| Field Trip |

February is always a great time for markets in Nashville. The month started with the esteemed Antiques and Garden Show, followed by the Tailgate Antiques Show on the 17^th-19^th. The Tailgate event always offers a variety of truly unique and funky items which is exactly why a few of the R. Higgins team ventured to the Tennessee Fairgrounds last weekend. With Roger as our vivacious leader, we shopped from booth to booth making deals, winning battles, and working the ins and outs of antique shopping…

Ladies and gentlemen, straight from the Antique Master’s mouth, here are some helpful hints for antique shopping:

1.       Start with a list of what you are looking for, and then throw it away.

When it comes to antiques what you need is never what you find, so just go for the pieces that catch your eye. It’s the one-of-a-kind items that you stumble upon that draw interest and bring unexpected elements to your home.

Also, always look at the “good stuff” even if you can’t afford it. This trains your eye to recognize great pieces when they’re hiding amongst the not so great things.

2.       Do your research.

Ask around and shop with recommended dealers. It’s important to know who you are buying from and that their reputation is satisfactory. Carefully check a piece’s general condition and structure before you buy. If you see flaws, don’t hesitate…negotiate.

3.       Consider your setting.

If you want the best, go for it, but make sure you are able to maintain the standard of the piece. That gilded Italian console for a family room used by the dogs, kids, and crazy aunts may be a mistake. One soda can ring and it’s never the same.

4.       Go big or go home.

Scale plays a significant role when it comes to antiques. Spend money on a large unique piece instead of a handful of small objects. Your purchases should help make an impact in your home, not turn it into a cluttered collection of odds and ends.

5.       Don’t be intimidated.

Going to market can be intimidating to the novice, but don’t let fear get in the way of going after what you want. Educate yourself on the buying process and ask the dealers questions. A good dealer will take pride in offering as much information on their products as they can. Most of all go with your instincts and enjoy the experience.



| Presenting |

After 16 years of functioning as a top design firm named R. Higgins Designs, you are probably wondering why the sudden change of identity. Well the answer is simple- just like everyone's houses, we thought we could use a little freshening up.

As the rest of society progressed into the digital age over the last decade, we were inundated with work and, frankly, content in our old-fashioned ways. However, we are eager to finally be moving into modern times. Like they say, if you arrive late to the party it is easier to make a big entrance!

With this new brand, we plan to fully join the 21st century. Step one: teach Roger how to use a cell phone. Hopefully, after that skill is perfected we can move on to emailing, facebooking, etc. (after all, word on the street is he's getting an iPad!). We ask that you be patient with him as he will be a little slow at first with all of these things. Also, please keep his supportive staff in your thoughts, for they will be the ones attempting to broaden his horizons. If you've had the pleasure of working with or knowing him, you know this process is going to prove to be quite the challenge. But we are confident that we will be able to pull it off. If all goes as planned, we will have Roger Higgins (yes, the same one that still types with one finger) tweeting and posting pictures with the best of them before 2012.

So basically, becoming R. Higgins Interiors provides a fresh slate for our business. We are excited to embark on this new adventure and invite you to tag along. It's sure to be entertaining, especially if a certain someone ever learns how to post a blog...

| Our First Post |

Hello, all! We are thrilled to finally be joining you on the internet to share ideas, musings, and inspirations in the blogosphere. It was our 2011 resolution to begin this online journey and we couldn't be more excited about connecting with all of you!

Our company R. Higgins Interiors is based in Nashville, Tennessee where we have a plethora of clients, a beautiful antique showroom and an ever-expanding interior design business. Now that we have introduced ourselves, we can get to the fun part! We will be posting a couple days each week to keep you updated on all of our current projects, random thoughts, and anything else we feel you might enjoy. So, visit often and stay awhile!

When we aren't blogging, you can find us here:

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