A Few of Our Favorite Things with Eric Berkey

Welcome Burton James to Scottsdale

C.A.I. Designs is proud to represent Burton James in our Scottsdale Showroom. The Burton James line is now represented in all FOUR locations.

Burton James was formed in 1983, with a mission to provide hand-crafted upholstered furniture with the premium on customer interaction and service. It’s three founding principals, all industry veterans, each brought their own specific talents to the company.

The company’s commitment to quality product and superior service has stayed true to its founding mission. 30 years later, Burton James has one of the most loyal customer bases in the industry.

Join us at Desert Design Days

THURSDAY, NOVERMBER 30th

as we welcome
Mark Landres, Creative Director of Burton James together with Philip Chavez, Buyer/Merchandiser of C.A.I. Designs as they present a panel discussion
TRENDS IN THE MARKETPLACE

Lunch will be served at 12:30pm
Presentation will follow at 1:00pm

CLICK HERE TO REGISTER

A few of our favorite things

Meet Victoria Larsen | Scottsdale Customer Service Representative

Education/certification

Brief History of your work experience. My first job, at age 9, was setting up the breakfast room and making waffles for guests at my mom’s hotel. Since then, the majority of my work history has been in hospitality. Most recently as a concierges in the city of Chicago. I felt like an ambassador for the Windy City, it was very rewarding when my recommendations made memorable experiences for my guests. I still strive to add a flair of hospitality into my working life today.

Where are you from?

I was raised in the US’s largest piece of land with the smallest population. The back woods of Michigan’s Upper Peninsula

What was your most rewarding project and why?

Taking notice of our hard working designers eating habits, I hosted Working Lunch Wednesdays at CAI Designs Arlington Heights. Typically a designers lunch consists of a granola bar or dining in the car on something picked up in the drive thru. Designers appreciated the opportunity to enjoy a homemade lunch and it was nice to see our designers interact with each other and focus on something that brought them joy, like my chicken salad recipe.

What does a usual workday look like for you?

Multi-tasking is the only usual part of my day. At some point I am on the phone, emailing a vendor, and printing out a tear sheets simultaneously.

How would you characterize your design style?

Worldly Eclectic with a Rock n Roll Edge

Where or whom do you draw inspiration from?

Fashion and travel

Where do you see the interior design market going in the future?

More Mechanisms! Custom fitting sofas with a “sleep number” technology, functional accessories like the hand wall hook in Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

What is the most important thing to consider when choosing interiors for your home?

It should be a reflection of you and what makes you feel comfortable.

Why CAI Designs?

I hold a deep admiration for the way the owner of our company has grown his business. Starting out in the fabric industry, adding a small furniture showroom with only a few lines, growing into who we are today.

What is your favorite color?

Lavender puts me ease, think of orchids, lilacs, and the color the clouds turn at sunset in Arizona.

What is your favorite food?

Stroganoff, the more tangy, beefy, and creamy the better.  It is the one thing I cook and also enjoy second helpings. I have mastered my recipe.

What is your dream interior design job?

A home for Mr and Mrs. Alice Cooper

What is your favorite part of your job?

It is satisfying to become a trusted resource for the designers.  I enjoy seeing the different ways a designer approaches a project and what inspires them.

Would you say it is helpful to have a designer as the middle man and why?

Are their any insights or helpful hints you can share with designers when they are working with their clients on projects?  A very wise designer, whom I adore, has her clients sign an agreement of expectations. It spells out how special ordering in the industry works, includes a “Murphys Law of Design”,  lays out common bumps in the road with freight companies, and states “Your party/holiday is not a deadline” I think this is genius.