July 17, 2025 • 59 mins
What does it take to build a thriving business that empowers interior designers at every stage of their projects? Maria Mendoza reveals the answer, drawing from her nearly four-decade journey through the design world.
Starting with a foundation in architecture and interior design when drafting was still done by hand, Maria shares her fascinating evolution from custom furniture sales to running large-scale design projects in Venezuela. When political circumstances forced her family to relocate to Florida, her deep understanding of designers' needs led to a transformative business model at DRC Showrooms.
Unlike typical furniture retailers, DRC operates exclusively to support design professionals. Maria has created a haven where designers can bring clients to a beautifully curated space with access to over 170 premium manufacturers. More than just a product showcase, the showroom functions as a working studio where designers can create presentations, select materials, and receive comprehensive support with purchasing, delivery coordination, and post-installation troubleshooting.
Maria's passionate commitment to quality is evident throughout our conversation. She advocates for American-made furniture not only for its craftsmanship but for the reliability of manufacturers who stand behind their products. With refreshing candor, she explains why investing in quality pieces makes financial sense even for shorter-term use: "You want it to look new for those three years. You don't want to buy something and then in three months the thing is falling apart."
The growth of DRC into multiple South Florida locations reflects the region's booming design scene, with Maria noting they welcome approximately three new designers daily who have relocated to the area. Her family-oriented approach to business (now including her daughter who handles digital operations) creates a warm, collaborative environment where designers feel supported and protected.
Ready to discover how trade resources can elevate your design projects? Listen now and gain valuable insights from one of the industry's most experienced voices on creating lasting client relationships through exceptional quality and service.
Learn more at:
https://twinteriors.com/podcast/
https://scottwoolley.com
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Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Voice Over (00:00):
This is iDesign Lab, a podcast where creativity and
curiosity meet style and design.
Curator of interiors,furnishings and lifestyles.
Hosted by Tiffany Woolley, aninterior designer and a style
enthusiast, along with herserial entrepreneur husband
Scott, idesign Lab is yourultimate design podcast where we
explore the rich and vibrantworld of design and its constant
(00:23):
evolution in style and trends.
Idesign Lab provides industryinsight, discussing the latest
trends, styles and everything inbetween to better help you
style your life, through advicefrom trendsetters, designers,
influencers, innovators,fabricators and manufacturers,
as well as personal stories thatinspire, motivate and excite.
(00:43):
And join us on this elevated,informative and lively journey
into the world of all thingsdesign.
Today, on the iDesign Labpodcast, we're joined by Maria
Mendoza, a true industry expertwith nearly 40 years in interior
design.
As a leader at DRC showrooms,south Florida's premier trade
exclusive design destination,maria empowers designers with
(01:05):
curated access to over 170top-tier manufacturers.
Her passion for personalizedservice and deep design
expertise has made her a trustedpartner in bringing creative
visions to life.
Tiffany Woolley (01:18):
Welcome to the iDesign Lab podcast.
Today we are thrilled towelcome Maria Mendoza of DRC
Showroom here in South Florida,but who has a wealth of
knowledge on the furnitureindustry design, and you know
just a little behind the sceneshere how she went from marine
(01:39):
biology, was it?
No, I got it wrong, but you'regoing to tell us, so welcome.
Maria Mendoza (01:44):
Thank you, thank you.
Yes, I did have a good morningand thank you for having me here
.
I did have an interest.
I thought I was going to be abiomedical engineer.
However, as a kid I was alwaysdesigning my room and drawing
and making all these creativethings and obviously never
(02:07):
happened because my parents werelike but you know, whatever,
keep drawing Right.
And then I decided to go forarchitecture and then focus on
interiors because I just thoughtthat that was the most hands-on
opportunity.
I mean, architects get todesign and do beautiful
(02:29):
buildings, but really nohands-on nothing to get a grasp
of the interior.
I just thought it was morepractical and you could
work-wise.
You could do a lot more withinterior than just architecture
so you became an interiordesigner first architect well,
(02:49):
yeah and it was an interiorarchitect at the time I went to
I started it's like its own termin and of itself, which I feel
like so many people don't reallyrealize.
Tiffany Woolley (02:59):
yes, you know, as part of being in the interior
design industry and as aprofessional, you know the
interior architecture is just asimportant as the brick and
mortar.
Maria Mendoza (03:11):
Yes, so I did do architecture and focused on
interiors.
It was a program in FIU thatwas developing.
There was no architectureschool.
We were in the engineeringschool and that's where I
started and I loved it becausethere was a lot of engineering
(03:32):
and a lot of architecture and wesaw both.
But then you specialized ininterior.
Tiffany Woolley (03:37):
That's amazing.
Maria Mendoza (03:38):
And I worked through all the years that I was
there.
I started really early.
Scott Woolley (03:44):
Did you start working for a firm or did you go
on your own, or no?
Maria Mendoza (03:48):
working for a firm.
I like I worked for professors,I worked for a firm, I worked
for an actually the.
The first jobs were draftingokay, it was all hand by done by
hand.
Tiffany Woolley (04:00):
I know I still have to start that way.
Maria Mendoza (04:02):
Yes, and then, um , then I went into, I did work
for a while in a showroom, in afurniture showroom.
It was all custom made and Idid have to get creative with
the sales part because I was soyoung and I looked like I was
the owner's daughter and youknow, with the clients it was
(04:23):
like but I would designeverything, I would draw
everything, I would draweverything, 3d, everything was
by hand and then I would partnerwith my sales team and they
would present it to the clientand we would split the
commission because obviouslyeverything at a young age right.
Tiffany Woolley (04:37):
So you were kind of on all sides.
Scott Woolley (04:38):
You were on the sales side.
You're on the sales side.
You were on the design side.
Tiffany Woolley (04:42):
Yes, you were on the drafting side.
What a great foundation.
Maria Mendoza (04:44):
Yes, yes, beautiful I was able to, and I
wanted to be able to have theexperience before I graduated,
so that then I could have areally nice opportunity, you
know, work-wise.
So I worked with professors.
Even ADA wasn't a thing backthen, no, not at all.
Contract and all of that and Idid a lot of.
(05:06):
We worked in a research projectfor accessibility for buildings
and it wasn't the law at thattime.
Voice Over (05:14):
So interesting, so it did became yeah.
Maria Mendoza (05:16):
So I did do a lot and then moved to.
I went to school here but thengot married, went to Venezuela
and there I got to do a lot offun things.
Because we did do—.
Scott Woolley (05:28):
What do you mean?
Fun things.
Maria Mendoza (05:29):
Well, nightclubs, restaurants, oh really, Wow.
Scott Woolley (05:33):
So, from an architectural drafting
standpoint or from everything nothat I started on my own.
Really.
Maria Mendoza (05:41):
When.
I got there, I started workingfor a firm on my own.
Really, when I got there, Istarted working for a firm and
then, like, right away, we gotan opportunity to do this big.
It was a cellular company likecell phones which was starting
and it was like, oh my god, thisis like you know, like how many
phones are they going to sell?
Tiffany Woolley (06:00):
And you're like , yeah, who's going to use that?
Maria Mendoza (06:02):
I mean, only wealthy people could do this,
and now it's like everybody hasa.
Tiffany Woolley (06:07):
I mean what?
Maria Mendoza (06:07):
would we do without a cell?
Tiffany Woolley (06:08):
phone and we'd say it 100 times a day.
Maria Mendoza (06:11):
Yes, yes, so yeah , that's how we started.
And then we did one like it wasa nice-sized project.
It was a building, threestories, you know, with all the.
Scott Woolley (06:21):
Was this your own business at that point?
Yeah, you know, with all the,is this your own business at
that?
Maria Mendoza (06:26):
point yeah, me and a partner and a partner, yes
, so we started undertaking yeah, so you're designing the
interiors and the exteriorsbuilding was done we decided all
the interior.
We designed all the interiors,yes, and that was really fun and
and you know we did.
I mean we got to be, becausethey used to tell us in school
once you graduate, then youdon't have.
(06:47):
You know, you can't really getcreative because then there's
money and then there's this.
But this was like technology andthey were all willing to spend
money.
We were blessed to have theopportunity to work with that
company, and then did that go onfor a long time, or?
Yes, yes, they, they're stillthere amazing relationship was
(07:07):
nurtured yes, and then we didtheir their stores, because then
they developed stores and youknow like it was a lot of.
And from there we got othercompanies that did other.
There was a biotech companythat we did their offices and
then we got to do hospitals withthem because they were doing it
(07:27):
was it was a lot so when you'redesigning these for the
cellular companies and you'redoing all the design, your
design is done.
Scott Woolley (07:35):
Were you then following through with the
contractors or whoever was?
Maria Mendoza (07:39):
building it out to make sure that project
managers basically what you doand do the selections and
sourcing and all of that all ofthat.
We did all of that, which gaveme a really good foundation to
understand the business now andto be able to help the designers
that we work with in drc didyou ever run into situations
(08:00):
that were kind of challengingfrom a?
Scott Woolley (08:03):
design standpoint every day, every day, every day
I basically feel like we'reproblem solvers yes yes, it's
like we're, and people don't seeit.
Maria Mendoza (08:13):
They're like oh, it is fun, but it's like working
in a er you're, you'reliterally hit by and you cross
every t?
Dot and dot every I and thenyou get thrown lemons and you're
like okay, what do I do withthis?
Scott Woolley (08:27):
And this is the part that the average person
doesn't realize what a designeris bringing to the table the
details.
The details and working out allthe little problems or
foreseeing those problems thatmay come about.
Maria Mendoza (08:42):
The responsibility that a designer
carries because it's aninvestment.
I mean owners.
Property owners are doing aninvestment and they rely on the
expertise and the professionalknowledge that a designer has to
put everything together andmake it look right, and you're
(09:05):
basically it's the unknown.
So many Because you're creatingsomething for some, you know,
you don't know what, anddefinitely the owner doesn't
know what they're gettingbecause they can't visualize.
I mean, there's a lot that youcould do right now.
Scott Woolley (09:18):
And most owners, you know, let's say, it's
residential, they're designing,they're redecorating their home,
whatever it may be.
Maybe once every 10 yearsthey're doing that, but then
when they're bringing in adesigner who's done, like with
Tiffany, over 500 homes, I meanthere's a lot of All day, every
day, yes, yes.
Maria Mendoza (09:39):
And I do firmly believe that owners should go
property owners if it's a homeor a condo or a building or a
business whatever it is.
You should go to a professionalbecause they have the expertise
to guide you through the wholeprocess and you're investing so
much that it just doesn't makesense not to do it.
Scott Woolley (10:02):
So it seems as though you were in Venezuela for
quite a number of years.
Maria Mendoza (10:06):
Yes.
Scott Woolley (10:07):
At what point did you come back to the States and
to Florida?
Because there's a big story, itseems we're going to talk about
when you come back to Florida18 years ago we had to.
Maria Mendoza (10:20):
my husband was in the poultry business.
Okay, my husband was in thepoultry business.
Okay, and he with all that washappening in venezuela, chavez,
and all of that, that got takenover.
So, um, we had to come here andstart something from scratch.
So we decided to.
(10:41):
It was either his industry ormine and poultry.
I mean you can't compete withTyson or any of that.
So, it's like, okay, we're onit, fascinating.
Scott Woolley (10:52):
So he changes his career.
Both of you come to Florida.
Maria Mendoza (10:55):
He did say business is business, and I
could manage that, no matterwhat Amazing support too.
So yeah, so that was.
Scott Woolley (11:03):
So did you go into the interior?
Did you have an interior designbusiness?
No, an architectural.
Maria Mendoza (11:09):
At that point we took over DRC, which was called
something else, and they were tothe trade, which was of
interest to us Because, being tothe trade and working for
designers we were able to.
He was able to do his businesspart and it wasn't me doing
project, it was just assistingdesigners in their process the
(11:32):
birth of DRC.
Drc.
Scott Woolley (11:35):
So you're taking over a business that's existing.
Maria Mendoza (11:38):
We take over a business that's existing, but we
made it to where we reallysupport our designers and we
wanted to create a space.
Knowing what I knew what youcould bring to the table.
Yeah create a showroom for thedesigner, that it was their
showroom and they could come inand use us as a studio and use
(12:02):
it as a work environment wherethere's fabric samples, rug
samples.
We have representation of thelines that we carry.
So we have all the you knowcentury and Holland House
Hickory Chair.
We have not large but we have agood representation of every
(12:24):
single of the most importantlines that we carry.
Scott Woolley (12:28):
So it seems to me that what you're really helping
is I'll say maybe, for lack ofbetter words the younger
designer, someone who doesn'thave or hasn't been in business
for a long time, am I correct?
And you're bringing them andgiving them a lot of resources,
that they have sort of the powerof a bigger firm.
Maria Mendoza (12:48):
We do that for young designers and also for
designers that have been there,done that that had their own
studio.
And just have a couple projectsand don't want to no or more,
and don't want to deal with thataspect of it and they want to
focus because you could have.
You have your office or youwork out of your house and you
(13:08):
have two or three or four staffthat work with you senior
designers or whatever and thenwe, you know, they come in and
use our studio and we do all thepurchasing.
They bring their clients, theywork out of there, they make all
the selections Amazing.
Scott Woolley (13:25):
We put all the purchasing, they bring their
clients, they work out of there,they make all the selections
amazing.
So you, so the so independentinterior designers, come to your
facility, your showroom,correct?
They have all the selectionsthat you could possibly imagine,
yes, and they're able to bringthe client in there, I guess,
and you have, like, I guess,tables that yes they can set up
and it's kind of their andthere's a staff that's
(13:45):
supporting them?
Maria Mendoza (13:47):
Yes, and the purchasing process.
Our staff supports thatCustomer service once the
installation occurs or delivery.
Tiffany Woolley (13:55):
So you handle all your installations and
everything too.
We handle claims and we handleissues.
Scott Woolley (14:03):
For the interior designers.
Maria Mendoza (14:05):
Correct, correct.
Tiffany Woolley (14:07):
We handle all that, so you're definitely not a
furniture store.
No, no you are to the tradeworking.
Scott Woolley (14:15):
You're like a high support.
Maria Mendoza (14:18):
We're a studio for our designers.
Tiffany Woolley (14:19):
That's amazing.
Maria Mendoza (14:22):
We serve as having.
They have their own showroom.
They walk in, they feel rightat home.
There's big screens where theycould do their presentations for
their clients.
We have all the finishes andall the materials, fabrics that
they could set up theirselections and do an entire
(14:42):
presentation, their selectionsand do an entire presentation
and the client could actuallysit and touch and see what
they're getting.
Not what they're getting, butit's being created.
Scott Woolley (14:52):
The vision yeah they could see the vision Do you
support, like from a creativestandpoint for the interior
designers or the clients, or isit the interior designers really
doing all that work?
It's the interior designerdoing the work.
Maria Mendoza (15:09):
They come in, it's their project, their
creativity and whatever theywant to make out of it.
It's a nice environment becausedesigners come in and there's
always a few of them at the sametime.
So there's a lot ofcollaboration and hey, what do
you think of this?
And so it's.
Tiffany Woolley (15:28):
That is wonderful to have as a
destination.
Maria Mendoza (15:30):
It's like being in school again and just having
the work.
You know like working withother.
Tiffany Woolley (15:36):
Get the creative juices flowing and
inspiration.
Maria Mendoza (15:39):
Yes, from everybody else.
Tiffany Woolley (15:40):
Yes, so when you originally took over DRC,
was it with the same mindset, oris this something that you and
your husband implemented whenyou sat on this journey?
Maria Mendoza (15:53):
We wanted.
We did have this vision,because knowing what it what it
takes to be a designer and whatyou need and what for support
yeah, what support you need andand what you want from your a
designer, and what you need andwhat support you need and what
you want from your vendors, andthen having to deal with each
vendor individually, it takestime and it takes a lot of
(16:15):
resources.
Tiffany Woolley (16:17):
With minimum orders and opening orders and
maintaining pricing andeverything like that.
Maria Mendoza (16:24):
So there's no minimum order.
You have access to all thelines without any minimums and
we give you all the support, thelogistics.
It's one phone call.
Yes, you have to call, but it'sjust one phone call, one place
to follow up and to keep trackof everything and if something's
(16:47):
discontinued we'll let you know.
We try to find a substitute.
Yes.
Scott Woolley (16:52):
Wow, what a resource so does interior
designers then have to book intime so they're calling you
ahead of time saying can I comein at 9 o'clock on Tuesday with
my client.
Maria Mendoza (17:03):
Yes, if they want to, yes, yes, but they're
welcome to walk in any time.
If they want us to any of ourteam members to help, they're
welcome to walk to make anappointment.
If not, you can come in andjust work on your own, and we
have a lot of those who work ontheir own and others that make
appointments, and you have aBoca showroom and you have Palm
(17:24):
Beach showroom.
Tiffany Woolley (17:25):
Yes, Palm Beach has exploded so much for the
design industry as a resource aswell in our area.
Maria Mendoza (17:32):
Yes, correct, it's a very nice area, very
different.
It's crazy that we're 40minutes away or an hour away and
it's another world.
Tiffany Woolley (17:42):
The styles are different.
Yeah, the clientele isdifferent probably the design
teams are different rightcorrect it's so interesting.
So, as this evolved through theyears, you know and has
maintained, I guess, thisplatform and you decided to grow
with palm beach.
Are the lines and are theshowrooms the same or are they
(18:06):
integrating different, likebecause of the clientele being
different?
The?
Maria Mendoza (18:09):
lines are the same um.
We do have more of CenturyHickory, chair, highland House,
mainland Smith um those lines.
Scott Woolley (18:22):
That's all under the Rockhouse, which is such a
cool company itself.
Tiffany Woolley (18:27):
I feel, like, that's just such a story?
Maria Mendoza (18:31):
Yes, it is, and we do work with companies that
give us support, becauseobviously that's what our
clients need.
Like we provide the support forthe clients, the clients for
the designer, but we needcompanies that support customer
service.
American leather, for example,it's another one.
It's all american made, andthat's one of the things we love
(18:54):
about those companies too.
Right now, with everythinggoing, on amazing.
We definitely supporteverything made here.
Tiffany Woolley (19:01):
I mean, that's the one thing I'm actually
somewhat looking forward to isbecause when I first started in
the industry, you know it wasmuch more of a curated furniture
.
You know custom experience andthen, as things evolved, it's
much more of this instantgratification wanted in stock,
(19:22):
wanted a good price,gratification wanted in stock
wanted a good like and I feellike you know, we're kind of
going back, you know, to thatcustomized process, at least for
my clients and I.
I'm grateful for it because,why not, why not?
Maria Mendoza (19:37):
and one of the things I, I, we, we say is when
you do, when you start theprocess, start with furniture as
well, because you'revisualizing everything, the from
start to finish you do.
Your floor plan you do, thefurniture layout you do.
I mean you select all thematerials and everything, but
it's all integrated.
(19:58):
So once you have that furniturefloor plan, just come in and
order the furniture.
That way you could have theinstant gratification because
while you're doing construction,yep you're waiting, then you're
the, the furniture is beingmanufactured as well, and then
everything is received ideally.
Obviously, there's delays andthere's issues yeah, what we're
there for but you do, youintegrate, you know you have
(20:22):
your furniture is being builtand then your, your project is
complete, you get your co, youget all the furniture delivered
you get that wow factor, I knowand that's part of what we do as
designers too is we kind ofwork backwards with our timeline
.
Tiffany Woolley (20:37):
So I try to explain to clients like, just
because not every little pieceis selected I know you want a
full number to so you'recomfortable diving all in, but
you really need to because thereare so many details along the
way you really need to check offthis big chunk so that you can
get things moving, so that wecan have that reveal at the end.
(21:00):
Correct, so it's such a niche,a niche part of our industry.
Do you go to markets and do youselect pieces for your
showrooms?
Yes, so you do curate yourself?
Maria Mendoza (21:13):
Yes, we do go to market, we do bring our team
members to market in order forthem also to be knowledgeable of
what we're selling and whatwe're offering to our clients
because they need to know oh,does this sit well, does this
not?
And then to select the piecesagain.
(21:35):
We have a representation, butit's not the whole showroom.
So we have to select the piecesthat represent that line that
the client could sit and couldhave a feel of quality and
comfort but then make it, designit to and create it to their
(21:55):
own, to each space individually.
Scott Woolley (21:58):
So the showroom basically has just lots of
samples and fabrics andwallpaper and does it have, you
know, tiles and things like that?
Maria Mendoza (22:07):
you have samples, yeah no, not tiles, because we
do.
We are focused on furnishingsso it's furniture lighting
accessories, rugs, rugswallpaper.
Oh, so you do wallpaperWallpaper window treatment, like
all the fabrics for windowtreatments, for upholstery and,
(22:30):
obviously, the fabrics and thefinishes of the manufacturers.
Tiffany Woolley (22:33):
So when do you decide to bring on a new line?
What makes like?
Scott Woolley (22:39):
Well, even more important than that, because
I've noticed on your website youlist and you have so many great
vendors I mean manufacturersthat you, you, evidently you
know.
Tiffany Woolley (22:50):
Built a long relationship Correct.
Scott Woolley (22:52):
So if a designer comes in with a client and the
client or the designer say, well, we want to buy this from this
XYZ company that you haven'tdealt with, Will you do that or
is that something that you frownaway from?
No?
Maria Mendoza (23:06):
we will definitely look into it However
we have dealt in the past withsome vendors that we've had to
just say.
Scott Woolley (23:17):
I can't work with that because they don't stand
behind their product.
Yeah, we understand that.
Maria Mendoza (23:21):
So if you don't stand behind, we end up paying
for everything because at theend of the day, we're not going
to let our designers hanging.
Scott Woolley (23:31):
So will you use Wayfair?
No.
Tiffany Woolley (23:35):
Right.
Maria Mendoza (23:35):
No.
We don't either, yeah.
Scott Woolley (23:38):
No, because I think that's another thing I
don't think people realize isthat, okay, you're getting stuff
inexpensive, but we've had someclients that they really want
it because someone or whatever,for whatever reason, and we buy
it from them and it comes likedisastrously broken and damaged.
Tiffany Woolley (23:55):
Three different times.
There's time and moneyassociated to that too.
Maria Mendoza (24:01):
I appreciate that industry and I appreciate their
business and it caters to acertain clientele which I'm, you
know, great for them.
But it's not what we encourageand we really support.
Scott Woolley (24:18):
You're about quality and good quality service
to the consumer and Americanmade.
Maria Mendoza (24:23):
I love that.
Yes, and we really support that, that it's all made here and
it's made by our people and wetry to promote that as much as
possible, because obviously wecan't make everything.
You know, there's parts thatare imported, but but and it
wouldn't make sense, it would be, you know.
Tiffany Woolley (24:43):
No, but these american-made partners have such
great integrated relationshipsand ownership stakes, even if
things are made overseas.
I mean, I feel like yes thequality control is still a level
above what you're getting.
Maria Mendoza (24:59):
Correct, and then random and you still have
factories and workers that arethere, that are you know taken
care of properly and and supportus because, again, we want our
clients to be supported and ifthere's an issue, okay here,
we'll work with you.
Tiffany Woolley (25:17):
Do you offer CAD services?
We do not usually reallyprimarily focused on furniture
and the soft goods.
Maria Mendoza (25:27):
We do work with designers.
They come in with a floor planand we help them source the
furniture and select the pieces.
Scott Woolley (25:39):
They have a vision.
Oh, so you're actually helpinginterior designers in sourcing
for their clients?
Maria Mendoza (25:45):
Yes, that's a great resource for If they're
doing commercial and they'redoing lobbies, and okay, what's
better, what's good, what'strending, and we help them.
And what's going to be durable,what's not, we do help them
with the pieces.
And what's the budget?
(26:05):
Right, because we havedifferent, obviously different
manufacturers, different budgets, different scales, so we help
them in that sense too.
Okay, this is what you have,okay, put you know, invest here
and maybe not there, yes, so youjust said something that's
interesting what's the budget?
Scott Woolley (26:22):
it's something that we've talked a lot about
with people on this podcast isthat most people don't want to
tell or say what their budgetmay or may not be, and we try to
talk about the encouragementthat people should talk to their
interior designer of what theirbudget is, because then the
interior designer or the firm,or even your firm, can really go
(26:47):
to town and make a much greaterpresentation working within the
restraints of the budget.
Maria Mendoza (26:53):
Correct and everybody has a budget,
everybody.
Scott Woolley (26:55):
Well, people, I think I always say to Tiffany I
think it's because people don'twant to say because you're going
to spend every single dollarplus ten more than what my
budget is yes, but that's notthe way.
Maria Mendoza (27:05):
Good dollar plus ten more than what my budget is
yes.
Scott Woolley (27:07):
But that's not the way good interior designers
don't work.
That way they work and think,okay, we're going to redo your
room or your house within yourbudget and it's going to be
absolutely beautiful, beautifulyes.
And then, based on your tastesand your budget, the elevation
of what that location or thatroom can look like.
Maria Mendoza (27:28):
I do agree with that.
It's it's just making the bestout of that budget and that's
what you know, that in our case,that's what we do too.
We, if you have x amount ofdollars for furniture and
furnishings they love this sofabut can't afford it.
Well, we'll make it work,because maybe you get the sofa
which we are going to be livingin and you save on the rug or on
(27:52):
the side tables, which are notgoing to be what's the word you
use all the time Value engineer.
Scott Woolley (27:58):
To make it work for the clients.
Maria Mendoza (28:00):
Yes, correct.
Scott Woolley (28:01):
So they're super excited and thrilled when it's
all done.
Maria Mendoza (28:05):
Yes, and that's also something that I tend to
visualize.
I try to focus on wow, it'sgoing to be even better, Like
our goal is to make it betterthan what they could envision.
Obviously the designer canvisualize it, but maybe the end
user can't.
But, oh my God, this is goingto be so much better than this
(28:26):
was, so much better than what Icould even imagine.
Tiffany Woolley (28:29):
I know and I feel like your team also
provides that extra confidenceprobably to a client and an end
user, because sometimes it'sjust the designer and they don't
want to be so.
You know, you never know.
People's personalities aredifferent, but a team like you,
all together, offers anotherlevel of confidence for an end
(28:50):
user.
So, being a designer, do youever still do any of your own
projects, or do you justprimarily stay?
Maria Mendoza (29:02):
on the sales side .
I stay on working because we dowork a lot with a designer and
in their projects.
Tiffany Woolley (29:07):
So you're getting your fix.
Maria Mendoza (29:09):
I'm getting.
I see new projects every day.
Oh, wow, and we do.
We have the opportunity becausewhen we start with some clients
come the first time, they mightbe working on one or two
projects.
They might be working on one ortwo projects and then, once
they realize what they can dowith us, they start getting more
(29:34):
projects because, okay, now Idon't have to turn down this
ex-client because now I havesupport here that can help me
grow my business.
So we definitely promote thatand assist our clients, our
designers, to keep going.
Just get those projects, we'llhelp you and we'll, you know, uh
, help you through, becausethere's a lot of time and a lot
(29:56):
of work put into the purchasingpart so much, and the follow-up,
and the follow-up is huge andyou're handling all of that for.
Yes, we are.
Scott Woolley (30:07):
You're handling the part that interior designers
really don't want to do.
Tiffany Woolley (30:12):
They want to be doing all the beautiful and
just creating.
Scott Woolley (30:16):
Don't want to have to be later on in the back
room.
I call it doing all thepaperwork.
Maria Mendoza (30:20):
Doing all the paperwork and it's just one
phone call because okay, whereis this?
Or if it's a full project orseveral full projects.
Tiffany Woolley (30:29):
You're calling us.
Maria Mendoza (30:33):
And we provide you with status of status
reports of all the pieces forevery project and it just frees
you from that time and once theproject is done, installed, and
then there's issues becausethere's always issues,
unfortunately we help thatprocess too Navigate that yes,
(30:54):
with the vendor.
So we contact the vendor, wecontact the receiver, the
delivery, we do what needs to bedone to get it solved or assist
to get it solved, and then thedesigner could go on to the next
project and not worry aboutwhat this is all costing.
Tiffany Woolley (31:16):
Do you warehouse your orders yourself
or do you send them to?
Maria Mendoza (31:22):
We work with the designer's receivers?
Tiffany Woolley (31:24):
Yes, because every designer has their own.
Okay, so that?
Maria Mendoza (31:28):
makes perfect sense, and we do also have
designers that are working inprojects in New York or
Massachusetts Right.
Tiffany Woolley (31:36):
So the receivers are wherever Do you
find it?
Scott Woolley (31:39):
hard to get designers to come in, or how do
you?
Acquire or find, or just youknow it's new design is coming
in.
Maria Mendoza (31:51):
We do have um instagram and all that part that
our daughter, um, oh, that'scool.
And during covid she kind of,you know, we asked her to help
us with that amazing and thenshe, she, you know one thing she
started like helping us becauseshe was not working at the time
because of covid, and so shestarted with, oh, let's do
(32:16):
instagram.
She then fixed our website,then redid our library, then our
you know, our system.
So it's a true family operation.
So now she's like full on.
She even did our system, ouradministrative system, which I
have no clue of.
Voice Over (32:35):
You trust it's good, yeah, no.
Maria Mendoza (32:38):
We used to use QuickBooks.
So now we have a designatedprogram that she worked and
developed and developed for ushow impressive.
So she's full on with us.
Tiffany Woolley (32:53):
And that's fun too.
What a blessing as a parent too.
I mean, it's a full circle.
Maria Mendoza (32:58):
Yes, it's definitely that also made us
want to, because at one point wethought we have three daughters
, so do we oh really.
Yes, oh my God, that's great.
And we thought, okay, no one'sinterested in this, Because they
, literally, when we got here,they were working, they were in
the showroom all day.
Clients knew them, they were,you know, it was just the three
(33:24):
of them basically lived there.
Voice Over (33:26):
They would work all summers you know, it was just
the three of them basicallylived there.
They would work all summers.
Tiffany Woolley (33:31):
You know, fixing, I love that Fixing.
Organizing, yes, yes,Maintaining.
Maria Mendoza (33:34):
And so we were like I guess they didn't.
At one point they were like Iwant nothing to do with this,
but I know.
Voice Over (33:39):
Yeah.
Maria Mendoza (33:41):
So now, when she just said, okay, yes, I'm all in
, we were like, okay, so now wecould.
And that's when we you knowPalm Beach came along and we
said, well, we could actuallyexpand.
Tiffany Woolley (33:53):
Yes, that's so special.
Scott Woolley (33:55):
Yes, so do you do any kind of like continuing
education or like bringingvendors in to show off like
showcases.
Maria Mendoza (34:04):
So we do have events that we do like
aftermarket events.
Scott Woolley (34:11):
What do you mean by aftermarket events?
Maria Mendoza (34:12):
So, market in High Point it's a big.
Tiffany Woolley (34:15):
Twice a year.
Maria Mendoza (34:16):
Yeah, it's twice a year and not every designer
goes there.
So, we have some that justdon't want to go, don't want to
be bothered, don't have the time.
I just don't want to go, don'twant to be bothered, don't have
the time.
So we bring the reps in thevendors and they bring all their
new introductions and we justhave a and they're able
designers are able to interactwith each representative of each
(34:42):
company and they just give youknow they Overview.
And it's not um.
They could visit, we do,stations and in there because we
have vignettes of every vendor.
So we they each are in theirspecific space and they show
everything that's new and theintroductions, fabrics, whatever
(35:04):
it is.
So that's um.
And sometimes we do have umspecial events just designated
to some, like we're having onewith american leather, we're
having another with rock housefarms, rock out, yeah, with all
their companies right.
Tiffany Woolley (35:23):
So it kind of keeps things fresh, like correct
yeah.
Maria Mendoza (35:25):
Yeah, and designers update it.
You know with everything.
Tiffany Woolley (35:29):
I know, because it really is.
You know, I always say, likegoing to market kind of sells
itself, like when you really dostart to appreciate there is a
quality difference, as we keepmentioning, to American-made and
just to that level of qualitythat you're investing in and
it's such a blessing to have ashowroom and a resource like you
(35:50):
that you can go and actuallybring that information to a
client too.
Scott Woolley (35:55):
But with trends and styles changing every year,
are you having to?
Tiffany Woolley (35:59):
switch things out and change things.
Scott Woolley (36:02):
How do you stay on top of that?
Maria Mendoza (36:04):
Well, we see what things that are new.
Our showrooms are very, I wouldsay, neutral.
It's like a blank, a whitecanvas, and we pick pieces that
are very, that you couldcustomize.
So colors are neutral and thenthe designer comes in and gets
(36:28):
creative with whatever they wantto use, because you could have
the same sofa with different arm, different, I know, and made in
so many different ways that wejust, okay, give you the blank
so the client could sit and tryit and then you create it
however you want.
But, that being said, we there'sstill new frames new, so once
(36:49):
we see something's not doing sowell, or there's something new
that could be better.
We just sell it off the floorand and so you're set up for.
Scott Woolley (37:00):
I use the word sophisticated because that I
always think that on how tiffanydoes, like on COM, so
custom-made things Everythingprobably.
So you're doing a sofa andyou're set up for a client to
come in.
Where you're making a change tothe sofa, you're making the
legs a different color or adifferent stain, correct.
You're doing two differentfabrics, you're adding trim,
(37:23):
because that's a lot of detailand a lot of detail to follow up
to get it made Correct andyou're handling all that aspect,
all that aspect.
Maria Mendoza (37:31):
Yes, it's a lot, of it's fun.
Scott Woolley (37:34):
It's a big plus for a designer and it's
incredible for customers comingin.
Maria Mendoza (37:40):
Yes, they do.
And it's a nice, I mean we'revery casual, so it's also a nice
for when clients come in.
You make the customers, yesthey, they feel like right at
home, they, you know we havelounge seating where they could
sit and see all the presentationand they're just like.
And then we have our, ourmascot, bailey people love her,
(38:03):
but yeah, she's part of thefamily too, yeah it's so special
, so it's very yeah, it's aworking showroom and something
very easy, user-friendly.
Yes.
Tiffany Woolley (38:14):
So do you go back and forth every day or
every week?
How does your schedule now oryour team schedule work?
With the growth.
Maria Mendoza (38:23):
Well, we have, I do go, we do go back and forth,
not every day.
We have a great team in PalmBeach and a great team in Boca.
So I do, depending on whateveryou know where the client, where
I'm needed, that's where I'm at.
Tiffany Woolley (38:44):
That's so cool.
Maria Mendoza (38:45):
But it is very flexible and we actually live in
the middle.
Scott Woolley (38:48):
So that works out good, so that works out very
well is there like one bigchallenge that you find or you
think that designers have or arecoming across and it's the.
Maria Mendoza (39:00):
It's very, very challenge right now that the
industry it's just I don't knowwhat has happened.
I mean, again, there's somecompanies that are really
reliable and take pride of whatthey do, but there's others that
don't, and that's the challenge, because I mean as much as we
(39:22):
take pride of what we do, ifyou're working with a company,
Manufacturer yeah themanufacturers.
We can't control that right andthings take time, and what you
said before about instantgratification clients and users
are now used to oh but, Iordered this and I have it
tomorrow.
Why is this taking so long?
Right because it's a processand everything's custom made and
(39:46):
everything's worth it is towait for, exactly, and, and one
of the things I do, um, goingback to what you said, some
things that are worth it.
Um, to me, some people say, oh,but I don't care, I'm not gonna
live as long as the furniture,or?
but you want your furniture tolook new.
(40:06):
Yes, even if it's for threeyears.
You want it to look new for thethree years.
You don't want some buysomething and then in three
months the thing is fallingapart.
If you can, I mean if you'reinvesting, because then you
invest it.
X amount, and now it's.
It looks awful to me.
You just threw away X amountrather than pay a little more
(40:29):
and just get something reallyworth it.
You're going to love everyminute that you see it, it's
true.
Scott Woolley (40:37):
It's very true, we're very particular in the
vendors and manufacturers thatwe deal with.
Maria Mendoza (40:44):
I'm sure you see it also that we deal with.
I'm sure you see it also.
There's a lot of mistakeshappening and a lot of you know.
You get a delivery and themanufacturer sends it to
somewhere else it's not supposedto go.
The quality control.
Scott Woolley (40:58):
Well, the quality control is and unfortunately
it's the stuff that's comingfrom overseas that people think
well, I'm getting a bargain hereand you're not at the end of
the day and you're not.
Maria Mendoza (41:09):
Yeah, you're paying for something that you're
not going to be happy with atthe end.
Tiffany Woolley (41:16):
No, and as we were just touching a minute too,
it is an industry.
I feel like that there is stillso much growth and untapped
opportunity, but there is stillso much growth and untapped
opportunity and in some of myresearch for the podcast and in
general, like they were evensaying, it's actually an
industry where AI would not beable to have its hands so much.
(41:36):
I mean it's still like ahands-on, it's a sales operation
, even in the 3D.
You know they're not on thefield, you know AI cannot be in
the meeting with your contractorand you know there's still so
much untapped growth in this.
Scott Woolley (41:54):
We've tried the AI thing.
Tiffany Woolley (41:55):
Industry.
Scott Woolley (41:57):
Just to see.
It's an experiment, I mean fordrawing and for visualizing.
Maria Mendoza (42:03):
I think it's great.
Tiffany Woolley (42:04):
Right.
Maria Mendoza (42:04):
And the more you could visualize and the more you
could offer to your client.
That's amazing.
But the reason we exist isbecause the fabric, the touch
and the colors it's not even,and that's why you order a CFA
because, the dialogue could bedifferent.
Imagine a screen versus a print.
(42:27):
You can't really pick a finishor a fabric without seeing the
actual item.
Tiffany Woolley (42:33):
I know Speaking of like in your career with RDC
.
I'm saying RDC, that's becausemy daughter all she talks about
is RDC D-R-C.
She wants to go to RDC, RDC,Anyway, has there been anything?
That's been totally crazy andyou're just like I don't see
this happening.
But okay, it's what you wantand you just are there to
(42:56):
support, but like somethingthat's just so off.
Scott Woolley (42:59):
A client request.
Tiffany Woolley (43:00):
Yeah, a client request.
That's just so crazy.
Like you know just things thatare like.
So a designer comes up withlike just something.
Maria Mendoza (43:09):
So oh no, actually.
I mean, does we come up withcrazy things all the time?
So really nothing, nothing'slike, really nothing's like
super surprising?
No, no, we have.
I mean, it's just differentperspectives.
Tiffany Woolley (43:26):
I guess, guess or taste Beauty in the eye of
the beholder.
I say that at least twice a day.
Maria Mendoza (43:31):
Because they do.
I mean, we do have clients thatcome in and then put together
like a sofa or a sectional andyou're like, that looks odd.
Scott Woolley (43:43):
We've had some things Clients have asked
Tiffany to and they leave, we'relike what?
Maria Mendoza (43:51):
what yes, yes there are things like that, but
I I can't name one or two,because I guess we got them all
day right that it's like oh,really did, did they just say
that?
Scott Woolley (44:04):
we've had somewhere.
We just can't forget thembecause it's like, oh my god,
yeah, that's good, no so for anew interior designer, someone
who's starting out, who's fairlynew, because you deal and talk
to and see so many that comethrough your, your showroom,
what would be the first ornumber one piece of advice that
you would give someone new andstarting out?
Maria Mendoza (44:27):
To do their.
I mean to just know that you'renever going to know everything.
Yeah, and find out.
For me, the key is to knowwhere to find the information,
because we can't know everything.
So, just if you're doing afloor plan or you're sourcing
(44:48):
furniture or your materials oryou're creating whatever it is
that you're doing or designing,just know where to find
information and once you figurethat, once you figure your
sources, I think that's key.
Scott Woolley (45:03):
But that's where your company comes in to so much
help for every young and newinterior designer.
Yes, because you know all thesources.
You have all the sources andyou can help, inspire and
provide that resource that'sgoing to inspire that new
interior designer with ideas.
Maria Mendoza (45:22):
You could provide the sources for furniture and
for furnishings, but formaterials for tile, just look
for the good source.
Tiffany Woolley (45:34):
Industry partners.
Maria Mendoza (45:37):
Know where to find the information and your
sources, and that's key.
Scott Woolley (45:43):
So you don't have like earlier you said you don't
have tile samples- no.
Do you recommend for those kindof vendors to people we do have
?
Yes, that.
Maria Mendoza (45:57):
I had experience with and good experience with.
If they ask me, if not, I won'tvolunteer If not?
I won't volunteer.
If they ask, I'll say hey, Iwould.
You know this flooring company,I think you know we had, we had
, I had great experience withthem.
I can't say, but I do, there'ssome, there's a few cabinets
(46:23):
company work yeah, windowtreatment, workrooms that you're
upholsterers that you're likeokay, these are weak, they're
reliable.
Yes, we've had good experiencewith them.
Scott Woolley (46:36):
Don't kill me if you don't Right right, are there
other companies I hate to usethe word competitors that do
this similar to what you'redoing, offering the service that
you provide?
Maria Mendoza (46:48):
I mean, there are other companies that provide
the services for designers, butthey're also retail, yeah, so
they do both, that's so thatretail they're pushing something
on the people, because it'sprobably so like anti that part,
not that I don't believe.
Tiffany Woolley (47:03):
It has its reasons and has its support and
oh, it does have its reasons,you.
But as a designer, I just don'tbelieve that you can be one
thing to all people and that'swhat I feel like a furniture
store tries to do and I'm allabout which is kind of like the
(47:25):
service you provide.
I'm all about not decorating inisolation.
Like you know, you really doneed that one person that can
help you navigate, which and itis the designer or your design
team but that you're not justpicking out.
Okay, we're gonna go here todayand do furniture and then next
week I'm gonna go pick out mykitchen and next week we're
(47:45):
gonna go do floor.
Like it really needs to be acohesive experience and I do
think that sometimes when you gothe retail route, you think you
can do your like.
Then it just adds to moreretail routes.
Correct Versus this customizedexperience that I pride myself
(48:06):
on and obviously your businesstruly represents.
Maria Mendoza (48:11):
And we do provide wholesale pricing for our
designers.
We don't want to give that tothe end user and because we want
the designer to be able to make, to me it's a win-win for all
of us, because you're able tomake your fees.
The end user is getting adiscount and we're getting
(48:37):
business.
So obviously when you sellretail, the margins are much
higher and that's why thosecompanies do both do retail and
design.
But for us, we want to beexclusive to designers because
we want our designers to come inand feel that a they're
protected and they're.
(48:58):
We've had end users that come inoh, I'm not working with a
designer anymore and I'm likeI'm sorry, but we can't, so what
?
Tiffany Woolley (49:04):
does that look like?
Yeah?
When do people just come intrying to peruse?
Do you ever recommend designers?
Maria Mendoza (49:11):
If we, I mean we do, we try to stay away from
that because we have so manythat I could recommend most of
them Right and we, you know, wetry to stay away from that, but
if they're really, we usuallyjust we don't.
Scott Woolley (49:29):
Right, your website doesn't list designers
either.
Maria Mendoza (49:33):
No, we do tell them just try to.
If you're not working with heranymore or with him, just go.
You know, try to find anotherone and come back.
And sometimes we do have endusers that refer, that bring
their designer because they werereferred by their friend, that
(49:54):
they bought everything throughus and so the end user was great
and they had a great time andthey loved us and whatever.
So they tell their friend,their friend brings the designer
and the designer now buys allof it here.
Tiffany Woolley (50:08):
So do you see, with, like you know, florida
being, you know, a great placeof growth right now, are you
seeing more interior designersfrom other areas working in this
location now, like an influx ofNew York designers?
Maria Mendoza (50:24):
Yes, absolutely, we get that every day, Every
once or or I don't know, we doget at least three, three new
designers every day.
That have wild and that are nowworking from here and that had
projects and now they're juststaying here.
Move permit yes, that's so wildin both stores.
(50:48):
Wow, boca, and we have.
We get a lot more in Boca ofthose new that just moved Okay.
But, also in Palm Beach.
Tiffany Woolley (50:57):
So interesting.
Maria Mendoza (50:58):
It is, it is.
Tiffany Woolley (50:59):
Really, the industry has just so much growth
and opportunity and I feel sograteful that we're here in
South Florida, yes, yes, becausewe do have a lot of.
Maria Mendoza (51:09):
I mean, you see all the construction that's
going.
Tiffany Woolley (51:12):
I know West Palm is just exploding, Even
around here, like Boca all theGL homes, lenar, it's true.
Maria Mendoza (51:20):
Everywhere, even Miami.
Tiffany Woolley (51:23):
I know.
Maria Mendoza (51:23):
I still don't know how they fit those cranes
there.
Tiffany Woolley (51:26):
Every time I see a crane, I'm like where are
you building anything?
Else here.
I know it's so crazy theinfrastructure that it takes.
Yes, yes.
So what excites you about theindustry right now?
Maria Mendoza (51:39):
I mean, I just love the relationship that we
create with our clients going towork and being able to, and
that's something that I guessyou don't get in a retail store
because you're dealing withsomebody new every time.
Here you're getting it's repeatcustomers all the time, so you
get to really connect.
I mean, yeah, it's like youconnect, you bond, you, you
(52:02):
listen to, we share the, the,the experiences with their
clients and you, the good andthe not so good, right.
So that's really like fun toget to go to work and have and
see people and it's like youknow you're socializing every
(52:23):
day.
I know it is a very socialindustry.
Yeah, and it's fun, I agree.
Tiffany Woolley (52:27):
And we make it fun.
We really make it fun.
Yeah, that's wonderful.
Well, I look forward to it.
Scott Woolley (52:33):
So we like to kind of wrap up the podcast each
week by asking some fun kind ofquestions.
So I'm going to ask you aquestion Is there a particular
style or even era?
In time that you love.
Maria Mendoza (52:51):
This one.
Yeah, I love that, this onebecause now everything is,
everything is good, every, Ifeel like everything is is.
There's a word I'm trying tofind that I can't find.
Everything is is in style yeahlike even for hair yes, like you
could wear it curly, you couldwear it straight, you could wear
it straight.
(53:11):
You could wear white, you couldwear purple.
Everything is in right and Ifeel like now we've learned to
appreciate styles and be open toeverybody's.
It's encouraged yes, yes uh,you know, there's new
interpretations of classic of ofmid-century.
Tiffany Woolley (53:32):
Mid-century is such a little treasure.
Maria Mendoza (53:34):
now again, yes, and even because at one point it
was minimalistic and so that'slike it was very cold and very
yes sterile.
Now everything is okay.
Being colorful is good, beingneutral is good.
Being organic is good.
Being neutral is good, beingorganic is good.
There's so many different formsof design.
(53:56):
That's why I love it, and to me, always the next project, and
now I live my client's project.
So, every designer.
You know like I'm all on.
I know it must be so fulfillingto see so many so many beautiful
things come together sofrequently and so many
professionals do such greatthings and then they share the
(54:19):
and I appreciate when they sharethe the, they're like so
excited because they send mepictures.
Look how everything came out.
Scott Woolley (54:24):
And I'm like oh my god do you ever go to some of
the projects just to see howthey came out?
I have I have.
Maria Mendoza (54:30):
I have Some clients are like please help.
Voice Over (54:33):
And then I go which.
Maria Mendoza (54:35):
I shouldn't, but I do.
Tiffany Woolley (54:37):
I love that I love it.
Maria Mendoza (54:39):
I do love to see, and for me it's very rewarding
because we partner.
We basically partner with ourdesigners.
Scott Woolley (54:48):
But you also.
What I'm gathering is you'revery respectful of every
designer, so you're not.
Tiffany Woolley (54:53):
Good boundaries , absolutely yes, so designers.
Scott Woolley (54:56):
When they go to your showroom and they're
working with clients, they feelcomfortable.
They feel and I use the wordsafe that, okay, another
designer is going to come in andtake my client away.
It sounds like it's anenvironment that's really
structured and organized reallywell.
It supports, it's all aboutthem like it's an environment
that's really structured andorganized really well.
It supports.
It's about it's all about them.
Maria Mendoza (55:13):
Like my goal is to make them look good.
You know it's like to toenhance their, their, why they
were and I tell that sometimeswith the end user.
Tiffany Woolley (55:23):
I'm like trust your professional I know, and
they sometimes need to hear thatthat's why you that.
Maria Mendoza (55:29):
That's why you hired her or him.
It's like just trust them andit's just very rewarding to see
all of that and to see how theyyou know everything that they do
, because there's so muchpotential and it's just a lot of
fun, thank God.
Tiffany Woolley (55:46):
So another fun.
Scott Woolley (55:48):
I want to ask one .
You want to ask it.
I want to ask one.
Tiffany Woolley (55:52):
So, as another mom of three girls and this is
one of our other fun questionsas far as travel, is there a
hotel that you just are in aweof, like the whole design
experience, or so?
Maria Mendoza (56:05):
there was.
There's been a few.
There was one in um portugal.
Oh, it's a marriott that I'm sobad with names, I can't
remember the thing, but it itthere, the it remind me of.
There's a designer actually frommaitland smith okay, remember
(56:26):
his name either, but he's agreat designer and it was the
same style.
It's very it's so it's so hardto do color and to do style and
to do it was inspired like in init's almost an emperor and Wow
(56:47):
in patio.
Yes, yes, but updated andcolorful and had some African
inspiration too.
And it's so hard to do that andto make it look right.
Tiffany Woolley (57:01):
And to right so that was one.
Maria Mendoza (57:03):
There's another one in Prague, also very Art
Nouveau, oh, and that's one ofmy favorites, and it but so well
done.
Tasteful.
Voice Over (57:14):
Yes.
Maria Mendoza (57:14):
And very elegant, sophisticated, Like those two
are.
Don't ask me what I ate.
Tiffany Woolley (57:21):
That's how I am .
I'm visual too, but I couldtell you what it looks.
It's the experience, it is theexperience.
Scott Woolley (57:29):
Was there one piece of furniture or accessory
that you like?
Tiffany Woolley (57:34):
Your go-to your favorite.
Maria Mendoza (57:37):
A piece of furniture or accessory Is there
one that's like that youexperience and see so much when
I was little I loved marimekko,so that was my thing, and then I
grew up and now it's I don'tknow.
I like American Leather.
Scott Woolley (57:56):
What is that?
I'm not familiar with what thatis.
Maria Mendoza (58:00):
It's a brand of.
They now have wallpaper again,but it was they designed.
I think it was more for kidsLittle or like more yeah.
Tiffany Woolley (58:11):
Like childish.
Maria Mendoza (58:12):
Yes, yes, but it was very artsy, very pop,
colorful, like colorful Kids,yes, kids things, and I was
obsessed with it, but, yeah,never had anything from them and
then the other.
Scott Woolley (58:26):
I don't know like half the stuff.
I say that because Tiffany andI we watch movies, we're
watching the movie and I'mwatching the movie and Tiffany's
like that's a Jeffrey Michaelswallpaper and that's a
Scalamanda wallpaper and I'mlike you'll get the wallpaper
that's an Archerius lightfixture.
Tom Cruise is running through ascene and you're like picking
at like telling me all the,that's a Kelly Worth light
fixture.
Yeah, that that's a Kelly Worthlight fixture.
Maria Mendoza (58:49):
Yeah, I'm like that's what I do.
We go to hotels and the girlsmake fun of me because I'm like
checking the furniture andlooking at everything.
And that's what we do.
We are creatures of our habits.
Tiffany Woolley (59:00):
I love that.
Yeah, exactly Well thank you somuch for joining us today and I
look forward to visiting youvery soon.
Maria Mendoza (59:10):
Yes, please, please.
Thank you for having me.
Voice Over (59:13):
Thank you for tuning in to iDesign iDesign Labs
podcast is an SW Groupproduction in association with
the Five Star and TW Interiors.
To learn more about iDesign Labor TW Interiors, please visit
twinteriorscom.
This is iDesign Lab, a podcast where creativity and
curiosity meet style and design.
Curator of interiors,furnishings and lifestyles.
Hosted by Tiffany Woolley, aninterior designer and a style
enthusiast, along with herserial entrepreneur husband
Scott, idesign Lab is yourultimate design podcast where we
explore the rich and vibrantworld of design and its constant
(00:23):
evolution in style and trends.
Idesign Lab provides industryinsight, discussing the latest
trends, styles and everything inbetween to better help you
style your life, through advicefrom trendsetters, designers,
influencers, innovators,fabricators and manufacturers,
as well as personal stories thatinspire, motivate and excite.
(00:43):
And join us on this elevated,informative and lively journey
into the world of all thingsdesign.
Today, on the iDesign Labpodcast, we're joined by Maria
Mendoza, a true industry expertwith nearly 40 years in interior
design.
As a leader at DRC showrooms,south Florida's premier trade
exclusive design destination,maria empowers designers with
(01:05):
curated access to over 170top-tier manufacturers.
Her passion for personalizedservice and deep design
expertise has made her a trustedpartner in bringing creative
visions to life.
Tiffany Woolley (01:18):
Welcome to the iDesign Lab podcast.
Today we are thrilled towelcome Maria Mendoza of DRC
Showroom here in South Florida,but who has a wealth of
knowledge on the furnitureindustry design, and you know
just a little behind the sceneshere how she went from marine
(01:39):
biology, was it?
No, I got it wrong, but you'regoing to tell us, so welcome.
Maria Mendoza (01:44):
Thank you, thank you.
Yes, I did have a good morningand thank you for having me here
.
I did have an interest.
I thought I was going to be abiomedical engineer.
However, as a kid I was alwaysdesigning my room and drawing
and making all these creativethings and obviously never
(02:07):
happened because my parents werelike but you know, whatever,
keep drawing Right.
And then I decided to go forarchitecture and then focus on
interiors because I just thoughtthat that was the most hands-on
opportunity.
I mean, architects get todesign and do beautiful
(02:29):
buildings, but really nohands-on nothing to get a grasp
of the interior.
I just thought it was morepractical and you could
work-wise.
You could do a lot more withinterior than just architecture
so you became an interiordesigner first architect well,
(02:49):
yeah and it was an interiorarchitect at the time I went to
I started it's like its own termin and of itself, which I feel
like so many people don't reallyrealize.
Tiffany Woolley (02:59):
yes, you know, as part of being in the interior
design industry and as aprofessional, you know the
interior architecture is just asimportant as the brick and
mortar.
Maria Mendoza (03:11):
Yes, so I did do architecture and focused on
interiors.
It was a program in FIU thatwas developing.
There was no architectureschool.
We were in the engineeringschool and that's where I
started and I loved it becausethere was a lot of engineering
(03:32):
and a lot of architecture and wesaw both.
But then you specialized ininterior.
Tiffany Woolley (03:37):
That's amazing.
Maria Mendoza (03:38):
And I worked through all the years that I was
there.
I started really early.
Scott Woolley (03:44):
Did you start working for a firm or did you go
on your own, or no?
Maria Mendoza (03:48):
working for a firm.
I like I worked for professors,I worked for a firm, I worked
for an actually the.
The first jobs were draftingokay, it was all hand by done by
hand.
Tiffany Woolley (04:00):
I know I still have to start that way.
Maria Mendoza (04:02):
Yes, and then, um , then I went into, I did work
for a while in a showroom, in afurniture showroom.
It was all custom made and Idid have to get creative with
the sales part because I was soyoung and I looked like I was
the owner's daughter and youknow, with the clients it was
(04:23):
like but I would designeverything, I would draw
everything, I would draweverything, 3d, everything was
by hand and then I would partnerwith my sales team and they
would present it to the clientand we would split the
commission because obviouslyeverything at a young age right.
Tiffany Woolley (04:37):
So you were kind of on all sides.
Scott Woolley (04:38):
You were on the sales side.
You're on the sales side.
You were on the design side.
Tiffany Woolley (04:42):
Yes, you were on the drafting side.
What a great foundation.
Maria Mendoza (04:44):
Yes, yes, beautiful I was able to, and I
wanted to be able to have theexperience before I graduated,
so that then I could have areally nice opportunity, you
know, work-wise.
So I worked with professors.
Even ADA wasn't a thing backthen, no, not at all.
Contract and all of that and Idid a lot of.
(05:06):
We worked in a research projectfor accessibility for buildings
and it wasn't the law at thattime.
Voice Over (05:14):
So interesting, so it did became yeah.
Maria Mendoza (05:16):
So I did do a lot and then moved to.
I went to school here but thengot married, went to Venezuela
and there I got to do a lot offun things.
Because we did do—.
Scott Woolley (05:28):
What do you mean?
Fun things.
Maria Mendoza (05:29):
Well, nightclubs, restaurants, oh really, Wow.
Scott Woolley (05:33):
So, from an architectural drafting
standpoint or from everything nothat I started on my own.
Really.
Maria Mendoza (05:41):
When.
I got there, I started workingfor a firm on my own.
Really, when I got there, Istarted working for a firm and
then, like, right away, we gotan opportunity to do this big.
It was a cellular company likecell phones which was starting
and it was like, oh my god, thisis like you know, like how many
phones are they going to sell?
Tiffany Woolley (06:00):
And you're like , yeah, who's going to use that?
Maria Mendoza (06:02):
I mean, only wealthy people could do this,
and now it's like everybody hasa.
Tiffany Woolley (06:07):
I mean what?
Maria Mendoza (06:07):
would we do without a cell?
Tiffany Woolley (06:08):
phone and we'd say it 100 times a day.
Maria Mendoza (06:11):
Yes, yes, so yeah , that's how we started.
And then we did one like it wasa nice-sized project.
It was a building, threestories, you know, with all the.
Scott Woolley (06:21):
Was this your own business at that point?
Yeah, you know, with all the,is this your own business at
that?
Maria Mendoza (06:26):
point yeah, me and a partner and a partner, yes
, so we started undertaking yeah, so you're designing the
interiors and the exteriorsbuilding was done we decided all
the interior.
We designed all the interiors,yes, and that was really fun and
and you know we did.
I mean we got to be, becausethey used to tell us in school
once you graduate, then youdon't have.
(06:47):
You know, you can't really getcreative because then there's
money and then there's this.
But this was like technology andthey were all willing to spend
money.
We were blessed to have theopportunity to work with that
company, and then did that go onfor a long time, or?
Yes, yes, they, they're stillthere amazing relationship was
(07:07):
nurtured yes, and then we didtheir their stores, because then
they developed stores and youknow like it was a lot of.
And from there we got othercompanies that did other.
There was a biotech companythat we did their offices and
then we got to do hospitals withthem because they were doing it
(07:27):
was it was a lot so when you'redesigning these for the
cellular companies and you'redoing all the design, your
design is done.
Scott Woolley (07:35):
Were you then following through with the
contractors or whoever was?
Maria Mendoza (07:39):
building it out to make sure that project
managers basically what you doand do the selections and
sourcing and all of that all ofthat.
We did all of that, which gaveme a really good foundation to
understand the business now andto be able to help the designers
that we work with in drc didyou ever run into situations
(08:00):
that were kind of challengingfrom a?
Scott Woolley (08:03):
design standpoint every day, every day, every day
I basically feel like we'reproblem solvers yes yes, it's
like we're, and people don't seeit.
Maria Mendoza (08:13):
They're like oh, it is fun, but it's like working
in a er you're, you'reliterally hit by and you cross
every t?
Dot and dot every I and thenyou get thrown lemons and you're
like okay, what do I do withthis?
Scott Woolley (08:27):
And this is the part that the average person
doesn't realize what a designeris bringing to the table the
details.
The details and working out allthe little problems or
foreseeing those problems thatmay come about.
Maria Mendoza (08:42):
The responsibility that a designer
carries because it's aninvestment.
I mean owners.
Property owners are doing aninvestment and they rely on the
expertise and the professionalknowledge that a designer has to
put everything together andmake it look right, and you're
(09:05):
basically it's the unknown.
So many Because you're creatingsomething for some, you know,
you don't know what, anddefinitely the owner doesn't
know what they're gettingbecause they can't visualize.
I mean, there's a lot that youcould do right now.
Scott Woolley (09:18):
And most owners, you know, let's say, it's
residential, they're designing,they're redecorating their home,
whatever it may be.
Maybe once every 10 yearsthey're doing that, but then
when they're bringing in adesigner who's done, like with
Tiffany, over 500 homes, I meanthere's a lot of All day, every
day, yes, yes.
Maria Mendoza (09:39):
And I do firmly believe that owners should go
property owners if it's a homeor a condo or a building or a
business whatever it is.
You should go to a professionalbecause they have the expertise
to guide you through the wholeprocess and you're investing so
much that it just doesn't makesense not to do it.
Scott Woolley (10:02):
So it seems as though you were in Venezuela for
quite a number of years.
Maria Mendoza (10:06):
Yes.
Scott Woolley (10:07):
At what point did you come back to the States and
to Florida?
Because there's a big story, itseems we're going to talk about
when you come back to Florida18 years ago we had to.
Maria Mendoza (10:20):
my husband was in the poultry business.
Okay, my husband was in thepoultry business.
Okay, and he with all that washappening in venezuela, chavez,
and all of that, that got takenover.
So, um, we had to come here andstart something from scratch.
So we decided to.
(10:41):
It was either his industry ormine and poultry.
I mean you can't compete withTyson or any of that.
So, it's like, okay, we're onit, fascinating.
Scott Woolley (10:52):
So he changes his career.
Both of you come to Florida.
Maria Mendoza (10:55):
He did say business is business, and I
could manage that, no matterwhat Amazing support too.
So yeah, so that was.
Scott Woolley (11:03):
So did you go into the interior?
Did you have an interior designbusiness?
No, an architectural.
Maria Mendoza (11:09):
At that point we took over DRC, which was called
something else, and they were tothe trade, which was of
interest to us Because, being tothe trade and working for
designers we were able to.
He was able to do his businesspart and it wasn't me doing
project, it was just assistingdesigners in their process the
(11:32):
birth of DRC.
Drc.
Scott Woolley (11:35):
So you're taking over a business that's existing.
Maria Mendoza (11:38):
We take over a business that's existing, but we
made it to where we reallysupport our designers and we
wanted to create a space.
Knowing what I knew what youcould bring to the table.
Yeah create a showroom for thedesigner, that it was their
showroom and they could come inand use us as a studio and use
(12:02):
it as a work environment wherethere's fabric samples, rug
samples.
We have representation of thelines that we carry.
So we have all the you knowcentury and Holland House
Hickory Chair.
We have not large but we have agood representation of every
(12:24):
single of the most importantlines that we carry.
Scott Woolley (12:28):
So it seems to me that what you're really helping
is I'll say maybe, for lack ofbetter words the younger
designer, someone who doesn'thave or hasn't been in business
for a long time, am I correct?
And you're bringing them andgiving them a lot of resources,
that they have sort of the powerof a bigger firm.
Maria Mendoza (12:48):
We do that for young designers and also for
designers that have been there,done that that had their own
studio.
And just have a couple projectsand don't want to no or more,
and don't want to deal with thataspect of it and they want to
focus because you could have.
You have your office or youwork out of your house and you
(13:08):
have two or three or four staffthat work with you senior
designers or whatever and thenwe, you know, they come in and
use our studio and we do all thepurchasing.
They bring their clients, theywork out of there, they make all
the selections Amazing.
Scott Woolley (13:25):
We put all the purchasing, they bring their
clients, they work out of there,they make all the selections
amazing.
So you, so the so independentinterior designers, come to your
facility, your showroom,correct?
They have all the selectionsthat you could possibly imagine,
yes, and they're able to bringthe client in there, I guess,
and you have, like, I guess,tables that yes they can set up
and it's kind of their andthere's a staff that's
(13:45):
supporting them?
Maria Mendoza (13:47):
Yes, and the purchasing process.
Our staff supports thatCustomer service once the
installation occurs or delivery.
Tiffany Woolley (13:55):
So you handle all your installations and
everything too.
We handle claims and we handleissues.
Scott Woolley (14:03):
For the interior designers.
Maria Mendoza (14:05):
Correct, correct.
Tiffany Woolley (14:07):
We handle all that, so you're definitely not a
furniture store.
No, no you are to the tradeworking.
Scott Woolley (14:15):
You're like a high support.
Maria Mendoza (14:18):
We're a studio for our designers.
Tiffany Woolley (14:19):
That's amazing.
Maria Mendoza (14:22):
We serve as having.
They have their own showroom.
They walk in, they feel rightat home.
There's big screens where theycould do their presentations for
their clients.
We have all the finishes andall the materials, fabrics that
they could set up theirselections and do an entire
(14:42):
presentation, their selectionsand do an entire presentation
and the client could actuallysit and touch and see what
they're getting.
Not what they're getting, butit's being created.
Scott Woolley (14:52):
The vision yeah they could see the vision Do you
support, like from a creativestandpoint for the interior
designers or the clients, or isit the interior designers really
doing all that work?
It's the interior designerdoing the work.
Maria Mendoza (15:09):
They come in, it's their project, their
creativity and whatever theywant to make out of it.
It's a nice environment becausedesigners come in and there's
always a few of them at the sametime.
So there's a lot ofcollaboration and hey, what do
you think of this?
And so it's.
Tiffany Woolley (15:28):
That is wonderful to have as a
destination.
Maria Mendoza (15:30):
It's like being in school again and just having
the work.
You know like working withother.
Tiffany Woolley (15:36):
Get the creative juices flowing and
inspiration.
Maria Mendoza (15:39):
Yes, from everybody else.
Tiffany Woolley (15:40):
Yes, so when you originally took over DRC,
was it with the same mindset, oris this something that you and
your husband implemented whenyou sat on this journey?
Maria Mendoza (15:53):
We wanted.
We did have this vision,because knowing what it what it
takes to be a designer and whatyou need and what for support
yeah, what support you need andand what you want from your a
designer, and what you need andwhat support you need and what
you want from your vendors, andthen having to deal with each
vendor individually, it takestime and it takes a lot of
(16:15):
resources.
Tiffany Woolley (16:17):
With minimum orders and opening orders and
maintaining pricing andeverything like that.
Maria Mendoza (16:24):
So there's no minimum order.
You have access to all thelines without any minimums and
we give you all the support, thelogistics.
It's one phone call.
Yes, you have to call, but it'sjust one phone call, one place
to follow up and to keep trackof everything and if something's
(16:47):
discontinued we'll let you know.
We try to find a substitute.
Yes.
Scott Woolley (16:52):
Wow, what a resource so does interior
designers then have to book intime so they're calling you
ahead of time saying can I comein at 9 o'clock on Tuesday with
my client.
Maria Mendoza (17:03):
Yes, if they want to, yes, yes, but they're
welcome to walk in any time.
If they want us to any of ourteam members to help, they're
welcome to walk to make anappointment.
If not, you can come in andjust work on your own, and we
have a lot of those who work ontheir own and others that make
appointments, and you have aBoca showroom and you have Palm
(17:24):
Beach showroom.
Tiffany Woolley (17:25):
Yes, Palm Beach has exploded so much for the
design industry as a resource aswell in our area.
Maria Mendoza (17:32):
Yes, correct, it's a very nice area, very
different.
It's crazy that we're 40minutes away or an hour away and
it's another world.
Tiffany Woolley (17:42):
The styles are different.
Yeah, the clientele isdifferent probably the design
teams are different rightcorrect it's so interesting.
So, as this evolved through theyears, you know and has
maintained, I guess, thisplatform and you decided to grow
with palm beach.
Are the lines and are theshowrooms the same or are they
(18:06):
integrating different, likebecause of the clientele being
different?
The?
Maria Mendoza (18:09):
lines are the same um.
We do have more of CenturyHickory, chair, highland House,
mainland Smith um those lines.
Scott Woolley (18:22):
That's all under the Rockhouse, which is such a
cool company itself.
Tiffany Woolley (18:27):
I feel, like, that's just such a story?
Maria Mendoza (18:31):
Yes, it is, and we do work with companies that
give us support, becauseobviously that's what our
clients need.
Like we provide the support forthe clients, the clients for
the designer, but we needcompanies that support customer
service.
American leather, for example,it's another one.
It's all american made, andthat's one of the things we love
(18:54):
about those companies too.
Right now, with everythinggoing, on amazing.
We definitely supporteverything made here.
Tiffany Woolley (19:01):
I mean, that's the one thing I'm actually
somewhat looking forward to isbecause when I first started in
the industry, you know it wasmuch more of a curated furniture
.
You know custom experience andthen, as things evolved, it's
much more of this instantgratification wanted in stock,
(19:22):
wanted a good price,gratification wanted in stock
wanted a good like and I feellike you know, we're kind of
going back, you know, to thatcustomized process, at least for
my clients and I.
I'm grateful for it because,why not, why not?
Maria Mendoza (19:37):
and one of the things I, I, we, we say is when
you do, when you start theprocess, start with furniture as
well, because you'revisualizing everything, the from
start to finish you do.
Your floor plan you do, thefurniture layout you do.
I mean you select all thematerials and everything, but
it's all integrated.
(19:58):
So once you have that furniturefloor plan, just come in and
order the furniture.
That way you could have theinstant gratification because
while you're doing construction,yep you're waiting, then you're
the, the furniture is beingmanufactured as well, and then
everything is received ideally.
Obviously, there's delays andthere's issues yeah, what we're
there for but you do, youintegrate, you know you have
(20:22):
your furniture is being builtand then your, your project is
complete, you get your co, youget all the furniture delivered
you get that wow factor, I knowand that's part of what we do as
designers too is we kind ofwork backwards with our timeline
.
Tiffany Woolley (20:37):
So I try to explain to clients like, just
because not every little pieceis selected I know you want a
full number to so you'recomfortable diving all in, but
you really need to because thereare so many details along the
way you really need to check offthis big chunk so that you can
get things moving, so that wecan have that reveal at the end.
(21:00):
Correct, so it's such a niche,a niche part of our industry.
Do you go to markets and do youselect pieces for your
showrooms?
Yes, so you do curate yourself?
Maria Mendoza (21:13):
Yes, we do go to market, we do bring our team
members to market in order forthem also to be knowledgeable of
what we're selling and whatwe're offering to our clients
because they need to know oh,does this sit well, does this
not?
And then to select the piecesagain.
(21:35):
We have a representation, butit's not the whole showroom.
So we have to select the piecesthat represent that line that
the client could sit and couldhave a feel of quality and
comfort but then make it, designit to and create it to their
(21:55):
own, to each space individually.
Scott Woolley (21:58):
So the showroom basically has just lots of
samples and fabrics andwallpaper and does it have, you
know, tiles and things like that?
Maria Mendoza (22:07):
you have samples, yeah no, not tiles, because we
do.
We are focused on furnishingsso it's furniture lighting
accessories, rugs, rugswallpaper.
Oh, so you do wallpaperWallpaper window treatment, like
all the fabrics for windowtreatments, for upholstery and,
(22:30):
obviously, the fabrics and thefinishes of the manufacturers.
Tiffany Woolley (22:33):
So when do you decide to bring on a new line?
What makes like?
Scott Woolley (22:39):
Well, even more important than that, because
I've noticed on your website youlist and you have so many great
vendors I mean manufacturersthat you, you, evidently you
know.
Tiffany Woolley (22:50):
Built a long relationship Correct.
Scott Woolley (22:52):
So if a designer comes in with a client and the
client or the designer say, well, we want to buy this from this
XYZ company that you haven'tdealt with, Will you do that or
is that something that you frownaway from?
No?
Maria Mendoza (23:06):
we will definitely look into it However
we have dealt in the past withsome vendors that we've had to
just say.
Scott Woolley (23:17):
I can't work with that because they don't stand
behind their product.
Yeah, we understand that.
Maria Mendoza (23:21):
So if you don't stand behind, we end up paying
for everything because at theend of the day, we're not going
to let our designers hanging.
Scott Woolley (23:31):
So will you use Wayfair?
No.
Tiffany Woolley (23:35):
Right.
Maria Mendoza (23:35):
No.
We don't either, yeah.
Scott Woolley (23:38):
No, because I think that's another thing I
don't think people realize isthat, okay, you're getting stuff
inexpensive, but we've had someclients that they really want
it because someone or whatever,for whatever reason, and we buy
it from them and it comes likedisastrously broken and damaged.
Tiffany Woolley (23:55):
Three different times.
There's time and moneyassociated to that too.
Maria Mendoza (24:01):
I appreciate that industry and I appreciate their
business and it caters to acertain clientele which I'm, you
know, great for them.
But it's not what we encourageand we really support.
Scott Woolley (24:18):
You're about quality and good quality service
to the consumer and Americanmade.
Maria Mendoza (24:23):
I love that.
Yes, and we really support that, that it's all made here and
it's made by our people and wetry to promote that as much as
possible, because obviously wecan't make everything.
You know, there's parts thatare imported, but but and it
wouldn't make sense, it would be, you know.
Tiffany Woolley (24:43):
No, but these american-made partners have such
great integrated relationshipsand ownership stakes, even if
things are made overseas.
I mean, I feel like yes thequality control is still a level
above what you're getting.
Maria Mendoza (24:59):
Correct, and then random and you still have
factories and workers that arethere, that are you know taken
care of properly and and supportus because, again, we want our
clients to be supported and ifthere's an issue, okay here,
we'll work with you.
Tiffany Woolley (25:17):
Do you offer CAD services?
We do not usually reallyprimarily focused on furniture
and the soft goods.
Maria Mendoza (25:27):
We do work with designers.
They come in with a floor planand we help them source the
furniture and select the pieces.
Scott Woolley (25:39):
They have a vision.
Oh, so you're actually helpinginterior designers in sourcing
for their clients?
Maria Mendoza (25:45):
Yes, that's a great resource for If they're
doing commercial and they'redoing lobbies, and okay, what's
better, what's good, what'strending, and we help them.
And what's going to be durable,what's not, we do help them
with the pieces.
And what's the budget?
(26:05):
Right, because we havedifferent, obviously different
manufacturers, different budgets, different scales, so we help
them in that sense too.
Okay, this is what you have,okay, put you know, invest here
and maybe not there, yes, so youjust said something that's
interesting what's the budget?
Scott Woolley (26:22):
it's something that we've talked a lot about
with people on this podcast isthat most people don't want to
tell or say what their budgetmay or may not be, and we try to
talk about the encouragementthat people should talk to their
interior designer of what theirbudget is, because then the
interior designer or the firm,or even your firm, can really go
(26:47):
to town and make a much greaterpresentation working within the
restraints of the budget.
Maria Mendoza (26:53):
Correct and everybody has a budget,
everybody.
Scott Woolley (26:55):
Well, people, I think I always say to Tiffany I
think it's because people don'twant to say because you're going
to spend every single dollarplus ten more than what my
budget is yes, but that's notthe way.
Maria Mendoza (27:05):
Good dollar plus ten more than what my budget is
yes.
Scott Woolley (27:07):
But that's not the way good interior designers
don't work.
That way they work and think,okay, we're going to redo your
room or your house within yourbudget and it's going to be
absolutely beautiful, beautifulyes.
And then, based on your tastesand your budget, the elevation
of what that location or thatroom can look like.
Maria Mendoza (27:28):
I do agree with that.
It's it's just making the bestout of that budget and that's
what you know, that in our case,that's what we do too.
We, if you have x amount ofdollars for furniture and
furnishings they love this sofabut can't afford it.
Well, we'll make it work,because maybe you get the sofa
which we are going to be livingin and you save on the rug or on
(27:52):
the side tables, which are notgoing to be what's the word you
use all the time Value engineer.
Scott Woolley (27:58):
To make it work for the clients.
Maria Mendoza (28:00):
Yes, correct.
Scott Woolley (28:01):
So they're super excited and thrilled when it's
all done.
Maria Mendoza (28:05):
Yes, and that's also something that I tend to
visualize.
I try to focus on wow, it'sgoing to be even better, Like
our goal is to make it betterthan what they could envision.
Obviously the designer canvisualize it, but maybe the end
user can't.
But, oh my God, this is goingto be so much better than this
(28:26):
was, so much better than what Icould even imagine.
Tiffany Woolley (28:29):
I know and I feel like your team also
provides that extra confidenceprobably to a client and an end
user, because sometimes it'sjust the designer and they don't
want to be so.
You know, you never know.
People's personalities aredifferent, but a team like you,
all together, offers anotherlevel of confidence for an end
(28:50):
user.
So, being a designer, do youever still do any of your own
projects, or do you justprimarily stay?
Maria Mendoza (29:02):
on the sales side .
I stay on working because we dowork a lot with a designer and
in their projects.
Tiffany Woolley (29:07):
So you're getting your fix.
Maria Mendoza (29:09):
I'm getting.
I see new projects every day.
Oh, wow, and we do.
We have the opportunity becausewhen we start with some clients
come the first time, they mightbe working on one or two
projects.
They might be working on one ortwo projects and then, once
they realize what they can dowith us, they start getting more
(29:34):
projects because, okay, now Idon't have to turn down this
ex-client because now I havesupport here that can help me
grow my business.
So we definitely promote thatand assist our clients, our
designers, to keep going.
Just get those projects, we'llhelp you and we'll, you know, uh
, help you through, becausethere's a lot of time and a lot
(29:56):
of work put into the purchasingpart so much, and the follow-up,
and the follow-up is huge andyou're handling all of that for.
Yes, we are.
Scott Woolley (30:07):
You're handling the part that interior designers
really don't want to do.
Tiffany Woolley (30:12):
They want to be doing all the beautiful and
just creating.
Scott Woolley (30:16):
Don't want to have to be later on in the back
room.
I call it doing all thepaperwork.
Maria Mendoza (30:20):
Doing all the paperwork and it's just one
phone call because okay, whereis this?
Or if it's a full project orseveral full projects.
Tiffany Woolley (30:29):
You're calling us.
Maria Mendoza (30:33):
And we provide you with status of status
reports of all the pieces forevery project and it just frees
you from that time and once theproject is done, installed, and
then there's issues becausethere's always issues,
unfortunately we help thatprocess too Navigate that yes,
(30:54):
with the vendor.
So we contact the vendor, wecontact the receiver, the
delivery, we do what needs to bedone to get it solved or assist
to get it solved, and then thedesigner could go on to the next
project and not worry aboutwhat this is all costing.
Tiffany Woolley (31:16):
Do you warehouse your orders yourself
or do you send them to?
Maria Mendoza (31:22):
We work with the designer's receivers?
Tiffany Woolley (31:24):
Yes, because every designer has their own.
Okay, so that?
Maria Mendoza (31:28):
makes perfect sense, and we do also have
designers that are working inprojects in New York or
Massachusetts Right.
Tiffany Woolley (31:36):
So the receivers are wherever Do you
find it?
Scott Woolley (31:39):
hard to get designers to come in, or how do
you?
Acquire or find, or just youknow it's new design is coming
in.
Maria Mendoza (31:51):
We do have um instagram and all that part that
our daughter, um, oh, that'scool.
And during covid she kind of,you know, we asked her to help
us with that amazing and thenshe, she, you know one thing she
started like helping us becauseshe was not working at the time
because of covid, and so shestarted with, oh, let's do
(32:16):
instagram.
She then fixed our website,then redid our library, then our
you know, our system.
So it's a true family operation.
So now she's like full on.
She even did our system, ouradministrative system, which I
have no clue of.
Voice Over (32:35):
You trust it's good, yeah, no.
Maria Mendoza (32:38):
We used to use QuickBooks.
So now we have a designatedprogram that she worked and
developed and developed for ushow impressive.
So she's full on with us.
Tiffany Woolley (32:53):
And that's fun too.
What a blessing as a parent too.
I mean, it's a full circle.
Maria Mendoza (32:58):
Yes, it's definitely that also made us
want to, because at one point wethought we have three daughters
, so do we oh really.
Yes, oh my God, that's great.
And we thought, okay, no one'sinterested in this, Because they
, literally, when we got here,they were working, they were in
the showroom all day.
Clients knew them, they were,you know, it was just the three
(33:24):
of them basically lived there.
Voice Over (33:26):
They would work all summers you know, it was just
the three of them basicallylived there.
They would work all summers.
Tiffany Woolley (33:31):
You know, fixing, I love that Fixing.
Organizing, yes, yes,Maintaining.
Maria Mendoza (33:34):
And so we were like I guess they didn't.
At one point they were like Iwant nothing to do with this,
but I know.
Voice Over (33:39):
Yeah.
Maria Mendoza (33:41):
So now, when she just said, okay, yes, I'm all in
, we were like, okay, so now wecould.
And that's when we you knowPalm Beach came along and we
said, well, we could actuallyexpand.
Tiffany Woolley (33:53):
Yes, that's so special.
Scott Woolley (33:55):
Yes, so do you do any kind of like continuing
education or like bringingvendors in to show off like
showcases.
Maria Mendoza (34:04):
So we do have events that we do like
aftermarket events.
Scott Woolley (34:11):
What do you mean by aftermarket events?
Maria Mendoza (34:12):
So, market in High Point it's a big.
Tiffany Woolley (34:15):
Twice a year.
Maria Mendoza (34:16):
Yeah, it's twice a year and not every designer
goes there.
So, we have some that justdon't want to go, don't want to
be bothered, don't have the time.
I just don't want to go, don'twant to be bothered, don't have
the time.
So we bring the reps in thevendors and they bring all their
new introductions and we justhave a and they're able
designers are able to interactwith each representative of each
(34:42):
company and they just give youknow they Overview.
And it's not um.
They could visit, we do,stations and in there because we
have vignettes of every vendor.
So we they each are in theirspecific space and they show
everything that's new and theintroductions, fabrics, whatever
(35:04):
it is.
So that's um.
And sometimes we do have umspecial events just designated
to some, like we're having onewith american leather, we're
having another with rock housefarms, rock out, yeah, with all
their companies right.
Tiffany Woolley (35:23):
So it kind of keeps things fresh, like correct
yeah.
Maria Mendoza (35:25):
Yeah, and designers update it.
You know with everything.
Tiffany Woolley (35:29):
I know, because it really is.
You know, I always say, likegoing to market kind of sells
itself, like when you really dostart to appreciate there is a
quality difference, as we keepmentioning, to American-made and
just to that level of qualitythat you're investing in and
it's such a blessing to have ashowroom and a resource like you
(35:50):
that you can go and actuallybring that information to a
client too.
Scott Woolley (35:55):
But with trends and styles changing every year,
are you having to?
Tiffany Woolley (35:59):
switch things out and change things.
Scott Woolley (36:02):
How do you stay on top of that?
Maria Mendoza (36:04):
Well, we see what things that are new.
Our showrooms are very, I wouldsay, neutral.
It's like a blank, a whitecanvas, and we pick pieces that
are very, that you couldcustomize.
So colors are neutral and thenthe designer comes in and gets
(36:28):
creative with whatever they wantto use, because you could have
the same sofa with different arm, different, I know, and made in
so many different ways that wejust, okay, give you the blank
so the client could sit and tryit and then you create it
however you want.
But, that being said, we there'sstill new frames new, so once
(36:49):
we see something's not doing sowell, or there's something new
that could be better.
We just sell it off the floorand and so you're set up for.
Scott Woolley (37:00):
I use the word sophisticated because that I
always think that on how tiffanydoes, like on COM, so
custom-made things Everythingprobably.
So you're doing a sofa andyou're set up for a client to
come in.
Where you're making a change tothe sofa, you're making the
legs a different color or adifferent stain, correct.
You're doing two differentfabrics, you're adding trim,
(37:23):
because that's a lot of detailand a lot of detail to follow up
to get it made Correct andyou're handling all that aspect,
all that aspect.
Maria Mendoza (37:31):
Yes, it's a lot, of it's fun.
Scott Woolley (37:34):
It's a big plus for a designer and it's
incredible for customers comingin.
Maria Mendoza (37:40):
Yes, they do.
And it's a nice, I mean we'revery casual, so it's also a nice
for when clients come in.
You make the customers, yesthey, they feel like right at
home, they, you know we havelounge seating where they could
sit and see all the presentationand they're just like.
And then we have our, ourmascot, bailey people love her,
(38:03):
but yeah, she's part of thefamily too, yeah it's so special
, so it's very yeah, it's aworking showroom and something
very easy, user-friendly.
Yes.
Tiffany Woolley (38:14):
So do you go back and forth every day or
every week?
How does your schedule now oryour team schedule work?
With the growth.
Maria Mendoza (38:23):
Well, we have, I do go, we do go back and forth,
not every day.
We have a great team in PalmBeach and a great team in Boca.
So I do, depending on whateveryou know where the client, where
I'm needed, that's where I'm at.
Tiffany Woolley (38:44):
That's so cool.
Maria Mendoza (38:45):
But it is very flexible and we actually live in
the middle.
Scott Woolley (38:48):
So that works out good, so that works out very
well is there like one bigchallenge that you find or you
think that designers have or arecoming across and it's the.
Maria Mendoza (39:00):
It's very, very challenge right now that the
industry it's just I don't knowwhat has happened.
I mean, again, there's somecompanies that are really
reliable and take pride of whatthey do, but there's others that
don't, and that's the challenge, because I mean as much as we
(39:22):
take pride of what we do, ifyou're working with a company,
Manufacturer yeah themanufacturers.
We can't control that right andthings take time, and what you
said before about instantgratification clients and users
are now used to oh but, Iordered this and I have it
tomorrow.
Why is this taking so long?
Right because it's a processand everything's custom made and
(39:46):
everything's worth it is towait for, exactly, and, and one
of the things I do, um, goingback to what you said, some
things that are worth it.
Um, to me, some people say, oh,but I don't care, I'm not gonna
live as long as the furniture,or?
but you want your furniture tolook new.
(40:06):
Yes, even if it's for threeyears.
You want it to look new for thethree years.
You don't want some buysomething and then in three
months the thing is fallingapart.
If you can, I mean if you'reinvesting, because then you
invest it.
X amount, and now it's.
It looks awful to me.
You just threw away X amountrather than pay a little more
(40:29):
and just get something reallyworth it.
You're going to love everyminute that you see it, it's
true.
Scott Woolley (40:37):
It's very true, we're very particular in the
vendors and manufacturers thatwe deal with.
Maria Mendoza (40:44):
I'm sure you see it also that we deal with.
I'm sure you see it also.
There's a lot of mistakeshappening and a lot of you know.
You get a delivery and themanufacturer sends it to
somewhere else it's not supposedto go.
The quality control.
Scott Woolley (40:58):
Well, the quality control is and unfortunately
it's the stuff that's comingfrom overseas that people think
well, I'm getting a bargain hereand you're not at the end of
the day and you're not.
Maria Mendoza (41:09):
Yeah, you're paying for something that you're
not going to be happy with atthe end.
Tiffany Woolley (41:16):
No, and as we were just touching a minute too,
it is an industry.
I feel like that there is stillso much growth and untapped
opportunity, but there is stillso much growth and untapped
opportunity and in some of myresearch for the podcast and in
general, like they were evensaying, it's actually an
industry where AI would not beable to have its hands so much.
(41:36):
I mean it's still like ahands-on, it's a sales operation
, even in the 3D.
You know they're not on thefield, you know AI cannot be in
the meeting with your contractorand you know there's still so
much untapped growth in this.
Scott Woolley (41:54):
We've tried the AI thing.
Tiffany Woolley (41:55):
Industry.
Scott Woolley (41:57):
Just to see.
It's an experiment, I mean fordrawing and for visualizing.
Maria Mendoza (42:03):
I think it's great.
Tiffany Woolley (42:04):
Right.
Maria Mendoza (42:04):
And the more you could visualize and the more you
could offer to your client.
That's amazing.
But the reason we exist isbecause the fabric, the touch
and the colors it's not even,and that's why you order a CFA
because, the dialogue could bedifferent.
Imagine a screen versus a print.
(42:27):
You can't really pick a finishor a fabric without seeing the
actual item.
Tiffany Woolley (42:33):
I know Speaking of like in your career with RDC
.
I'm saying RDC, that's becausemy daughter all she talks about
is RDC D-R-C.
She wants to go to RDC, RDC,Anyway, has there been anything?
That's been totally crazy andyou're just like I don't see
this happening.
But okay, it's what you wantand you just are there to
(42:56):
support, but like somethingthat's just so off.
Scott Woolley (42:59):
A client request.
Tiffany Woolley (43:00):
Yeah, a client request.
That's just so crazy.
Like you know just things thatare like.
So a designer comes up withlike just something.
Maria Mendoza (43:09):
So oh no, actually.
I mean, does we come up withcrazy things all the time?
So really nothing, nothing'slike, really nothing's like
super surprising?
No, no, we have.
I mean, it's just differentperspectives.
Tiffany Woolley (43:26):
I guess, guess or taste Beauty in the eye of
the beholder.
I say that at least twice a day.
Maria Mendoza (43:31):
Because they do.
I mean, we do have clients thatcome in and then put together
like a sofa or a sectional andyou're like, that looks odd.
Scott Woolley (43:43):
We've had some things Clients have asked
Tiffany to and they leave, we'relike what?
Maria Mendoza (43:51):
what yes, yes there are things like that, but
I I can't name one or two,because I guess we got them all
day right that it's like oh,really did, did they just say
that?
Scott Woolley (44:04):
we've had somewhere.
We just can't forget thembecause it's like, oh my god,
yeah, that's good, no so for anew interior designer, someone
who's starting out, who's fairlynew, because you deal and talk
to and see so many that comethrough your, your showroom,
what would be the first ornumber one piece of advice that
you would give someone new andstarting out?
Maria Mendoza (44:27):
To do their.
I mean to just know that you'renever going to know everything.
Yeah, and find out.
For me, the key is to knowwhere to find the information,
because we can't know everything.
So, just if you're doing afloor plan or you're sourcing
(44:48):
furniture or your materials oryou're creating whatever it is
that you're doing or designing,just know where to find
information and once you figurethat, once you figure your
sources, I think that's key.
Scott Woolley (45:03):
But that's where your company comes in to so much
help for every young and newinterior designer.
Yes, because you know all thesources.
You have all the sources andyou can help, inspire and
provide that resource that'sgoing to inspire that new
interior designer with ideas.
Maria Mendoza (45:22):
You could provide the sources for furniture and
for furnishings, but formaterials for tile, just look
for the good source.
Tiffany Woolley (45:34):
Industry partners.
Maria Mendoza (45:37):
Know where to find the information and your
sources, and that's key.
Scott Woolley (45:43):
So you don't have like earlier you said you don't
have tile samples- no.
Do you recommend for those kindof vendors to people we do have
?
Yes, that.
Maria Mendoza (45:57):
I had experience with and good experience with.
If they ask me, if not, I won'tvolunteer If not?
I won't volunteer.
If they ask, I'll say hey, Iwould.
You know this flooring company,I think you know we had, we had
, I had great experience withthem.
I can't say, but I do, there'ssome, there's a few cabinets
(46:23):
company work yeah, windowtreatment, workrooms that you're
upholsterers that you're likeokay, these are weak, they're
reliable.
Yes, we've had good experiencewith them.
Scott Woolley (46:36):
Don't kill me if you don't Right right, are there
other companies I hate to usethe word competitors that do
this similar to what you'redoing, offering the service that
you provide?
Maria Mendoza (46:48):
I mean, there are other companies that provide
the services for designers, butthey're also retail, yeah, so
they do both, that's so thatretail they're pushing something
on the people, because it'sprobably so like anti that part,
not that I don't believe.
Tiffany Woolley (47:03):
It has its reasons and has its support and
oh, it does have its reasons,you.
But as a designer, I just don'tbelieve that you can be one
thing to all people and that'swhat I feel like a furniture
store tries to do and I'm allabout which is kind of like the
(47:25):
service you provide.
I'm all about not decorating inisolation.
Like you know, you really doneed that one person that can
help you navigate, which and itis the designer or your design
team but that you're not justpicking out.
Okay, we're gonna go here todayand do furniture and then next
week I'm gonna go pick out mykitchen and next week we're
(47:45):
gonna go do floor.
Like it really needs to be acohesive experience and I do
think that sometimes when you gothe retail route, you think you
can do your like.
Then it just adds to moreretail routes.
Correct Versus this customizedexperience that I pride myself
(48:06):
on and obviously your businesstruly represents.
Maria Mendoza (48:11):
And we do provide wholesale pricing for our
designers.
We don't want to give that tothe end user and because we want
the designer to be able to make, to me it's a win-win for all
of us, because you're able tomake your fees.
The end user is getting adiscount and we're getting
(48:37):
business.
So obviously when you sellretail, the margins are much
higher and that's why thosecompanies do both do retail and
design.
But for us, we want to beexclusive to designers because
we want our designers to come inand feel that a they're
protected and they're.
(48:58):
We've had end users that come inoh, I'm not working with a
designer anymore and I'm likeI'm sorry, but we can't, so what
?
Tiffany Woolley (49:04):
does that look like?
Yeah?
When do people just come intrying to peruse?
Do you ever recommend designers?
Maria Mendoza (49:11):
If we, I mean we do, we try to stay away from
that because we have so manythat I could recommend most of
them Right and we, you know, wetry to stay away from that, but
if they're really, we usuallyjust we don't.
Scott Woolley (49:29):
Right, your website doesn't list designers
either.
Maria Mendoza (49:33):
No, we do tell them just try to.
If you're not working with heranymore or with him, just go.
You know, try to find anotherone and come back.
And sometimes we do have endusers that refer, that bring
their designer because they werereferred by their friend, that
(49:54):
they bought everything throughus and so the end user was great
and they had a great time andthey loved us and whatever.
So they tell their friend,their friend brings the designer
and the designer now buys allof it here.
Tiffany Woolley (50:08):
So do you see, with, like you know, florida
being, you know, a great placeof growth right now, are you
seeing more interior designersfrom other areas working in this
location now, like an influx ofNew York designers?
Maria Mendoza (50:24):
Yes, absolutely, we get that every day, Every
once or or I don't know, we doget at least three, three new
designers every day.
That have wild and that are nowworking from here and that had
projects and now they're juststaying here.
Move permit yes, that's so wildin both stores.
(50:48):
Wow, boca, and we have.
We get a lot more in Boca ofthose new that just moved Okay.
But, also in Palm Beach.
Tiffany Woolley (50:57):
So interesting.
Maria Mendoza (50:58):
It is, it is.
Tiffany Woolley (50:59):
Really, the industry has just so much growth
and opportunity and I feel sograteful that we're here in
South Florida, yes, yes, becausewe do have a lot of.
Maria Mendoza (51:09):
I mean, you see all the construction that's
going.
Tiffany Woolley (51:12):
I know West Palm is just exploding, Even
around here, like Boca all theGL homes, lenar, it's true.
Maria Mendoza (51:20):
Everywhere, even Miami.
Tiffany Woolley (51:23):
I know.
Maria Mendoza (51:23):
I still don't know how they fit those cranes
there.
Tiffany Woolley (51:26):
Every time I see a crane, I'm like where are
you building anything?
Else here.
I know it's so crazy theinfrastructure that it takes.
Yes, yes.
So what excites you about theindustry right now?
Maria Mendoza (51:39):
I mean, I just love the relationship that we
create with our clients going towork and being able to, and
that's something that I guessyou don't get in a retail store
because you're dealing withsomebody new every time.
Here you're getting it's repeatcustomers all the time, so you
get to really connect.
I mean, yeah, it's like youconnect, you bond, you, you
(52:02):
listen to, we share the, the,the experiences with their
clients and you, the good andthe not so good, right.
So that's really like fun toget to go to work and have and
see people and it's like youknow you're socializing every
(52:23):
day.
I know it is a very socialindustry.
Yeah, and it's fun, I agree.
Tiffany Woolley (52:27):
And we make it fun.
We really make it fun.
Yeah, that's wonderful.
Well, I look forward to it.
Scott Woolley (52:33):
So we like to kind of wrap up the podcast each
week by asking some fun kind ofquestions.
So I'm going to ask you aquestion Is there a particular
style or even era?
In time that you love.
Maria Mendoza (52:51):
This one.
Yeah, I love that, this onebecause now everything is,
everything is good, every, Ifeel like everything is is.
There's a word I'm trying tofind that I can't find.
Everything is is in style yeahlike even for hair yes, like you
could wear it curly, you couldwear it straight, you could wear
it straight.
(53:11):
You could wear white, you couldwear purple.
Everything is in right and Ifeel like now we've learned to
appreciate styles and be open toeverybody's.
It's encouraged yes, yes uh,you know, there's new
interpretations of classic of ofmid-century.
Tiffany Woolley (53:32):
Mid-century is such a little treasure.
Maria Mendoza (53:34):
now again, yes, and even because at one point it
was minimalistic and so that'slike it was very cold and very
yes sterile.
Now everything is okay.
Being colorful is good, beingneutral is good.
Being organic is good.
Being neutral is good, beingorganic is good.
There's so many different formsof design.
(53:56):
That's why I love it, and to me, always the next project, and
now I live my client's project.
So, every designer.
You know like I'm all on.
I know it must be so fulfillingto see so many so many beautiful
things come together sofrequently and so many
professionals do such greatthings and then they share the
(54:19):
and I appreciate when they sharethe the, they're like so
excited because they send mepictures.
Look how everything came out.
Scott Woolley (54:24):
And I'm like oh my god do you ever go to some of
the projects just to see howthey came out?
I have I have.
Maria Mendoza (54:30):
I have Some clients are like please help.
Voice Over (54:33):
And then I go which.
Maria Mendoza (54:35):
I shouldn't, but I do.
Tiffany Woolley (54:37):
I love that I love it.
Maria Mendoza (54:39):
I do love to see, and for me it's very rewarding
because we partner.
We basically partner with ourdesigners.
Scott Woolley (54:48):
But you also.
What I'm gathering is you'revery respectful of every
designer, so you're not.
Tiffany Woolley (54:53):
Good boundaries , absolutely yes, so designers.
Scott Woolley (54:56):
When they go to your showroom and they're
working with clients, they feelcomfortable.
They feel and I use the wordsafe that, okay, another
designer is going to come in andtake my client away.
It sounds like it's anenvironment that's really
structured and organized reallywell.
It supports, it's all aboutthem like it's an environment
that's really structured andorganized really well.
It supports.
It's about it's all about them.
Maria Mendoza (55:13):
Like my goal is to make them look good.
You know it's like to toenhance their, their, why they
were and I tell that sometimeswith the end user.
Tiffany Woolley (55:23):
I'm like trust your professional I know, and
they sometimes need to hear thatthat's why you that.
Maria Mendoza (55:29):
That's why you hired her or him.
It's like just trust them andit's just very rewarding to see
all of that and to see how theyyou know everything that they do
, because there's so muchpotential and it's just a lot of
fun, thank God.
Tiffany Woolley (55:46):
So another fun.
Scott Woolley (55:48):
I want to ask one .
You want to ask it.
I want to ask one.
Tiffany Woolley (55:52):
So, as another mom of three girls and this is
one of our other fun questionsas far as travel, is there a
hotel that you just are in aweof, like the whole design
experience, or so?
Maria Mendoza (56:05):
there was.
There's been a few.
There was one in um portugal.
Oh, it's a marriott that I'm sobad with names, I can't
remember the thing, but it itthere, the it remind me of.
There's a designer actually frommaitland smith okay, remember
(56:26):
his name either, but he's agreat designer and it was the
same style.
It's very it's so it's so hardto do color and to do style and
to do it was inspired like in init's almost an emperor and Wow
(56:47):
in patio.
Yes, yes, but updated andcolorful and had some African
inspiration too.
And it's so hard to do that andto make it look right.
Tiffany Woolley (57:01):
And to right so that was one.
Maria Mendoza (57:03):
There's another one in Prague, also very Art
Nouveau, oh, and that's one ofmy favorites, and it but so well
done.
Tasteful.
Voice Over (57:14):
Yes.
Maria Mendoza (57:14):
And very elegant, sophisticated, Like those two
are.
Don't ask me what I ate.
Tiffany Woolley (57:21):
That's how I am .
I'm visual too, but I couldtell you what it looks.
It's the experience, it is theexperience.
Scott Woolley (57:29):
Was there one piece of furniture or accessory
that you like?
Tiffany Woolley (57:34):
Your go-to your favorite.
Maria Mendoza (57:37):
A piece of furniture or accessory Is there
one that's like that youexperience and see so much when
I was little I loved marimekko,so that was my thing, and then I
grew up and now it's I don'tknow.
I like American Leather.
Scott Woolley (57:56):
What is that?
I'm not familiar with what thatis.
Maria Mendoza (58:00):
It's a brand of.
They now have wallpaper again,but it was they designed.
I think it was more for kidsLittle or like more yeah.
Tiffany Woolley (58:11):
Like childish.
Maria Mendoza (58:12):
Yes, yes, but it was very artsy, very pop,
colorful, like colorful Kids,yes, kids things, and I was
obsessed with it, but, yeah,never had anything from them and
then the other.
Scott Woolley (58:26):
I don't know like half the stuff.
I say that because Tiffany andI we watch movies, we're
watching the movie and I'mwatching the movie and Tiffany's
like that's a Jeffrey Michaelswallpaper and that's a
Scalamanda wallpaper and I'mlike you'll get the wallpaper
that's an Archerius lightfixture.
Tom Cruise is running through ascene and you're like picking
at like telling me all the,that's a Kelly Worth light
fixture.
Yeah, that that's a Kelly Worthlight fixture.
Maria Mendoza (58:49):
Yeah, I'm like that's what I do.
We go to hotels and the girlsmake fun of me because I'm like
checking the furniture andlooking at everything.
And that's what we do.
We are creatures of our habits.
Tiffany Woolley (59:00):
I love that.
Yeah, exactly Well thank you somuch for joining us today and I
look forward to visiting youvery soon.
Maria Mendoza (59:10):
Yes, please, please.
Thank you for having me.
Voice Over (59:13):
Thank you for tuning in to iDesign iDesign Labs
podcast is an SW Groupproduction in association with
the Five Star and TW Interiors.
To learn more about iDesign Labor TW Interiors, please visit
twinteriorscom.
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