In the sea of the same...

Why is the base blue on this sofa? I say it's because everyone else puts a brown base on theirs, and my passion begins when the old rules get broken!

I often get asked, why don't we just do our version of what sells the most out there. My answer is always the same. That's why furniture is not important enough! There is a sea of the same brown couches out there! I'm about putting the passion back into relaxing and living at home.

Color changes everything! It stimulates us. It rejuvenates us, and elevates our moods. It's real simple. I believe that furniture should be and can be fun. And I'm setting out only to design some of the coolest places to sit on the planet!

 Robert Petril Design & Productions

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In the sea of the same...

A little bit about the journey...

High Point, NC 2014

When I was a kid I dreamed about growing up and flying rockets, or at least some job where I would get to push all kinds of cool buttons. Well, you know what happens - the real world and destiny reveal themselves. At least I get to push all kinds of buttons on my smart phone now!

  
My father was a sales rep in the furniture business. As a child of the industry who was writing messages on the chalkboard in the kitchen (right before answering machines) for my father from retail salespeople, my destiny was set very early.

My professional path started in the factories. I worked in every department from the lumberyard to the loading dock. Then I went onto floor sales in a furniture store. From there, I eventually became a sub-rep, a lead-rep, and finally a top ranked VP for the largest leather furniture manufacturer in the world.

 I had found financial success and a really cool title. Traveled the world and learned more about the industry than I could ever imagine. There were two problems I discovered within all that I was learning: 1) People hate buying furniture; 2) None of my work had much to do at all with my real passion in life.

Altamura, Italy 2003

People in just about every financial bracket clamor for the latest new technology, automobile, or new gear, but not furniture! Sorry but the truth is, we as an industry do a terrible job of exciting people. It’s been my passion for many years now to do my little part to change that. Now I actually get to do that!

Over 10 years ago when I ripped off my tie, and left the world of sales to follow my true passion in creating things, the journey to my own collection began. Now, the mission is very simple, to break every paradigm that makes sense to break. To follow a new vision of fun and exciting new products that people will clamor for. We live on our couches. And yes, we do call them couches!

So now the long wondrous journey has brought me to the beginning of a whole new one. Mod Life Collection launches in less than two weeks. I can't believe it's finally here! Let's Rock!

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A little bit about the journey...

No Girls Allowed! (Nor any outsiders for that matter!)

Whenever I hear it said that the “Boy’s Club” still rules and “women need not apply,” I feel compelled to share my experiences in this industry. It’s true, if you walk into most showrooms in High Point during the beginning of the Furniture Market, you will find a huge group of older men in their new market ties getting ready for the sales meetings. Soon the company leaders (mostly all men) will get up and address the sales force.  He will tell them why these products will sell and give them the marching orders for the upcoming season. Some of those leaders will even talk about how more women are needed in influential positions in our industry. I’ve heard the same empty rhetoric for 30 years now! The problem is, some say it because they believe it, and some because they think it’s the right thing to say and it makes them look more progressive. However, they’re still saying this to a huge group of aging men.  Some in really great ties, too. But the truth is there’s no plot against women or anyone else. The only plot is to desperately keep their jobs.

To begin to go to the core of the problem we have to back up and understand how this industry was built. I, myself, am a perfect example of how the industry has evolved. I’m a pure nepotistic traveler into the wide world of furniture. My father is a retired 50 year veteran of the industry, and he brought me in through the worm hole called “who you know.”  Here’s the dirty little secret.  In the good ole days, you didn’t have to possess the truly applicable talent nor education to make a lot of money in the furniture business. You needed to have a father in it! Then you needed to learn to talk the talk and take the right people to lunch without saying something stupid. And to this day, the same crop of individuals cultivated over the decades is still in many of the same positions. The only difference now is they are holding on for dear life! So few are there because of their training or deep connection to what really applies to today’s home or the real consumers’ design sensibilities.

Women of the industry please listen carefully. You are the primary consumers of our products. These jobs are there for your taking! The “Boys Club” is weak. Actually, it doesn’t really even exist at all. A club implies organization and a team working together for a cause. Trust me, most of their wives still pick their ties! They can’t compete with you head to head. You got this! The biggest obstacle today is the fear, insecurity, and the misunderstandings stemming from the years of the smoke and mirror show perfection.

The reality is, the industry is ripe for takeover on every level. And, it has to be on every single level.  If we really look around, there are some amazing bright spots and real progress is happening. Take a look at Meredith Younger at Younger Furniture. She’s leading a great upholstery company and she’s kicking ass and taking names! Watch Julia Rosien leading the charge at Restonic

Along with the obstacles to women (and just as lethal to our industry) is the complete disregard of real recruitment efforts. Only through interior design does this exist at all. Over the years I’ve been in hiring positions for meaningful jobs. Early at one point, I worked for a very well known furniture company and I advertised a very high paying sales position. I was flooded with resumes from those same men in ties and their sons from the same showrooms I mentioned earlier. Not one resume was from a woman. Not one from someone in retail or a design firm or anywhere else. In hindsight, I also did a terrible job of targeting my recruitment efforts towards a new and innovative direction. At the time I was young, scared, and inexperienced. I hired from the safe stack of resumes in front of me. And the list go on!
 

Wait it gets even worse! To even begin changing recruitment efforts we have to address another huge core problem. It’s the investment in Research and Design. When money goes into R&D, students and young talented women and men have something with which (and for) to work. But that’s a whole other critical subject. Bottom line is, the world has changed. We need a real gender, age, cultural, and investment balance. We need new talent and new blood in our industry and we better hurry! We’ve been behind for decades and the world is only moving faster and faster. So, women, men, gays, straights, and green Martians, let’s go to the core and make things happen one bite at a time. Because if we don’t our kids will soon be sitting on their new Apple and Samsung sofas!

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No Girls Allowed! (Nor any outsiders for that matter!)

High Point October 2014

When Lazar asked me if they could create a sofa from my LOUNGE design, I said sure!! See the result at the High Point Market | The World's Home for Home Furnishings!

Let's see how they did...

Showroom IHFC D817
(Design Center 8th Floor)

See you there!

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High Point October 2014

Kelly Rutherford: Kid film crew was ‘Incredible’

 

 

 In the family comedy “The Stream” actress Kelly Rutherford plays a mother whose son embarks on an adventure to get to the mall without permission. Children from the Boys & Girls Clubs of America helped to produce the film and the organization receives 20 percent of the video proceeds.

Learn more about the film...

 "The Stream"

Available now on DVD!

iTunes

Amazon

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Kelly Rutherford: Kid film crew was ‘Incredible’

THIS JUST IN! Showtimes...

Showtimes for Opening Week are here!

We need YOU to fill the seats on Friday, October 18, 2013, 80% of the proceeds go to help the kids from The Boys & Girls Clubs of America!

It's more than just a movie...its a mission!

 www.thestreammovie.com

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THIS JUST IN! Showtimes...

THE STREAM Opens October 18th!

...THE STREAM opens October 18th., at select Regal Cinemas!

 

The Official Trailer

 A wonderful family movie, and each ticket sale benefits the kids at The Boys & Girls Clubs of America. So let's go to the movies on October 18th! :)

Where you ask?

 

 

NEW YORK:

UA Kaufman Astoria Cinemas 14 & RPX

35-30 38th St., Astoria NY 11101

Regal New Roc Stadium 18 & IMAX

33 Le Count Place, New Rochelle NY 10801
 

CHICAGO:

Regal Round Lake Beach Stadium 18

550 East Rollins Rd., Round Lake Beach IL 60073

Regal Cantera Stadium 17 & RPX

28250 Diehl Road, Warrenville IL 60555 (city / north suburb location tba)

PHILADELPHIA:

UA Riverview Plaza Stadium 17

1400 S. Columbus Blvd., Philadelphia PA 19147

UA Washington Township 14

, 121 Tuckahoe Rd, Sewell, NJ 08080

Regal Peoples Plaza Stadium 17

1100 Peoples Plz, Newark, DE 19702

 

BOSTON:

Regal Solomon Pond Stadium 15

591 Donald Lynch Boulevard, Marlborough MA 01752 

 

LOS ANGELES & ORANGE CO.

Edwards Long Beach Stadium 26 & IMAX

7501 Carson Blvd Long Beach, CA 90808

Edwards Irvine Spectrum 21 IMAX & RPX

65 Fortune Dr.,Irvine,CA,92618

 

SAN FRANCISCO / OAKLAND:

UA Emery Bay Stadium 10

6330 Christie Ave Emeryville, CA 94608

 

SAN DEIGO:

Regal Parkway Plaza Stadium 18 & IMAX

405 Parkway Plaza, El Cajon CA 92020

 

WASHINGTON DC / BALTIMORE / VA:

Regal Majestic Stadium 20 & IMAX

900 Ellsworth Drive Silver Spring, MD 20910

UA Snowden Square Stadium 14 

9161 Commerce Center Drive, Columbia MD 21046

 

ATLANTA:

Regal Hollywood Stadium 24 @ North I-85

3265 NE Expressway Access Rd, Chamblee GA

Regal Atlantic Station 16 IMAX & RPX

261 19th Street NW, Atlanta GA 30363

 

MINNEAPOLIS:

Regal Brooklyn Center Stadium 20

6420 Camden Ave North, Minneapolis MN 55430

 

DENVER:

UA Colorado Mills Stadium 16 & IMAX

14500 West Colfax Ave., Lakewood CO 80401

 

DALLAS / FT. WORTH:

UA Grand Prairie 10

510 Westchester Pkwy, Grand Prairie TX 75052


 

 

Website

Come on! Let's go to the movies! :)

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THE STREAM Opens October 18th!

THE STREAM going to Regal Cinemas Nationwide!

Some really exciting news coming from Dreaming Tree Films! Last summer I had the privilege of working as production designer with the kids from The Boys & Girls Clubs of America, on the feature film called "The Stream". It's now official that it will launch on select screens at Regal Cinemas nationwide. Here's the official release...

It was a truly amazing experience to work on this film. Our task was to turn multiple rooms, interiors, and outdoor spaces back to 1981. A challenging task, but one I feel my age gave me an advantage. I was a teenager myself during the period of this story. My memories of my own, and my friend's houses in the early 80's were burned deep into my brain. Let's just say...the design sensibilities of that time were not the most alluring. We're talking the age of brown paneling!

Here's the bedroom we created for the lead characters Ernest & Bobby, played by Jacob Williams and Michael Capperella...

And here's the parent's room played by Kelly Rutherford and Christopher Gorham. Doesn't this room bring back some decor nightmares!? lol

 

 

One of the most challenging tasks was to find the cars. In some cases, I actually chased cars down I passed on the road. Two cars that I managed to get stopped (and I not killed) will appear in the film.

This film is a great adventure for families, and a great cause at the same time. A large portion of the proceeds of ticket and DVD sales will benefit The Boys & Girls Clubs of America. And the kids from the Clubs helped to make the film. This made working on this film a truly special and wonderful experience. And, some pretty big Hollywood peeps stepped up to help the cause. 

Gossip Girl Star, Kelly Rutherford

Mario Lopez, Kelly Rutherford, Christopher Gorham, and Rein Wilson all star in this feature film. Here's a glimpse behind the scenes with Mario Lopez on set...

 

 

Actors Mario Lopez and Noura Boustany-Jost

Needless to say, it was an experience of a lifetime. I feel so grateful to have taken a part in getting it made. I hope you go out and see this very family friendly coming of age film this coming October. Below is the list of theaters and dates. Let's support our kids, and have some great family fun doing it! This movie was a blast to help make, and it will be a blast to see up on the silver screen! For all the up-to-date information, go to The Stream website.

 

 Christopher Gorham wants to see you there :)

 

Coming October 18th.

In the meantime, here's a behind the scenes look...

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THE STREAM going to Regal Cinemas Nationwide!