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- [00:04]
A
Welcome to Confessions of an Interior Designer. I'm your host, Caroline Turner. Here we talk through the crazy stories that they certainly don't tell you in design school, because, let's face it, every space has its sins. Are you ready to hear confession? Hi, everyone. I'm so excited to introduce Kristin Kalli Schlommer. Kristin is the owner and founder of Kalia Stone Boutique. Although they are based in Chicago, Kalia has taken care of, taken the stone market and put a hint of glam expertise and sophistication back into the industry and serve designers nationwide. Kristin, thank you so much for being here.
- [00:41]
B
Oh, my gosh. My pleasure.
- [00:42]
A
I'm so excited to talk to you. I told you before we got on the mics that I am, you know, a natural stone nerd. So we have so much to talk about, and I'm so, so excited. Oh, my God. Okay, but before I get into all my questions. Cause I don't want to get ahead of myself. How did you get here?
- [01:00]
B
Well, Caroline, I overthought this question. You've had some amazing, incredible, inspiring people on this podcast prior. I don't have a very exciting story.
- [01:12]
A
Like some of them. I think it is because you got here. No matter what it is, it's exciting because you got here.
- [01:17]
B
Somehow I still got invited, so I'm very fortunate. So thank you for letting me have this opportunity. Of course.
- [01:22]
A
We're so. I told you you were one of my most anticipated guests. I'm so excited.
- [01:27]
B
I'll do the Cliff Notes version. Yeah, that's great. Okay, great. So I graduated in interior design, and I'm also the worst interior designer. So I really do appreciate great space and great design. Like walking into a room or a home and a restaurant. And you're, like, in awe of what was accomplished.
- [01:43]
A
Absolutely.
- [01:44]
B
I could never do that. Like, if you asked me what chair to put in the corner, I will overthink it till I turn blue. Fast forward. I ended up in the materials route in 2008. It was a really great time to.
- [01:57]
A
Get your free time perfect off the wall.
- [01:59]
B
So anyway, so I started with a company I'm pretty sure we're all familiar with, Delt. I was an intern with them for a minute. I was working in the city. I was commuting an hour and 45 minutes each way. Fabulous.
- [02:10]
A
Oh, my gosh.
- [02:11]
B
And unfortunately, they had an opening in their customer service department. Worked there for a few years, and they already had a sales position that was open. I was like, you know what? I think I could be in sales. I Don't know what that means, but sure, let me try it.
- [02:25]
A
Yeah.
- [02:25]
B
And unfortunately, they said I probably wasn't a great salesperson, So I was like, you know what? Maybe you're right. I'm not really sure. So I was still, like, winging it a bartending on the weekends, and I had an opportunity to work for Levantina.
- [02:38]
A
Cool.
- [02:38]
B
Yeah, it was really cool. And at the time, they were like, you know what? They're probably gonna close in two weeks. And I was like, ooh, well, whoa. I was like, at least it's a step, right? At least I was outside of my.
- [02:49]
A
Comfort zone, and I can put it on my resume.
- [02:50]
B
Put it on my resume. And, you know, I grew up with a family that was the same job for 40 years. So I was like, I don't really know what I'm doing, so I'm just gonna take a chance. So anyways, so I ended up at Levantina, and no joke, two weeks later, packed up my entire death, walked into the conference room, and the manager at the time was from Spain. He was like, I think we can make this work. And he fired everyone except for two of us, and we made it work. So for 10 years, my God, I have never learned so much. It was a roller coaster. Working for a Spanish company has its challenges and huge positives. They were the largest natural stone ownership in the country, or, excuse me, in the world. Wow. With a famous color called Crema Marfill. They owned the quarry at the time, also was very popular, but that's fine. So that being said, I also had a manager at the time who loved golf, and so he was like, you know what, Kristin? You just do my job, and then I'm gonna go play golf. And I was like, cool. Awesome. So leading into, he was covering Indiana, and so then I was covering Indiana, and then it was like, hey, also do Wisconsin. And while you're at it, there's St. Louis and Iowa and whatever.
- [03:59]
A
Fast actually handled the entire Midwest.
- [04:02]
B
It was fine. And I had a really great team of girls at the time that we were all working and just, like, killing it. And it was great, and it was fun, and I had one really great boss who couldn't have been more black and white. I mean, like, I. I mean, it was intense. Like, if you want to talk about, like, the nuns with the rulers.
- [04:19]
A
Oh, yeah.
- [04:20]
B
I felt like, yeah, that's pretty much what it was. But Houses learned a lot about accounting, so then she ended up leaving. They brought in another manager at the time who lived in the gray area, and welcome to me now. So I love the gray area.
- [04:34]
A
It's where we live.
- [04:35]
B
It's where we live. And yes, I'm sure you're with your clients and people are asking you what you can and can't. You always typically say yes, and you.
- [04:43]
A
Can do anything for a price. That's the contractor's favorite line, and I've started adopting it too. Anything we ask, we can do anything for a prize. And I'm always like, you know what? We're gonna start saying that.
- [04:54]
B
Oh, my God, it's true.
- [04:55]
A
We'll go above and beyond if you're willing to pay for it.
- [04:57]
B
I think most people will. Yeah. And I think that's another thing. It's like putting a price on what people value. Absolutely. You know, it's like, I might not value window casings, but if someone really wants window casings and door jambs in marble in their entire house. Let's. Let's do it.
- [05:14]
A
You can curse. You can curse. It's every other word out of my mouth.
- [05:17]
B
Let's fucking go. I know.
- [05:19]
A
I mean, that's when you're like, okay.
- [05:23]
B
Like, I'm all in. Not gonna stop you. Right, Right. So. So that was really a great experience. And then at the time, Levantino was just changing, and I was also seeing, like, really cool stuff, right? Architectural Digest. And I'm like, you know, Caroline, you'd be coming to me and be like, kristin, I really want to do this purple tub and all this purple bathroom. And I'll be like, that's really great. And I would go back to my boss, and I'd be like, hey, Caroline wants to do this. My boss would be like, that's really great, Kristin, but I need you to sell the 10 colors that we have. And I'm like, cool. So then as they were changing, they were going to start dividing up things. Fast forward. I had a really great friend who we brought an idea, and it was just like, hey, do we think we could just kind of tailor something? And he had a friend who had a showroom in the city, and we went and saw this space with my boss, and I was like, what do you think we could do? And she was like, I don't know, but we should do something. And I was like, okay. And then three months later, she was leaving, and she was like, kristen, I can't help you anymore. You have to take the next step. And so it was one of those, I could go be a sales rep in any other company. That's easy, right? So it's like, no, Big deal. Or we can really take a chance and not pay your mortgage for a year and start something new. And there's either a reason why there's not a stone showroom in Chicago, or maybe it just wouldn't work.
- [06:43]
A
It's a hole in the market.
- [06:44]
B
Yeah. Or maybe it just wouldn't work. I don't really know. And it was, again, it was opportunity. And few old fashions later, you're signing a lease. You know, that's what you do. You take chances. Wow.
- [06:54]
A
Wait, I wanna pause on that for one second, because I feel like we hear this over and over again, and this is the common question I also get asked a lot. So many people get to this moment in their life where there's a fork in the road and they can either take the easier, safer way. And I don't mean that derogatorily. I pay almost $800 in health insurance a month. Like, this is a hard thing to do. And being an entrepreneur is not easy. And I understand people who just want to work for someone forever. But if you have that little thing inside of you that's telling you, I think we can do this, that's when you do have to jump and take.
- [07:31]
B
The chance, have that opportunity where, like.
- [07:33]
A
You said, like, you are luck, like, for.
- [07:35]
B
Yeah.
- [07:36]
A
And that's what you did. And, I mean, that's why we're sitting here.
- [07:39]
B
Yeah. I mean, wow. You really, like, painted it in a much better way.
- [07:44]
A
No, but I really appreciate it. I feel like that needs to be true. But that's true. It's hard to see yourself that way because you're like, well, I was just making a decision and then making a decision. And I got drunk, and then I made a decision. Me too. My first. My best internship ever. I got drunk and sent an email that was like, so many people have that story. And it's the best courage. I mean, that's. That is liquid courage. Thank you so much. Give me the pen. I'm ready to sign. I mean, genuinely, I think you should be proud.
- [08:09]
B
That's very, very sweet. I had, you know, like I said, a great support system. But you also. You lose a lot, you know? Right?
- [08:15]
A
You lose a lot.
- [08:16]
B
You lose a lot. You take a chance, you put yourself out there. All of a sudden you're a lone duck sitting in the middle of a pond. Right. I made a lot of bad decisions, but you also, you. You know, the faster you make the decisions, the faster you're able to fix them, you know, also. And I think what was really great is that my partner at the time and this whole six years, full trust, you know? And it's like, we have a go mentality, right? So it's like, if you come to me with an idea, I'm gonna say yes, and I'm gonna figure it out. So it's like we started local. I started to kind of segue into future conversation. I started with a quartz line because I thought that's what people wanted. I know. So, like, we've come along. I'll never forget sitting there with Megan Because Megan's been with me since day one. Amazing. And we were sitting there, coming up with n for cords, and then. And we had nothing. We had no material. We had nothing. We would go in, you know, see you guys, and you'd be like, oh, I really want this 2cm red marble. And I was like, taking notes, taking notes, taking notes.
- [09:17]
A
I didn't find that. Yep.
- [09:18]
B
Okay.
- [09:18]
A
Yeah.
- [09:18]
B
And then it was just like, okay, well, second mortgage your house, Bring in two containers, and all of a sudden you have eight colors, you know, And I'll never forget, we had the showroom open. And forgive me if I get wordy. Just tell me.
- [09:30]
A
No, no, you're great.
- [09:31]
B
I'll never forget we had the showroom open. We didn't even have the warehouse had. I swear to you ladies, eight a frames. It was just. It was just the first day, which.
- [09:40]
A
Is hard to imagine because you have multiple rooms, and I mean hundreds, and I mean insane.
- [09:45]
B
Wow. So we had eight a frames, and this person. I'm not gonna say who it was, but she walked in, and she was relatively TV famous. She does. Anyway, so she just walks into the city, and she was like, do you guys have iceberg? And I was like, yes, we have so much iceberg. And she was like, okay, great. Well, my flight's here. Where is it? I need to see it. And I was like, okay, well, where's the project? She's like, california. Anyways. And I was like, at the time. I'm like, okay, how do I figure this chest piece out? And I'm like, yeah, we do this all the time.
- [10:14]
A
Oh, my God. Don't even worry about it. Actually, no joke.
- [10:18]
B
She shows up at our elk grove village location. We put one slab of iceberg on each a frame because we had no other material. So we had this in, like, four other colors.
- [10:26]
A
It was a hallway of iceberg.
- [10:28]
B
Literally, just like. That's all she thought. You want to see the iceberg? Here's the whole hallway. It was just for you. Just for you. She's like, wow, you didn't have to put all these out. I'm like, ye, yeah, it's no problem. I had to hire a guy to help me move it because we don't even have a warehouse staff anyways. So fast forward, you know, it all comes down to faking it till you make it a little bit. And it's like, you didn't want to say no. We had an opportunity. And then she approves it. And then I'm like, cool. So now I have to ship it to California.
- [10:55]
A
Now I have to get it there.
- [10:57]
B
We do that all the time.
- [10:58]
A
Yeah.
- [10:59]
B
I was like, I haven't even processed an invoice yet.
- [11:01]
A
Right.
- [11:02]
B
Anyway, so. And here we are, so six years later, we have 19 people. Wow. And we.
- [11:09]
A
That is.
- [11:09]
B
Yes. So, so exciting.
- [11:11]
A
Oh, my God.
- [11:13]
B
And we've only not delivered to two states, so North Dakota and South Dakota. I don't know where you're at, but you do not like our natural stuff. The only states we haven't gotten to and sidelined with Hawaii. Technically, yes. But we're still working on that. That's incredible.
- [11:27]
A
Never met anyone from North Dakota or South Dakota. There are people there.
- [11:31]
B
True people. I wouldn't worry about it.
- [11:34]
A
That way we can work on. I think we're okay. But seriously, I mean, you've the country and next the world. Like, this is great. I mean, I see it. We're hoping to go international. Let's do it. Yeah.
- [11:46]
B
Right? Yeah. We had an opportunity for a project in London, and I was just like, okay, how do we do this? So that's the thing, right? We're all problem solvers.
- [11:54]
A
Well, and that's what makes you successful is the. Yes. And then. Don't worry about it. I'll figure it out. Yeah, that's. I mean, that's had been my whole career too. Can we hire you for this whole house? Yes, absolutely. You're my fourth one this week.
- [12:10]
B
Oh, my God. Totally.
- [12:12]
A
But that is what I feel like we hear all the time. I just kept pushing. I just kept, like, making the next decision and trying to make it work. But also, that's how you endear people to you is like you're willing to say yes to something that might not be what you typically do. I make calls like that every day. Hey, I know that you make architectural metal, but can you customize a fire screen for me? And the one team that said yes, we now work with them on nearly every project. And the $10 million job we're working on, they're doing.
- [12:46]
B
I Love that.
- [12:46]
A
A ton of it. Good for them. Because they said yes to this crazy idea that ended up being a $10,000 fire screen. So they also, you know, like, and it was their first time they told me that we worked together, so we kind of got to, like, collaborate. It was. And now I trust him with my life and recommend him to everyone.
- [13:05]
B
I feel like that also it makes your life easier. People love to work with who makes.
- [13:10]
A
Their life easier and who's willing to be like, we'll figure it out.
- [13:14]
B
We'll figure it out. We only have to do one section of the smallest part of your projects, you know, and it's like, that's what. Sometimes you're talking to me about fire screens. It's like, I would have never thought that that's also a thing that you have to worry about.
- [13:27]
A
Right.
- [13:27]
B
You know, it's like, me, I'm just like, that's what I mean. All of the specifications that you gu. It's like we literally just manage one part of that tiny little piece of the project.
- [13:38]
A
I do talk to Gracie all the time. I'm like, how does Megan do, like, all of you? Like, I mean, obviously we work with Megan and love her, and I feel like she deserves a shout out because she has been with you from the beginning, and she's, you know, like, your right hand. Like, Gracie is mine and Megan cheat.
- [13:53]
B
When we first started, got pulled down to Florida, and she was like, well, I think I'm gonna have to leave. And I was like, nah, I don't think so. I think, well, we're gonna chilling, though. And at the end of the day, we didn't know what we were doing. So it's like we had an idea. But now, confidently, again, many years later, I know what we can and can't do. And I know what realistic expectations.
- [14:18]
A
Yeah, absolutely.
- [14:19]
B
If you come to me with a full blown, hypothetically, a spa room that needs to be carved into ovals and 18 blocks, I have to know my limitations. I've learned. I'm gonna make you look stupid, Caroline. Maybe I shouldn't do that. So that's where, again, six years ago, I would have said yes.
- [14:38]
A
Right. And you probably would have pulled it off, but then you would have been like, I'm never doing that again. And those are the things that you learn, like, throughout the process. I agree. We've gotten to the point where we're like, actually, we just don't do that. So sorry. And that's, in my opinion, success.
- [14:54]
B
Yes.
- [14:54]
A
Is being able to say no to those Things. If you're excited about the idea and it's something that, like, you know, fuels you, that's one thing. But we'll have people reach out who. It's a project we definitely would have taken three years ago. And I get to say, I'm so sorry, it's not gonna work, period. And like, we don't, you know, I don't have to worry that I let that client go because there are no, like, there's. It's much less of a scarcity mindset that you're not having to take everything that comes your way. But you did at one point, which then makes you grateful for this time of not being like a scarcity. At least for me, that's one of the things we're also working on. Cause I do think it's hard to get out of that mindset of scarcity. Like, sometimes I'm like, yeah, we can probably figure that out. And Gracie's looking at me like, we literally have four people on the wait list. What are you talking about?
- [15:42]
B
I am so fortunate for these girls that work with me because, yeah, I would be putting us into a lot of holes. And they're just like, no, like, they're great.
- [15:53]
A
That can't happen.
- [15:54]
B
That's literally the best. Because I'm just like, yeah, of course they probably hate when I work up in the front. Cause I'm just, yes, yes, yes, yes. And then I'm like, oh, follow. I'm like, I don't know where that paperwork is. And they're gonna laugh at this because no, like me with Trello follow ups. No, but on the front end, I got it. No collaboration. I'm laughing because it's so mean.
- [16:12]
A
It's so me. Nothing would happen without them. There would be no follow. I got the ideas and that's where it ends. Thank God. You're an amazing.
- [16:22]
B
Rely on my memory and I don't know what's happening, but it's gone.
- [16:26]
A
Oh, mine is going. I feel like I'm 95. Shoot. Do you. Part of me hypothesizes that it is that we feel like we have to cram so much in that it's like knocking other information out. Like, it feels like there's only so much my brain can hold at any one time. Whereas when I was younger, it felt like I had way more room in there.
- [16:47]
B
As soon as you add something new, something old is out.
- [16:49]
A
Out.
- [16:49]
B
Yeah.
- [16:50]
A
Yeah. I mean, it's strange.
- [16:51]
B
We had a walk in, I guess, and she was very persistent. She worked with me and she walked around with me and she even called me out by name. Oh, wow. And I was like, okay, I am. I. Look, I used to be a server, right. I could take a 12 person table and remember all of their orders and no problem. This lady, I don't understand.
- [17:10]
A
It's like, I've never seen you in my life.
- [17:12]
B
Someone just gave me her number. I tried to Facebook her. I tried to, like, understand who she was. And then I was like, find a photo. And I'm like, okay, Kristin, just remember. Come on. I got nothing. Nothing. It's fine.
- [17:25]
A
It's funny because that sometimes happens. Like, if one of our videos goes viral, we'll get a ton of inquiries all at one time. And I would say 90% of them are don't turn into projects. But we do a lot of calls that, like, don't pan out. But then that 10% I can't remember of the people we talk to. So I'll be on the phone with them and I'll be like, fuck, yeah. Did they say that their dining room was wood panel or was it the other person I talked to? Like, it's impossible to remember. And. But clients do kind of expect you to because it's their one house. So to them, they remember every single detail because it's theirs. Whereas we have like, like eight of those. And so sometimes I have to be like, I am really sorry.
- [18:06]
B
Who are you?
- [18:07]
A
I don't remember. Like, I don't remember most of the time. People are okay with it. Sometimes people look at me like, do you need to be in a home? This can't be already.
- [18:16]
B
I was like, sorry. We talked to a lot of people.
- [18:19]
A
I'm so sorry.
- [18:20]
B
Do you have some of your, like, you know, when you guys were first starting out, like, your clients, they think you're still just doing this for fun.
- [18:27]
A
Yeah.
- [18:28]
B
And that they are our only project. You actually don't do anything. Right. You're just like sitting around waiting for them to call and then you remember everything. Yeah, cool. Yes.
- [18:37]
A
Yeah, exactly.
- [18:38]
B
I don't actually do anything all day.
- [18:40]
A
I have no other clients and I've never spoken to anyone else but you. Like, oh, my God, it is. And sometimes I want to say to people, listen, there can be an arrangement. Do you want to be my only client?
- [18:52]
B
That would be great.
- [18:53]
A
Million dollars.
- [18:54]
B
And we can arrange that.
- [18:55]
A
Like, whatever. Yeah, great. I'll name my price and we can. Because there are people.
- [19:00]
B
I talk about this all the time.
- [19:02]
A
We talk about this all the time. There are designers that work for one family, for Their whole career.
- [19:07]
B
Wow.
- [19:07]
A
And they do, like, the 16 residences they have, and they fly on their jet, and they. And frankly, hate. I would hate that, because I would hate the idea that someone has that much control. Like, I would feel like I'm working for someone at that point. And you're an entrepreneur.
- [19:22]
B
Well, your creativity is probably locked in. You don't have the opportunity. I'm sure if you have, you know, multiple clients, you're able to. I'm different, you know, than Grace. So however you design my, you know, living space.
- [19:34]
A
Exactly, exactly. We're able to change it up and in different styles and different challenges and contributions. Like, I love some clients have crazy art collections. They already have. And so to, like, design around that, like, there's always a new caveat and challenge, which is what makes it fun. Whereas if you were working for one family, I would be so. So, Ward, before we get to confessions, I want to talk about natural stone. And I want to talk about. You gave us some of your journey, which I love, and that is genuinely or so impressive. But natural stone, when did you guys make that shift? When did you really go to almost entirely natural stone? When did that become, like, part of your marketing and branding? And I have a lot more questions, but we'll start there.
- [20:16]
B
Okay, so great question. For me, I was trying to understand what the market was asking. Like, again, I would look at Architectural Digest or House Beautiful, and I see the most fabulous kitchens, restaurants, living spaces with full walls of natural stone, and it was just, like, the coolest pieces. And as I was trying to educate myself with what you were asking for, 2 cm versus 3 cm, which now we have 1 cm, and it's like, okay, what are we using these thicknesses for? And what are the pros and cons of them? And when I was. My past life, we. Everything was always three centimeters, because that was the market. And again, going back to, well, what is the market actually wanting? Right? So then you start to differentiate yourself with. I'm not gonna lie, you guys, I was selling, like, I don't know, 200, 300 slabs of gel, ornamental or steel gray. Do you guys remember this? It's like literally every planet Fitness has it in their. Yeah, like, this is our. This was my life. And so it was just like, okay, well, that's only life that I knew for so long. And I really loved the aspect of natural stone. I love the process of it. I do find it absolutely beautiful. At the end of the day, I have an art gallery pretty much what I have.
- [21:29]
A
No, actually, we Talk about that. I call it a candy store.
- [21:33]
B
I love candy stores, too.
- [21:34]
A
Because whenever I bring the clients and which I feel like, you know, this, we always start at a different stone yard. That is. How do I say this? Diplomatically? Not as good.
- [21:45]
B
I hear you.
- [21:46]
A
Diplomatic, but not as good. And then they're like, yeah, you know, we like some things. And I'm always like, okay, so there's a reason this is our next one. It's at a premium, and it's fucking worth it. So walk in here, know that this is gonna be one of the biggest investments in the project, but it is what is driving this entire project. And then they're, like, literally jaw dropped when they see your inventory. It is every color in the rainbow. Every. I mean, your selection is unmatched. Genuinely. I'm not just saying that.
- [22:13]
B
Cause you're saying that. I really appreciate the aspect that the natural stone or the design element becomes a focal point. I feel like it really can make a space, and great designers can help with the art pieces and the overall aesthetic of the entire room. And it really fits, and it makes it come to life versus it being an afterthought or I ran out of money.
- [22:35]
A
Yes, exactly.
- [22:36]
B
And at the time, we were trying to understand what you guys were wanting or requesting. And what was happening was that if you were like, you know what, Kristen? I really love this, you know, Calcutta turquoise, but I wish it had this. And so what was great is that I'm able to go back to Italy or wherever the material happens to be from and be like, you know what? There must be something else. And so if we had enough time with the projects, which, fortunately, most of them we do, we can find that actual, specific piece that your client and.
- [23:07]
A
You are wanting, which is going above and beyond.
- [23:09]
B
It's so great. And I feel like that's the opportunities I just didn't have. So I was constantly telling people, no. And then I got into a world where I was constantly like, yeah, let's make a badass room.
- [23:19]
A
Yeah, let's figure this out, right?
- [23:21]
B
Like, let's do a kitchen that's made on Architectural Digest. Let's push the boundaries with colors and different finishes and whatever you could possibly want. Because. Because at the end of the day, if your client is willing to pay for it, and, yes, that has a luxury to it. So then we kind of got into this corner of, we're really expensive. We're more of an exclusivity. But as the time has progressed, we're fortunate enough. Now, if you're like, okay, Kristen, I have this client who's a little bit more budget friendly. It's like, great, send me your mood board. And myself or the girls, let's be honest, the girls will come to me and they'll be like, okay, Caroline has this budget friendly. This is the mood board. What price points can we be in? And then it's like, okay, now we can source the materials to fit the price. Price point, yeah. Which has been a little bit backwards. But we had to establish ourselves to really accommodate that.
- [24:08]
A
When I was saying that, to be clear, I say it as we're in the luxury space. Our clients appreciate that. And I don't see it as a negative, that being one of the biggest chunks of a kitchen, of a bathroom. When we budget, we budget it almost to the level of millwork, like wall coverings and everything.
- [24:27]
B
After you pick this stone, typically.
- [24:29]
A
So the way I say it to clients is we're natural stone forward. And so we.
- [24:34]
B
I'm gonna trademark that for you, right? I'm like, Caroline Turner, stone forward.
- [24:39]
A
Because we will do our vibe presentation and then we'll talk materials. But when we do materials, I'm always saying, this is preliminary. We are taking this to the stone yards. But we might see something that shatters the entire design, and it is fine to scrap it.
- [24:55]
B
I love that. How fun, right?
- [24:57]
A
It gives us some opportunity to, like, let fate kind of step in and show us, which sounds so woo woo. But to show, like, what should be in there. And it's happened so, so, so many times. I'll walk through with a client and both of us will stop, jaw drop, look at each other and be like, this is the one. Like, it's like you're finding a wedding dress. It's like, any of that, it feels like. And this is really fucking weird. But when things come together in my brain and I know it's gonna work, I get chills. Like, legitimate body chills. And so now my clients know, and I'll be like, chills, Chills. They're like, okay, first of all, all, calm down. That's so weird. Second of all, I see them, but also, yes, let's get it. So it works out that that is like the piece that we center everything around. And I think our clients like that. Like, it ends up being nature is guiding the room, which is cool.
- [25:54]
B
And I think you always put it in a good way. Like, stone is one of the biggest investments that they're making on the project. And so, like, it's like you're buying a piece of Art. Like, you're gonna invest a lot of.
- [26:03]
A
Money in that piece of art. A functional piece of art.
- [26:06]
B
Ex. You want it to function with everything else. So, like, I love doing stone first, and, like, it's. Yeah.
- [26:12]
A
Being so important.
- [26:13]
B
It's a talking point. I mean, at the end of the day, that stone had a journey. Right. I know it might sound lame, it might not, but it's like, if people would really take into consideration how much work and effort that that one piece has for that island, it's like the journey that that slab took to even get there is incredible. And, like, to even wrap your head around something like that, it's like, wow, it really helps.
- [26:35]
A
I really appreciate it.
- [26:36]
B
Yeah.
- [26:36]
A
Until you took us to Italy, which is another thing I want to talk about. How did you get the idea to take designers? Because it's fucking changed.
- [26:43]
B
It changed everything.
- [26:44]
A
It changed our business, personally.
- [26:47]
B
So I'll be honest. So I obviously go to Italy quite a few times, and every time, I would be like, oh, I'm leaving tomorrow. And, you know, you guys would be like, oh, do you need someone to take your bags? Or whatever? No joke. That's, like, the number one moment. So. And then I was like, do you want to go? And then all of a sudden, people were like, yeah, I'll go. And I'm like, okay. So again, it's like, well, there's asking to do this. Clearly, there's a need for this. I mean, I can't even tell you. The first time that I saw Corey, it was just like, oh, my God, you can't even understand. And the first one I saw was Crema Marfil in Spain. It was all one color, but very exciting anyways. But that being said, it just, like. It is unbelievable then to get all the way into somebody's home and see, like, this Crema Marfil tile. It's like, wow. The journey, the amount of people, the fact that a whole town is supported by the people who are working in this quarry, and it's just like. And then it comes down to, you know, oh, it's, you know, tearing up the earth or whatnot. It's not. I can assure you, not in the next, you know, 500 years we'll even see any sort of debt or, excuse me, depreciation, detriment. I don't even know what it is. I get what you're trying to say.
- [27:58]
A
But also, I. I've been asked that before, and so I didn't have that education until we went to Italy, and that was a big Big discussion point for all of the people we spoke with was making sure that we are taking care of the earth and what it is because it's providing this lovely material. We need to make sure we're being extremely responsible. The Borghini quarry told us they can only take out so many slabs a year, which is why it is also at such a premium. But I think. I think people are so upset about the environmental implications, but that is why it's so expensive. You can't be upset about both. Right. And so if we want to. Right. Like if we want to take care of the earth and if that is a priority, we need to work with Coreys that are putting that at the forefront, which means they might be a little more expensive, which is okay. It is okay and worth it. Right?
- [28:51]
B
I agree. I'd agree that it should be worth it. You're gonna love that part of the home. You're gonna love that part of a cool bar. Like that is something that again, I feel like it has that natural element to it. It's just. Everyone gravitates to that.
- [29:04]
A
Another thing I wanna address, a common misconception about natural stone is that it is less durable than quartz, which I dare even say that word on this podcast. If you don't already know. I am a outspoken quartz hater. There's a thousand reasons why. The main one is that it's ugly, but the second one is that it kills people. So there's lot that you can look up. I recommend the LA Times article that discusses this. But essentially, very long story short, the cutting of quartz creates silica because quartz is made from silica, so it puts silica into the air. The people who are cutting and installing breathe it in and then it creates silicosis, which is essentially drowning from the inside out. Sorry to put it that way, but I feel like I need to be that specific to make people understand this is not ever worth using. And if we all stop using it, they stop producing it.
- [29:59]
B
Yeah, correct.
- [29:59]
A
Like we have the ability to stop this if we all. Which I understand I'm not talking to every designer in the nation. I wish I were. But like, this is one thing I'm so passionate about because it feels like such an easy change to make also would make our world a lot more beautiful like that. You know, let's be honest, that's my main consideration. But I do think as we, especially in the luxury space, are talking about spending this much money on a house. When I go in a house that's $6 million and they have Quartz countertop kill me. I want to scream.
- [30:30]
B
I question sometimes that, like, you shouldn't.
- [30:32]
A
Be allowed to be a developer. I'm so sorry, but that is.
- [30:35]
B
What.
- [30:35]
A
What are you doing? Okay, I'm sorry. So I got off on a tangent about quartz, but the durability. One thing that we say a lot, or I like to say to our clients is that I love natural stone. Because every person you love that's in your home, touches, feels, leaves their imprint on it. And the age and how you let your stone age is like a reflection of a well lived life. And that you have people who love you and that wanna spend time with you. And maybe there's an etch because your loved one left a glass on the counter without a coaster. Like, I love that. That is so meaningful to me. And I feel like when we've put it in that way, clients really seem to understand that. But what would you say about durability of natural stone and how we sort of move forward with almost exclusively natural stone?
- [31:24]
B
Well, I always used to say if they put quartz in, it's job security for me. Right. So in the next five to six years, they're coming back. I mean, at the end of the day, courts is just buying technology similar to your iPhone. It's just going to constantly keep evolving. I think there's a space for everything. It's not necessarily our realm. For Korea's back standpoint, it's not our specialty. We've kind of stayed out of it due to the fact that everybody has it. What I can say about natural stone is that there is a billion dollars in an industry that is meant to scare people out of natural stone. So that has. What has transpired coming from radon in the natural stone. So everyone should rip that out. Is literally when quartz entered the market.
- [32:07]
A
Interesting.
- [32:07]
B
They needed something, right? So then it was like, okay, it doesn't have radon, but then it's antimicrobial or whatever that was. And then it was like, oh wait, we need microbes, so we shouldn't say quartz is antimicrobial. And then it was like, okay, well then what's next? Well, fast forward in the process. Only thing that that did is it made the sealers and all of the precautionary things people might want to use to protect their natural stone kept advancing. So over the last, you know, 20 years, I've seen a sealer where we're like, yeah, maybe you should seal it once here. Maybe you should. I don't really know, but let's. It's Very vague to Now. We're to the point where, like, now I have a sealer as long as it's sealed properly. Really not worrying about staining whether it's on marble or quartzite. Certain quartzites are different. They are sand based. Total.
- [32:51]
A
And I mean, a dolomite is a different discussion for sure.
- [32:55]
B
Yeah. And so all of them are different. Sealer. There's additional sealers that, you know, your clients could purchase. There's even warrantied sealers against etching. So it really just depends on the level of peace of mind that the client wants to invest in from a staining standpoint. I swear to you, I am not a delicate flower. I beat the crap out of my house and all of my finishes, and that's how it should be. I'm a poster child for not sealing anything. I probably shouldn't say that. Solid sealer.
- [33:23]
A
So, I mean, I use your. Which. That's the other thing. Tangent. But your stone spray.
- [33:28]
B
Oh, it's amazing.
- [33:28]
A
Everyone right now go to, like, when I tell you my mother, who lives in Valdosta, Georgia, knew we worked with you, went online, found your stone spray, and, like, evangelizes about it. She told me.
- [33:41]
B
Okay, I need to bring some butter.
- [33:43]
A
She's also so triple Virgo and ocd. Sorry, Mom. And like, oh, my God, she's obsessed with this cleaner. She tells me about it all the time.
- [33:50]
B
All right, well, mom has lifetime supply.
- [33:52]
A
I buy cases every time I come. We give it to our clients every time we install your countertop.
- [33:56]
B
Okay, I'm gonna bring some of that over.
- [33:57]
A
Like, we're obsessed with it. Genuinely. I use it at my house. We have bottles here. I take them home.
- [34:03]
B
Oh, good. Oh, my gosh. Well, it does. It does really work.
- [34:05]
A
It really helps my mom, actually. Yesterday we were with her, and she said, I have not had one single problem with my countertops. So we have not had to have them resealed in four years. Three and a half years. And it's because of the spread.
- [34:18]
B
Oh, my gosh.
- [34:18]
A
I'm not just saying that.
- [34:19]
B
What does she have?
- [34:20]
A
She has marble. Marble.
- [34:21]
B
That's great.
- [34:22]
A
Crazy.
- [34:23]
B
Love that, Mom.
- [34:23]
A
And they're on a farm. And, like, they're also, you know, I mean, she's.
- [34:27]
B
She's using their kitchen.
- [34:28]
A
Very clean. But they're using their kitchen. Absolutely. Like, everyone should.
- [34:31]
B
They should. Yes.
- [34:32]
A
And I. It's the same thing with, like, drink that bottle of champagne, use that nice candle. Like, why are we spending money on things if we're not gonna enjoy them? And durability is A piece of that. But also patina and age and history is also a piece.
- [34:46]
B
Agree. I agree. I mean, I can tell when I left something out overnight or if I came home from the grocery, left everything sitting on there, like, you know what? That's life.
- [34:55]
A
Yeah, exactly.
- [34:56]
B
I'm not a poster child. It's fine.
- [34:59]
A
Architectural Digest is not coming to my house right now to take a photo.
- [35:02]
B
Yeah, I mean, they would definitely filter it. It's not enough. Edit. Oh, God.
- [35:08]
A
Same. Do not worry. I. I mean, obviously you are an expert in natural stone, and I feel like people should start looking to you guys for that kind of stuff, because, I mean, at least for Chicago, when we want natural stone, we go to you.
- [35:21]
B
I appreciate that. You know, at the end of the day, my whole point was to just re educate the market.
- [35:26]
A
Yeah.
- [35:27]
B
I just felt a lot of misinformation was out there. And still, till this day, people come in, I'll be like, oh, I can't put marble in my kitchen. Yeah, like, okay, well, FYI, 70% of the projects we do are marble and kitchens. If you want me to help you with that misconception, I am happy to walk through that. If you don't, I'm cool with that. Like, you just tell me the level of. Of comfort that you want to be in, and it's been fine. It's just one of those, like, understanding that your countertops will not come alive at night and attack you. Right. Like, that, I think, is the level of, like, people are so terrified of marble, but yet all you see in every single magazine or every Instagram is marble. And then you're like, well, they're doing it. Well, like, you should do it. If that's what you want, then you should do it also.
- [36:12]
A
Not only that, everywhere in Europe, marble everywhere. And we're all Americans are going to Europe on vacation. Don't you want to feel like where you live also feels that way? Great. Bring some natural stone in. Like, why are we using concrete and composite and plaster anyway?
- [36:29]
B
Every restaurant that we've been doing, fortunately, all marble everything. And it's just like, I just love that.
- [36:35]
A
Me too.
- [36:36]
B
It's stunning. It is stunning.
- [36:37]
A
I also think, longevity wise, not to bring up my mom again. Sorry. Obsessed. Okay. So early, early, early on in my career, before I'd even started the firm, my mom and I did a small project together. And she was adamant. No natural stone. We were doing quartz. It was at the beach. So she wanted it to be, like, really durable. It's the only counters we need to rip out like, they are chipped. They don't hold up to heat. So how are they allowed to make these claims that, like, quartz is the most durable when in our experience, it's not?
- [37:08]
B
You know, I'm not a professional with quartz. I don't know all the ins and outs of it. That's the main thing. I just know it's not aesthetically pleasing to me. So it's hard for me to be like, like, you guys should sell this material, you know, and it's hard for me to tell, you know, my team. Also the same thing. And I'll never forget same thing in my past life. It's like, we're gonna have a court sign now. And I was like, that's great. I love that we have a court sign. Tell me why we're better than all the others. If you can tell me why we're better than all the others, I will stand behind that, and I'll be proud to stand behind that. But I still don't have an answer.
- [37:41]
A
Yeah.
- [37:42]
B
So again, that's not saying that there's not a place for it. It's just one of those things, like, I have to be. I want to be an advocate for it. You know, I have to have passion for it because that's again, I'm just trying to educate the market. If I can't educate on that, it's like, I don't know how to do it.
- [38:03]
A
Okay, well, before we get to confession, what's your vice?
- [38:08]
B
Ooh, my vice. I am a huge trash TV fan. Love it.
- [38:14]
A
Love it.
- [38:14]
B
On a Sunday. Eight hours on the sofa. I mean, below deck needs to come back. Why is it not.
- [38:20]
A
Oh, my God. Okay, so are you fully plugged into all of them? Are you, like, doing sailing? I killed it.
- [38:24]
B
Done.
- [38:25]
A
I just finished sailing on the plane. Sailing?
- [38:28]
B
Yeah. I think they have a new. I don't know. I have to wait, but I think there's a new one. There must be.
- [38:33]
A
I saw some hope, so.
- [38:35]
B
I know it used to be before the 90 days or 90 day fiance.
- [38:39]
A
Oh, 90 day fiance.
- [38:40]
B
Oh, my God. That was a time suck. But amazing.
- [38:43]
A
The amount of shows they have in that universe is so out of control, it's insane. But also, you are not the only person that has said this. I wonder if there's a correlation. I mean, our jobs are not that serious, but, like, I love just hearing other people fight and having to deal with other people.
- [39:00]
B
It's a checkout, man. And I just really want to. Renting a rut.
- [39:04]
A
Yeah, right. That's why I'm working because one day I'm going to rent a yacht and I'm going to be really nice to them.
- [39:10]
B
That's what I always do. I agree. I agree. That's a good one. We have to make more time for ourselves. Yeah, a little bit.
- [39:16]
A
I mean, I. That's.
- [39:17]
B
Sundays are my day.
- [39:17]
A
That's a constant struggle. Sundays are also my day. I try to keep things isolated and you need a rot day at least like once a month.
- [39:26]
B
Oh, yeah, at least. Great.
- [39:28]
A
Otherwise, one day I'd just not power on. I just wouldn't be able to continue. Continue, continue, continue. Okay. I love it. Well, let's do a confession. I'm so excited. So I was working on a high end kitchen renovation project. I had a great client, someone who truly trusted my vision, which always makes the process smooth. After weeks of browsing different stone showrooms, my client and I found the slab. It was a beautiful creamy marble with these elegant pink and purple veins running through it. Ooh, my favorite. It had just the right mix of luxury and warmth. My client absolutely fell in love with it. It was perfect for the kitchen and I was excited to bring it into the design. Great. Sounds good so far. We decided to move forward and I contacted the stone company to hold the slabs. The company agreed and assured me everything was good to go. I put the slabs on hold in writing and was just awaiting client funds set to go ahead with fabrication and installation. And I was feeling confident that we were on track. Feel some foreshadowing.
- [40:30]
B
Okay, I'm ready.
- [40:32]
A
Couple of weeks later, everything was moving along as planned. Or so I thought. I had my client's kitchen and all the details lined up ready for the stone installation. Then one morning, I was casually scrolling through Instagram while sipping my coffee when I saw a post from another designer there. It was a gorgeous kitchen and guests. It had our slabs. The exact ones I had put on hold for the project. My heart dropped. Sounds crazy that I would recognize the slabs, but they were that special. I immediately called my stone rep. I tried to stay calm, but honestly, I was freaking out. Yeah, I would have been too. Imagine having to make that call to your client. Oh, my God. When I asked what happened to the slabs, I was told that they had been sold. Sold to someone else. My slabs were gone. I couldn't believe it. I had a hold on them. How could this happen? Okay. After digging a little deeper, I found out that the other designer who used my slabs was working with a different rep at the same stone company. And here's the thing. The other rep was in a huge ongoing feud with my rep. What? It turns out in the middle of this drama, my slabs were sold out from under me. They were so caught up in their personal rivalry that the other rep secretly coordinated with her fabricator to pull the slabs away from my project and sell them to the other designer without even notifying me. Me.
- [41:53]
B
Someone lost their job.
- [41:54]
A
I would hope so.
- [41:56]
B
That's what it sounds like to me.
- [41:57]
A
My God. It was honestly unbelievable. The other designer had no idea what happened. They were just doing their job. But I was caught in the middle of some petty, unprofessional back and forth between reps, which, God, nothing more frustrating. Cuz reps are supposed to aid you in making the sale. And in they. Wow. They completely bypassed my hold, worked behind the scenes and snagged the slabs. All of that hard work and planning and it was all undone because of two people who couldn't get along.
- [42:29]
B
Gross.
- [42:30]
A
I'm so flabbergasted because it's like how, first of all, you're in this position. Like, this would be like Megan and one of your girls feuding. That would never happen. You would never let it get to that point where it would ever affect a client.
- [42:48]
B
And first, even if that was happening, I don't air our dirty laundry. Absolutely. That's another thing. Like, look, we all have junk drawers. Okay?
- [42:56]
A
Right. Yeah, of course. Things happen.
- [42:58]
B
Things happen. However, that is not okay. No, that's just not okay.
- [43:04]
A
I mean, that's how you lose the trust of all designers. Because we were just talking about how we're so natural stone forward. And that is why these slabs are so important in the specific slabs. Because we'll have clients look at three lots of Calcutta turquoise and they only like one lot. And there are two slabs left. And it is, you know, and that's what everyone wants. But it. It is the rep's job to protect their client and make sure that they're getting what they put on hold and presumably put money down for. That's my other question is like, is there money attached to this? How does that work? Oh my God. This would never happen. But what would you do if you.
- [43:45]
B
Found out this was that she would be gone.
- [43:47]
A
Yeah, yeah.
- [43:47]
B
I mean, that's not even a question. Question. Fortunately, I've never had something like this spiral out of control for us. When materials place on hold. Sometimes we probably sound annoying if we're like, hey, Caroline, do you need this? Do you need this? You need this? And then if you're like, yes, yes, yes. You know, communication is key.
- [44:05]
A
Yeah.
- [44:05]
B
For us, it's like, if I haven't heard from you in, like, five to six weeks, that's when I would probably be like, hey, you know, Megan, you can take this material. I haven't heard back from Caroline. And we will send that email. Email. Like, we haven't heard from you. At the end of the day, I love Stone, but I can't just collect it. I need.
- [44:22]
A
No, of course you have to sell it. So.
- [44:25]
B
But that is gross. That is not a team mentality. That is not okay. And it's also not okay for. I wouldn't assume that that dirty laundry would be aired. You know, that's a little messy. It also makes me wonder if it was true. She's just trying to sound like she's saving the day. She's saving or there's more to that story.
- [44:46]
A
Well. And I wonder if it's one of those things that's like, it was going through the industry grapevine that she found out or if her rep told her.
- [44:55]
B
That's what I mean.
- [44:56]
A
I feel like they're up.
- [44:58]
B
If the rep told her that. That is kind of gross, too.
- [45:00]
A
I get.
- [45:01]
B
I don't know which one's worse.
- [45:02]
A
I would know. It's so hard also, because, like, I guess part of it is like, well, if that person was fired, I would probably want to explain to the client, like, here's what happened. And because of that, we let that. Like, we handled it. But I think that would. Only we have clients that.
- [45:21]
B
It's like me putting my problems on you, you know?
- [45:25]
A
Yeah. I guess I think at the.
- [45:27]
B
At that moment, my only job is to find you, fix the problem. Fix the problem. Like, yeah, this is my problem. That's gone. I'll worry about that later. Right now, it's like, where do I find that pink, red, perfect slab.
- [45:40]
A
Yeah.
- [45:41]
B
Go away or subside.
- [45:43]
A
Maybe it's because our clients are. They want to know, like, why something went wrong.
- [45:48]
B
Yeah.
- [45:48]
A
Yeah, but I hear you. I mean, I think with how close knit our team is and how closely our clients work with us and how they know us, if something to that level happened in my company, can't fathom it, but if it did, I would let that person go. I would call the client that was affected and be like, I'm really, really, really sorry. Here's what happened. I've handled the situation. Not, like, give them all the dirty details, but just be like, I'm so sorry this affected you. We've solved the problem. Here's how I Can fix it for you, but I think maybe because there's some space there, like, it's not. Designers work with you. You know, people go direct with you, but you're not like, in our homes. We're not like, bonding to that level. I mean, we as designers have when we go to Italy and all of that. But you know what? I think there might be, like, more of a duty to your client from our side. Whereas from your side, I guess I don't know if I would want to know or not. I would probably just be like, it's to your point. It's not my problem. Just solve it.
- [46:53]
B
Just figure it out. But.
- [46:54]
A
So I think you're right. I think with that, I just wonder.
- [46:57]
B
If there's more to that story there.
- [46:59]
A
Probably there normally is, Right? There's three sides.
- [47:02]
B
How do I make myself look good? For selling Caroline Slab?
- [47:05]
A
Yes.
- [47:06]
B
For double.
- [47:07]
A
Yeah.
- [47:07]
B
I don't know.
- [47:08]
A
Because someone dropped the ball is what it sounds like. Someone picked it up and that. I think the person who dropped the ball is trying to save themselves. Yeah, you're right.
- [47:18]
B
That is what it's implying. They came up with this fabulous story, though.
- [47:23]
A
Well. And if it's not true, throwing someone in your company under the bus is wild. What a choice.
- [47:31]
B
That bus always comes back. It's just not worth it.
- [47:34]
A
No, it is not. Not at all.
- [47:36]
B
Wow.
- [47:36]
A
That is okay.
- [47:37]
B
That's a fun one, right?
- [47:39]
A
I was furious. Not just because I lost the Slabs, but because I felt completely blindsided. There I was, trying to create a beautiful project for my client, and I had no idea I was being played in a game I didn't even know existed. And to top it off, the other designers rep didn't even care that I was left holding the bag. I had to explain the situation to my client, which was honestly one of the worst parts. No one wants to have that conversation, especially when the issue is so out of your control. We managed to find another slab, thankfully, something that was almost as beautiful. But it wasn't the slab. My client understood, but I could tell it was still a blow to both of us. We had gotten so attached to the original stone, and it felt like a big setback. I still can't get over the fact that I was tangled up in this petty feud between reps, and it cost me the one thing my client was most excited about.
- [48:24]
B
That's a bummer. Yeah, that's a bummer.
- [48:26]
A
It is. I feel like, you know, it sounds like it worked out, but it is one of those things that you look back on as a designer, and you're like, how could I have avoided this? And it doesn't sound like they could have. And that's a disappointing piece.
- [48:40]
B
Okay, let's talk about it. How could you have avoided that?
- [48:43]
A
I mean, if we're talking our team, because we're so natural, stone forward, we tend to, like, prep our clients ahead of time. Let's talk about Calcutta turquoise, because that is, like, the hottest material right now, and especially because you guys have the best slabs of it. Anyone of Calcutta turquoise. I know there's, like, an insane amount of competition. So, like, a real life example is that we put slabs on hold. You guys were like, we need money within two weeks or we have to release these. You told us that up front. I was able to then work with my client. How much do you want this? You know, obviously, we have to work with the fabricator, and that is Lauren. Shout out. We love you. But if we're ever working with another fabric queen, it takes a little bit longer.
- [49:26]
B
It's a queen.
- [49:27]
A
She is like, we love her so much. We just saw her, like, last week. I'm obsessed. You know, if we're using another fabricator, it can take, like, a week plus to get a quote. So that can be, like, the tricky piece of it. And I do think when you're working with so many people, like the triangle of stone, supplier, fabricator, client is a little tricky. Can be tricky. I should say. My recommendation would be to pay more for your fabricator and find someone you trust. Laurent's for various. If I can recommend. But genuinely, like, I know she has our back, and she will always, you know, call and fight for us and make it work if she can, which is admirable. And what we've been saying from, like, a problem solving perspective, I think I would have worked with Lauren to tell her, okay, the client has a. Like, really communication. I would be texting her, client approved, waiting on money, and then she would be getting back to you guys. This is all but, sure, we're waiting on money. And then at that point, you guys would. It's. It's. It's done. And then unless, you know, God forbid, something happens, and then you release them to the next person.
- [50:34]
B
But it's God, communication for us. It's communication. Don't get me wrong. When a homeowner would walk in, we do stress the urgency. Like, I mean, hypothetically, Taj Mahal, you know, I mean, at this point, it's like, we need to know. But they're working with a designer who understands the Process. Working with a great fabricator always helps keeps the communication going. I would love to say that our turnaround time is five days, but if I could get lucky in five weeks and have a for sure, like, okay, now we know what's happening thing. But if silence goes in between there, that's when it gets really muddy. But I agree. Designer GC and a great fabricator just makes everything so much better.
- [51:18]
A
We've had clients say almost every time. Because we also, like, work with pricing. We understand price per square foot. We do our own slabsmith drawings now.
- [51:28]
B
Wow, look at you.
- [51:29]
A
Because we're checking other people's not Lauren. We never have to slab Smith for Lauren, but. Sorry, it sounds like she paid me to say her name so many times on this episode. She didn't, but we got brought onto another project. The fabricator was through the contractor.
- [51:44]
B
Okay.
- [51:46]
A
Said we needed more material than we did and was, like, bloating the quote by a lot. And I looked at it and I was like, there's no way this is right. Cause I understand. Generally speaking, I can see a space and be like, we'll need probably two slabs. We'll need three slabs. Whatever. I'm not always, but I'm. I can get pretty close. Yeah. Um. And so we did all of our own drawings and realized we had, like, double the material that we needed.
- [52:11]
B
Ouch.
- [52:12]
A
Yeah. So can you. I mean, can you imagine?
- [52:18]
B
Yeah, yeah, actually, I can. I understand.
- [52:21]
A
I can, too, because at this point. Oh, my God. But I do think with being natural stone forward, that is something that we do stress to the client. Like, we're here early in the process, technically.
- [52:31]
B
Sure. Yeah.
- [52:32]
A
And so this is one of those things that you have to be ready to invest in once you see it, you like it. We can't wait around for three months to make this decision. It just doesn't work that way.
- [52:42]
B
Thanks for understanding that.
- [52:43]
A
Yeah, of course.
- [52:44]
B
I mean, it's definitely something that we try to really stress the importance of. As soon as the material's paid for, whether it's by you, the homeowner, however you guys typically work, we'll move it into storage and then we hold it for the duration of the project. Because, look, I get it. You want to start at the beginning, and I also like. You also get it? Like, I just need to sell the material so that I can reforecast. Absolutely.
- [53:05]
A
Yeah.
- [53:06]
B
What we're bringing in, so it makes sense.
- [53:08]
A
I mean, you have so much inventory, you have to keep it moving or you wouldn't be able to switch anything. Out. I think also one of the keys is like, I know what material is really hot right now, and I know what we don't have to push on. And so we try to, like, only focus on the ones that I feel like other people are after so they.
- [53:28]
B
Don'T feel like, so no more. So, like, this is it for a minute. The quarry is like, that part of the quarry is just under snow right now. So typically shuts down every six months.
- [53:38]
A
So that there was also, like, almost a year and a half where we didn't have tinquoise.
- [53:44]
B
Right.
- [53:44]
A
Because we bought, like, one of your last labs, put it in someone's house. It was in a magazine. I had so many people ask me.
- [53:50]
B
And I was like, couldn't find it.
- [53:51]
A
I don't know. We don't know. We don't know where to find it.
- [53:55]
B
Which a rare gem.
- [53:55]
A
I mean, it's. Is what people love about it. Same with, like, Opera de Rosa, the slabs out of France. Like, oh, my God, the way that I want to do a kitchen. Oh, my gosh, do it.
- [54:06]
B
Let's just do it. I don't even know.
- [54:08]
A
Can someone donate their kitchen? Great.
- [54:10]
B
Lauren has to do some special, like, millwork. Like, I have a kitchen for us.
- [54:14]
A
Actually, Gracie's scheming for volunteer employee kitchen to get a little better. And I don't blame her.
- [54:21]
B
I love that.
- [54:21]
A
Oh, my God. Okay, well, we'll do some quick penance. I think that's the reps deserve penance versus, well, maybe they all do.
- [54:28]
B
She just got caught. I don't know what the real story is. It's unfortunate for sure, especially because it is a natural product and I can't just reproduce it. I think that's the hardest thing, you know, I wish I could invent a slab stretcher that would, like, solve a lot of pressure.
- [54:43]
A
Oh, my God.
- [54:44]
B
So that would be amazing. I'm waiting on that. And then second would be, you know, I can't just reproduce things. I had the nicest couple in yesterday, and they were the sweetest, and all they need are, like, two more slabs of something that I physically cannot get. And it was just like.
- [54:59]
A
It just kills you because there's nothing.
- [55:01]
B
You can do and there's nothing I can do. And then it's like someone asked another question. It was like, you know, if I only get this part of the project from you, and I get everything else, I'm like, look, at the end of the day, it's natural stone. You're gonna go to five different places, and you're Gonna see five different. Lots of. Let's say, Carrera. Yeah.
- [55:18]
A
Yeah.
- [55:18]
B
And then you're gonna love the one that you love. I can't. All I can make sure is that you have a great experience, that we've upped this whole process. It should be an enjoyable process. It is an investment. It's a huge part of a project. I always go back to, like, you know, at the end of the day, most people are doing this once.
- [55:37]
A
Right.
- [55:38]
B
So they're doing this once. They should have an enjoyable experience with this whole thing.
- [55:42]
A
Yeah.
- [55:43]
B
You know, I look back, my. If my parents were to walk in to a place like this, and I'm like, hey, who's your fabricator? Who's your gc? They're like, I don't know.
- [55:50]
A
We don't know what you're talking about.
- [55:52]
B
And that's why it's like, they end up at places that they probably shouldn't end up at because they're just. They feel like they don't belong. And it's like, that's where we need to stop. Like, everyone deserves to have this luxury.
- [56:02]
A
Absolutely.
- [56:03]
B
You know, it's like, you worked really hard for it. You should. And you should enjoy the process, whether it's one slab or it's a full house.
- [56:08]
A
Yeah. 60 slabs every. It's a big investment either way.
- [56:12]
B
Right. I do think they should. They should have someone, A sounding board. Yeah. I've been a. I've been a counselor for a few of them, but I do think it's, like, free. Like, it's like.
- [56:21]
A
Me, too.
- [56:23]
B
That goes back to part of. Of the description of your job.
- [56:27]
A
Yeah, exactly. Oh, I'm a therapist.
- [56:28]
B
Yes.
- [56:29]
A
I will say. One time I was at your stone yard and I was talking to the clients and they were asking about maintenance, and I was like, yeah, like once a year you can seal it, blah, blah, blah. And I was like, you know, like a luxury car, it needs maintenance. And he looks at me and says, well, I have a Tesla. They don't need maintenance. I was like, okay, well, they're going.
- [56:46]
B
To buy an allegiance, I guess. I don't know. Pretend it's a Lamborghini. I don't know what to tell you, but, like, I got a new car. It was at the dealer more than I had it. I was like, you know what? It's loaners, like, working out great. My God. Oh, my God. My Mazda, though, always shows up. This car, I can drive. It will keep going.
- [57:06]
A
I have a Toyota, and she's so reliable. Like, I'm. I used to have a BMW, broke down constantly, got a Toyota. She's. I mean, my literal ride or die amazing. Okay, well, some quick penance for the reps, please. Get a grip.
- [57:21]
B
Yeah. Oh, that is so childish. I don't have time for it. I just don't.
- [57:25]
A
How are you in your company? You're all on the same team. If you hate each other that much, someone needs to make a change. Like, you're toxic for each other.
- [57:35]
B
Yeah.
- [57:35]
A
And for your client.
- [57:36]
B
There's so much business out there, there's so much opportunity that you can take on to have a feud within your own office walls. When at the end of the day, your only goal should be like, wow, what cool project? Who can do this? Who's going to sell the next five slabs of Calcutta choice. Like, that's a great goal, Right. I've always been goal incentivized. Like, this is the challenges in life to have a feud with someone in my own office. It's just. It's just.
- [58:04]
A
It's unimaginable. It's unimaginable.
- [58:06]
B
I find it so childish. Yeah, yeah, yeah. Can't relate.
- [58:10]
A
Maybe a therapist also could be helpful. Because if you're getting in feuds as an adult, seek help. Like, look inward.
- [58:17]
B
You're going behind your co workers, behind back.
- [58:19]
A
Like, yeah, there's something. You're missing something in your life. You're unhappy in another way if you're willing to do that to someone. I say that to literally every single one of these. But that's okay. I think it's true. I think it's true. Next one, next one, next one, next one.
- [58:39]
B
I'm excited about this. Oh, my God. Okay, let's do it.
- [58:43]
A
Hi, I'm Rachel. Hi, Rachel. I'm Rachel.
- [58:46]
B
Hi, Rachel.
- [58:46]
A
An interior designer. Thank you. And I've got a story that still makes me cringe every time I. It happened at a stone yard and involved a new stone rep, a couple of lawyers, and, well, something that should never have happened. I was working with a couple on a full home renovation. They were both lawyers, smart, meticulous, and very particular about everything. Naturally, I was doing my best to ensure every detail was perfect. We were at the stone yard, choosing the slabs for their entire home.
- [59:14]
B
This is real.
- [59:15]
A
The client was already excited about the project, and we were narrowing down our options. Everything was going smoothly until we met a new stone rep. We'd never worked with her before, but I assumed things would be fine. I was explaining the difference between honed and polished marble finishes, when out of nowhere, the rep licked her finger and ran it down the slab to demonstrate the difference.
- [59:39]
B
Oh, cute.
- [59:40]
A
You read that, right? She licked her finger. I froze. My clients, already a bit skeptical, exchanged horrified glances. The wife actually gasped and the husband just stared at me like, is this really happening right now? The rep, oblivious to how uncomfortable the situation had become, continued as if nothing had happened. As you can see, the polished finish would make the stone appear darker. She said, clearly proud of her demonstration. Meanwhile, I was mortified. I tried to recover quickly, redirecting to another slab, but the damage was done. For the rest of the meeting, the mood was tense. My clients were polite, but clearly put off by the incident. Afterward, I had to send a follow up apology to my clients. The whole experience was awkward, to say the least. Needless to say, we worked with a different stone yard. Moral of the story. People are weird. I do think that is probably the moral story.
- [60:32]
B
Gross. Like what?
- [60:34]
A
I understand what she was trying to do, but also, typically at a stone yard right next to polished one, I.
- [60:41]
B
Was like, literally like, you can I.
- [60:43]
A
Do that every time you go to a stone yard, illustrate honed leathered polish, you can find a slab. They're usually each of those things, oh, my God. So I need to start licking. It's also because, like, you don't know who's a germaphobe. And like, I have some clients that like, would literally be like, we are not working with these people. Because who knows what's going on behind the scenes if they're licking a lab in front of us.
- [61:05]
B
Look, I've done tons and thousands of appointments, right? Walk through demonstrations, telling the stories, different materials. Let's take soapstone, right? Soapstone's the number one thing that, you know, we need water to show, really indicate the differences. I have never licked my fingers to show. But I mean, every time, every time I look at soapstone and I have this conversation with someone, I'm gonna think of this. Absolutely. I'd be like, should I? No. I still don't slick it a little bit. The irony. I don't know if you girls remember, you're probably too young, but there was a commercial back in the day with like Volkswagen and it was like they were running out of cars on the. And so, like, that's what people would do. They were running to the car and like, licking the handles because it's like, it made it like theirs. And so any. That's funny, but like, so the other day I literally said to someone, I was like, oh, it's like, it's Taj Mahal. You should just go lick it. I literally said that. And it's like, never mind. Nobody knows that.
- [62:04]
A
Definite foreshadowing.
- [62:06]
B
So then, yeah, now we're talking about it. So that's great.
- [62:09]
A
Oh, my God. That is so funny. Oh, my God.
- [62:12]
B
That's not. In our training practice. We don't train anyone new to lick.
- [62:16]
A
I can't imagine girls walking through with us and being like, oh, no, now.
- [62:20]
B
It'S gonna be a thing. And we're gonna YouTube that or whatever and discuss that. And that's going on.
- [62:24]
A
TikTok.
- [62:25]
B
Yeah, TikTok. That's it. Oh, my God.
- [62:28]
A
Oh, my God. Well, that one made me giggle. I loved it.
- [62:31]
B
That's a new one.
- [62:32]
A
Yeah. I don't. I mean, you know, penance, I would say, for the stone rep is maybe take a course. Take another course.
- [62:42]
B
We don't need to lick anything, actually.
- [62:44]
A
Maybe just carry, like, a little water bottle around with you. If, like, water is necessary for the demonstration, put some gloves on.
- [62:50]
B
Don't you wonder if she learned it from someone, though? Yeah. And that's what I want to know. Where did she first get that idea of all things? I would have never thought about doing that. Like, did she see someone do that?
- [62:59]
A
So maybe we're the weird ones that we thought that. We think that's weird, but I don't. I would definitely be proud of that. But you own a stone yard. No one's doing that on your team.
- [63:12]
B
Not here, but perhaps there's always. Sometimes.
- [63:18]
A
There'S a little bit for everything, I guess, you know. Oh, my God.
- [63:22]
B
That's funny.
- [63:22]
A
Pittance for the designer push to work with the rep that you like.
- [63:26]
B
Yeah.
- [63:26]
A
If you can. Like, when they call, you know, we'll be like, can we talk with so and so, so and so and so and so? Just obviously sometimes people are busy, but just because you know them, you know what to expect.
- [63:37]
B
I love it. Yeah. And I really do try to let you know, you take the lead because that's at some point, like, I don't know what's been discussed with you and your client. Like, if you want me to describe the difference between honed and polished, I'm happy to do so without licking anything. And it's just like, at some point, it's like you just tag team me in. And I really do enjoy the client designer walkthrough of the warehouses. Those are my favorite appointments, to be honest.
- [64:03]
A
I mean, it's my favorite thing. And I do like to. Because I. At least for us, I've been educating them throughout the Whole process on natural stones. So I can be like, remember when I said X that here's an example of that, remember? And so you're right. I think you guys do a great job of almost, like working with us. And we're tag teaming and how we talk about things and it makes you guys seem really good, it makes us look really good, and we all walk away happy.
- [64:28]
B
Yeah. There's nothing worse than if you're like, marvel's gonna come alive at night. And I'm like, look, at the end of the day, you're taking the lead. I'm just gonna be like, that's all you, babe. I'm like, all right, don't say anything, Kristin. You got it, Pret. Just keep smiling. Keep clicking. Shit. Yeah, fine. Yeah.
- [64:51]
A
Oh, my God. Oh, my God. Oh, my God. We're almost done. Thank you so much for being here. This has been so fun. I've had the best time.
- [65:02]
B
What are we going to do the rest of the day?
- [65:04]
A
Oh, my God.
- [65:05]
B
Right? We just all hang out there. I'm out of the warehouse. I don't get out much. I feel like a dog within my window, you know, it's literally my life. Life right now.
- [65:14]
A
We're going to close out with CTI's tagline is Interiors that make you feel. What's something that made you feel in the last couple weeks doesn't have to be design related. It can be anything.
- [65:23]
B
Oh, wow. That is a huge question. But it could also be something simple, like, well, I'm turning 40 this year.
- [65:31]
A
Wait, are you.
- [65:32]
B
Wait, there's no way, by the way, I would have this happening. I've accepted. I started accepting it, and so now I'm in the process of, like, it's insanely good. Yeah.
- [65:41]
A
I mean, 40 is not old for 40. That implied that 40's old. It's not. But, like, I would have clocked you at 32.
- [65:49]
B
I think I was, like, in fear of it. And now I'm to the point where, like, I'm here, I'm turning 40. Yeah. I've never been to Napa, so I'm really doing. I would like to. And so I was talking with someone. I'm like, I'm gonna pretend it's a work trip and I'm just gonna tell everyone. And I'm like, let's go. Let's go to Napa. Yeah.
- [66:06]
A
Wait, you gotta do the hot air balloons.
- [66:07]
B
What?
- [66:08]
A
The hot air balloons in Napa.
- [66:09]
B
I don't even know what you're talking about.
- [66:10]
A
Yeah, you can get in a hot Air balloon at dusk or dawn, and they take you over all the vineyards and Napa, and they do like, a. But it's like the. A thing. Like, they do a bunch of them that lift off all at one time. I feel like that would be the coolest thing to, like, bring into your 40th.
- [66:26]
B
Yeah. So that's my. That's my. I guess that's what I've accepted over the last couple weeks.
- [66:30]
A
Oh, my God. Wow.
- [66:31]
B
Yeah.
- [66:31]
A
That's so exciting.
- [66:32]
B
Happy early birthday.
- [66:34]
A
Birthday.
- [66:34]
B
Well, it's not till November, ladies. I got it. But I've accepted it. Wait, what.
- [66:39]
A
What day is your birthday?
- [66:40]
B
The third.
- [66:41]
A
I'm the fifth.
- [66:42]
B
Oh, I know. You're another Scorpio.
- [66:44]
A
And I love all Scorpio.
- [66:45]
B
We have a lot of. Yes, I have a Scorpio. Also, I'm a Capricorn. Oh, my gosh.
- [66:50]
A
Which works. I feel like I didn't even know.
- [66:52]
B
Like, too much about all of this. But I swear to you ladies, so out of the, you know, 18, 19 people we have, I think 12 of them are all Scorpios within that first week. I'm not even kidding. Oh, my God. We had three girls that were all on the same day at one time, so.
- [67:06]
A
Oh, my God. I do have a lot of Scorpio friends. I feel like Scorpios kind of find each other and we all congregate. I love that. How did I not know that? I love that. That was great. Okay, before we go, where can we find you?
- [67:17]
B
Oh, gosh. Well, I'm always in Elkro Village. No kidding. So, yeah. So obviously. Kalistone.com I believe. And our. I don't even know Instagram is a thing. There's like, six of us on there. Otherwise, just call me, text me, message me. Somehow someone will find me and try.
- [67:36]
A
To make it out to the warehouse because it is worth.
- [67:39]
B
So fun.
- [67:39]
A
A walkthrough.
- [67:40]
B
So fun.
- [67:40]
A
Inventory is beautiful.
- [67:41]
B
Thank you. Thank you. Welcome. Thank you, ladies.
- [67:43]
A
Thank you for being on. This was so much fun. So fun. Okay, well, thank you all for listening. I am so grateful as always. Please ride in with your crazy design stories. Only a couple more episodes this season until next week. Peace be with you.
- [67:59]
B
Bye.