Blogs: A Great Design Resource!

 I have started to get announcements from vendors about their blogs, the latest being Schumacher. 

Schumacher

I hadn't really thought about exploring vendor blogs until recently--since I started my own blog (smile).  They are a fantastic design resource!  
Since I began surfing blogs,  I now see websites  as a formal and fairly static internet resource, and blogs as an outlet for current news, thoughts and observations.  Vendor blogs are great because they are talking about their passion (like every blogger) ----which is their product!   What's really nice is that they also link and discuss other design sites and products that you might not find out about otherwise.

Maison 21's favorite Schumacher fabrics

For instance, Schumacher's blog recently had a post about Traditional Home magazine's new interactive weblink.  You know how you look at a photo spread in a magazine and wonder where the products you like can be purchased?  Well, you can now go to Traditional Home's website; they have linked the items in the issue's room photo to the vendors!  It works great--they even have paint colors linked!  As a fabric and furniture manufacturer, Schumacher is interested in  this because it can be a link back to their product--a win-win situation for both customer and manufacturer!

Traditional Home

Another blog I like is Circa Lighting's.  First of all, I love their lighting products! 

Circa Lighting

Which makes me want to know more information:  how does a particular light look in a room, what about sizing lighting correctly? What other inspiration and ideas do they have around lighting?  What new products do they have and what designers do they like?  It's all here!

Finally, a shout out to my sister's company's blog for Dominion Electric Supply - "Enlightening"!  A great resource for what's up and coming in lighting, presented in an easy, conversational form.  It is very different from their website which is more technical in nature.

Get out there and blog!