Let’s Get Uncomfortable!

At Spade and Archer we are constantly thriving to become the best version of ourselves, professionally and personally, and sometimes that means getting outside our comfort zone. We sat down with Amy Romberg of Windermere, co-host of Behind the Yard Sign and Justin Riordan, Spade and Archer Founder to explore how they each are stepping outside their comfort zones.

Amy is learning all about her new career in real estate

In this season of Amy’s life she is allowing herself grace as she is constantly learning about real estate. After leaving a comfortable career where she had reached the ceiling of growth she took the leap into her new chapter of real estate. She speaks on how when we become comfortable we become complacent and how she is constantly looking for the 'next thing' that can help her on her journey of growth. Amy states, “we have the opportunity to learn so much as we step outside our comfort zones”. It’s when we step outside of the things that make us comfortable that the possibilities around us become limitless.

Justin in headed to Belize to learn to Scuba dive with his husband for their 20th anniversary.

As Spade and Archer grows so do the opportunities for Justin to step outside of his comfort zone. He touches on the growth of the company and the shift he has experienced as a result. This shift has allotted him the time to pour into his self growth. He shares, on a personal level, how he is taking scuba lessons so he can go scuba diving on his 20th wedding anniversary in Belize with his husband. Which is quite unfamiliar territory for a man of habit who vacations the same city, hotel, and even room twice a year. He shares how stepping away from things that are familiar and comfortable "Forces us to ride an edge where there’s so much learning and growth and vulnerability that takes place.”

So, next time you are given the opportunity to co-host a podcast, learn something new or grow into the next version of you don’t hold yourself back because it’s uncomfortable and unfamiliar. Take a leap and do it BECAUSE it’s uncomfortable and unfamiliar. You might just be surprised what you learn along the way.

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Spade and Archer Secrets

Spade and Archer has had a rich history since 2009. During that time an awful lot of folk lore and tall tales have been spun around our storied little business. Here's a collection of some of those fun facts about your favorite home staging company. From the origin of our name, to all the easter eggs we leave behind, to how we avoid putting fake items in our houses…

WHAT’S IN A NAME?

Spade and Archer was named after the work place of the main character, Sam Spade from the The Maltese Falcon. His partner, Miles Archer dies in the first paragraph of the book. Poor Miles. Our founder, Justin Riordan, was living at 891 Post Street in San Francisco, California when he read The Maltese Falcon for the first time. The novel was not only written in the very same building by author Dashiell Hammett, but also the main character Sam Spade also comes home to 891 Post Street after investigating Miles Archer’s murder. That’s how Spade and Archer Design Agency was named. One of the many mysteries surrounding our colorful company culture.

891 Post Street in San Francisco

HONORING OUR CORE VALUES

At Spade and Archer we talk an awful lot about our core values. Every once in a while you can find a Scrabble game, shopping list, or stack of books that gives clues as to what we hold dear. Keep an eye out for these four words: Graceful, Adept, Tenacious, Thoughtful.

Check out the words on the board, they tell a story about how we tick.

CALLING CARDS

We love to leave small clues, or “easter eggs” that we have been in a house. Next time you are in a staged home and find a typewriter in place of where a computer would go, be sure to check the script left behind. If you spot page 17 of The Maltese Flacon you are sure to be standing in a Spade and Archer Home Staging. Also, near that typewriter there is most likely a tin of brand new No. 2 pencils with perfect erasers.

The typewriter both replaces the fake computer and holds the script from the Maltese Falcon.

As you wonder into the kitchen and near the open cook book you spot a vintage radio you can also be assured Spade and Archer has been there. Not only are these vintage radios out on projects, Justin and his family enjoy this tradition in their home as well. Every morning it takes five minutes or so for the antique “tubes” to warm up in the radio before the day’s headlines float across the air and mingle with the smell of cooking bacon and brewing coffee.

Antique radios can be found in most of the kitchens we stage or in collections filling a bookcase.

REPLACING THE FAKERY

One principle Spade and Archer abides by is ’No Fakery’. No blow-up beds, no fake TV’s, no fake computers. If you are staring at a wall were the TV would normally go and you spot artwork, take a step back and look for a projector near by. This fun throwback replicates were the TV would go while inviting you in on joke of it not being there.

The antique projector and art work takes the place of the fake flat screen monitor.

Next time you are in a staged home be sure to look for us, Spade and Archer, around every corner. We will let you know we have been there in the smallest of details. Here are a few shots of Easter eggs we have left behind, see if you can spot them. The answer will follow.

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LET’S PLAY!

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Kitchen upgrades that add value to your home

While we all love a good kitchen remodel, sometimes it’s hard to know where to start; what to invest in and which upgrades will add the most value to your home… down the line. Spade and Archer has compiled a list of the top 5 kitchen upgrades (with some special tips) that they have seen add the most value to a home.

Painting the cabinets can make an old kitchen new again.

1. Paint the cabinets

Wood species and stain trends come and go faster than you can say "knotty pine”. The one color of cabinets that never goes out of style is white. When it doubt the fastest way to make over a kitchen with the biggest visual impact is a gallon of white paint and a bit of elbow grease. We love Benjamin Moore’s Superwhite in semigloss for the perfect white paint, but this will greatly depend on the white paint already in your house, so choose carefully.


Updating the cabinet hardware can help modernize the look of a kitchen.

2. Replace the cabinet hardware

Cabinet hardware is the jewelry of the kitchen. Changing it will make the largest visual impact with the least amount of effort possible. A simple screw driver is all you need to freshen up a dated looking kitchen. Be careful though, there are various “spreads” available for hardware. Be sure to measure from center line to center line of the two screws to find out what size you will need to replace the existing hardware. Buying the same spread will save you tons of work drilling new holes and patching the old ones. Trust me, you are not going to want to skip this step.

New counter tops can be both beautiful and functional.


3. Replace the counter tops

Older countertops made of wood, tile or laminate can not only date a kitchen, they can also make it difficult to prepare beautiful and tasty meals. Newer materials available like quartz, marble and granite can be lower maintenance and higher performance. Beware, sticking with nuetral colors, and solid patterns will stay in style longer than colorful or hight patterned materials.

A neutral backsplash will make it easy for the next family to envision them selves in the home.

4. Replace the backsplash

Back splashes serve the purpose of preventing splashing on the wall at the back of the countertop, thus the name, backsplash. Utility here is going to be of paramount importance. While stick-on versions can be fast and convenient, they may not stand the test of time. Keep your selection, neutral and pattern free. This can certainly be a place to add fun details, no matter how tempted you are to install the back painted accent glass tile, don’t.

New lighting can add a bit of sparkle to any space.

5. Update the lighting

Lighting trends have changed over the years but a few things have stayed the same. Color temperature is of upmost importance here. Stay away from “Day light” fixtures usually defined at 5000K. Install only “Warm White” fixtures usually defined as 3000K. This more yellow light will feel warmer. As far as style, keep it simple, too much decoration will pull attention way from your beautiful new counters, cabinets, hardware and backsplashes.

We hope you enjoy these tips and tricks and can’t wait to see what upgrades you do in your kitchen. Be sure to tag us on instagram and share your before and after photos!

Core Value Series: TENACIOUS

At Spade and Archer, our mantras surrounding our core value ‘TENACIOUS’ are as follows:

We understand our whole is greater than the sum of our parts.

We are diligent, reliable, loyal, hardworking, dedicated.

We have an unforced yet commanding presence.

We are determined, tough, willing, able.

We never complain needlessly.

We value strong leadership.

We encourage teamwork.\

Thank you for following along with our core value series, this week we will dive into our fourth and final core value ’Tenacious’. At Spade and Archer we embody tenacity through our determination, diligence and dedication. We understand that in being tenacious we have an unforced yet commanding presence that sets us apart and elevates us. While diving into tenacity and true grit we couldn’t think of anyone better to share with you than our dear friend Dana Austin of Cascade Sotheby’s International Real Estate.

Dana Austin’s story begins in Los Angeles as a girl who loves shoes and takes her on a journey through self discovery as she becomes highly sought after in the world of big name footwear designers. Dana pivoted career's and successfully entered the wold of real estate 24 years ago. She shares with us how she successfully went through a brand change to the hard lessons and the wins she has faced as a realtor.

When asked about the challenges of changing her name and rebranding herself Dana states, “I could have kept Griggs but it wasn’t authentic to me. And I kind of live my life with no fear and said you know what I have got to do this […] It’s my job to tell my client’s where I am. It’s my job to tell my client’s where to find me and what my name is.” Her tenacity and confidence ensured that the transition was seamless and successful.

As Dana reflects on how she felt beginning her real estate career in a city where she hardly knew anyone she states, “I wasn’t afraid because I knew if you applied the same customer service and business partnership strategy that I would make money.” She was determined to be successful and willing to put in the hard work it was going to take to get there. Dana’s first year as a realtor she sold 49 houses.

As her career flourished she found her passion teaching younger realtors. She headed a mentorship program that teaches real estate agents invaluable career lessons and helps them elevate their game. As she builds her team at Cascade Sotheby’s she mentions how she believes in fostering others businesses more than her own. She understands that the whole is greater than the sum.

Dana is someone who has the desire to do things different and through her tenacity has made her vision and passion a reality. She shows up in service of others as do we here at Spade and Archer and that is one of the many traits we admire about our friend Dana Austin.

To hear her full episode of Behind the Yard Sign, click here.

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Core Value Series: GRACEFUL

At Spade and Archer, our mantras surrounding our core value ‘Graceful’ are as follows:

We are honest without being brutal.

We are cool under pressure.

We adapt quickly.

We are humble.


Grace is our most difficult core value to achieve on a daily basis. Grace not only applies to moving furniture but also how we interact with people. We never know when our grace will be tested, and we must call upon this core value on a moment’s notice. Being graceful means not only providing others with the grace to make mistakes, but to also allow ourselves the grace to make those same mistakes.

So what does it mean to be Graceful? When everything is going right, it is very easy to be graceful, even for the most clumsy person. But when things go wrong, our grace is truly tested. Every day in the world of home staging our ability to be graceful is tested and every day we strive to meet our standard of grace. Whether an item is broken or a client is upset, we use grace to smooth out the rough edges. We do our best to be honest without being mean, delivering messages that both need to be heard and can be difficult to hear. When a client does get angry, we do our best to stay calm and collected. We try to understand that the anger is mostly likely due to being in a high pressure situation and more than likely not a direct result of our actions. We learn from the situation at hand and adapt quickly to meet the needs of the moment and we try to take it all in stride without being too full of ourselves.

We had an opportunity to sit down and chat with one of our most graceful clients, Ruth Price. Ruth has had the opportunity to change markets twice. Starting in Bend, Oregon, she then moved to Portland, Oregon and most recently to Phoenix, Arizona. As we all know building a business from scratch can test even the most graceful person and Ruth has handled it beautifully.

Ruth has been a fantastic client for well over 10 years. As a result of the countless lessons in grace we have learned from working with her over the years, we feel that maybe you would want a chance to meet such a lovely person. Take a listen to her episode of Behind the Yard Sign by clicking here.

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