that, but it's not on book on tape. And if it's not On book on tape, and like we're not gonna read it as a book club. I was like, do we get to say that we've read it if we just listen to it? And then we're like, that's all we ever, all of us ever did.
Paloma: interesting.
Caroline Gidiere: I was like, and they were old people, very educated. It was like a broad spectrum through like
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: my country club, the young, old. It wasn't like a particular demographic. And
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: I came home and I was like, these people out here all agree with me that you can say that you have read a book if you have listened to every word of it. You don't have to get into all the weeds of how I consumed this information.
Paloma: Yeah, you've consumed it regardless. I feel like the information
Caroline Gidiere: How?
Paloma: has traveled through your brain, you've digested it, you have come away with the same, if not maybe a deeper comprehension because you have the added benefit of the reader's inflection and, you know, like
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah.
Paloma: maybe they can lend more color to the text than you might if you're reading it as you're falling asleep in bed, you know?
Caroline Gidiere: Well, that is that's my second point on that. Katherine Stockett, and she's talking about Oxford, Mississippi. All the locations here are literally a stone's throw from where I grew up. And the
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: way the the dialogue is written, I read it so quickly because I hear, I know
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: ha those sentences, the way she's saying things, what she's referring to, what everybody I've like, I hear it in my brain. Like I probably would be one of those annoying people, one in two hundred thousand that doesn't like this actress reading it because I'm too familiar with it, right? You know, it's
Paloma: It's too too how do you say Coca Cola in Florence? Coca Cola. Yeah, that's how the that's how the reader said it. And
Caroline Gidiere: Coca. Yeah. Coca.
Paloma: I I thought that was amusing 'cause I've never heard it like that. Coca Cola. Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah, I didn't know that it had two syllables for a long time. That's kind of like there are a lot of words like that, like tennis shoes. I didn't know that it was tennis shoes for a long time. They tennis shoes. Yeah, tennis, tennis, tennis bops, tennis
Paloma: Mm hmm, mm hmm. Yeah. It's your tennis, yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: shoes, just stuff like that. It is so close to Florence, like literally just a couple of miles down the road that and I was telling my older sister who lives in New Orleans, I was like, you ought to get it and read it. She was like, I don't know. I was like, it sounds so familiar. It just sounds like my grandmother talking and all of the just just voraciously consumed the dialogue in particular. But
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: I thought it was such a great story, except for there's a lot of darkness in it as well. Yeah. Heartbreaking.
Paloma: There's a lot of darkness. It's a sad story. There's a lot of it's a story of loss and heartbreak, redemption at the end.
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah.
Paloma: But there's so much heartbreak, so much devastation. The main protagonists are faced with one trial after the next, you know, like it's not an easy time to be living in the South, and it's not an easy time to be a woman. You know,
Caroline Gidiere: No.
Paloma: they're faced with so many different challenges and judgments and It's really a story of survival.
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah, it it really is. it it was there was a point at which I asked myself if I was gonna continue to read it because I was like, I just this is so dark and this woman is so awful. Like, like
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: when like I need, you know, something uplifting to come along. I'm like, how long can I invest before, you know, things start to break? but I'm so glad that I stuck with it. It was so good. But I almost felt and I cannot wait for the movie. I know it's gonna be incredible. Yeah, for
Paloma: I know, there has to be a movie, yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: sure. But the I felt about it like I did I Am Charlotte Simmons by Tom Wolf. And that is, I'll just be straight up with you. That's the only Tom Wolf book I've ever read. And it was like
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: 800 pages, like this one. Like huge, like huge investment. Okay.
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: Incredible character development. You're along for the ride. Like you really feel like you know these characters. You look forward to picking it up, like picking back up in their lives and seeing what's happening, how this is going along. But he that book like this one was like you can't wrap this up in one chapter. Like what? Like I need more on the back side of this, like exaltation, like excitement, like processing, like. What are we doing now? And like an epilogue or whatever. Like,
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: you can't take me seven hundred pages and wrap this thing up in twenty. You know what I'm saying? Like
Paloma: Right. Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: that was my only complaint about the book. Otherwise, it was it really was I don't know when I read a book that's that long that I've just wished it was longer. You know what I'm saying? Like that I had more of it to read. that I enjoyed
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: it so much.
Paloma: Interesting. I was I was ready to be done with it. It was very long. but I I was glad to finally see the resolution, but I agree there was a lot of buildup to it. so the climax I feel like could have been longer, you know, like we could have known more. Ma and maybe they're leaving it open to a sequel where we we know we we learn what happens to these characters. after they've gone through the trials and tribulations and have come out on the other side.
Caroline Gidiere: Mm, maybe so. It's interesting because because I was reading the book and the pages, right? You're listening to it. So you don't know really how much more you have left to consume. I'm assuming unless you're like roch. Yeah, but I mean, you don't know if that last ch
Paloma: No, it it's broken down by chapters. It it yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: how long that last chapter is or what have you like as you're reading the book and you're getting down and it's like
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: I mean, how are we gonna resolve this in these teeny like number of pages that I'm holding together and this is still not resolved. Like
Paloma: Right.
Caroline Gidiere: this whole book and now we've got this little amount that it's gonna resolve in. you know, it I I kept looking at like kind of flipping forward like, did I count those pages? Do I only have nineteen pages left? And and I still don't know, you know, exactly how this is gonna end. But anyway,
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: well, but it was a delight. I I
Paloma: Yeah. It was good. I I look forward to seeing who plays the different characters in the movie.
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. Yeah. I I know. The casting w so good.
Paloma: 'Cause the help, I mean, Katherine Stockett's first book, The Help, was so incredible. And the movie, it's rare where a movie is as good, if not better, than a book. And I feel like that movie was really amazing with
Caroline Gidiere: Absolutely.
Paloma: Viola Davis and Octavia Spencer and
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm.
Paloma: who was the main the redhead girl, the the primary character? Emma Stone,
Caroline Gidiere: Emma. Yeah.
Paloma: was the protagonist as well. And it was just such a great cast. And
Caroline Gidiere: So good.
Paloma: who was the other girl that That was the sort of bimbo housewife out in the boonies. What is her name? And she's a great actress. just like a strawberry blonde buxom, but
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm. The bond. Mm-hmm. Can't think of it. Yeah.
Paloma: she that was sort of like a star making turn for her too.
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. I really la I am that annoying person that like if you're gonna turn it into a movie and it's a book that I've read, I really the fidelity to the text, you know, I know you have to make accommodations because it's a two hour movie and it takes you, you know, weeks to read the book and the pages and all that kind of stuff. They can't bring it. But usually when they have the author contribute or on set to advise, like I believe Katherine did, you get just a much better product and I mean they did such a great job with that.
Paloma: Totally. Jessica Chastain, I just looked it up. And then I mean
Caroline Gidiere: yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah.
Paloma: Star star started to cast Bryce Dallas Howard, Allison Janney, Sissy Spacich, Sicily Tyson. I mean, it was it was so good. So I I'm excited to see. I'm sure this movie will be adapted in the same type of quality that that one was.
Caroline Gidiere: And Meg, it's gonna take somebody special to play Meg. so cute and so funny, just so, so funny. God,
Paloma: Really special. I know she was so tender. Poor thing. Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: so sweet, so precious. Okay, loved that. All right, tell me what's what's your high?
Paloma: Well, my high was being here for this for the opening last night. You know, it's always fun whether you're working on a client project or, you know, a special project like this that doesn't have a client attached to it to share the end result with the client or with an audience like you do for a show house. so you know, we've been working on this since August of twenty twenty five. So we've spent,
Caroline Gidiere: wow.
Paloma: you know
Caroline Gidiere: Full twelve months.
Paloma: a lot of time together this yeah, full 12 months this this crew. We've been on weekly calls together, many site visits, and it's been a long journey. So to be able to see it all, you know, come together, come to life, share it in the magazine, and then have, you know, watch people walk through the different spaces last night was really fun and special. And a lot of our partners and spent sponsors were here. So it was really nice to be able to thank them in person for their contributions.
Caroline Gidiere: How long will it be open?
Paloma: So it goes a long time. the official opening is September eighteenth and it goes through I think December twentieth. Don't quote me on that. But yeah,
Caroline Gidiere: so plenty of time. Yeah.
Paloma: it'll be open the entire fall season, which is high high time in Fredericksburg. They get a lot of travelers here at that time because the weather Finally finally turns from so hot to cool and tolerable.
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah.
Paloma: and the wine country's here. So it's a a time that people like to visit Fredericksburg and the holidays are really big here too. You they have like one of those big like villages, yes, like sort of Bavarian style because of the Germans. Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. Christmas Village. Yeah. The Germans do yeah. Yeah.
Paloma: So it's it's really fun. It's a cute town to visit. And so it'll be open for a long time. And then it is currently published in the October issue of Southern Living for anybody that Can't make the journey, but they have people from all over the country that come to these show houses or idea houses. I don't want to mix that up. They're very strict about calling it an idea house. So the idea houses are typically throughout the the South and they always get visitors from from all over. So that's kind of a fun component to have people from far and wide coming to see it. Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: That's great. It's really it's like the show house in Palm Beach and that during the season people are on vacation and they're looking for something fun to do. It's easier than
Paloma: Yeah. Right.
Caroline Gidiere: I would think you, you know, like in a city like Atlanta or Birmingham, people are going about their busy work days, you know, and there's not
Paloma: Mm. Right.
Caroline Gidiere: a lot of vacation traffic. So it's really wonderful to have something like that, like when you're on vacation and And to do it in a place where people are are looking to consume that kind of thing.
Paloma: Yeah, definitely. So that that's definitely been my high this week and my
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah
Paloma: low. I mean, I've I'm tired. It's a an intense month with lots of travel. I'm in the office, I think I said eight days this w this month in September.
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Paloma: So it's just a lot. I'm ready to be home for a few days. But I will say, like being away, you want to be comfortable. And there's a very cute hotel where we stay here. And I will say, I've written about this in the Substack. Anybody that follows The Install Edit on Substack, you've read my thoughts on what good hotels teach us. And I wrote about a recent good hotel experience and one that left some things to be desired. And so I won't say the name of the hotel, but it's here. I'm glad it's here. I will continue to stay at that hotel when I come to Fredericksburg. they did a great job of. Blending modern architecture into a historic town. They really respected the landscape. There's a lot of positive attributes. It's very comfortable, like the bed and whatnot. But I have notes. It is not
Caroline Gidiere: Mm.
Paloma: a comfortable place to spend more time in than you have to. So in the Substack I wrote about this, forgive me if you've already heard this, it's a very large room. So their standard rooms are very large. However, they're just not. user friendly, they're not functional and they're not just they're just not well thought out. So
Caroline Gidiere: And what way?
Paloma: I'll tell you, you have a big king-size bed, and instead of having nightstands with lamps or bedside sconces next to you, there are these long live edge ledges made of wood that span the length of that wall all the way down. But they're like ten inches off the floor. So if you're laying in bed, you can't reach your phone, you can't reach your water,
Caroline Gidiere: Ugh Mm. No.
Paloma: your glasses, right? And then the plug for your phone is way down there. So you can't even plug your phone in while you're in bed.
Caroline Gidiere: I deplore, deplore this type of design that is like all aesthetic and completely impractical. Like I want to wad it up and throw it in the trash.
Paloma: Okay, I'm not finished, let me tell you. You would die. So there's that. Then you have one standing lamp, one floor lamp next to the bed. That's your light source. And then there's Fortini next to the bed, and you have to like tap it to figure out how to work it. The first time I was there, I couldn't figure out how to work it, had to unplug it, and
Caroline Gidiere: Next to the bed, a floor lamp next to the bed.
Paloma: then I asked on my way out. There's the these cans in the ceiling, but they might as well not be there because they're so dim.
Caroline Gidiere: Mm.
Paloma: And they don't put off any light. There's a tiny window with a blackout like faux leather curtain on it. So it doesn't let any light in. And then there's
Caroline Gidiere: Leather curtain?
Paloma: a leather curtain. And then it's got like a little bench seat built into
Caroline Gidiere: No.
Paloma: the window and a side table that's maybe 28 inches round. But it's
Caroline Gidiere: I do have a bench seat. Uh-huh.
Paloma: like the the bench seats up here and the table's down here.
Caroline Gidiere: No.
Paloma: So you couldn't sit there and work on your laptop. You couldn't eat there. There's this huge room, no desk, no table. So you can't work. If I work in that room, I'm sitting in bed working. Jean said she had to take a Zoom call with a client yesterday and had to like preface her call by saying, I'm sorry, I promise I'm not in bed in the middle of the afternoon. There's just no comfortable place for me to take this call right now. So like all of that. And then the one of the worst parts is in the bathroom. There's a single switch and they have a very loud exhaust fan on it, as well as the lights. So anytime the light is on, you've got the loud exhaust fan going off too. So it's just like n nobody thought any of it through, you know?
Caroline Gidiere: Let me say this. I don't care. I mean, like I'm a respecter of all design. I I have
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: a particular aesthetic when I'm designing, but I love and appreciate and consume all sorts of different design. And just
Paloma: Course, absolutely.
Caroline Gidiere: and there's not like you can tell how smart, clever, thoughtful, and what I mean like really great design. They're able
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: to present a beautiful aesthetic, but It reveal like the the the genius of it reveals itself when you're in this space and you think, gosh, this is like this just works. Like this is
Paloma: Right. Yes.
Caroline Gidiere: perfect. Like the the bedside table is the same height as the mattress, and I can flip this on and off. And there's a
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: a light right where I need it, a table right where I need it. look, I can see out the window when I put my laptop on this desk, like all that kind of stuff. I don't care what it looks like, but it's cheap. design and it is I just I think it's like people who made the low grades in class if they went to class or whatever when you can't when you don't care about those things.
Paloma: I agree. Yeah, and that's the thing. I mean, like you, I can appreciate all types of design, whether it's my style or not. If something's well executed and well thought out, then I have an appreciation for it. And in that Substack, I compared this experience with a recent experience at a Kit Kemp Hotel in New York.
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah, per perfection.
Paloma: And that also, like, that's not my specific aesthetic. I I
Caroline Gidiere: Mm mm.
Paloma: think it's really pretty and fun. I that's not how I live or design, but everything is so thoughtful.
Caroline Gidiere: Helpful. Mm-hmm.
Paloma: You know, everything is right where you need it to be. The thread count, the linens, the everything. It's upholstered. It's all perfect. And that's
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. The walls, the upholstered walls, just so soft. Yeah. Yeah.
Paloma: somebody who really took the time to understand
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm.
Paloma: the way the room would be experienced. And someone who's
Caroline Gidiere: Right.
Paloma: traveled and understands what a traveler needs. This was designed. I mean, I don't know who designed it. again, like the building itself is lovely, the common areas are great. There's a lot of positives about this hotel. The food is good. But whoever designed those rooms, I'm like, are you 22 and you've never been anywhere in your life? Cause you don't know what's going you don't know what a traveler needs or what comfort means.
Caroline Gidiere: Ugh yes, yes, yes, yes. Because I have on a project the lead architect has been absent and the the youngin, right fresh out of school, is
Paloma: Mm-hmm. Yeah. Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: has been leading a lot of the architecture. And it's just like he didn't know h you know, like I could use a phrase from Growing up in North Alabama, that you might find that Bertie might use in the Calamity Club, but he doesn't really know. He hasn't lived life
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: enough to have the information to put it in there. It's not that he's not a great architect. He's gonna be incredible. He just, he
Paloma: Mm.
Caroline Gidiere: just doesn't appreciate enough of like what this business actually is. Like
Paloma: Right.
Caroline Gidiere: he just knows like how to draw things. Right. Like
Paloma: Right. Well, and it's the same as, you know, in residential interiors. The more life experience you and I have, the better designers we are for our clients
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm.
Paloma: because we understand how to entertain, how we need like what kind of storage we need for that kind of thing, like what a mother is thinking when she's
Caroline Gidiere: Right.
Paloma: designing a space for her child. Like all of those things come from life experience and they're very valuable when it comes to design.
Caroline Gidiere: Also find too, I mean, just saying that, like what a mother needs and what have you. I find so often on my projects when we are doing ground up or whole house gut renovation, the contractor and the architect, I'd like the contractor's helper and the landscape architects are all men.
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: And it is so important that you know, and so many of my clients are female homeowners. To be be have the balance, the female, the feminine balance on everything. Like,
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: you know, to put a weight on the other side of the scale. Like these are things we need to be thinking about also. Equally important, you know, like,
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: okay, that's fine, but where do we put our groceries when we walk in? You know, like
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: how it just things like that. Like, where's she gonna put on her makeup? Like, you know, just stuff, our our voices, not just being designers, but also. being women in that space to make sure that you're getting a fully rounded experien get like the team considers
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: all aspects, but goodness.
Paloma: You said makeup and that reminded me of one last complaint. There's only one sconce on one side of the mirror. So, like
Caroline Gidiere: Mm mm.
Paloma: you just who knows what I look like today because I couldn't see myself. You know, it's funny you say that about men because it I I do think it's true. we each have our attributes and our talents, but there is
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Paloma: a certain perspective that a woman, especially a woman of a certain age,
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm.
Paloma: can bring to a design project. And not too long ago I was chatting with I won't say who it is, I'll tell you offline, but a design doyen, Chal Yu.
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Paloma: and she had told me about a trip she'd taken and she'd stayed at another very famous designer's home. And this is a designer that I just love. And I was like, my goodness, I love his work. I love his interiors. And she was so funny. She was like, like he he's a man. It's they're too masculine. And
Caroline Gidiere: Mm.
Paloma: you wouldn't think his aesthetic is masculine on paper, but she was like, it doesn't function the way it needs to. Like she was just
Caroline Gidiere: Right.
Paloma: coming at it from such a different perspective and was like,
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm.
Paloma: This man has no idea how a room should be set up, whereas
Caroline Gidiere: Right.
Paloma: most people would think, you know, he's at the pinnacle. So it was very interesting to hear her take.
Caroline Gidiere: It's interest whenever I walk in a hotel bathroom and there's a rain shower, okay, and that's it.
Paloma: Mm-hmm. yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: That's the only shower head. And there's no place to like put your leg to prop
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: your foot up on when you need to shave your legs. I get so annoyed because it's like only a man wants a rain head shower because they wash their hair every day, like without exception. Like there are at least fifty percent, if not Sixty to seventy-five percent of women do not wash their hair every time they get in the shower.
Paloma: Right. And you wanna be able to be in the water stream so you're not cold without always like wetting your hair. Right.
Caroline Gidiere: Right, but without it coming straight down on your head. so you know, just just things like that. By contrast, you know, I was talking to a client yesterday. We were talking about her husband's desk chair. And I was like,
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: that is one thing I don't mess with. We want we want his office for him to be so like if we don't get
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: this right, he's gonna hate everything else that we've done. Like,
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: how does he want this this office? And we will make it happen. I'm no notes, like however he wants it is how we're gonna do it because I don't
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: really care how the office looks, but he needs to feel like he got to decide all the details in this space and we'll do all
Paloma: Not so true.
Caroline Gidiere: the rest of it and it'll be a win win situation.
Paloma: Yeah. They tend to care about that, the rainhead shower and the T V. So keep the husband happy on those things, yes. And the grill, yeah, for sure.
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. Yeah, exactly. Big enough P T V. Yeah. And the grill. We gotta have a place for the grill. But anyway, okay, so my my high is I just got back from DC starting a new project in Old Town,
Paloma: wonderful.
Caroline Gidiere: Alexandria. And this is where I started my career. As an attorney after Stephen and I both clerked for federal judges, then we moved to DC for a couple of years. So we were right out of school. And I was working for the Department of Justice, Stephen for the Department of the Interior. We were engaged but not married. And we just, it just is so sentimental, just walking
Paloma: No
Caroline Gidiere: those streets and they're, you know, like brick-line streets and all this beautiful. federal architecture and it just didn't get any better and the weather Paloma the weather was so nice it was like
Paloma: Yeah. That's
Caroline Gidiere: 80 degrees and sunny with a breeze coming off the wharf and it was like low of 60 the sun was shining it felt so good on your skin it just felt so good to be up there and to like be back and I I kept looking at things like trying to pull it out of my memory, like do I remember this place or not? But it just it just felt so good and I'm so delighted. it's gonna be such a great project. I'm so excited. And my clients
Paloma: that's awesome.
Caroline Gidiere: so delightful, you know, it just like really, even though it's a hard trip up and back and my plane didn't land to close to midnight, you know, all that kind of stuff, it just really couldn't pull me down. I was flying so high. yeah,
Paloma: That's amazing. I'm so happy for you.
Caroline Gidiere: so good. But my Bad week contrast, get back in the office yesterday. Okay, I have a bone to pick. I'm not gonna put this furniture manufacturer on blast. But if you want to
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: know, you can text me and I will text you directly. Cause I I'm I've reached the end of my
Paloma: No.
Caroline Gidiere: rope. This is not my first rodeo with this furniture manufacturer. This is in fact the fourth time. I've had issues. Okay. And I am done. I am so
Paloma: Mm. So frustrating. Yeah. Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: done. Okay. So we work with a lot of shall we call them independent, small workrooms for furniture so often. Luther
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: Cantana, we work with O. Henry House, Douglas workroom over in Atlanta. Other pla I
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: know you have one as well. And this is These places are just such a joy. Never had an issue. Everything goes, I mean, like it's so collaborative. They're working with you.
Paloma: Right.
Caroline Gidiere: They're keeping you involved. And that's the reason not only is the furniture superior, but
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: it is you can ensure and you can manage everything. You know it's gonna come off without a hitch. And they will go to extraordinary efforts to accommodate because they know of like you've done the whole project, you're doing all this stuff. Okay. But there are
Paloma: It's a partnership.
Caroline Gidiere: Exactly. But
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: we don't do everything with them because inevitably there are situations where you're you've got a playroom or the kids den if it's not the playroom
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: or you know you need a sofa and two chairs in a in a in the primary bedroom that are probably not going to be used that much and you're trying to make budget and you just
Paloma: Yeah. Right.
Caroline Gidiere: need something with an English rolled arm, right? You know, that's
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: gonna look nice. Okay. Or this situation. where we I wanted to really because we were coming back in and doing in a primary a sofa two chairs an ottoman and we already had a chaise it's a huge room already had a chaise in this fabric okay it's a Lee Jofa fabric that costs about three hundred and fifty dollars a yard for retail okay so I want to upholster the sofa in it Okay, but it doesn't. This is not the sofa that everybody's gonna watch TV on, right?
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: And I want it to be quality and well made, but I don't want to spend a fortune on a custom sofa for this. I want I'd
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: rather have the pretty fabric. And it's a
Paloma: Sure.
Caroline Gidiere: chance. Okay, so it has to be knitbacked because we're gonna upholster it instead of making it a slip cover because I want to save even on that extra yardage, right? Okay. So before we propose it, we get a quote for it. And we send them the fabric.
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: Not an you know a link to it plus a picture of it plus the repeat vertical and horizontal. How
Paloma: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. Sure.
Caroline Gidiere: many yards do we need to do this sofa in this way? Options that
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: they offer on their website. This is not anything that should be custom, semi-custom. They should they these are things that they
Paloma: They should be able to calculate that very easily.
Caroline Gidiere: that's right. Okay. So they come back and they give us 26 yards, okay? Which
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: You know, you might have expected it to be like 18 to 20, 26, or maybe it was 27. Okay, it's like, okay, you know, like I knew we're gonna have a lot of yardage, and here's the pack. Okay, they've they've
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: got it. I wouldn't have been surprised if it was more, but it was enough that it was like, okay, thank you. Okay, we pitch it to the client,
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: they approve it, they send us the money, we take that money and we buy the fabric, which Is Lee Jova, so it's coming from the UK. Takes a long time to they have to run it, whatever,
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: takes forever for it to get there. So the sofa is gonna be delayed anyway. Okay, it gets there. It's been months, we haven't heard anything, and we're text of like our rep and emailing, emailing. Then we finally hear back from them and they say, we've miscalculated the yardage, we're gonna need
Paloma: Hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: another 18 yards.
Paloma: Eight another eighteen for one sofa. How big
Caroline Gidiere: Eighteen. Eighteen. Yeah.
Paloma: is this sofa?
Caroline Gidiere: Three seater. Okay.
Paloma: Ridiculous. Also, that is my one of my biggest pet peeves because you've already asked the c I hate to go back to a client and ask for more money. Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: Yes. Yeah. I hit the roof. Paloma, I was like, I cannot do this. I cannot go. We have we planned our whole budget around all of this. Can
Paloma: Mm mm mm.
Caroline Gidiere: we do the sofa in it? And not only that, now we are stuck because I've already spent the money on the fabric. So what are we gonna do? And I'm like everything else.
Paloma: Right. And then it's like, is there more in that same dialot available? How long is that gonna take? And
Caroline Gidiere: Okay, this story is far from over. Okay. Yeah.
Paloma: Yeah. I'm li I'm living for you now. Now I'm like activated because I'm like, wait a minute. If this were our workroom or no, our team calculating with our say our workroom locally and we somebody misc if we miscalculated in my office by eighteen yards, guess who would have to pay for that eighteen yards? I would. Like
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. Yeah.
Paloma: why they I hope they offered to pay. I know they didn't. Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: Hell no, not this manufacturer. They don't, they never have. They've screwed four things up, and every single time they have refused to pay for the fabric. Okay, so what our rep, bless his heart, was like, I totally understand. I'm gonna buy the fabric. Okay, thank you. Because I'm not asking the client, and this is not my mistake. Okay.
Paloma: Mm-hmm. No. That's also a big ask. An additional eighteen yards at three fifty a a yard. No way.
Caroline Gidiere: Yes. Okay. All right. So now we have to wait again for the fabric. It's gotta come. And also because it's Chintz we're having it waterproofed, stained treated, and we have to have it knit backed so it can be upholstered, right? It's not a slip covered. Additional time.
Paloma: Which means for the people listening, you've got to send it to the finisher. So it's gotta make a pit stop from the UK in, you know, the northeast somewhere at the finishing place, right?
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm. And it's got to get in that queue. We got to wait for it. Okay. So we finally get that and we are kind. I mean, Haley, bless her heart. Every Monday is checking in. Like, what's the status? What's the status? You
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: got to push this. What have you? Okay. Then it's been forever. We hear back. they're going to need 10 more yards of trim. Okay, so the trim is not that much per yard. And so we buy that trim. Okay,
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: we send it to them. All right, just get it done. Overnight it. Have it there tomorrow. Keep going. Keep working. Don't stop working on the sofa. We will get that trim to you tomorrow. Okay. What happens? Like we're like, okay, are you finished now? Are you finished now? we messed that up. We're gonna have to get 10 more yards of trim, but we're gonna buy it ourselves this time. Okay, okay, fine. Now
Paloma: my gosh.
Caroline Gidiere: are you finished? Are you finished? Okay. Silence, silence. We keep waiting. It's supposed to be finished last week. Now it's supposed to be finished like this week. Now it's last week. Now it's the week before. And we can't get anything from them. And then they say, it made it to the loading dock. And we noticed the panels on the back didn't match. So we're going to need four more yards of fabric.
Paloma: my gosh.
Caroline Gidiere: Okay, now we go to get the dye lot. Nope. Sorry. We don't have any more of that. We've sold it all. It's been so long. But we can send you something else. And the client is losing their mind. And they feel like we're the ones who've messed this up. And
Paloma: Of course, rightfully so. Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: it's just so frustrating. So I'm like, I need to see the back of this sofa. It's going to be up against the wall. I want to know exactly what we're talking about so that I can present it to my client. And we can make a decision together. Like what we I know the sofa is going to be up against the wall, but it will be a quality sofa. Your daughter may want it in her house one day. I mean, like, do
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: we want to wait a couple of months or do we and for it to be right? Or do we are we done and we want it in the house now? Like we need all the information so we can make an informed decision. Well, we start asking for that. They won't send them to us because guess what? They haven't actually finished it. That story was wrong. They have cut the fabric in a way they would have to piece it and they haven't upholstered the back. So we have them overnight, a CFA, it matches. So we're like, okay, great. But then we call the finisher and we're like, we're sending this out. Is there any way you could expedite it? They're like, no, we are so backed up. It'll be like eight weeks before we can get to it because all these other people have been waiting. We've got so much that we're trying to do. We're trying to get caught up and there's no way we can expedite it because we're so
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: behind. So I'm out of here looking for other finishers, another company. The client is like, and particularly the husband is so they're so annoyed. They're so pissed. And they're annoyed at me. And
Paloma: Yeah. Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: it just makes me so angry at this. Like I need to just I haven't processed my anger yet. I'm like, just actually getting to say all this out loud has made me feel better about it. But I
Paloma: Hope it's been cathartic.
Caroline Gidiere: And not, I'm like my rep, he's a great guy. This is not on him, but this furniture manufacturer, they've done this to me before. I went and got a proposal. I asked, can you do this? This is when I very first started. And
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: they said yes, they gave me a quote. We I was my other rep, she different person, was in her office when she was on the phone with them and they were quoting all of this. Took off on vacation. I landed in France. When I landed, I had all these texts and they basically said, we've received all the fabrics in the trim. So again, the clients paid for them. They've been cut.
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: They've been shipped. And we can't do your sofa. We can't do. No, sorry. Can't do it. We'll just ship it back
Paloma: Goodness.
Caroline Gidiere: to you. And it was like, what do we do with all this gazillion dollars of stuff that we've invested in it? So I hate this company. I don't hate them.
Paloma: That's so frustrating. You know, we were having a conversation last night, the girls from English Village Lane, Angie and Courtney, who so
Caroline Gidiere: Uh-huh. Uh-huh.
Paloma: graciously you introduced me to them and they graciously donated or loaned rugs for the idea house. And they came to the opening. So it was fun to see them. And we were just talking about how as designers we're often 'cause, you know, it's really important to Angie to just She's saying, it's not hard, you know, to do what I do. Cause I was saying, I'm so impressed by you. You pivoted from the beauty industry to rugs,
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm.
Paloma: and you're doing it at such a high level and have such a high standard of of quality and customer service. And she's like, you know, it's just doing the right thing. And
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm.
Paloma: you'd think that that wouldn't be that that wouldn't be hard for people, but it is. And I said, you know, it's interesting because this comes up all the time, and that's exactly what's happened to you. It's not your fault. I say this all the time. We deal with stuff every day, all day long that is not our stuff, but it's not our fault, but it's our issue because it's
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm.
Paloma: our responsibility to fix it for the client, right? And nine times out of ten, it's not your fault. You're gonna go to the contractor, they somehow are like, sorry, or you know, the receiving warehouse, well, we didn't catch that. It's not we're not gonna, you know, replace that. Like everybody has a reason why they can just like kick the can down the road and
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm.
Paloma: then we're the ones left holding the bag.
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm.
Paloma: more t more often than not, and it's not fair, you know, like for anybody who thinks that interior design is so glamorous, it's a lot of this. It's a lot of headaches, it's logistics, it's dealing with people not holding up their end of the bargain. And then unfortunately
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah.
Paloma: it makes you look like you don't know what's going on because you're not getting the answers you need in time from this manufacturer who's supposed to be your industry partner. And so then your client gets frustrated because they're not getting the information they want or the answer they want, but it's really not your fault. You know, it's it's hard. It's really hard, I feel for you. That sucks.
Caroline Gidiere: I know. And you know that they're even though they won't say it, you know they're questioning like my role in all of this. Like surely I did something to mess this up.
Paloma: Yeah, of course they are. Of course they are.
Caroline Gidiere: And and we have dotted our I's, crossed our T's, done everything we can. And that's the thing. That is the thing with using these kind of like introductory level furniture manufacturers. As I told Michael, let me say this. I told my client, look, you'll have this sofa 20 years from now, and it will be very comfortable. It will hold up. It's going to be quality when you get it, and it will be beautiful. But this is the trouble that you run into with these production lines that come out of North Carolina. These guys are rough cut. They don't, they're not delicate hand anything. And they
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: mess up the fabric and they don't. care. That's too big of a company. They're running this huge company. And you're just a cog in the wheel, particularly if you're like you and me, when we're not there, we're not buying showrooms full of this type of furniture. You know,
Paloma: Yeah, yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: I'm kind of a one-off every now and then when I need a playroom or this or that. So I haven't developed this relationship when they're gonna be like, hold the production line. We need to get this done for Caroline. So, you
Paloma: Mm-hmm. Right.
Caroline Gidiere: know, I get it, but I don't know, it's just frustrating. Anyway, I digress.
Paloma: Yeah, I mean it just it again, like I hate to say it and it doesn't always mean that the most expensive option is best, but you do get what you pay for. You know that lower
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah, you don't have these headaches.
Paloma: price comes at a cost. There's always a cost.
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. And you know, the thing is, I hate to say that too, because it's for my client, I made this decision for her, right? To use
Paloma: Yeah, right.
Caroline Gidiere: this because I wanted to balance between this really fabulous fabric and a sofa that's not gonna have it's not gonna be the primary sofa in the house, you know. Yeah, exactly. It would have if
Paloma: Sure, it's still good quality, but it's not, you know, it yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: they had done it right the first time, it would have been like such a solid call and a good balance
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: of Beauty and practicality, but anyway, well. Okay. Ugh well.
Paloma: man, gosh. I hope that gets resolved soon. I don't know what the path forward is at this point, but
Caroline Gidiere: Mm. Mm.
Paloma: Just keep waiting.
Caroline Gidiere: Okay, so we are just at the precipice of the change of seasons, right? It's
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: gonna be fall next week.
Paloma: Somewhere, somewhere it will be. Not here, but yes.
Caroline Gidiere: Still feels like summer here. Gonna
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: gonna be summer for another month here. But they were saying in DC, and I know looking forward because Lou and I are headed out to Role Model in Harry Styles next
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: week, that it's gonna be chilly in New York starting next week.
Paloma: Nice.
Caroline Gidiere: Like the cool weather is moving in everywhere else in the world, not not in the deep south and through the southwest. It'll be late October before we get to feel
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: all of that. But I am starting to change my wardrobe into darker colors and thinking about fall, making some purchases, looking ahead to add a couple of things in. And
Paloma: Yes.
Caroline Gidiere: so I looked over a couple of different websites and pulled together a list of trends for fall. And I thought
Paloma: Okay.
Caroline Gidiere: we would go through those and Just for the general news of it all, like here are the trends to keep an eye out for, because we're probably all out here scrolling on our phones trying to figure out what we're going to buy, if anything, for fall. Okay. So, and many of these are carryover from spring that we've already visited
Paloma: Okay.
Caroline Gidiere: before. Okay, so fluffy fur textures. Okay, fur coats, a lot of trim, fur trim on
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: coats, and then You know, those Matthew Blasey or Mathieu Blasi's, can we just call him Matthew Blasey? I just feel weird
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: over pronunciating na you like things in French sometime. Even though I can I can do it, I just like yeah, yeah.
Paloma: Like yeah. I I know what you mean. Like I can do it, but I feel a little pretentious doing it maybe. Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: and I don't want people to think that I don't know that it's Matthew and not Matthew, but I still it's anyway. Okay. So all of his stuff coming down the runway was all kind of fluffy and you know, uh-huh. And
Paloma: Mm-hmm. Lots of like feathers and movement.
Caroline Gidiere: yeah, exactly. So that's really big. Do you think there's any of that trend for you, Paloma?
Paloma: You know, I like the feather brooches. Like I might do one of those and like a fun color. I think that would
Caroline Gidiere: yeah, those are good looking. Yeah.
Paloma: be fun with like something very streamlined, whether it's
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm.
Paloma: a dress or a jacket or whatever, to just add that little pop of color and element of surprise. I could see myself doing that.
Caroline Gidiere: I bought a jacket from Zara that is
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: a incredible and in the way only Zara can do riff on a Chanel jacket that came down the runway. It's not
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: an exact replica, but it's clearly inspired.
Paloma: Inspired by, yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: And I was so excited to get it and it's kind of fluffy and I was reminded why I don't do Chanel jackets and
Paloma: Mm.
Caroline Gidiere: that is because Coco Chanel was completely Flat chested. You know, she
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: had a very boyish figure. Okay.
Paloma: Right.
Caroline Gidiere: Those jackets work great if that is your figure type. But if you are chesty, or as my mother says, used to say, have a bosom.
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: So sorry. I
Paloma: Mm.
Caroline Gidiere: just have always hated whenever she would say the word bosom. I just it's one of my least
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: favorite words. It's too funny to me that I've like probably said it 10 times on this podcast. Okay. Anyway, if you have a bosom, this jacket is not for you because you look so the way it hangs and then it's boxy, it makes you look 10 pounds heavier than you are. And yes.
Paloma: Yeah. Mm-hmm. The proportion's not flattering. And then also tweed in general, you know, a boucle of tweed,
Caroline Gidiere: yeah, it's bulky.
Paloma: it's beautiful, but it adds bulk. So you really
Caroline Gidiere: It does, but
Paloma: have to have a very thin, boyish figure for that
Caroline Gidiere: You too.
Paloma: to look at it at its prime. You know, that's the ideal figure for that type of jacket.
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. It's not that it's bad style. It's just not as flattering as some other cut of jacket that you could get.
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: So I sent that jacket back pretty quickly.
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: And I was like, yeah, forgot I can't wear these jackets. Okay.
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: Then there's Art Deco evening. So a lot of beading on like
Paloma: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: slinky 30s inspired evening wear. I don't have any evenings coming. I'm like evening wear opportunities.
Paloma: Well, that's the s same. Yeah, I don't have anywhere to wear that and I think it it's the same. Like if you have a curvier figure, that is not the look for you. I mean, maybe for someone. Like maybe I'm sure Kylie Jenner can pull that off. I don't like like I wouldn't wear a satin sheath cut on the bias, like a silk satin. That y
Caroline Gidiere: Right. We
Paloma: you you're gonna see too many lumps and bumps and humps. Like that is not that is not
Caroline Gidiere: Honey. I would have to have a full on
Paloma: The optimal cut for me.
Caroline Gidiere: like tight, heavy compression undergarment. And then my
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: fat's probably gonna squish out the edges of that compression. So it's not gonna work. And
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: it's like you can get some compression, but how does it end? Like, what are the edges look like? And for me, like that, it's like all my fat squishes up over the top of it. I'm like, take it off, take it off. But I
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: did notice that at the Emmys this past week, we saw a lot of that satin cut on a bias solid pastel dress. Like
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: everybody had one by a different maker. So it's a big, it's a big thing. It's just hard to wear. I will say also part of this is the flapper inspired, also from the Chanel runway, is the drop waist. What are your thoughts?
Paloma: Mm-hmm. Right.
Caroline Gidiere: I mean, we haven't seen that drop waist since the like nine eighties. 80s, Laura Ashley did a lot of drop
Paloma: Y Yep. Mm-hmm. I remember.
Caroline Gidiere: ways back in the day. And that drop drop ways is coming back, but it it kind of gives you a sack silhouette.
Paloma: I like it on the runway, I like the art deco on the runway, I like it on, you know, a beautiful, tall, thin actress, but I
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm.
Paloma: just don't find it wearable in the everyday and as a woman with a curvier figure.
Caroline Gidiere: And I'll tell you one thing I surely cannot wear is a drop waist pant. My proportions are all off. You know, like
Paloma: yeah. Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: I I don't I'm like that that and if waists are starting,
Paloma: I need a high waist. I need to feel tucked in.
Caroline Gidiere: yeah, starting to come down, that is bad. Red alert.
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: That is bad news for me. Like I'm can't make any of that work. Okay. Then we're seeing all these dot and I I feel like this is a trend that is carrying over into interiors. So often they
Paloma: Uh-huh.
Caroline Gidiere: overlap. We're seeing a lot of dark gothic florals. At McQueen,
Paloma: yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: Gabriella Hearst, Dries, Jewel tone, dark florals, and velvets. You know, I think if you pick up this month's AD, it is chak a block with
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: dark florals. People are using. I don't either.
Paloma: I don't love that. That is just not my aesthetic. I don't find it pretty or yeah,
Caroline Gidiere: Very Victorian.
Paloma: it just feels heavy and overwrought. And I
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Paloma: love a floral, but I don't tend to like a dark floral. I love
Caroline Gidiere: Mm mm.
Paloma: jewel tones and dark like I can appreciate a dark hue, but I don't
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm.
Paloma: like those things together.
Caroline Gidiere: Right. I feel the same way, Paloma. I just it's just I think I've had one dark floral like that dress in my life and it was okay,
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: but it's just not it's just I don't I don't like them in my interiors and I really don't it's just not anything I'm gonna buy for myself to wear.
Paloma: Yeah. Agreeing.
Caroline Gidiere: Okay, all right, we said we've already done playful proportions. It's that's a real I mean like flapper 30s, playful proportions. as all the big trim, but also in the playful proportions category is the the revamp of the Dior classic jacket. And then also Sarah Burton's doing that as Givenchy, where you have a high waist and kind of a peplum, which is kind of in your bread and butter. The the peplum. Yeah.
Paloma: Mm-hmm. Yeah, I do like that. Yeah, I like a peplin.
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. again, with a bosom I can't like I'm too short waisted and you know, with
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: a chest I can't it just I say that. I do have some tops, but it you I have to have a longer waist on the peplum just to give my
Paloma: Mm-hmm. Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: some space in there. Okay.
Paloma: Right.
Caroline Gidiere: Bomber jackets, particularly with a funnel neck. What are your thoughts?
Paloma: You like it, I don't love it. it's not my favorite silhouette. I I don't dislike it. Like if I saw you wearing it, I'm sure I would think it looked good on you, but I'm not buying it for myself, if that makes sense.
Caroline Gidiere: Okay, I I saw these, I've seen these for the past two years. So this is year three on this trend.
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: And last year, because the trend was back, I bought a faux leather jacket from Zara. I know, I mean it's like the worst thing in the world for the in environment, but I thought I don't wanna invest a lot of money in something that I'm inevitably not able to pull off. And I'm not gonna know if I'm gonna be able to wear it unless I have one hanging in my closet
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: and I try it on. So I got one, it says great lines. And I I probably I probably wore it maybe 10 times last year.
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: and I do like the look, but I do have to say that I I did like if my mom was around, she would call me out on it. I mean, she'd be like, What are you wearing?
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: Like, what is this? And or my sister my sisters, if they saw me, they'd give me a hard time. Like, you
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: know what I'm saying? Like it is, it is you are serving. When you've got that funnel neck and a big, huge bomber leather coat on, you really
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: present like you think you're something. So I you know, I
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: try to take it take it down and keep it more casual. And it's comfortable. Let me just say that. It's comfortable and Kind of like that leather is nice and warm on a chilly day and having that funnel neck, but it is it is something that I'm still on I I don't feel I don't feel entirely myself in.
Paloma: Well, yeah, it's a trend. It's a fun trend. It's not like a classic you're gonna wear forever.
Caroline Gidiere: Okay. Yeah. Okay. So burgundy. And my sister was telling me two nights ago, like wine is really the big color for fall. Chocolate
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: is still has a strong presence, but particularly anything in leather or suede, blazers, suede,
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: blazers, belts, bags, all of this in burgundy or chocolate brown.
Paloma: Love. I love both colors, especially chocolate. I love suede.
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah, me too.
Paloma: if I have the choice between a suede shoe and a leather shoe, I'm probably going with the suede. I just, for
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm.
Paloma: whatever reason, like I would never wear, I'm saying never. That's very definitive. It would be rare for me to wear a leather pump. I would rather wear a suede pump. I feel like a suede heel, there's not the softness about it. I don't like the sheen and like
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm.
Paloma: the hardness of a leather shoe, but like the suede to me feels a little bit more sophisticated and just softer, just the the nature of I guess the material. less severe, I should say. I think there's something less severe about it. So I I love suede.
Caroline Gidiere: I see suede as being more casual than leather. You know what I'm saying?
Paloma: Mm-hmm. It is, yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: Like just more of a weeknight going out to dinner shoe, right? Or, you know, you need to be dressy, yeah,
Paloma: Yeah, it's on an evening shoe.
Caroline Gidiere: yeah, yeah, yeah. But not like shoe that you I don't know. I mean, I would wear black. suede shoe to like a funeral or to a wedding or something like that. so I don't even know what I'm thinking about that. But yeah, I have
Paloma: Mm-hmm. I mean think about like like a manolo pump. Think of a manolo pump in a black leather versus a black suede. Which is more elegant to you?
Caroline Gidiere: Elegant, I would say, in the leather. I'm not have those, but a suede,
Paloma: I don't like it.
Caroline Gidiere: I I can see a suede, but it's gonna be with like a suit, you know, like a like a wool suit
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: and not like a church dress to me. like I just both of them are equally refined, but as far as the elegance for me, I'm thinking of like pearls and a Cartier wristwatch and like I don't know if it's like a croc shoe or a leather or the suede is to me is more is just more casual, more relaxed.
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: Let's call it not casual, relaxed, more relaxed. But I have some YSL leather I mean like I guess I've collected the classics all in leather, and I have
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: some in suede. The only thing about suede and a pump is it stretches.
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: And so it's hard to keep that shoe if you wear it a lot, it's hard to keep that shoe on your foot after you've worn it like all day sometime because that suede stretches out so much.
Paloma: Yeah, sometimes I have to put a little insert in there.
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah, I have a tough time. Okay, so the vamp on shoes is coming up. So you're going to see this shoe everywhere
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: that has a pointed toe, but the vamp comes way up on your foot.
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: And you're going to see this in like little short heels, even the tall ones, but everywhere, like even the mules are going to have this high vamp, which is a Conspicuous toe, shall we call it? What
Paloma: Yeah. I feel like you're gonna like that. I do not. we are gonna disagree on this. Here's the thing, Caroline. You are way more adventurous, I think, in fashion and with your footwear. Like you take more risks. I think you like the classics, but you'll also do like something very architectural, something
Caroline Gidiere: Mm.
Paloma: with an interesting shape. The French have a term. I don't know if you're familiar with this called jolie laide. Do you know this term? It's like, okay,
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm, mm-hmm, mm-hmm. Yeah. pretty ugly.
Paloma: pretty ugly. So don't don't take offense. But like to me, that shoe is not pretty. And
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm.
Paloma: so I am not attracted to it. But if I see it on you or somebody else, like I I think it looks chic, you know, like the
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. Yeah.
Paloma: it's stylish. But I'm not compelled to buy into I think I play it safe a little bit more. And so I just like kind of like classic pretty things.
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm. There's something wrong with that. Yeah.
Paloma: And you're more of a fashion risk taker. And so I admire that. But I think we do not see eye to eye on a lot of these things. Like I that's just
Caroline Gidiere: Sure.
Paloma: not for me. I don't like it.
Caroline Gidiere: No, I totally get it. I, you know, I have one pair of Khaite shoes like that that
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: you know, I I have to look in the mirror and stare at it for a minute to really get on board and hype myself up, like I'm going, I'm going with this one.
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: but and I'll tell you, I was wanting to treat myself to a nice new pair of Shoes and I was looking at all the ones that had come down the Chanel runway, and they all have this high bamp.
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: I'm just trying to figure out like what is stylish but also classic. Like, I don't want to
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: spend all this money on these shoes in three years from now for them to be like, yeah, remember when those came down that runway and then we never saw them again. And you're
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: still wearing those, and nobody else does. You know, like I
Paloma: Right.
Caroline Gidiere: just I want something that's classic, but also. to catch the wave if we are changing this classic Chanel pump for the next 15 years. You know what I'm saying? Like if he's gonna be there for a long time because Chanel doesn't switch out their designers for a long, you know, like
Paloma: Right.
Caroline Gidiere: they're not like these other people churning through designers, at least haven't been. So anyway, but I had a tough time with it. I don't I don't know. Like I
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: feel like one of those pairs of shoes is gonna be enough. maybe in the middle of the winter when everything goes s on sale after Christmas, not Chanel,
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: but I might I might grab another pair. Okay. Next trend, purple is everywhere.
Paloma: Like true purple.
Caroline Gidiere: True purple. Thoughts.
Paloma: It's not my favorite color and I don't know that it's the most flattering colour on me, so I won't be buying into it. Like I'd rather do like an eggplant or an aubergine, something with a little depth and warmth to it, but like true cool purple is not my colour.
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. Well, we're seeing a lot of all shades, but we're seeing a heavy dose of true purple. But what I think is interesting that I've seen is it is being paired with chocolate brown, which I and
Paloma: Mm. That's kinda cool.
Caroline Gidiere: when I've seen it, it's like chocolate or or taupes are up top and the purple is towards the bottom. You know, because I
Paloma: Interesting.
Caroline Gidiere: feel like purple is probably a hard shade to wear, like if you
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: had your colors done.
Paloma: You'd probably have to have really cool colouring, I would think. Like dark hair for skin, I don't know.
Caroline Gidiere: Like, I don't I don't know how that works. Yeah. Maybe so. But it's not like I don't see somebody in like a purple gown on the runway and think, you know, like
Paloma: Mm.
Caroline Gidiere: it's not like yellow to me, but I have bought a pair of purple sweatpants. Bear
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: with me. They're really comfortable, they're very stylish. I have a pair of brown new balance suede tennis shoes.
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: And a like a taupe cashmere V neck sweater. Like I feel like this is a real vibe for a Saturday afternoon in the fall, right?
Paloma: See, this is this is our our our fundamental difference. I'm glad you said that because it makes me chuckle. This is a real vibe. Caroline's dressing for a vibe. She's putting on a look. She's gonna go and slay in Mountain Brook. And me, I'm just like, what's comfortable? Just throw something on. Like I I'm not thinking that deeply. I love how much you love fashion. It's really fun. And I'm just like boring, but yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: I do love it. No, you're not. Well, you're always classic. You're not boring at all. You always look perfect. Okay.
Paloma: No, you're sweet.
Caroline Gidiere: Continue trend red. Okay. The Row, Céline, everybody's doing this strong tomato red. Okay.
Paloma: I love red. Love. Mm-hmm. Yep. Love red.
Caroline Gidiere: All right. Then our la well, two. frog fastening jackets.
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: Okay. I think those are good looking. I don't know if I'll actually buy one.
Paloma: Where were those when we were planning our Chinoiserie wardrobe? Cause we
Caroline Gidiere: Right? Exactly.
Paloma: could not find anything and now those those are everywhere. Everywhere. Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: Everywhere, everywhere. Yeah, I could have just done like a frog fastening vest and and a
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: pair of in the black slacks that I just you know I was folding up that Obi just this past weekend that I wore. well you're sweet.
Paloma: yeah. But it looked f it looked amazing. It was fabulous. I loved your look.
Caroline Gidiere: I don't know if it looked amazing. What? okay, lace trim continues, but not but this time it's in blouses and in layers. Like you're gonna see like silk blouse edging coming out of jackets, silk collar like
Paloma: Mm.
Caroline Gidiere: lace collars and blouses, it it's gonna be in the layering, not just on the edging, on satin like slip inspired pieces.
Paloma: Okay. I think that that has the potential to be really pretty. I think you just have to be careful with like it has to be the right material and the right amount,
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm.
Paloma: you know? It can't it has to like sit kind of flat and have a nice sort of texture to it.
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. Yeah.
Paloma: It can't be too thick, there can't be too much.
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm. I agree. it's interesting because when we talked of fashion last, we were talking about satin like suiting and
Paloma: Right.
Caroline Gidiere: all that kind of stuff. And it was Sorry. Interesting because not no sooner had we said all of that and we were like, I don't know. Amal Clooney showed up in at the Venice Film Festival in a all and it was like if you would wear shorts like
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: straight out of your playbook because it was olive, satin, blazer, camisole, and she wore little shorty shorts, you know, because she's got
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: legs for days. But it it looked really good. I was I was like, okay, now I see how we're gonna do this. I'm not so opposed to it. I think I can put
Paloma: See, I thought that I'm looking at the f the photo now as you're describing it. I think it looks
Caroline Gidiere: it up on our in our thing. I'll try to do it for the YouTube.
Paloma: I think she's beautiful and I love the color and like the pieces individually, but it looks to me like she threw a blazer over her PJs. Like it looks it looks cheap to me. She doesn't look elegant to me at all. That looks like i if if she had highlights in her hair and long acrylic nails, she would look trashy. I don't like it.
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah. Okay. Well, all right. Yeah.
Paloma: Ha ha ha
Caroline Gidiere: I don't know, I'm not so, you know, like you and I have different thoughts on those little satin shorts, but also the ones that I have look like we might call them drawers.
Paloma: Yeah, those are some drawers, girl. Those are some lace Bermudas. Those are these are tiny shorts. That's why I I just something about it's not what shoe was she wearing with that, do you know?
Caroline Gidiere: I don't I don't remember. I I think I saw, but I I don't remember what it was. I'm sorry, I'm having all sorts of issues here. yeah, I I don't know, but also I'm so used to seeing all these teenage girls with cake by the pound hanging out the back of those shorts.
Paloma: Yeah. No, that's true. You're in that phase of life where you're surrounded by teen girls and yes, they
Caroline Gidiere: With their bottoms hanging out the back, every
Paloma: Mm.
Caroline Gidiere: one of Ugh. I don't know how they well, anyway, anyway. Okay, let's
Paloma: We've got opinions today, guys. Lots of them.
Caroline Gidiere: All right. Let's move on to a listener question. Okay. And this is from a listener's husband. He says, My wife has a growing design business and loves your podcast. Yay. She's got great taste, clearly. any
Paloma: Thank you.
Caroline Gidiere: suggestions for a design-related gift? She already has your books. So sweet. And I ordered the Meg Braff book
Paloma: So nice.
Caroline Gidiere: you just featured. Okay, what a great husband. Gold star right here. Reaching out.
Paloma: I know, so sweet. I mean to think to even like reach out to us, that's incredible. So thoughtful.
Caroline Gidiere: Man, a hundred percent. They must be, they must be like somewhat newly weddish too, don't you think? Cute. Okay.
Paloma: Mm. Yeah, gold star. Gold star for this cutie.
Caroline Gidiere: All right, lay a great suggestion on the Paloma! Uh-huh.
Paloma: okay, I'm gonna say if you love design, if you already have art books, she it did she did he say she's starting her business? Okay.
Caroline Gidiere: She has a growing business. Yeah.
Paloma: I would say two things could be really good and thoughtful and like not something that any not like a an obvious suggestion. Two things. a piece of art, maybe if they need a piece of art for their house,
Caroline Gidiere: Okay.
Paloma: something that like would work well with a specific room if there's a a an artist she loves, like that's thoughtful and it's design adjacent.
Caroline Gidiere: Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.
Paloma: if she's a fledgling designer starting her business, get her a a session on the expert with one of her favorite designers to talk shop about like
Caroline Gidiere: Ooh, now that's a good one.
Paloma: bit like business advice. I think that would be amazing because it would be fun for her where she's like meeting somebody that she loves and having a one-on-one with them, but then also getting some real tangible advice that she can apply to her business and that will help her grow.
Caroline Gidiere: I love that. Okay. I'm gonna give you those those are great, those are big ones that are really great. Those are really gonna sell. That should be your bread and butter. Now I'm gonna give some small suggestions that are little happies to wrap up. Yep. Mm-hmm. Yeah, yeah, yeah.
Paloma: Yeah, I guess these like big, like if it was a birthday or anniversary, like a big gift, yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: Yeah, like stocking stuffers, things. I mean,
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: so you can always go back and dip in this bag of ideas. as the years pass or the you
Paloma: Right.
Caroline Gidiere: know the mother's day, anniversary, Christmas, whatever, birthday, whatever it is. Okay. So I think that you should get her a really nice wait for it measuring tape that has
Paloma: Yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: like the automatic readout for it. Like a real I mean, because we all lose them. Get a nice one of
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: those. See if you can find some sort of like brass scale or something like that. And also get her like a little notepad with her logo or whatever it is or that says whatever da-da design that she can do
Paloma: Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: sketches or take to business. Like get her little bag
Paloma: Those are great ideas.
Caroline Gidiere: stuff, like all her little accoutrement that she would use. Get a really nice one of those. you know, and or like does she need like A plug-in calculator, I'm like with the tape or things like that. Like the yours are gonna win the day. Like, I love you here, are your nice big gifts. These are little baby things that are very thoughtful that will help her. Yeah, exactly. But but
Paloma: Yeah, it's like I'm thinking of you. Here's a little a little sussy. Mm-hmm.
Caroline Gidiere: don't make that the gift. Like if you are thinking you're gonna get her a measuring tape, this is just like something you wrap up, put a bow on as a little stocking stuffer. This is not the the The win the day thing. But those are things that would just be like, it's so sweet, so thoughtful. Got got these extra little things that help me through my day, little things. But that expert,
Paloma: Very nice.
Caroline Gidiere: that's that's that is a real pearl of wisdom right there. That would be really great. if I could have done that when I first started, right? Okay, okay, well.
Paloma: I know, I know. I mean to have that access.
Caroline Gidiere: We have more listener questions. We'll just have to take them up next time. We've been so chatty this time. We've gone way past our time. Yeah, I know. I enjoyed it. Yeah.
Paloma: That's right. Well, it's been so fun being with you and talking about all these fun topics, yeah.
Caroline Gidiere: Okay. Well, knock them dead out there in Fredericksburg, Paloma, and have a great week and
Paloma: Thank you. Thank you. Thank you.
Caroline Gidiere: enjoy it. And I'll look forward to being with you next week.
Paloma: Yes, definitely. Okay. See you later, you two. Bye.
Caroline Gidiere: Okay, have a great week. Okay, see ya. Okay, bye.

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