Making Mistakes Work : Other people’s blunders in household furnishings can save a bundle for the canny shopper.
When a decorator first touted Designers’ Bloopers to me in the summer of 1991, it was one small and very crowded store, jammed with a classy selection of home furnishings and accessories. Now, nearly four years later, it has tripled in size and is still jammed with a classy selection of home furnishings and accessories.
When owner Carmel Matteson conceived the idea for Designers’ Bloopers, she was managing a showroom at the Pacific Design Center, where some of the decorators placed their “mistakes” on a consignment basis. When the inventory kept growing, she realized this could be the basis for a business and opened up shop.
“Most items were too big, too small or too tall,” says Matteson. Since decorators have to “eat” mistakes, it’s better for them to get some return than choke on the error. So the bargains are great. A nine-foot-wide entertainment center with a built-in, pop-up TV, bar and storage cabinet that was originally $4,000 is tagged here to move at $1,100.
A 10-foot down sofa by Rudin was on its way to a penthouse condominium, but it wouldn’t fit into the elevator; thus a $6,000 sofa can now be had for $2,100. Just measure everything first--it may not make the turn on the stairs.
There can be a multitude of reasons why something ends up here. The wrong dye lot is the reason a sofa and matching pair of Mr. and Mrs. chairs with an ottoman from the National Upholstery Co. are selling for $2,700, instead of the original $8,000. Same situation with a matching sofa and love seat that are now $899--marked down more than $2,000 from the original $3,000.
Matteson also buys up liquidated stock from manufacturers and retailers, and those purchases account for many of the unusual accessories. Furnishings from model homes or condos also find a haven at Designers’ Bloopers. A handsome cherry entertainment center by Heritage that came out of a model home in perfect condition was tagged at $975, about $2,000 less than the original retail.
Styles range from rustic casual to sophisticated elegance. The inventory is eclectic and one-of-a-kind, and the pieces move fast. Recently, as a guest on my radio show, Matteson mentioned eight Lucite directors’ chairs that were going for $1,300 (original price $800 each), and they were sold in a matter of minutes.
All items, including accessories such as bronzes, candlesticks and paintings, are tagged below wholesale. A group of hand-painted, three-panel screens with a wholesale price of $600 and retail of $1,200 carry a “Bloopers” price of $375.
While it’s a few of this and a little of that at Designers’ Bloopers, all is fine quality and reflects Matteson’s impeccable taste. Some pieces are most unusual, which may be why they’re here, or perhaps the client who ordered them fell upon tough times and couldn’t accept the order.
Whatever the reason, it’s a bargain hunter’s paradise and a source any tasteful shopper should check on a regular basis. You’d better believe the decorators do.
* Geri Cook’s Bargains column runs every Friday in Valley Life! Questions about shopping may be sent to her, in care of Valley Life!, Los Angeles Times, 20000 Prairie St., Chatsworth, CA 91311. Letters will not be answered individually, but topics of general interest will be discussed in future columns. Geri Cook can be heard from 9 to 10 a.m. Saturdays on KIEV 870-AM.
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WHERE TO SHOP
What: Designers’ Bloopers.
Location: 12600 Washington Blvd., Culver City.
Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Tuesday to Saturday, noon to 5 p.m. Sunday.
Cards: MasterCard, Visa.
Call: (310) 398-9396.
