Design 911
If you have a space in your house that leads to a creative dead-end, stop in for a visit with one of Pottery Barn’s expert designers, who will easily wave their magic wand to create an aesthetic masterpiece.
And it’s free!
“The intention is that customers don’t have to buy from the store, but we’ll go to their home or condo as a free service, measure out the room and then come back to the store and take out fabrics and all that we think would fit in that space from the store,” says Pottery Barn designer Brock Santa, a name in itself hearkens a magical tone.
Pottery Barn also offers a program where designers can digitally let clients know what their rooms will look like, visually – from furniture to rugs, pillows, throws, pictures and mirrors. And that goes for any room in the house.
“We’re really just styling because a lot of times folks don’t want to make any decisions,” says Santa. “One customer here in The Market Common had me visit his home for an hour, and then he came back the next day and decided he wanted us to decorate the entire house – bedrooms living room, and dining room. He was a great customer to work with because he was like, ‘Hey, this isn’t what I do. You guys do it. So we stayed open late for him that day.”
Santa says he and his team of designers at Pottery Barn are standing by for any and all interior design emergencies. Here are a few things they’re seeing in the industry today and applying to their handiwork:
Design Trends
Santa says they’re seeing a combination of mid-century with modern and clean that complements the inventory in both Pottery Barn and their umbrella company, Williams-Sonoma.
“We just did our fall floor and there’s definitely a lot more edgier pieces than we usually have,” he says.
And, as you can probably imagine, coastal décor around here is hotter than the South Carolina sunshine.
“If they’re moving down here from the north, they’ll normally have a lot of dark furniture and they want stuff lighter now,” says Santa.
Pottery Barn’s sea drift line of furniture is the answer to these clients’ redesign wish lists. Santa says the team prefers to refer to these elements as “coastal,” rather than “beachy.” Like some of their throwback macramé design pieces that add a blend of texture and comfort with a modern flair.
“It just seems like right now, there’s so much stuff that’s involved in ‘style,’” he adds. “So, it’s really a personal case – and there’s a lot you can do. A lot of times people are like, ‘Well, what do you think?’ And I’m like, ‘I’m not the one sitting in that chair, you are!’ But if they get stuck, they can come here.”
Trends in Client Needs
As we’ve already laid out, the commonality in the countless clients who come into Pottery Barn for their free design services, says Santa, is that they’re overwhelmed, they’re intimidated, and don’t know where to start.
“A lot of times, it’s just too many decisions at once,” he says. “So we’ll design in sections or focus on one area and then carry it through the entire room.”
Looking ahead into the calendar, the Pottery Barn designers are also fluent in holiday décor.
“If someone needs something done right away and they don’t have an appointment or if it’s something smaller, like picking out some decor items for a coffee table or dining room table, they’re welcome to take pictures and bring them into the store so we can help them make smaller decisions,” says Santa.
By design, the design specialists at Pottery Barn are here to help you with any interior design project you may have: large, small or anything in between. And, with a Pottery Barn card, you can get 10 percent back in rewards.
Pottery Barn is located at The Market Common at 3332 Reed St., Myrtle Beach. To schedule your design services appointment today, call 843-238-0361 or visit www.potterybarn.com.