August 5, 2025 • 34 mins
In this episode of Boulevard Beat, Meghan and Krissa sit down with Cindy Caudle, the creative force behind International Shades, a Charlotte-based company specializing in luxury custom lampshades. Cindy shares her journey into the world of lighting, how her deep retail and design experience shaped the brand, and what it takes to keep a 30-year business thriving in an ever-changing design landscape. Listeners will get a behind-the-scenes look at the art of crafting high-quality silk and linen shades and why the right shade can transform an entire space.
From her collaboration with her daughter’s Piper Collection to her keen eye for timeless design, Cindy reveals the value of craftsmanship, family, and staying true to your aesthetic. She talks candidly about building long-term relationships with interior designers, the evolution of lighting trends, and her philosophy of “making the best shade possible” no matter the size of the order. Whether you’re a designer, a collector, or simply someone who appreciates the glow of a beautifully made lamp, this conversation sheds light on the details that matter.
Street Style Takeaways:
Visit Cindy's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/internationalshades/?hl=en
Save 15% site wide at www.houseofblum.com with promo code beat15!
Or you can use this link- https://houseofblum.com/discount/beat15!
Connect with the Hosts https://www.instagram.com/boulevardbeatpodcast/
Connect with Meghan Blum Interiors https://www.instagram.com/meghanbluminteriors/
Connect with House of Blum https://www.instagram.com/shophouseofblum/
Connect with Krissa Rossbund. https://www.instagram.com/krissa_rossbund/
Connect with Liz Lidgett https://www.instagram.com/lizlidgett/
Episode Website https://www.blvdbeat.com/about
From her collaboration with her daughter’s Piper Collection to her keen eye for timeless design, Cindy reveals the value of craftsmanship, family, and staying true to your aesthetic. She talks candidly about building long-term relationships with interior designers, the evolution of lighting trends, and her philosophy of “making the best shade possible” no matter the size of the order. Whether you’re a designer, a collector, or simply someone who appreciates the glow of a beautifully made lamp, this conversation sheds light on the details that matter.
Street Style Takeaways:
- Craftsmanship Matters – Cindy emphasizes that a well-made shade is both a design focal point and a functional necessity, elevating even the simplest lamp.
- Heritage & Family in Design – Sharing her warehouse space with her daughter’s Piper Collection underscores the family roots that inspire her work.
- Adapting to Trends While Staying Timeless – International Shades balances evolving color palettes and styles with a commitment to classic, quality construction.
- Designer Relationships Are Key – The brand thrives on its close collaboration with interior designers who value personalized service and bespoke details.
- Lighting Sets the Tone – Cindy reminds us that lighting is one of the most transformative elements in any interior, influencing mood, style, and livability.
Visit Cindy's Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/internationalshades/?hl=en
Save 15% site wide at www.houseofblum.com with promo code beat15!
Or you can use this link- https://houseofblum.com/discount/beat15!
Connect with the Hosts https://www.instagram.com/boulevardbeatpodcast/
Connect with Meghan Blum Interiors https://www.instagram.com/meghanbluminteriors/
Connect with House of Blum https://www.instagram.com/shophouseofblum/
Connect with Krissa Rossbund. https://www.instagram.com/krissa_rossbund/
Connect with Liz Lidgett https://www.instagram.com/lizlidgett/
Episode Website https://www.blvdbeat.com/about
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:08):
Welcome to Boulevard BET, a podcast where life and style intersect.
I'm designer Megan Bloom, along with my co hosts, editor CHRISA.
Rossbund and gallery owner Liz Legit. This podcast focuses on
the daily highlights instead of the hustle, interviews with taste makers,
and personal conversations on how to highlight achievable style you
constrol one street at a time. Boulevard BE proves the
(00:30):
one you should take. Today on Boulevard B, we're thrilled
to welcome Cindy Caudle, the visionary behind International shades. Cindy
has spent over three decades perfecting the art of the lampshade,
creating exquisite silk and linen pieces that elevate lighting into
art form. We'll talk about her journey, the craftsmanship behind
(00:50):
her designs, and why the right shade can make all
the difference in a room. Whether you're designer, a collector,
or just someone who loves a beautifully finished space, This
episode shines a light on the details that truly matter.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Cindy, thank you for joining us today.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
We're so excited for you to be here and talk
with us.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
I'm happy to be here thank you for having me.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Yes, well, we like to start each episode of our
podcast with the same question, Please tell us about the
street you grew up on, and we detect a little
Southern accent on this one, so absolutely excited to hear
your story.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
Yeah. I was born in Pensacola, Florida, and so you know,
beach girl and loved it and basically, you know, I
had a great childhood. I had two younger brothers. My
mother was the youngest of eleven children, so we had
a very large extended family, full of aunts and uncles
and cousins and family reunions, that sort of thing. Nothing
(01:47):
too out of the norm other than the fact my
mother was the youngest of eleven children, so she learned.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
To be a fighter from early on and that probably
transferred to you too.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
Yes, my mother was a very very smart She was
the number one reeltor in Charlotte for several years, very
very professional, just smart as a whip, very driven, as
you had to be growing up in a family of eleven.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Sure, sure, anything special about the street you grew up.
Speaker 5 (02:16):
On was a very family oriented. I remember we had
a young couple. There were the only people on the
street that did not have children. They had a Saint
Bernard and all he loved. His name was Turk, and
we all would go to their house all the time
to play with Turk because he was such.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
An unusual dog. In the fact, they didn't have kids.
That was their child, but everybody else you had just
lots of families with lots of kids, you know, going
on swing sets, making mud pies, you know, playing catching
tadpoles in the creek, you know, just the same old thing,
and again going to the beach a lot. But we
spent a lot of time outdoors. And we moved to
Charlotte when I was ten, and I had my grandmother
(02:55):
lived down the street from us. When I was in Florida,
my grandparents were an hour and a half away. Everything
was of about family.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
That's the way it should be, for sure.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
So anytime, anytime there are lots of children around, that
automatically elicits wonderful creativity because everything is imaginative, anything you
can dream. So what prompted you to get into a
creative field?
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Well, my degree in college was believed it or not,
business administration, even though that's not the creative field. Boy,
am I glad that I got it because it teaches
you so much about running your own business rather than
just working for someone. It gave me the know how
to take my creativity and turn it into a real business.
I was a flea market junkie. I loved all of that.
(03:42):
My husband I worked for a fashion office as soon
as I got out of college for a year. Then
my husband went to law school, and I was a
sales rep for a multi line clothing firm based out
of Atlanta. So I was always in sort of the
fashion business, but really traded clothing for interior product. When
(04:04):
I was on the road, I would sit there and
read shelter magazines night after night after night. You know,
you're in these RinkyDink towns with nothing to do by herself.
So I always had my car loaded up and with
great magazines and would just read. And you know, this
was before really computers were even out. It's certainly no
Instagram or anything like that to give you any anything
(04:26):
else to look at. But I would come home and I.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Would go to the fleet.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
We had one fabulous it was the Metrolina flea market,
and everybody in town went to it, and we loved going.
But I loved decorative goods. So it wasn't too long
after my husband finished law school we moved back to Charlotte.
I had a newborn baby, and I thought, I'm going
to start a design business. I'm just going to do this,
(04:51):
and my friends were like, you know what you because
I was always helping my friends decide what they needed
to do with their house and they kept asking me
for help, and that sort of evolved from there, and
after twenty eight years, I had done oh my gosh,
hundreds and hundreds of homes. Some of my clients I
did five, six, seven homes for throughout the years. I
(05:12):
was always creative as a child, but really got more
into it after I had a baby, believe it or not,
because it just was like, Okay, now we're settled into
a home where you know, he's out of graduate school
and I can kind of concentrate on doing something for myself.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
You said something that I think is super important, and
that is with your business administration skill set, you were
able to learn how to operate a business before you ever,
you know, put it into practice. Are there maybe two
or three takeaways or one or two takeaways that you
can share with our audience where you really felt like
(05:52):
that business background knowledge was super helpful, because I do
think in this industry it is difficult sometimes because people
jump into the creative side without perhaps having the business acumen.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
And I have seen that happen time and time again,
and I'm like, oh my god, it's like that their
creative sense is way off the charts, but they have
no clue how to run a business and you have
to and it's a lot of common sense and thinking
outside of the box at times. Just let me think,
how is this worked in history? How am I going
(06:26):
to make that work for me and my little business
that I'm trying to start. And it teaches you just
how to be a professional getting a degree in something
like that. That again, it's just it teaches you common
sense skills that I can't tell you all the people
I know that have started a business and within two
or three years it was done because they just didn't
(06:48):
have that background knowledge.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Well, I think that we oftentimes get distracted by the
fun stuff, right, the fun parts, And yeah, you really
have to set that foundation for a business.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
And you know, my friend, a lot of would say
you must have the most fun job in the world
just picking fabrics and wallpapers. All day long, and it
was like, Oh my god, are you kidding? This is
a hard job. You have no clue what really happens
as a designer. It can be fun, but there are
days that at the end of the day I would say,
I am going to tattoo back order on my forehead.
(07:20):
You know. It was just every single thing you would order,
there would be an issue, would it would come in damaged,
it would be back order that it was just, oh, yeah,
we've just continued that. Your entire room was done around that,
but four weeks ago when you called to check stock,
everything was fine, and then suddenly you go to place
the order and it's just continued. I mean, it's not
(07:40):
fun in games. There are days that it really was,
and I loved working with my clients, at least most
of my clients, not all, but most, but designers are
not given credit that they are due.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
It's not all sparkle, right, Oh it's not.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
And I often say that just the smoking nears that
goes along with it. It's like you said, you hit
it right on the head. Just the problem I'm solving.
It's not just problem solving a job site or an
issue with the project, but problem solving your business too.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
And problem solving your clients when they don't agree. The
husband and wife don't agree on something, you have to
get in there and oh, my husband can hang that.
And I said, let me tell you, you're going to
get in a fight on Saturday when you have to
hang that. It takes in three hours. You're going to
be screaming each other. It's not worth a divorce. Just
let my installer handle it, please. You have to be
a mind reader with these people and accounselor and everything else. Yeah,
(08:29):
spending their money, that was the other thing. I felt like.
I was very, very very cognizant about spending someone else's money.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Yes, it's important to be aware of that, for sure. Absolutely,
you transitioned, obviously to an entrepreneur, and you put your
design days behind you. And obviously from just your early
days of thrifty and things, you've always had a love
for unique products and finding unique products. What led you
to focus on more of the product's business.
Speaker 4 (08:58):
Well, I had been in the design business for twenty
eight years, and I'll be honest, I was just getting
burned out. And at that point in time, all the
e commerce sites were popping up, and oh, I can
buy that on Wayfair. And it's like, you know what, Houston,
we have a problem. This is not I'm showing you this,
and I'm showing you this versus this A versus B,
because A is better and if you want to buy B,
(09:21):
you don't need me. You can just shop yourself. But
it just became something that I no longer loved and
I wasn't looking to do anything else, but this opportunity
basically just was handed to me. I had become very
good friends with the woman that owned International Shades, and
at that point in time, I mean we were like
(09:42):
renting a house with her at high point. You know,
she and my daughter became good friends in the business,
and her husband no longer wanted her to work. He
had been retired for quite some time. And basically, while
we were at market, said you got to get rid
of this business. It's too much much. I'm done. So
she literally looked at me and said you should buy
(10:05):
this business. And I literally looked at my daughter and said,
I think I will. And eight weeks later I had
a warehouse full of lampshades and really did not know
that much of what I was doing. So it was
a monumental leap of faith and trust in myself that
I could do it. And the former owner, Susan said,
you know what, if any customer of mine should buy
(10:28):
this line, it would be you. Because you get the
product and you want you can take it much further
than I ever could. Since you were in the design field,
You've been to Europe, you know, over fifty times traveling.
I had an antique store for many, many years in
Charlotte along with my design business. I had a business
partner in that venture. So I've been to Europe fifty
one times. So I was constantly on the go finding
(10:51):
you know, great new textles, great new you know, furniture,
great whatever, lighting, whatever it was. And I just wanted
to take the business to a different level because it
was so safe. Everything was beige, off white and eggshell,
and it was pleated hard back life pleat or smock.
I mean, we had the most basic things, but the
quality was outstanding, and it gave me a very firm
(11:15):
background to go into something slowly and get my factory
on board. They were not on board at all as
far as new styles and things, and so I had
to work on them for about a year and a half,
and then when I did, they realized they had really
been missing the boat, and it just exploded at that point.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Well, I'm so glad you did, because you have just
beautiful products and unique things out on the market.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
For sure, thank you.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Which you know, lighting obviously has been exciting for a
long time. It's a big part of our interior projects.
It really changes the look of a room. I love lighting.
It's one of my favorite parts of designing and kind
of pulling the house together. But along those lines, the
shade was often ignored and every lamp with a white shade,
(12:01):
and it was basic and boring and white. And you
are banishing the white lamp shade, which I love. What's
it like right now since there's a boom and shades
that are decoratives.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
Well, and I tell you, I think that people did
just get tired of that same look, especially when you've
been to Europe and seeing what the English have in particular,
even more than the French. It was so different from
what we had over here. And I thought, you know
what I'm going I'm going to do this. I wanted Prince,
And I am no artist, but I can sit down
(12:33):
and hand draw something and send it to my factory.
They will put it on cad for me and they
can make my meager little, you know, vision into something wonderful.
You know, I would just I knew, and especially at
going to India. I've been to India three times and
seeing all these wonderful textiles that the block prints, the sory's,
all of that, I thought, I've just I've got to
(12:53):
make this into something. And there are some looks like
some of the more contemporary look they're only going to
buy a drum shade all day long because that just
works with their room. That's They're never going to get
away from that, and I'm never going to be able
to gain them as a customer. However, the more transitional
and traditional customers are begging for something different, and that
(13:16):
might be a different fabric in a print, it might
be a different shape instead of just a different fabric,
I mean going into like wovens, things like that. So
I'm trying my best to make it something even more unusual.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Pushing the boundaries. I love that too.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
You know.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
In reality, though, decorative shades aren't new if you go
back in history, they've been around forever. You referenced just
English culture and having depleated shade on them, and they've
changed and evolved, and it sounds like you're continuingly doing
that as well. What do you love about this new
iteration of lamp shades that have more of a design
slant to them.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
Traditional right now is pretty hot. So again it being
that that's my customer. They want to finish the room,
they want to make it complete, they want decorative. That
whole decorative look, I think is what they're trying to achieve,
and we're trying to help them to get there by
adding something that they've either never had or you know,
a lot of these companies existed years before we did
(14:13):
that would do a beautiful box pleet silk shade, well
you would have to ship those from England. You can
imagine the price. It was price prohibitive. So we're trying
to also offer a look with the price that is affordable.
We're not inexpensive. There are other shade manufacturers out there
that are definitely less expensive. But it's not the same quality,
(14:35):
it's not the same fabric. It's night and day difference.
It's like going to Target versus going to Tiffany. You know,
I want to appeal to that person that can afford it,
but realize is it's still less expensive than they have
been buying from maybe some of these English companies.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
Well, in qauda is so important and even I mean
even as you turn a lamp on, you're looking inside
that shade and see the quality. So I think it's
important that you've added those details and make sure the quality.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
We are always going to appeal to a hiring customer
that is going to appreciate the quality that we offer.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
Cindy, one of the things I love about your brand
is your beautiful glassware and your matchsticks that have just
the beautiful colors and add these nice accents to the space.
You don't just offer shades, you have an inventory of
other decorative objects. Why we imagine that you must always
be thinking about what else you can offer or what
else you can do. What's next for international shades?
Speaker 4 (15:29):
Oh gosh. Well, when we started getting into glassware, I
mean again, it was that leap of faith. I thought,
I'm going to go to India, and I did. I
went to India. My daughter and one of my best
friends went with me. I thought, I want to see
what they offer over there, what I'm not used to
seeing in England and France and open up my eyes.
I'm constantly looking either at magazines, something on Instagram. I
(15:55):
travel quite a bit. I've always got my phone on
me so I can take a picture of something that
is an inspiration. Obviously, you can't copy something that you
can take something from five different items as inspiration, put
them all together and create something totally different than you've
maybe seen before, or maybe I've seen it in glass,
and I think it would be better to be done
(16:16):
in a woven or in wood and just totally transform it.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
So Cindy, it seems like there's always one category of
design that's sort of the it product of the moment,
and those sort of go in and out right now.
One of the reasons we wanted to interview you so
much is because lamp shades are so hot right now,
and luckily there's been so much attention that's been paid
recently to expanding that inventory, so it goes beyond the
(16:44):
white and ivory and black shade. Is there another category
that you think deserves a little more attention right now?
Speaker 2 (16:51):
And what would that be?
Speaker 4 (16:52):
I would have to do. It's not necessarily a category,
but I think what's I think what's really hot right
now is table in general. And I think that's why
we're doing so well is because our goods, again are decorative,
and that was what as an antique slash gift store owner,
I was always looking for something for like a dining table.
(17:13):
We would say what am I going to put on
my dining table or my design clients or anybody that
would walk in the store, and there was just never
enough options. So I think that the thing that people
need to concentrate on most is decorative but useful. You know,
you want to have a place to put something, but
you want to give it your own spin and again
make it a little more unique than just going and
(17:33):
buying the same thing that the generic big box stores carry.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Well, that's an interesting point that you just brought up
with the accessories and sort of the smalls, if you will,
Gone are the days long gone? Are the days.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Where a family hires an interior designer to finish the
home and then it just stays that way and doesn't
change and doesn't evolve. So many people are interested in
designing themselves now and so it's fun with accessories because
it sort of gives permission to the client to be
able to you know, move a ball from one table
(18:08):
to another.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
They're exactly right. If they want to go in their
favorite store, they won't feel like I would have. For instance,
I would have clients that would take pictures and say,
I'm afraid to buy this unless I show it to you,
because I'm afraid you're gonna, you know, not like it.
And it was like, well, first of all, it's your house,
and you buy whatever you want, and maybe I do
like it, maybe I don't, and I will let you
(18:29):
know if I do or don't. But they need to
feel free to go and finish the little details. They'll
go and you know, or I decide I don't love that.
After five more years, you go out and you do
your thing.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
So it gives them the opportunity to sort of be
involved in the design processes absolutely and participate it. Participate
a little more than just choosing saying yes and know
in the beginning. Right, So in this business, we know
that you've spent a lot of time cultivating relationships with
your customers. Feedback, do thinke it to you reguarding the
(19:03):
shades and your inventory?
Speaker 4 (19:04):
First of all, well, regarding inventory, we try to keep
it in in you know, inventory at all times. Obviously
that's you know, never going to happen. We'll have a
run on something, I'll sell three times what I normally
sell and we're going to run out, and that that's
a problem. But I haven't heard people complain about us
versus other companies. I think we're probably just you know,
(19:27):
doing as well as others. But sometimes I will have
somebody to say, did you consider doing it in this color,
or maybe in a different size, or you know what,
here's a picture. I saved this to you, and now
that I'm seeing you at market, I wanted to show
it to you. Or they'll possibly email me something and say,
do you think this is something you can do? And
I have explored all of those options, and a couple
(19:49):
of them, like, for instance, on a different size or
a different color, I have done that. I can't say
that I've actually taken a product that someone has sent
me an image of it and made it for them,
but I'm always open to suggestion. And I just had
dinner with a buyer a couple of weeks ago, and
I told her, I said, if you ever see anything
that you think I need to look at, send it
(20:11):
to me. And I can see you know what we
can come up with, and she said, oh my gosh,
that's great. I will definitely keep that in mind.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
Well, it's funny in this industry because just when we
are overwhelmed by what seems like everything, it seems like,
oh my gosh, there can't be any more inventory, there
can't be any more stuff that that stuff.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
Word that we, you know, use when we're trying to
describe our over consumption.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
Yes, but there's always room.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
And I think it's interesting when I hear from manufacturers
that they really do take feedback to heart and they
try to satisfy those customers' needs by developing additional product
or reading new product into their inventory.
Speaker 4 (20:55):
Absolutely, these clients are buying my product, they're the ones
heeping us in business. I clearly want to make them happy,
but I have to be true to myself on that
same note. If it's something and I've had a couple
of things shown to me that I thought, oh, I
don't want to make that, and I would just say,
you know what, I don't think that's for us, because
(21:17):
I'm pretty in tuned to what I think is going
to sell and what's not going to sell with my
line at least, but we want to be able to
do that and keep our clients happy. I mean, if
they're not happy, we're not going to be happy.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
The challenge, of course, is always to stay true to
who you are, but always present something new too, because
we still want people.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
We want people to buy, right.
Speaker 4 (21:38):
Oh yeah, I mean we're getting ready to do a
woven collection, and you know, we've never done woven so
we'll be doing you know, I mean just all kinds
of different woven materials and probably about seven or eight
different items to start out with. And that is something
you know, we'll be doing shades and other decorative items,
and this is very, very new for us. I had
(22:01):
a factory to reach out to me regarding working with
them in Vietnam, and I thought, you know what, I
believe in this and we're moving forward.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
It would be great if you would share with us
what it's like to visit some of those factories around
the world, because I think that, yeah, tell us what
that experience is like, because I think for a lot
of people, you know, they don't really know the process
of how things come to market.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
So I describe that experience.
Speaker 4 (22:28):
Well generally when I'm in touch because I do work
with three different people work with China, Vietnam, and India. Currently.
They are all very different, their capabilities are very different.
For instance, when I go to India, I mean, India
is a very unique place, to say the least. When
(22:48):
you see products being made, you simply can't believe. It
is so old school and things that you would feel
like you're almost in the Middle Ages watching these films
that are you know, six feet tall with goods put
into them, you know, turning this sand into glass, and
it's wild and people walk around barefooted and around all
(23:11):
these kilns. It's it's mind blowing you. You would think
that it is an entirely different process until you see
it for yourself.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
You see that human touch to and know that there's people,
the craftsmen, the crafts people really care what they're producing.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
It's a dying art. Like sewing. I know that my
factory does have a problem with getting new people in
because again this handmade product, that's an art, and people
do not want to sew. They don't want to I mean,
I don't know about this skill set with this next
generation there. I know that the factories are having a
(23:48):
hard time hiring people to carry on these traditions.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
Well, they're very necessary if we want all of us.
They are beautiful product.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
Not everything's going to be machine made. Now Listen, if
I could have things made in the United States, I would,
but the skill set that they have in these other countries, again,
they're still doing these that are hundreds of years old.
And people in the United States don't necessarily want to
carry on a tradition like that. They're onto the you know,
new best thing.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
Well, and sometimes those skilled sets, especially you know when
you're talking about places like India and Vietnam, you know,
they work with materials that are indigenous. Sometimes they've created
these crafts and these skills, and it really is about
a celebration of culture too, which I think is fun.
You know, there are certain things I don't necessarily want
(24:37):
from the United States, or I don't want I want
a wooden piece that's handcarved from India.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
That's where it should be from.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
So well, like I said that, you're very correct when
you say, you know, something being indigenous to somewhere. Obviously
in Vietnam, they're going to be the ones that you
want to go to to work with the wovens. If
it's glassware, you're going to be working with Italy or
India more than likely. If it's pottery, you're possible going
to be talking to somebody in Spain or Portugal. Everybody's
got their niche. And there have been things that I
(25:05):
have sent like drawings to Indy, said, Cindy, that's just
not us or we can do it, but I can
tell you we're not going to do it as fine
as you would like. That's when you have to have
that real trust factor with your factory, and I have
struggled with that. This is some of these other countries.
You know, it's hard to trust people when they're thousands
of miles away, so you kind of have to stay
(25:27):
with the same people. It's hard to branch out, to
be honest, unless you have some sort of a broker
and an intermediary there to help you along the way,
because you're not really sure if these people are quite
frankly telling you the truth and if they can really
take your vision to the next step and make it correctly.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Well, that's why those relationships that you've developed have become
so important.
Speaker 3 (25:49):
Yeah, So speaking of relationships, we know that your daughter
taps into this industry as well. What's it been like
to sort of share your design affinity with her and
talk a little bit about this is your time to
maybe give her a little shout out, a little love.
Speaker 4 (26:04):
Hercus Whitney went to University of Alabama and her degree
was in textile design. Probably the last year that she
was in college, she said, what am I going to
do with this degree? And I thought, well, gosh, you
should have thought about that before you were a senior.
But any rate back then, now this has been oh
my goodness, fifty well, no, not fifteen thirteen years ago
(26:28):
that she graduated, And I said, why don't you meet
me in Atlanta at gift market. I think that you
could do a decorative pillow line, because back then there
were not that many wonderful There were some, but not
that many wonderful deporative pillow lines. She did, she loved it,
and she thought, wow, this is great. And as soon
as she graduated from college, she started going to like
(26:49):
the textile shows, and she went to India with me twice,
established a rapport with the factory over there, and she
loves it. I mean, it's her, it's her. She's got
two little boys. This is her third baby. Is her business,
and it's Piper Collection, and it's a small business that
we show across the hall from each other in high Point.
And I'm really proud. She's done a really good job
(27:11):
with this. She's very dedicated, she's smart, and she works
hard at it.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
Well, it sounds like she's doing all the right things,
and you did all the right things to make her
that way.
Speaker 4 (27:19):
So well, I hope, I hope. I think I was
some help at least a little bit along the way.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
So, Cindy.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
This podcast focuses on life's little luxuries and ways in
which our daily existence can be elevated by them. Now,
we've talked about this in the literal sense with you,
because you offer a product that you know elevates a
lamp in very simple terms. So what do you do
in your day to day life? What are a couple
of luxuries that you just like to weave into that
(27:48):
daily ritual to help your life be great.
Speaker 4 (27:51):
I am not like a spa girl like some of
my friends that are. That does not interest me. I
love to go, you know, get a manny petty, of course,
get my hair done. But day to day I'm not
too wound up in that. But I will we probably.
My husband loves to eat good food and I do too.
We appreciate good dining. I love to cook. That to
(28:15):
me is something that's important for both of us. And
when he comes home from working, you know, ten to
twelve hour days, and I have a really good dinner
there for him, it just makes everything great for both
of us because I know how happy he is that
I've done that for him. And like I said, we
both we just will not eat bad food. We are
(28:36):
both feel the exact same way about it. So we're
big on good food, good wine, good cocktails. Of course,
I love great jewelry, a good handbag, and a pair
of shoes like everybody else.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
Well, you are Southern to the core, aren't you, so,
Megan and I am. Let's be from the north.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
We want to know what's on the menu.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
Well, tell us about a couple of go toos.
Speaker 4 (28:58):
There are a couple of great things that I cook constantly.
My favorite thing is a dish that I found on
Pinterest that is the most wonderful pasta dish in the
entire world, and I just can't get enough of that.
I got a wonderful recipe from my mother's neighbor in
Birmingham for a cookie that is called the Potato chip cookie.
(29:20):
Every person that ever eats it said I must have
the recipe. And I have a neighbor across the street.
I'm always baking cookies for them because they both the
husband and wife both love it so much. But again,
taking food to people, you know, makes them happy. I
love like Southern cuisine. There's not much I don't love.
We're big on seafood at my house, of course, being
(29:42):
that I grew up on the golf anything Southern. The
only one dish that I despise as a Southerner is
deviled eggs. I don't want them anywhere near me. I smell.
I say, if we're at a restaurant and someone orders
that you have to eat at the other end of
the table for me. Other than that, good to know.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
Well, Megan and I are going to you know, I
don't know if this is proper Southern etiquette, but we're
inviting ourselves over to your home for dinner.
Speaker 4 (30:06):
Absolutely absolutely, you girls. Let me know when you're coming
to town, and I will. I will cook the best
pasta edition in the world for you.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Well. I can't wait, especially those sweet and savory potato
chip cookies sound and Dan.
Speaker 4 (30:19):
Kelly sure, and one person out of about thirty has
ever guessed that it's potato chips in it. No one
knows it's potato chips and pecans are the two main
ingredients and they are heavenly Matam. I'm going to be
making some and taking them to my booth and high Point.
I did that one other time and I had clients
that actually said, would you mind sharing that recipe? So
(30:40):
I've been sending out my recipe to the cookies for
a few years now.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
That's so fun. Off the swing buy and hopefully they
won't be gone.
Speaker 4 (30:47):
Is we might have a cookies and cocktails day.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
Yes, I love it.
Speaker 4 (30:50):
We've done that before and that was a hit. That
was a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
Well, Cindy. We like to end each episode with a
few similar questions, and we'd love to hear about the
beat that keeps you going.
Speaker 4 (31:01):
I think knowing that I've been able to really make
a mark in this industry has really made me happy.
When we go to high Point and we see the
response that we get from our customers, going my gosh,
where have you been? Have you always been in this booth?
We have come we've never seen you before that, And
(31:21):
of course we always have a lot, just a tremendous
amount of repeat customers. However, when we see that new
customer that finds us and they're like, Wow, You've made
my market. And I've had other wonderful, wonderful designers and
retailers you know, make comments about us on Instagram that
I was their favorite find at market. That sort of
(31:42):
thing that really makes your day, that keeps you going
knowing that you're doing something right and it makes me happy.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
And just the idea of when you do find a
new brand and it, like you said, it makes your market.
That's that's the drive of why you keep creating.
Speaker 4 (31:54):
You about it, that's for sure feeling when somebody says
that to you.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
Yes, definitely. And finally, what does your perfect boulevard look
like anything?
Speaker 4 (32:04):
I would say transitional. I like to mix things up.
I don't like everything one genre. I don't like everything French,
I don't like everything English, I don't like everything contemporary.
I don't like everything traditional. I would say my mantra
is definitely making things a little more transitional, because to me,
that makes it interesting. It's like walking into a furniture
(32:26):
store and thinking, oh my goodness, look at all this
brown furniture and it's like a dining room set that
they used to do in the sixties and seventies, And
to me, that is just dreadful. I want everything unique, interesting,
but to me still like traditional. I don't want it
so different that it's uncomfortable for me, but I do
want it to be interesting. I think transition is my
(32:49):
favorite thing. Transition and decorative or my two best descriptions
of how I live day to day.
Speaker 1 (32:56):
And I think your brand definitely reflects that because it
shows those nique pieces in that tradition that leaves itself.
Speaker 4 (33:02):
Throughout it too. We try. Let's hope that I've got
some wonderful new things coming from market, so I'm hoping
it will be a very successful show for us.
Speaker 1 (33:12):
Well. I hope it is. Best of luck on that well, Cindy,
it has been so wonderful talking to you, getting to
hear more about your brand, all your unique products and
travels and how you source things as well. So thank
you for joining us today.
Speaker 4 (33:25):
Thank you so much. You all have a great day.
Speaker 1 (33:28):
Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Boulevard Beat.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow along and leave
a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen
so you never miss an episode, And of course, follow
your hosts on Instagram at Megan bloom Interiors, at CHRISA. Rossbund,
and at Liz Legit. We'll be back next week as
we take a stroll down another boulevard.
Welcome to Boulevard BET, a podcast where life and style intersect.
I'm designer Megan Bloom, along with my co hosts, editor CHRISA.
Rossbund and gallery owner Liz Legit. This podcast focuses on
the daily highlights instead of the hustle, interviews with taste makers,
and personal conversations on how to highlight achievable style you
constrol one street at a time. Boulevard BE proves the
(00:30):
one you should take. Today on Boulevard B, we're thrilled
to welcome Cindy Caudle, the visionary behind International shades. Cindy
has spent over three decades perfecting the art of the lampshade,
creating exquisite silk and linen pieces that elevate lighting into
art form. We'll talk about her journey, the craftsmanship behind
(00:50):
her designs, and why the right shade can make all
the difference in a room. Whether you're designer, a collector,
or just someone who loves a beautifully finished space, This
episode shines a light on the details that truly matter.
Speaker 2 (01:01):
Cindy, thank you for joining us today.
Speaker 3 (01:03):
We're so excited for you to be here and talk
with us.
Speaker 4 (01:08):
I'm happy to be here thank you for having me.
Speaker 3 (01:10):
Yes, well, we like to start each episode of our
podcast with the same question, Please tell us about the
street you grew up on, and we detect a little
Southern accent on this one, so absolutely excited to hear
your story.
Speaker 4 (01:26):
Yeah. I was born in Pensacola, Florida, and so you know,
beach girl and loved it and basically, you know, I
had a great childhood. I had two younger brothers. My
mother was the youngest of eleven children, so we had
a very large extended family, full of aunts and uncles
and cousins and family reunions, that sort of thing. Nothing
(01:47):
too out of the norm other than the fact my
mother was the youngest of eleven children, so she learned.
Speaker 3 (01:53):
To be a fighter from early on and that probably
transferred to you too.
Speaker 4 (01:57):
Yes, my mother was a very very smart She was
the number one reeltor in Charlotte for several years, very
very professional, just smart as a whip, very driven, as
you had to be growing up in a family of eleven.
Speaker 2 (02:13):
Sure, sure, anything special about the street you grew up.
Speaker 5 (02:16):
On was a very family oriented. I remember we had
a young couple. There were the only people on the
street that did not have children. They had a Saint
Bernard and all he loved. His name was Turk, and
we all would go to their house all the time
to play with Turk because he was such.
Speaker 4 (02:33):
An unusual dog. In the fact, they didn't have kids.
That was their child, but everybody else you had just
lots of families with lots of kids, you know, going
on swing sets, making mud pies, you know, playing catching
tadpoles in the creek, you know, just the same old thing,
and again going to the beach a lot. But we
spent a lot of time outdoors. And we moved to
Charlotte when I was ten, and I had my grandmother
(02:55):
lived down the street from us. When I was in Florida,
my grandparents were an hour and a half away. Everything
was of about family.
Speaker 2 (03:01):
That's the way it should be, for sure.
Speaker 3 (03:02):
So anytime, anytime there are lots of children around, that
automatically elicits wonderful creativity because everything is imaginative, anything you
can dream. So what prompted you to get into a
creative field?
Speaker 4 (03:18):
Well, my degree in college was believed it or not,
business administration, even though that's not the creative field. Boy,
am I glad that I got it because it teaches
you so much about running your own business rather than
just working for someone. It gave me the know how
to take my creativity and turn it into a real business.
I was a flea market junkie. I loved all of that.
(03:42):
My husband I worked for a fashion office as soon
as I got out of college for a year. Then
my husband went to law school, and I was a
sales rep for a multi line clothing firm based out
of Atlanta. So I was always in sort of the
fashion business, but really traded clothing for interior product. When
(04:04):
I was on the road, I would sit there and
read shelter magazines night after night after night. You know,
you're in these RinkyDink towns with nothing to do by herself.
So I always had my car loaded up and with
great magazines and would just read. And you know, this
was before really computers were even out. It's certainly no
Instagram or anything like that to give you any anything
(04:26):
else to look at. But I would come home and I.
Speaker 2 (04:29):
Would go to the fleet.
Speaker 4 (04:30):
We had one fabulous it was the Metrolina flea market,
and everybody in town went to it, and we loved going.
But I loved decorative goods. So it wasn't too long
after my husband finished law school we moved back to Charlotte.
I had a newborn baby, and I thought, I'm going
to start a design business. I'm just going to do this,
(04:51):
and my friends were like, you know what you because
I was always helping my friends decide what they needed
to do with their house and they kept asking me
for help, and that sort of evolved from there, and
after twenty eight years, I had done oh my gosh,
hundreds and hundreds of homes. Some of my clients I
did five, six, seven homes for throughout the years. I
(05:12):
was always creative as a child, but really got more
into it after I had a baby, believe it or not,
because it just was like, Okay, now we're settled into
a home where you know, he's out of graduate school
and I can kind of concentrate on doing something for myself.
Speaker 3 (05:30):
You said something that I think is super important, and
that is with your business administration skill set, you were
able to learn how to operate a business before you ever,
you know, put it into practice. Are there maybe two
or three takeaways or one or two takeaways that you
can share with our audience where you really felt like
(05:52):
that business background knowledge was super helpful, because I do
think in this industry it is difficult sometimes because people
jump into the creative side without perhaps having the business acumen.
Speaker 4 (06:06):
And I have seen that happen time and time again,
and I'm like, oh my god, it's like that their
creative sense is way off the charts, but they have
no clue how to run a business and you have
to and it's a lot of common sense and thinking
outside of the box at times. Just let me think,
how is this worked in history? How am I going
(06:26):
to make that work for me and my little business
that I'm trying to start. And it teaches you just
how to be a professional getting a degree in something
like that. That again, it's just it teaches you common
sense skills that I can't tell you all the people
I know that have started a business and within two
or three years it was done because they just didn't
(06:48):
have that background knowledge.
Speaker 3 (06:49):
Well, I think that we oftentimes get distracted by the
fun stuff, right, the fun parts, And yeah, you really
have to set that foundation for a business.
Speaker 4 (06:58):
And you know, my friend, a lot of would say
you must have the most fun job in the world
just picking fabrics and wallpapers. All day long, and it
was like, Oh my god, are you kidding? This is
a hard job. You have no clue what really happens
as a designer. It can be fun, but there are
days that at the end of the day I would say,
I am going to tattoo back order on my forehead.
(07:20):
You know. It was just every single thing you would order,
there would be an issue, would it would come in damaged,
it would be back order that it was just, oh, yeah,
we've just continued that. Your entire room was done around that,
but four weeks ago when you called to check stock,
everything was fine, and then suddenly you go to place
the order and it's just continued. I mean, it's not
(07:40):
fun in games. There are days that it really was,
and I loved working with my clients, at least most
of my clients, not all, but most, but designers are
not given credit that they are due.
Speaker 2 (07:51):
It's not all sparkle, right, Oh it's not.
Speaker 1 (07:54):
And I often say that just the smoking nears that
goes along with it. It's like you said, you hit
it right on the head. Just the problem I'm solving.
It's not just problem solving a job site or an
issue with the project, but problem solving your business too.
Speaker 4 (08:06):
And problem solving your clients when they don't agree. The
husband and wife don't agree on something, you have to
get in there and oh, my husband can hang that.
And I said, let me tell you, you're going to
get in a fight on Saturday when you have to
hang that. It takes in three hours. You're going to
be screaming each other. It's not worth a divorce. Just
let my installer handle it, please. You have to be
a mind reader with these people and accounselor and everything else. Yeah,
(08:29):
spending their money, that was the other thing. I felt like.
I was very, very very cognizant about spending someone else's money.
Speaker 1 (08:38):
Yes, it's important to be aware of that, for sure. Absolutely,
you transitioned, obviously to an entrepreneur, and you put your
design days behind you. And obviously from just your early
days of thrifty and things, you've always had a love
for unique products and finding unique products. What led you
to focus on more of the product's business.
Speaker 4 (08:58):
Well, I had been in the design business for twenty
eight years, and I'll be honest, I was just getting
burned out. And at that point in time, all the
e commerce sites were popping up, and oh, I can
buy that on Wayfair. And it's like, you know what, Houston,
we have a problem. This is not I'm showing you this,
and I'm showing you this versus this A versus B,
because A is better and if you want to buy B,
(09:21):
you don't need me. You can just shop yourself. But
it just became something that I no longer loved and
I wasn't looking to do anything else, but this opportunity
basically just was handed to me. I had become very
good friends with the woman that owned International Shades, and
at that point in time, I mean we were like
(09:42):
renting a house with her at high point. You know,
she and my daughter became good friends in the business,
and her husband no longer wanted her to work. He
had been retired for quite some time. And basically, while
we were at market, said you got to get rid
of this business. It's too much much. I'm done. So
she literally looked at me and said you should buy
(10:05):
this business. And I literally looked at my daughter and said,
I think I will. And eight weeks later I had
a warehouse full of lampshades and really did not know
that much of what I was doing. So it was
a monumental leap of faith and trust in myself that
I could do it. And the former owner, Susan said,
you know what, if any customer of mine should buy
(10:28):
this line, it would be you. Because you get the
product and you want you can take it much further
than I ever could. Since you were in the design field,
You've been to Europe, you know, over fifty times traveling.
I had an antique store for many, many years in
Charlotte along with my design business. I had a business
partner in that venture. So I've been to Europe fifty
one times. So I was constantly on the go finding
(10:51):
you know, great new textles, great new you know, furniture,
great whatever, lighting, whatever it was. And I just wanted
to take the business to a different level because it
was so safe. Everything was beige, off white and eggshell,
and it was pleated hard back life pleat or smock.
I mean, we had the most basic things, but the
quality was outstanding, and it gave me a very firm
(11:15):
background to go into something slowly and get my factory
on board. They were not on board at all as
far as new styles and things, and so I had
to work on them for about a year and a half,
and then when I did, they realized they had really
been missing the boat, and it just exploded at that point.
Speaker 1 (11:35):
Well, I'm so glad you did, because you have just
beautiful products and unique things out on the market.
Speaker 4 (11:39):
For sure, thank you.
Speaker 1 (11:40):
Which you know, lighting obviously has been exciting for a
long time. It's a big part of our interior projects.
It really changes the look of a room. I love lighting.
It's one of my favorite parts of designing and kind
of pulling the house together. But along those lines, the
shade was often ignored and every lamp with a white shade,
(12:01):
and it was basic and boring and white. And you
are banishing the white lamp shade, which I love. What's
it like right now since there's a boom and shades
that are decoratives.
Speaker 4 (12:12):
Well, and I tell you, I think that people did
just get tired of that same look, especially when you've
been to Europe and seeing what the English have in particular,
even more than the French. It was so different from
what we had over here. And I thought, you know
what I'm going I'm going to do this. I wanted Prince,
And I am no artist, but I can sit down
(12:33):
and hand draw something and send it to my factory.
They will put it on cad for me and they
can make my meager little, you know, vision into something wonderful.
You know, I would just I knew, and especially at
going to India. I've been to India three times and
seeing all these wonderful textiles that the block prints, the sory's,
all of that, I thought, I've just I've got to
(12:53):
make this into something. And there are some looks like
some of the more contemporary look they're only going to
buy a drum shade all day long because that just
works with their room. That's They're never going to get
away from that, and I'm never going to be able
to gain them as a customer. However, the more transitional
and traditional customers are begging for something different, and that
(13:16):
might be a different fabric in a print, it might
be a different shape instead of just a different fabric,
I mean going into like wovens, things like that. So
I'm trying my best to make it something even more unusual.
Speaker 1 (13:29):
Pushing the boundaries. I love that too.
Speaker 4 (13:31):
You know.
Speaker 1 (13:31):
In reality, though, decorative shades aren't new if you go
back in history, they've been around forever. You referenced just
English culture and having depleated shade on them, and they've
changed and evolved, and it sounds like you're continuingly doing
that as well. What do you love about this new
iteration of lamp shades that have more of a design
slant to them.
Speaker 4 (13:50):
Traditional right now is pretty hot. So again it being
that that's my customer. They want to finish the room,
they want to make it complete, they want decorative. That
whole decorative look, I think is what they're trying to achieve,
and we're trying to help them to get there by
adding something that they've either never had or you know,
a lot of these companies existed years before we did
(14:13):
that would do a beautiful box pleet silk shade, well
you would have to ship those from England. You can
imagine the price. It was price prohibitive. So we're trying
to also offer a look with the price that is affordable.
We're not inexpensive. There are other shade manufacturers out there
that are definitely less expensive. But it's not the same quality,
(14:35):
it's not the same fabric. It's night and day difference.
It's like going to Target versus going to Tiffany. You know,
I want to appeal to that person that can afford it,
but realize is it's still less expensive than they have
been buying from maybe some of these English companies.
Speaker 1 (14:52):
Well, in qauda is so important and even I mean
even as you turn a lamp on, you're looking inside
that shade and see the quality. So I think it's
important that you've added those details and make sure the quality.
Speaker 4 (15:02):
We are always going to appeal to a hiring customer
that is going to appreciate the quality that we offer.
Speaker 1 (15:08):
Cindy, one of the things I love about your brand
is your beautiful glassware and your matchsticks that have just
the beautiful colors and add these nice accents to the space.
You don't just offer shades, you have an inventory of
other decorative objects. Why we imagine that you must always
be thinking about what else you can offer or what
else you can do. What's next for international shades?
Speaker 4 (15:29):
Oh gosh. Well, when we started getting into glassware, I
mean again, it was that leap of faith. I thought,
I'm going to go to India, and I did. I
went to India. My daughter and one of my best
friends went with me. I thought, I want to see
what they offer over there, what I'm not used to
seeing in England and France and open up my eyes.
I'm constantly looking either at magazines, something on Instagram. I
(15:55):
travel quite a bit. I've always got my phone on
me so I can take a picture of something that
is an inspiration. Obviously, you can't copy something that you
can take something from five different items as inspiration, put
them all together and create something totally different than you've
maybe seen before, or maybe I've seen it in glass,
and I think it would be better to be done
(16:16):
in a woven or in wood and just totally transform it.
Speaker 3 (16:20):
So Cindy, it seems like there's always one category of
design that's sort of the it product of the moment,
and those sort of go in and out right now.
One of the reasons we wanted to interview you so
much is because lamp shades are so hot right now,
and luckily there's been so much attention that's been paid
recently to expanding that inventory, so it goes beyond the
(16:44):
white and ivory and black shade. Is there another category
that you think deserves a little more attention right now?
Speaker 2 (16:51):
And what would that be?
Speaker 4 (16:52):
I would have to do. It's not necessarily a category,
but I think what's I think what's really hot right
now is table in general. And I think that's why
we're doing so well is because our goods, again are decorative,
and that was what as an antique slash gift store owner,
I was always looking for something for like a dining table.
(17:13):
We would say what am I going to put on
my dining table or my design clients or anybody that
would walk in the store, and there was just never
enough options. So I think that the thing that people
need to concentrate on most is decorative but useful. You know,
you want to have a place to put something, but
you want to give it your own spin and again
make it a little more unique than just going and
(17:33):
buying the same thing that the generic big box stores carry.
Speaker 2 (17:37):
Well, that's an interesting point that you just brought up
with the accessories and sort of the smalls, if you will,
Gone are the days long gone? Are the days.
Speaker 3 (17:46):
Where a family hires an interior designer to finish the
home and then it just stays that way and doesn't
change and doesn't evolve. So many people are interested in
designing themselves now and so it's fun with accessories because
it sort of gives permission to the client to be
able to you know, move a ball from one table
(18:08):
to another.
Speaker 4 (18:09):
They're exactly right. If they want to go in their
favorite store, they won't feel like I would have. For instance,
I would have clients that would take pictures and say,
I'm afraid to buy this unless I show it to you,
because I'm afraid you're gonna, you know, not like it.
And it was like, well, first of all, it's your house,
and you buy whatever you want, and maybe I do
like it, maybe I don't, and I will let you
(18:29):
know if I do or don't. But they need to
feel free to go and finish the little details. They'll
go and you know, or I decide I don't love that.
After five more years, you go out and you do
your thing.
Speaker 3 (18:42):
So it gives them the opportunity to sort of be
involved in the design processes absolutely and participate it. Participate
a little more than just choosing saying yes and know
in the beginning. Right, So in this business, we know
that you've spent a lot of time cultivating relationships with
your customers. Feedback, do thinke it to you reguarding the
(19:03):
shades and your inventory?
Speaker 4 (19:04):
First of all, well, regarding inventory, we try to keep
it in in you know, inventory at all times. Obviously
that's you know, never going to happen. We'll have a
run on something, I'll sell three times what I normally
sell and we're going to run out, and that that's
a problem. But I haven't heard people complain about us
versus other companies. I think we're probably just you know,
(19:27):
doing as well as others. But sometimes I will have
somebody to say, did you consider doing it in this color,
or maybe in a different size, or you know what,
here's a picture. I saved this to you, and now
that I'm seeing you at market, I wanted to show
it to you. Or they'll possibly email me something and say,
do you think this is something you can do? And
I have explored all of those options, and a couple
(19:49):
of them, like, for instance, on a different size or
a different color, I have done that. I can't say
that I've actually taken a product that someone has sent
me an image of it and made it for them,
but I'm always open to suggestion. And I just had
dinner with a buyer a couple of weeks ago, and
I told her, I said, if you ever see anything
that you think I need to look at, send it
(20:11):
to me. And I can see you know what we
can come up with, and she said, oh my gosh,
that's great. I will definitely keep that in mind.
Speaker 2 (20:18):
Well, it's funny in this industry because just when we
are overwhelmed by what seems like everything, it seems like,
oh my gosh, there can't be any more inventory, there
can't be any more stuff that that stuff.
Speaker 3 (20:31):
Word that we, you know, use when we're trying to
describe our over consumption.
Speaker 2 (20:38):
Yes, but there's always room.
Speaker 3 (20:40):
And I think it's interesting when I hear from manufacturers
that they really do take feedback to heart and they
try to satisfy those customers' needs by developing additional product
or reading new product into their inventory.
Speaker 4 (20:55):
Absolutely, these clients are buying my product, they're the ones
heeping us in business. I clearly want to make them happy,
but I have to be true to myself on that
same note. If it's something and I've had a couple
of things shown to me that I thought, oh, I
don't want to make that, and I would just say,
you know what, I don't think that's for us, because
(21:17):
I'm pretty in tuned to what I think is going
to sell and what's not going to sell with my
line at least, but we want to be able to
do that and keep our clients happy. I mean, if
they're not happy, we're not going to be happy.
Speaker 3 (21:30):
The challenge, of course, is always to stay true to
who you are, but always present something new too, because
we still want people.
Speaker 2 (21:37):
We want people to buy, right.
Speaker 4 (21:38):
Oh yeah, I mean we're getting ready to do a
woven collection, and you know, we've never done woven so
we'll be doing you know, I mean just all kinds
of different woven materials and probably about seven or eight
different items to start out with. And that is something
you know, we'll be doing shades and other decorative items,
and this is very, very new for us. I had
(22:01):
a factory to reach out to me regarding working with
them in Vietnam, and I thought, you know what, I
believe in this and we're moving forward.
Speaker 3 (22:11):
It would be great if you would share with us
what it's like to visit some of those factories around
the world, because I think that, yeah, tell us what
that experience is like, because I think for a lot
of people, you know, they don't really know the process
of how things come to market.
Speaker 2 (22:26):
So I describe that experience.
Speaker 4 (22:28):
Well generally when I'm in touch because I do work
with three different people work with China, Vietnam, and India. Currently.
They are all very different, their capabilities are very different.
For instance, when I go to India, I mean, India
is a very unique place, to say the least. When
(22:48):
you see products being made, you simply can't believe. It
is so old school and things that you would feel
like you're almost in the Middle Ages watching these films
that are you know, six feet tall with goods put
into them, you know, turning this sand into glass, and
it's wild and people walk around barefooted and around all
(23:11):
these kilns. It's it's mind blowing you. You would think
that it is an entirely different process until you see
it for yourself.
Speaker 3 (23:19):
You see that human touch to and know that there's people,
the craftsmen, the crafts people really care what they're producing.
Speaker 4 (23:27):
It's a dying art. Like sewing. I know that my
factory does have a problem with getting new people in
because again this handmade product, that's an art, and people
do not want to sew. They don't want to I mean,
I don't know about this skill set with this next
generation there. I know that the factories are having a
(23:48):
hard time hiring people to carry on these traditions.
Speaker 2 (23:52):
Well, they're very necessary if we want all of us.
They are beautiful product.
Speaker 4 (23:56):
Not everything's going to be machine made. Now Listen, if
I could have things made in the United States, I would,
but the skill set that they have in these other countries, again,
they're still doing these that are hundreds of years old.
And people in the United States don't necessarily want to
carry on a tradition like that. They're onto the you know,
new best thing.
Speaker 3 (24:16):
Well, and sometimes those skilled sets, especially you know when
you're talking about places like India and Vietnam, you know,
they work with materials that are indigenous. Sometimes they've created
these crafts and these skills, and it really is about
a celebration of culture too, which I think is fun.
You know, there are certain things I don't necessarily want
(24:37):
from the United States, or I don't want I want
a wooden piece that's handcarved from India.
Speaker 2 (24:42):
That's where it should be from.
Speaker 4 (24:44):
So well, like I said that, you're very correct when
you say, you know, something being indigenous to somewhere. Obviously
in Vietnam, they're going to be the ones that you
want to go to to work with the wovens. If
it's glassware, you're going to be working with Italy or
India more than likely. If it's pottery, you're possible going
to be talking to somebody in Spain or Portugal. Everybody's
got their niche. And there have been things that I
(25:05):
have sent like drawings to Indy, said, Cindy, that's just
not us or we can do it, but I can
tell you we're not going to do it as fine
as you would like. That's when you have to have
that real trust factor with your factory, and I have
struggled with that. This is some of these other countries.
You know, it's hard to trust people when they're thousands
of miles away, so you kind of have to stay
(25:27):
with the same people. It's hard to branch out, to
be honest, unless you have some sort of a broker
and an intermediary there to help you along the way,
because you're not really sure if these people are quite
frankly telling you the truth and if they can really
take your vision to the next step and make it correctly.
Speaker 2 (25:44):
Well, that's why those relationships that you've developed have become
so important.
Speaker 3 (25:49):
Yeah, So speaking of relationships, we know that your daughter
taps into this industry as well. What's it been like
to sort of share your design affinity with her and
talk a little bit about this is your time to
maybe give her a little shout out, a little love.
Speaker 4 (26:04):
Hercus Whitney went to University of Alabama and her degree
was in textile design. Probably the last year that she
was in college, she said, what am I going to
do with this degree? And I thought, well, gosh, you
should have thought about that before you were a senior.
But any rate back then, now this has been oh
my goodness, fifty well, no, not fifteen thirteen years ago
(26:28):
that she graduated, And I said, why don't you meet
me in Atlanta at gift market. I think that you
could do a decorative pillow line, because back then there
were not that many wonderful There were some, but not
that many wonderful deporative pillow lines. She did, she loved it,
and she thought, wow, this is great. And as soon
as she graduated from college, she started going to like
(26:49):
the textile shows, and she went to India with me twice,
established a rapport with the factory over there, and she
loves it. I mean, it's her, it's her. She's got
two little boys. This is her third baby. Is her business,
and it's Piper Collection, and it's a small business that
we show across the hall from each other in high Point.
And I'm really proud. She's done a really good job
(27:11):
with this. She's very dedicated, she's smart, and she works
hard at it.
Speaker 3 (27:15):
Well, it sounds like she's doing all the right things,
and you did all the right things to make her
that way.
Speaker 4 (27:19):
So well, I hope, I hope. I think I was
some help at least a little bit along the way.
Speaker 2 (27:24):
So, Cindy.
Speaker 3 (27:25):
This podcast focuses on life's little luxuries and ways in
which our daily existence can be elevated by them. Now,
we've talked about this in the literal sense with you,
because you offer a product that you know elevates a
lamp in very simple terms. So what do you do
in your day to day life? What are a couple
of luxuries that you just like to weave into that
(27:48):
daily ritual to help your life be great.
Speaker 4 (27:51):
I am not like a spa girl like some of
my friends that are. That does not interest me. I
love to go, you know, get a manny petty, of course,
get my hair done. But day to day I'm not
too wound up in that. But I will we probably.
My husband loves to eat good food and I do too.
We appreciate good dining. I love to cook. That to
(28:15):
me is something that's important for both of us. And
when he comes home from working, you know, ten to
twelve hour days, and I have a really good dinner
there for him, it just makes everything great for both
of us because I know how happy he is that
I've done that for him. And like I said, we
both we just will not eat bad food. We are
(28:36):
both feel the exact same way about it. So we're
big on good food, good wine, good cocktails. Of course,
I love great jewelry, a good handbag, and a pair
of shoes like everybody else.
Speaker 2 (28:47):
Well, you are Southern to the core, aren't you, so,
Megan and I am. Let's be from the north.
Speaker 3 (28:53):
We want to know what's on the menu.
Speaker 2 (28:56):
Well, tell us about a couple of go toos.
Speaker 4 (28:58):
There are a couple of great things that I cook constantly.
My favorite thing is a dish that I found on
Pinterest that is the most wonderful pasta dish in the
entire world, and I just can't get enough of that.
I got a wonderful recipe from my mother's neighbor in
Birmingham for a cookie that is called the Potato chip cookie.
(29:20):
Every person that ever eats it said I must have
the recipe. And I have a neighbor across the street.
I'm always baking cookies for them because they both the
husband and wife both love it so much. But again,
taking food to people, you know, makes them happy. I
love like Southern cuisine. There's not much I don't love.
We're big on seafood at my house, of course, being
(29:42):
that I grew up on the golf anything Southern. The
only one dish that I despise as a Southerner is
deviled eggs. I don't want them anywhere near me. I smell.
I say, if we're at a restaurant and someone orders
that you have to eat at the other end of
the table for me. Other than that, good to know.
Speaker 3 (30:00):
Well, Megan and I are going to you know, I
don't know if this is proper Southern etiquette, but we're
inviting ourselves over to your home for dinner.
Speaker 4 (30:06):
Absolutely absolutely, you girls. Let me know when you're coming
to town, and I will. I will cook the best
pasta edition in the world for you.
Speaker 1 (30:14):
Well. I can't wait, especially those sweet and savory potato
chip cookies sound and Dan.
Speaker 4 (30:19):
Kelly sure, and one person out of about thirty has
ever guessed that it's potato chips in it. No one
knows it's potato chips and pecans are the two main
ingredients and they are heavenly Matam. I'm going to be
making some and taking them to my booth and high Point.
I did that one other time and I had clients
that actually said, would you mind sharing that recipe? So
(30:40):
I've been sending out my recipe to the cookies for
a few years now.
Speaker 1 (30:44):
That's so fun. Off the swing buy and hopefully they
won't be gone.
Speaker 4 (30:47):
Is we might have a cookies and cocktails day.
Speaker 1 (30:49):
Yes, I love it.
Speaker 4 (30:50):
We've done that before and that was a hit. That
was a lot of fun.
Speaker 1 (30:53):
Well, Cindy. We like to end each episode with a
few similar questions, and we'd love to hear about the
beat that keeps you going.
Speaker 4 (31:01):
I think knowing that I've been able to really make
a mark in this industry has really made me happy.
When we go to high Point and we see the
response that we get from our customers, going my gosh,
where have you been? Have you always been in this booth?
We have come we've never seen you before that, And
(31:21):
of course we always have a lot, just a tremendous
amount of repeat customers. However, when we see that new
customer that finds us and they're like, Wow, You've made
my market. And I've had other wonderful, wonderful designers and
retailers you know, make comments about us on Instagram that
I was their favorite find at market. That sort of
(31:42):
thing that really makes your day, that keeps you going
knowing that you're doing something right and it makes me happy.
Speaker 2 (31:48):
I love that.
Speaker 1 (31:48):
And just the idea of when you do find a
new brand and it, like you said, it makes your market.
That's that's the drive of why you keep creating.
Speaker 4 (31:54):
You about it, that's for sure feeling when somebody says
that to you.
Speaker 1 (31:57):
Yes, definitely. And finally, what does your perfect boulevard look
like anything?
Speaker 4 (32:04):
I would say transitional. I like to mix things up.
I don't like everything one genre. I don't like everything French,
I don't like everything English, I don't like everything contemporary.
I don't like everything traditional. I would say my mantra
is definitely making things a little more transitional, because to me,
that makes it interesting. It's like walking into a furniture
(32:26):
store and thinking, oh my goodness, look at all this
brown furniture and it's like a dining room set that
they used to do in the sixties and seventies, And
to me, that is just dreadful. I want everything unique, interesting,
but to me still like traditional. I don't want it
so different that it's uncomfortable for me, but I do
want it to be interesting. I think transition is my
(32:49):
favorite thing. Transition and decorative or my two best descriptions
of how I live day to day.
Speaker 1 (32:56):
And I think your brand definitely reflects that because it
shows those nique pieces in that tradition that leaves itself.
Speaker 4 (33:02):
Throughout it too. We try. Let's hope that I've got
some wonderful new things coming from market, so I'm hoping
it will be a very successful show for us.
Speaker 1 (33:12):
Well. I hope it is. Best of luck on that well, Cindy,
it has been so wonderful talking to you, getting to
hear more about your brand, all your unique products and
travels and how you source things as well. So thank
you for joining us today.
Speaker 4 (33:25):
Thank you so much. You all have a great day.
Speaker 1 (33:28):
Thank you for listening to this week's episode of Boulevard Beat.
If you enjoyed this episode, please follow along and leave
a review on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, or wherever you listen
so you never miss an episode, And of course, follow
your hosts on Instagram at Megan bloom Interiors, at CHRISA. Rossbund,
and at Liz Legit. We'll be back next week as
we take a stroll down another boulevard.
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