Inspire Me!: It's a Whole New World

Friday, August 20, 2010

It's a Whole New World

I thought I was just a girl working in a family business - a mom, a sister, a wife, and daughter. But here I sit on a new frontier, looking out into the great abyss that is the future of interior design and thereby my professional future as well. It is a world with so much at yours and my fingertips. Published and sought after designers readily give tips to all on their blogs and websites, rare furnishings are available online (at all hours), and home makers get to be right in the midst of that. It is a wonderfully dynamic time for this industry.

I am excited about what lies ahead and I smile at the future as it takes shape. We are working to create a new space for you both here in the blogosphere, as well as in our storefront. Our goal: to be a resource for you, to be a place for you to will come formulate your own design ideas, and to be a mecca for all things INSPIRED here in Raleigh and beyond.

The most glorious part of this world we live in (and decorate) is that it never ceases to Inspire Me. From the fabulous new designs of 27Ground, to the amazing colors of Quadrille fabrics, to the energy of my 4 year old - there is inspiration everywhere. I want Eatman's to be a place that INSPIRES. But just as much, I want Eatman’s to be a place that is INSPIRED by the wonderful things happening in the world of design and in the lives around us. Beauty abounds! And so, as I launch this blog and announce this new direction of Eatman’s, I do so with a heart that hopes you will come along for the ride. It will be more fun (and inspired) with you along.

Betty

About vanCollier

Established in 1995, vanCollier began as an antique and interior design firm. With backgrounds in art history, fine arts and decorative arts, vanCollier marries old world elegance with contemporary design. The married couple behind this firm-on-the-rise is Beth and Chris Collier, who work together on their wide range of projects domestically and abroad. Their philosophy: Use traditional influences to create sophisticated and approachable environments. Says Beth, "Rooms should be masculine and feminine while conveying both traditional and eccentric details."

To contact Beth, email her at vancollier@suddenlink.net

About Eatman's Carpets and Interiors

Eatman's Carpets and Interiors is my family's business. My grandfather, Bill Eatman, opened its doors in 1957 in Downtown Raleigh as a design studio/upholstery workroom selling high end fabrics, wool carpeting, and wallpaper. My father, Woody Eatman, the current president, followed in his father's footsteps joining the family business after school. Years later, with her Design degree in hand, my mother was hired as a designer by Eatman's. My Dad and my Mom fell in love and married. Over time, Eatman's became a innovator in the world of flooring creating computer systems specifically for the industry as well as adding to the business a supply and installation divisions. Fast-forwarding through my arrival and my sister's, the business is now a hybrid of the past and the present. We continue to be a leading supplier of carpets residentially and commercially, and we continue to expand into the world of interior design with new fabric, furniture and lighting lines. But more than all that, it is where our family hangs its hat. It is, in every sense of the word, a labor of great love.