RD Shady Home Decorating Invention Starts In Olympia

Lara Anderson (left) and Kathy Lathrop stand by their display of RD Shady inside Red Door Olympia.
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By Amy Rowley

Lara Anderson (left) and Kathy Lathrop stand by their display of RD Shady inside Red Door Olympia.

When the word ‘inventor’ pops into my head, I immediately think of iconic people such as Albert Einstein, Sir Isaac Newton and Benjamin Franklin.  My list is not too original but I do have a new duo to add to it – Lara Anderson and Kathy Lathrop.

Lara Anderson and her mother, Kathy Lathrop, own Red Door Olympia.  The store is located in downtown Olympia on the corner of 4th and Washington.  90% of the store’s inventory is used – a shocking discovery to most customers.

The pair visits Thurston County estate sales to find ‘diamonds in the rough’.  Then, with a coat of paint, some elbow grease scrubbing, and fresh fabric, a piece of furniture destined for the scrap yard is turned into a new treasure.

“My mom and I love to create beautiful spaces.  However, we came from a humble background with financial restraints that meant that we were always decorating on a budget.  Our friends and family were consistently amazed at what we could create,” describes Anderson.

“Customers are nicely surprised at our price tags.  I frequently hear ‘I can actually bring this home,’” adds Anderson.

Over the past five years, Anderson and Lathrop have built a thriving business with ever-changing inventory.  “In all of our findings, we always locate great, old lamps.  Usually, all they need is an updated lampshade.  But, this fix is usually expensive and difficult to source,” comments Anderson.

“I kept telling my mom ‘what if we could simply cover lamp shades?’”

Anderson and Lathrop took their concept to the local fabric store and tried a few different versions to slip cover a lampshade.  While standing in the store, Anderson spotted a zipper and the proverbial light bulb turned on.

Impressed with their first prototype, they began creating a template.

Beautiful, trendy fabric is adhered to special backing appropriate for use next to a light bulb.  The shade is connected with a zipper.  The zipper is aligned with the seam of the shade and simply zipped close.

“I knew the template had to be the perfect, tailored fit, so we sell the basic shade in three sizes to ensure that the RD Shady fits snugly,” describes Anderson.

A customer purchases a starter kit that includes the correct size harp, lamp shade adapter to connect to a light bulb, finial and shade.  Then, the purchaser selects from nine designer fabrics.

“We plan to introduce additional fabrics as well as seasonal designs,” says Anderson who adds that RD Shady’s can be changed out as often as you like and will always be offered in the latest colors following design trends.

Anderson has big plans to take RD Shady into larger markets.  She sees application in the hospitality industry so hotels can customize their room décor.  Anderson is also planning a retail program where other interior design stores can purchase RD Shady in customized fabrics based on their customer’s preferences.

Under the RD Shady label, additional products include complimentary night lights, pillow covers, and table runners in coordinating fabrics. All products are made in the USA, with great attention to detail and quality.

“RD Shady is the first interchangeable lamp shade system.  But, not only that – it’s the ultimate American success story.  We had an idea and we made it work,” summarizes Anderson.

The Anderson/Lathrop duo + RD Shady are now on my top-of-mind list of inventors I admire.

Bring your lamp into the Red Door and let Anderson and Lathrop introduce you to RD Shady. Starting in July, RD Shady will be available online at www.RDShady.com and available for wholesale to retailers beginning in August.

 

Examples of the complete line of RD Shady products.

Red Door Olympia

430 Washington Street SE

Olympia, WA 98501

360.357.7799

 

Monday – 11:00 am – 5:30 pm

Tuesday – Closed

Wednesday – Saturday – 11:00 am – 5:30 pm

Sunday – 12:00 pm – 5:00 pm

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