Sprucing up with decorating franchises

Sprucing Up With Decorating Franchises

Home centers are large warehouse-type stores that sell furnishings and home-decorating supplies--usually at a lower price--but generally offer none of the extra services, such as planning and installation.Shock is a medical condition in whichthe circulatory system collapses. The pet will have rapid shallow breathing, a fast feeble pulse, dilated pupils, and cold legs, ears and tail. Factors that can cause shock include: poisoning, excessive blood loss, and allergic reaction (to a drug, for instance), or an injury, such as being hit by a car.For larger cuts, especially on a leg,apply a tourniquet between the wound and the torso, tightening it until the bleeding stops. Be sure to release the tourniquet every 10 to 15 minutes to prevent gangrene. A large gaping wound requires immediate veterinary attention because excessive blood loss may cause shock, and possibly death.two small sticks, to keep a broken legfrom movingIt's almost impossible for a discount chain to call itself a full-line store without offering a substantial curtain assortment, yet merchandisers who buy the category are getting more and more pressure from management to improve productivity for the sizeable in-store space these displays often require.The coordinated lines will consist of curtains -- the curtain, valance, tier and the topper. In textiles the line offers towels, mitts, pot holders, dish towels, tea towels and place mats. In housewares there will be a 20-piece dinnerware set, a four-piece canister set, a mug tree, a ceramic utensil holder with utensils, a three-piece mixing and storage set, a wooden napkin holder with salt and pepper shakers and a spoon rest.If your pet starts acting sick--mopesaround, loses its appetite, vomits, has diarrhea --and you don't know why, call the veterinarian.Decorating Den's franchisees do not have shops; they have vans containing samples of fabric, wallpaper and floor covering that they can bring to a customer's house.There's no question about the value offirst aid for your injured pet. Keeping the pooch or other pet in a stable condition until medical attention is available provides a better chance for recovery and may even save its life. For anything but the most minor injuries, though, first aid is only an intermediate step. So, remember: Take an injured pet to a veterinarian as soon as possible.Though home-decorator franchisors tout this higher quality and personal service, interior decorators and other groups in the industry have raised questions about the franchisors' levels of expertise.Animals with symptoms of overheatingshould be placed in the shade. To bring the body temperature down, sponge or spray the pet with cold water. If possible, immerse the animal in cold water. Heatstroke is life-threatening, so the pet should be taken to a veterinarian right away."At the American Society of Interior Designers convention last year, their president talked about the many people out there who need $100 curtains and who are being completely ignored by members,' says Bugg, whose wife is a member of ASID.Poisoning is hard to diagnose becausethe most common symptoms (vomiting and diarrhea) can be caused by many conditions. If you see a pet eat a poisonous substance, check the product's package for instructions about what to do for accidental poisoning--whatever is suggested for humans can usually be applied to pets since treatment for poisoning generally is specific to the poison. If the poison is a petroleum product, acid or alkali (such as motor oil or dishwasher detergent), do not induce vomiting; give a few spoonfuls of milk, olive oil, or egg whites to reduce absorption of the poison. If the poison is a chemical like aspirin, antifreeze or insecticide, do induce vomiting by giving equal parts hydrogen peroxide and water with an eyedropper or teaspoon. It's best to check with a veterinarian before giving other drug antidotes such as syrup of ipecac or activated charcoal. Pets that like to chew should be kept away from poisonous chemicals and house plants. (See accompanying chart for some common household items that can poison pets.)"We're selling more than product. We're selling service,' says Joe Esposito, vice president of Four Seasons Greenhouses in Holbrook, N.Y. "We have salesmen who will come to your house, and they'll generally have the ability to make a drawing that shows how our product would fit.'Norma Devito, vice president of Aberdeen's curtain and kitchen division, said, "We are doing totally coordinated kitchen curtains, kitchen textiles and total ceramic houseware and dinnerware. Nobody under one roof has ever done this. We are doing something that is hot as hell and the people we have shown it to feel the same way."The overheated animal pants excesivelyand may faint within just a few minutes. Initially, the lining of the mouth is bright red as the body tries to cool itself by sending blood to the head. Later, if the circulatory system collapses, the gums become very pale. Vomiting may occur.Innovative Fixturing, Coordinated Kitchenware Promise Growth and Excitement for CurtainsPHOTO: Lido Mazzei, up, sales for Lees Curtains, explains the advantages of the firm's new fixture.cotton ballsNever try to take an object from thethroat of an unfamiliar animal.The franchisees provide a blend of merchandise and services: window treatments and bedroom accessories, unfinished furniture and greenhouses, cabinets and bathtubs, carpeting and shelving, candles and fragrances, wall-paper and tile.WOUNDSConceivably, some retailers may use the two Aberdeen coordinates to create a whole new sub-category in their stores. Their strategies may become clearer soon after market week.CHOKINGeyedropper or teaspoonNot all veterinarians agree that pets inshock should be kept warm. But since an animal in shock should have immediate medical attention, it's a good idea to keep the pet comfortable and warm on the way to the veterinarian.

Photo: Today's busy, double-income homeowners don't want to spend their limited free time on do-it-yourself home projects. Increasingly, they are turning to custom home-decorating franchises such as Susan Howe's Decorating Den, which brings samples and a consultant's services to your door from the back of a van.

Author: Don Shipley