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Resources for traditionally styled home details

By Mary Shafer

Learn what potential customers are interesting in and talking about on message boards, discussion forums and chatrooms online:
• ImproveNet – Home and Garden; Hardware & Specialty Products http://www.improvenet.com
• B4Ubuild – Newsgroups and discussions about homebuilding, home repair, design & construction http://www.b4ubuild.com/resources/dejanews.shtml
• The Homestore – American Spirit at Home http://homestore.com/Specials/America.asp
• Discussion Boards http://homespeak.homestore.com/forums/

Find out what the pros are recommending to homeowners:
• HGTV's Don Vandervort's Hometips – Home improvement advice, buying guides, DIY tip sheets, more http://www.hometips.com/help.html
• 4Anything.com – Home Improvement Consumer Tips, resources for materials and installation labor http://www.infospace.com/info.four/constips/homimptips.htm

Whether they’re your suppliers or your competitors, you should know what direct mail retailers are offering, and what kind of demand they may be driving. One very good resource to check out is the Rejuvenation Lamp & Fixture Company’s just-released thirteenth edition catalog. Although the majority of their customers are historic home restoration enthusiasts, they maintain a fair share of non-historic DIYers to whom the traditional designs and materials of their offerings appeal.

In addition to lamps and other lighting fixtures, Rejuvenation offers customizable fixture configurations, shades and accessories such as wall switches and cover plates. Again, detail is the watchword.

Solid brass fixtures are available in three groups of finishes, ranging from polished and brushed brass to antique brass with burnished, matte, mottled or verde colorations, to rich gold gilt, antique pewter, brushed or polished nickel plating. Shades can be bought in clear, satin etch, blue cased, green cased, amber etch, tinted, or opal coloration. Other models are available in a full range of colors and styles using American-made Art Glass and mica. Switchplates come in metals matching the fixture choices, as well as several enamel and porcelain styles, and reproduction push-button switches are charmingly authentic, right down to their pearl inlay buttons.

Check them and others out at:
• Rejuvenation – traditional lighting & fixtures http://www.rejuvenation.com
• Restoration Hardware – in recent years has branched out from strictly hardware and fancy plumbing fixtures to include lots of other items of interest to the serious nest builder http://www.restorationhardware.com
• American Home Supply and Heritage Lighting – traditional solid brass hardware and decorative lighting and fixtures of every description (408-246-1962)
• Roy Electric Company – reproduction period lighting fixtures (800-366-3347) http://www.westfieldnj.com/roy
• Victorian Storm Doors– offering Victorian, Colonial, mission, Arts & Crafts and standard style wood storm doors (856-546-1882) http://www.victorianaeast.com
• Coppa Woodworking, Inc. – wood screen doors of many styles (310-548-4142)
• Vintage Wood Works – interior & exterior architectural details (903-356-2158) http://www.vintagewoodworks.com
• Designer Doors, Inc. – offering era-inspired garage doors (715-426-1100) http://www.designerdoors.com
• Americana – Authentic reproduction wooden Colonial blinds, and wood louver and raised panel shutters in Colonial, Georgian and Plantation styles (800-269-5697)
• Vixen Hill Manufacturing Company – Custom Cedar Shutters (800-423-2766) http://www.vixenhill.com
• Chicago Metallic – Interfinish Traditions stamped metal ceiling panels (800-560-5759) http://www.Chicago-metallic.com
• AA-Abbingdon Affiliates, Inc. – Prestplate stamped metal ceilings, walls and accessories (718-258-8333) http://www.abbingdon.com
• Snelling’s Thermo-Vac Inc. – Decorative plaster- and metal-look embossed polymer ceiling tiles, corners, mouldings and strips (318-929-7398)
• Erie Landmark Company – Custom cast bronze & aluminum address & recognition plaques (800-874-7848)
• Healy Brothers Foundry – Custom cast bronze, aluminum & brass plaques (800-626-3229)