Do you remember the last time you bought a matching set of something? Was it a set to compliment something such as shoes to match an outfit? Maybe your family got a matching set of jerseys, or you bought a matching set of curtains to replace the old shag curtains you still had up. Whatever matching set you purchased last the important thing was, it matched.
After returning home from almost a yearlong deployment to Europe with the Army Reserves, I sprang into action making good on a promise to my wife's that we remodel the entire kitchen. We tore out the celling, walls, floor, cabinets... Then hired a contractor to put it back together again. It was fun and stressful at the same time picking out the colors, shapes and designs for new cabinets and countertops. Making sure the new flooring matched the countertops and tile backsplash. The cabinet colors needed to complement the walls and trim colors. We were even able to have custom bench seating (something my wife always wanted) installed, with matching cushions and lighting.
Near the end of the remodel project the contractor asked to do a walk through so we could discuss everything. As we walked around the kitchen, I ran my fingertips over everything feeling the newness of it all. Across the cabinet doors I noticed something felt "different" as I went from one cabinet to the next; looking a bit closer I saw what that difference was. The doors had raised wood trim and on some of the trim the inside was beveled while other doors had square edges. The contractor reached out to the manufacture and discovered that one product line was discontinued but the model number was not changed. These cabinet doors were the last in stock and were a combination of old trim style and new. The manufacture would not sell just new doors, nor would they allow the already installed cabinets to be returned. Without me even asking, the contractor said he would buy new cabinets so all the doors would match. This, even though it was not his fault, and he was eating the cost. I remember thinking the mismatched door differences were so subtle that had I not run my finger over them I would likely never have noticed it. The difference was so small I couldn't with a good conscience let this guy buy another entire set of cabinets. (I mention this walk-through experience to you, to make the point that people intuitively understand what a matching set is. I didn't have to explain to the contractor that I bought a matching set of cabinets so they would match.)
To finish our new kitchen off we ordered matching custom vertical blinds. We choose our new design and style at the Wilson, NC Lowes store and paid to have their professional come to our house and measure for fit and size and return to install the blinds once they arrived. I was at work the day Lowes installed the blinds; my wife gave the technician (Alan) access to the kitchen. When Alan left my wife called to inform me that the valance above the kitchen sink window was too long, Alan had reordered the correct size. I was excited on the way home to go "play with my new blinds". When I opened my kitchen door, I knew we had picked the right color and design; I went to each one and slid them opened and closed. The blinds covering the window above my kitchen sink were the last ones I got to. Already opened I took the wand and slid them closed, as they were sliding closed, they struck the faucet and one broke off along with my excitement. I pivoted the blinds shut and tried to open them but even then, they struck the faucet and another one broke off.
I called Lowes Pro Blinds installation team to let them know they didn't fit. They told me that when they come back out to install the valance they would look at it. The day Alan the technician came back out my wife was there and called me to let me know he was about to leave but hadn't measured or even really looked at the broken blinds. She handed Alan her phone and his response was more or less "yea they don't fit". I asked Alan to update his notes because I was told the Pro Blinds office was waiting on his notes to determine if the blinds fit or not. When I got home that day, I begin to lose confidence in Lowes Pro Blinds and decided to help them, help me. I went and got my tape measure and measured across the vertical blind it was 3 1/2 inches. Then I measured between the window lip and the faucet, it was 3 ¼ inches. I took photos of my tape measurements for both and sent them to the install team office, along with other photos showing the broken blinds.
After months and dozens of phone calls Lowes offered to replace the vertical blind over my kitchen sink because it doesn't fit. Since they don't offer vertical blinds that would fit, the replacement will be a different style, design, and color. However, because the 3 other vertical blinds of the custom matching set fit, they are not willing to replace them... read more