For more than 10 years Design Home Interiors has been providing homeowners throughout Bucks and Montgomery counties, as well as along the Main Line and in Philadelphia, with inspiration and experts to address their home-design needs.
Co-owned by interior designer Mark Little and general manager Jeff Hirschoff, this unique design firm operates a 5,500-square-foot showroom, located along Route 309 in Montgomeryville. Here clients can peruse a selection of pieces from more than 50 respected manufacturers—Harden, Century, Precedent, Sherrill and C.R. Laine among them—plus an inventory of unique accessories, lighting, artwork and signed limited-edition prints.
The staff is composed of professional designers who are available to discuss customers’ needs and objectives in terms of home design. With more than 50 years of combined experience, the designers can assist with wall coverings, paint selection and window treatments, and also partner with contractors for renovations and additions, if needed. These assets combine to provide customers with a one-stop design center for all their decorating needs.
Design Home Interiors offers several levels of service in addition to showroom assistance. One such service is full design, where a designer will go to the client’s home. Another is consulting, in which designers assist customers in choosing materials during construction or renovation. The designers can also assist with re-upholstery; select wall coverings, paint colors and flooring; create custom window treatments in the workroom; and, if needed, recommend qualified contractors for renovations and additions.
The guidance of an experienced designer can also help homeowners avoid making the costly mistakes that arise from choosing furniture that does not meet the owner’s needs or complement their style.
“The most critical part of the design process is the upfront interview with the client,” says designer Beth Elliott. “That allows us to get into their head and discover what they envision. We design the space based on their feedback.”
Elliott suggests that some clients get inspired by an existing piece they own, such as a portrait or antique, so she will incorporate that item into the space along with other pieces. Hirschoff adds that designs actively incorporate facets of a client’s lifestyle. “If they have kids or pets, we take that into account when suggesting fabrics,” he says. “It depends on what their particular needs are.”
After an in-depth needs analysis, the firm’s designers show clients their best ideas for the layout of a room, highlighting facets such as furniture choice, color and material options. “Many clients are unable to visualize the look,” says Elliott. “Working with a designer can help the pieces come to life.”
Hirschoff observes that many of Design Home Interiors’ clients prefer an eclectic theme. “They don’t want everything to match but to go together,” he says. Design Home Interiors often puts a modern twist on traditional elements to create what its designers refer to as “new classics.” These include furniture with clean lines and traditional fabrics that have been updated for present-day tastes.
Midcentury Modern is one popular style that lends itself well to such updating. “Midcentury pieces pair with traditional elements to give a unique look,” says Elliott. These designs, with their smaller scale and light, airy nature, work well for clients who are downsizing or opting to own higher-quality, more moderately sized homes.
“There is a familiarity to these retro styles people had while growing up,” she adds. “Use trendier items as accent pieces to play with and have fun. You can change them out without much money invested. I find that clients work hard for their money and want to be comfortable. They want a great look yet they are living in and entertaining in these spaces. They want to enjoy cocktails and host book club. They are using them more than ever.”
Hirschoff believes this trend extends to the outdoors as well. “What we are seeing more lately is people enjoying their homes and not vacationing in the summer,” he says. “They want to be outside.” To accommodate this need, Design Home Interiors offers indoor/outdoor rugs, furniture and fabrics suitable for decks and patios.
Signature to the firm is its ability to provide a high degree of customization for each piece. Clients have the option to select not only the fabric of their furniture—from the nearly 8,000 swatches showcased—but also the style, finish and details such as pillows, fringe, contrasting trim, even nail heads. These decisions are not just cosmetic but also personalized to suit the client’s lifestyle and comfort level.
One of the reasons Design Home Interiors is able to offer such a high level of personalization to its clients is the firm’s decision to work with companies that manufacture their products in the United States. These manufacturers also provide tightly controlled quality standards and superior materials that stand the test of time, according to Hirschoff. Although clients might pay slightly more for such quality, Hirschoff assures them that many of these pieces have attractive starting price points; some sofas from renowned manufacturers, for example, retail for $1,999.
Homeowners are welcome to stop by the showroom to browse the selection, speak with a designer or make an appointment. Also, homeowners have the opportunity to view Design Home Interiors’ work at the Bucks County Village Improvement Association’s annual Bucks County Designer House & Gardens. This year the event is being held from April 27 to May 31 on Serendipity Farm, a 245-year-old farmhouse on nine acres in Doylestown. Design Home Interiors has chosen to design the foyer and lounge.
Designed by Little with assistance from Sarah Hull, both spaces offer a past-meets-present approach to design. The front entry features brilliant blues paired with saturated orange tones and tailored white accents. A crystal chandelier and hand-painted étagère enhance the beauty of the home’s natural stone walls and recreated bamboo tile floor. In the lounge, a white tufted sofa conveys a touch of elegance when paired with cobalt-colored leather-studded chairs. Orange fabrics add a pop of color, while layering solid fabrics and textures atop a distinguishing area rug unites classic form with modern elegance. A white lacquered bar console featuring hand-carved doors and a sleek chrome base, brilliant chrome light fixtures and Ming Dynasty-inspired accents add a captivating finishing touch.
In addition to the Designer House, prospective clients can see Design Home Interiors’ work featured in the Schiffer book, “Showhouses 3: A Decorators’ Tour.” Also, the firm’s website, www.designhi.org, includes a portfolio of its work, as well as links to the firm’s Facebook, Twitter and Pinterest pages. Hirschoff welcomes visitors to sign up for a monthly email newsletter, which offers design tips, previews of current projects and news of other upcoming events.
Design Home Interiors
668 Bethlehem Pike
Montgomeryville, PA 18936
215-361-9100
www.designhi.org
Photograph by Allure West Studios
