Did you know that as designers we have tons of resources at our disposal that may not be well known but are of the highest quality? Yup, there are literally hundreds (thousands?) makers of quality furnishings that you may not have ever heard of.
When we source furnishings for our clients, here are the priorities:
First and foremost, the piece has to be appropriate for it’s intended use. No brainer, but it’s a box we need to check.
The piece needs to be made from good quality materials and with attention to detail during fabrication. Selecting good-looking furniture is a given, but we also want to be sure it was made to last. (I’m currently working with clients who have a wonderful quality 20 year-old sofa that we’re reinventing with new upholstery and fresh cushions.) This not only helps keep costs down, but keeps these great pieces out of the landfill.
AND… This is where I insert my blurb about using classic and timeless furniture styles. Traditional is never wrong and will never be out of style. It just needs a few tweaks and updates from time to time. The aforementioned 20-year old sofa is still relevant to today’s design styles, and that’s why investing in simple and timeless pieces that are made with quality materials and great craftsmanship will serve you well throughout your life.
Is it made in the USA? We want to support our American makers and manufacturers! I’m proud to source American made products that put our citizens to work and provide job security. Extra points if it’s a family owned business.
It needs to be a fair price for the quality of the piece. So while we’re not looking for the “best price” to furnish your home, we want to be sure the quality is in line with the price tag.
Style. The styling and overall vibe of each piece should work well with our preferred design style - which is “fresh traditional”. This is not your grandmom’s traditional, it’s a cleaner, simpler aesthetic with less ornamentation.
Can I customize? 99% of the time we order upholstered pieces in specific fabrics to get the exact look we want. We also like the ability to specify the seat depth, back height, arm style, and cushion fill.
Is there a real person I can call to address any problems that may have occurred somewhere along the line? And I’m not talking about a random person who answers an 800 number halfway across the world that will most likely not even be working there 30 days from now. We actually know the person we’re dealing with and that they stand behind their products.
Here’s a lovely classicly styled and clean lined sofa. The bench cushion and tight back keep the look clean and current.
More beautiful and classic styling. This chair has a lovely waterfall skirt which is super chic. This one brings the beauty but leaves the frills in the past.
You can never go wrong with and English arm sofa with turned legs on casters. It’s a classic that will look good decades into the future.
Here are some custom pieces we’ve used in recent projects:
Here are a pair of custom swivel chairs we had made in our client preferred print by a small furniture maker in North Carolina that works with design professionals. Construction includes 8-way hand tied suspension for comfort and longevity.
Same custom furniture maker made this classic love seat for us in a performance fabric we selected for durability and easy cleanability.
The sofa? Custom. We were able to select our own fabric and trim and specify how we wanted it applied. Rug is also custom from a trade resource in Nashville. It’s 100% wool, can be made to whatever size we need, and is reversible for twice the wear. That’s what I call good value. The art over the sofa is wallpaper we ordered from a trade source. We had the panels custom framed locally - they are spectacular!
To recap, this is why working with a designer who is loyal to her preferred vendors nets the best results. We have the resources that we have personally vetted, have the ability to customize so your home is uniquely “you”, and have confidence in leaving with you pieces we know will stand the test of time.
Ready to take your home to a whole new level of fabulous? We’d love be your design advocate to help make your home the very best it can be! Tell us about your project by filling out our contact form, or email Kim at thegreenroominteriors@gmail.com.
