{"id":9162,"date":"2025-12-31T15:34:24","date_gmt":"2025-12-31T15:34:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/zuschlag.us\/?page_id=9162"},"modified":"2025-12-31T16:09:01","modified_gmt":"2025-12-31T16:09:01","slug":"canopy-bed","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/zuschlag.us\/?page_id=9162","title":{"rendered":"Canopy Bed"},"content":{"rendered":"

I scoured the internet for any kind of upholstery or drapery business within 100 miles and came up empty.\u00a0 Well, almost empty.\u00a0 There were only three that appeared have the skill sets I needed.\u00a0 I emailed all three.\u00a0 One was out of business.\u00a0 The second I had high hopes for, and the third seemed, well, kinda dubious. They had a very homemade website featuring a video of a rather scrawny young man running curtains through a sewing machine<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Within two hours of sending out the emails I received a reply back from the third option.\u00a0 He could definitely do what I wanted, but could we chat on the telephone?\u00a0 I emailed him my phone number and within minutes I got a call.\u00a0 \u201cHello?\u00a0 This is Emrah.\u00a0 Is this Alan?<\/em>\u201d\u00a0 \u201cSorry to call, but my English is not so good for writing.\u00a0 I can make what you want.\u00a0 But I need to see the bed and take measurements to give you price.\u00a0\u00a0 When can I come to do this?\u201d\u00a0<\/em> I was a bit taken aback. There was an eagerness in his voice that I found both charming and alarming.\u00a0\u00a0 That, combined with his bare-bones website, gave me pause.\u00a0 Was I in for another amateur-hour time waster?\u00a0 \u201cUm, any time I guess\u201d<\/em> was my response.\u00a0 \u201cOkay, it will take me 2 hours to get to you.\u00a0 I will bring friend to help me with measurements. Perhaps I could come in 3 hours?\u201d\u00a0<\/em> I could have said no, I could have scheduled it for another time, but instead I said \u201csure\u201d<\/em> and gave him specific directions on how to get to the farm.\u00a0 I was a bit skeptical of the value of doing this when I still hoped for a response from the second option, but that afternoon Emrah and his buddy showed up carrying notebooks and measure tape.\u00a0 Emrah was all of 5\u20195\u201d and his friend was about the same size.\u00a0 They were both skinny little things with bright smiles and a fierce determination to put me at ease.\u00a0 \u201cDon\u2019t worry!\u00a0 We will take care of you!\u201d\u00a0<\/em> They tried valiantly to project cool professional competence but their eagerness for my business kept bursting through.\u00a0 They were too adorable for words.\u00a0 I showed them the bed, the material, and sketches of what I wanted.\u00a0 They measured and took notes and spoke in rapid fire Turkish as they argued about the best way to proceed.\u00a0 After two hours they declared themselves satisfied that they had everything they needed.\u00a0 Emrah stressed that he would get me pricing and a contract within a week \u2013 maybe sooner.\u00a0 They then took their leave.<\/p>\n

So, I waited.\u00a0 I still hadn\u2019t heard from my second option when I heard back from Emrah two days later.\u00a0 \u201cI have proposal for you.\u00a0 I will send in email.\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>I checked my email and found his proposal.\u00a0 Everything we discussed was all laid out and the various fees for each component neatly broken down, but when added all up at the end they formed a figure that left me staggering!\u00a0 How could a few draperies cost so much to sew together?\u00a0 Now, I get sticker shock all the time these days.\u00a0 Honestly, I\u2019m convinced half of our \u201cinflation\u201d is just other people getting sticker shock too, so they just raise the prices on their goods and services without any regard to their actual costs.\u00a0 But still, how could I justify spending roughly 7 times the cost of the actual bed on foofy curtains to cover it?\u00a0 Plus, I hadn\u2019t even seen any of this guy\u2019s work.\u00a0 I shot him back an email saying that I\u2019d think about it.\u00a0 And I thought about it.\u00a0 My thinking went along the lines of \u2018you don\u2019t have that kind of money for fripperies!\u00a0 There are more important things that need to be done!\u2019<\/p>\n

I then heard back from the second company.\u00a0 They had several employees and seemed very competent, and showed a track record of curtains and draperies stretching back 20 years.\u00a0 They were happy to send someone out to take measurements and quote me an estimate.\u00a0 This second time, thanks to Emrah\u2019s visit, I had all the measurements ready for them, and answers to any questions they might have.\u00a0 I figured they were going to get the job \u2013 and they were \u2013 until I got their estimate.\u00a0 A full $2K over Emrah\u2019s figures!\u00a0 How could this be?<\/p>\n

Resigned that this was not to be, I called them back and told them \u2018thanks, but no thanks.\u2019\u00a0 I called Emrah to say the same thing.\u00a0 But he wasn\u2019t having it.\u00a0 \u201cI will do very good job for you!\u00a0 I need work!\u00a0 I have no other work right now.\u00a0 I will give you $1,000 discount if you give me good reviews on google.\u00a0 You will see!\u00a0 I will do good job!\u201d\u00a0<\/em> So the next day Emrah and his buddy showed up to take away a hefty deposit check and my bolt of fabric.\u00a0 They then disappeared.\u00a0 I feared I had been scammed. \u00a0But two weeks later, I got a call, \u201cYour curtains and canopy are ready.\u201d\u00a0 Can we come to install?\u00a0 We can come today!\u201d\u00a0 <\/em>Three hours later they arrived with a big suitcase, some big lights, and other equipment.\u00a0 They lugged it all upstairs and unpacked.\u00a0 I was very nervous that I had just paid a small fortune for third rate work.\u00a0 But inside was the most beautifully crafted draperies, canopy, and bedskirt.\u00a0 The two of them fussed about hanging it \u2018just so\u2019 and then using a steam iron to remove all the wrinkles.\u00a0 Beaming with pride, Emrah showed me how he had made all the pleats face a certain way and made sure he had gotten each scene of the toile fabric centered on each pleated panel of the canopy and then on the bed skirt as well.\u00a0 Even the curtain tie backs were cut to reveal a separate scene on each one.\u00a0 I was in awe of the craftsmanship and thought that went into every little detail. \u201cWhat do you think?\u201d<\/em> he asked nervously when they were finished.\u00a0 \u201cIt\u2019s beautiful!\u00a0 Better than I could have imagined\u201d<\/em> I said with true awe in my voice.\u00a0 They both visibly relaxed when they heard this.\u00a0 Then the truth came tumbling out.\u00a0 They had left Turkey for unspecified reasons (though I had a hunch why).\u00a0\u00a0 They had a lot of experience back in Istanbul, but it was hard starting a new business in a new country where you didn\u2019t have a contact network.\u00a0 There was a lot riding on my acceptance of their work.\u00a0 It was kind of a make-or-break deal for them.\u00a0 I told him not to worry, I would not only give him the google review he wanted, I would recommend him highly to everyone I knew, and I would certainly give him more business as well.\u00a0 As a matter of fact, he could start making a matching bedspread right now.\u00a0 So, after several photos from all angles to use on their new \u2018improved\u2019 website, I wrote him a check for the balance and included a hefty bonus for a job well done.\u00a0 It\u2019s wonderful to see people willing to work hard to get ahead, sure of their talents, and just needing a break to get started.\u00a0 Five Stars all around.\u00a0 Hire Emrah<\/a>.\u00a0 You will be pleased too.<\/p>\n

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