Decorating Den Interiors
Saturday, April 2nd, 2016 | Uncategorized | No Comments
“From Inspiration to Reality”
East Tennessee’s Mountain Views is delighted to feature Decorating Den Interiors owner and interior designer, Sandy Kozar. Sandy is among a small group of interior designers whose designs will be featured in the 2016 Knoxville Symphony League’s Show House. Everything in the two guest rooms the Kozar team designed will be sold to benefit the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra. This year’s Symphony League Show House was custom built by Johnson & Galyon and is located in the all-new Legacy Cove subdivision in the Rocky Hill community.
Many of our readers are already familiar with Sandy’s award-winning design work, as well as being seen on HGTV as a Pro Network Designer, Knoxville’s Parade of Homes, Best of Houzz 2016, and Dream Room Winner, in addition to being featured in a variety of national and international design publications. Her design work is also featured in the book “The Kitchen Bible” by Barbara Ballinger, which is in its second printing. Clients appreciate Sandy’s unique approach to interior design, as well as that of her interior designer associates, Taryn Stait and Donna Prendergast. The Kozar design team is committed to delivering professional design assistance in a professional, approachable, service-oriented, and successful way.
MV: Sandy, let’s jump ahead and talk about your participation in this year’s Knoxville Symphony League Show House. Tell our readers about your participation and just what they should expect.
Sandy: As a participant, we donate a significant portion of our proceeds from the sale of items in our two designer upstairs guest rooms to the Knoxville Symphony. It’s our way of giving back to our community. The Show House is open daily to the public from April 9th through 24th, including two evenings. The Kozar design team of Decorating Den Interiors will be presenting design workshops on the grounds both Friday and Saturday, April 15 and 16, at 10 am and 1 pm and again at the same times the following Friday and Saturday, April 22 and 23. Decorating Den Interiors will present “Dream Makers” with before and after room photographs, as well as “Elements of Design,” which will teach you some basic principles of design that make your room “feel right.”
MV: Tell our readers how Adele and Justin Timberlake played a role in your design work at the Show House.
Sandy: I love Adele’s music style and her persona. To me, she is a strong woman with a voice just as powerful! So, I thought, what kind of environment would she want to surround herself with? Raspberry velvet! Shimmering, flowing fabrics and comfy places to sit and write, bright colors of raspberry, cilantro, lime, royal purple (yes – that’s Adele!). I see her as pretty down-to-earth, so a collage of pictures from home.
Now Justin Timberlake, well, that’s just fun! Doing a gentlemanly room with touches of whimsy – the “timber” giclee artwork and the fun tortoise shell chest with a tail drawer! Can’t you just see him relaxing on the crocodile leather chair? The distinguished fabrics certainly add to his identity.
MV: The Symphony Show House showcases your unique design talents, but how do you collaborate with your clients to ensure that your design work reflects their unique lifestyle and personal tastes?
Sandy: The best part of working with our clients is getting to know them. Most people are so anxious to show you their home and share ideas on how they’d like to see it different or share what they love about it. We are great listeners! We spend time considering all aspects of a design – from the function of the room, which always comes first, to the finishes.
MV: What sets you apart from other interior designers? You work from a full studio featuring tremendous fabric selections and a sample library with more than 200 lines of furniture, accessories, lighting, artwork, upholstery products, and more, yet you prefer to meet with your clients in their homes. How do your clients benefit from your in-home consultations?
Sandy: Our in-home consultation is always complimentary. Many others offer a consultation, but you have to travel to them. Going to a client’s home allows us to see your home from a holistic (whole house) approach. Also, we are able to see paint colors, fabrics, and finishes in the lighting they are going to be placed in. Most of all, it’s a service we provide to our clients to save them from spending their precious time traveling from place to place trying to find just the right piece.
MV: What’s the next step after the initial consultation?
Sandy: We discuss a decorating budget. (If you make a purchase of any kind, you usually will have a budget in mind. Those that say they don’t have a budget, well, that’s just not realistic.) We offer lines of good-better-best and luxury items, so we are able to meet most budgets.
MV: If a client is contemplating a design project, how much time should they allow for completion?
Sandy: If you truly want a beautiful room, it takes time. I know that in our instantaneous world, sometimes it’s hard to wait, but if you take the time to truly choose pieces that are made for you (like custom upholstery or window treatments), it can take up to six to eight weeks. The saying “it’s worth the wait” comes to mind.
MV: What services do you offer your existing clients?
Sandy: You may want to read this twice: We do not charge for our design time when product is purchased! Plus, I can honestly say that we will spend more time on your design than any other designer, as we do not have to “watch the clock.”
Another terrific part of our services is that we install your room in one day! We can complete your room while you’re at work, running errands, or simply having a spa day! That is the best day for us! Many people are so moved that they actually cry, and we always leave with a hug or two!
MV: Take a minute to tell our readers a little bit about your interior designer associates Taryn Stait and Donna Prendergast.
Sandy: Oh, I just love working with Taryn and Donna! I feel so fortunate, as we have such a creative, professional, and kindhearted environment in our studio. Taryn brings a fresh perspective to her clients. She is truly appreciated by her repeat clients for her attention to detail and creative designs. Donna, an experienced interior designer, has completed many designs in and around Knoxville during her career. Donna has a deep understanding of beautiful design and what it takes to create something lovely.
MV: As a Decorating Den Interiors franchise owner, you have more than 200 lines of interior design products available to you. Why is that important to your clients?
Sandy: We all love choices! Why not for our home as well? The majority of our lines are only available through us because we are a franchise; we have more “buying power” and have secured lines that are not available to most independent interior designers.
MV: Do you find that most clients have a vision of what they would like but just don’t know how or where to start?
Sandy: Yes! That’s why they initially call us. They are at a loss. Maybe they’ve purchased something somewhere else and it may not fit, they don’t like how it looks in their home, or the quality is just not what they expected. I always praise those clients that call me before they make a major purchase, because we can save them costly mistakes.
MV: What about clients with a limited budget?
Sandy: We really are able to meet most budgets because of our extensive lines of products. If it is a large project, we can break it up into stages. Remember what I said about “it’s worth the wait?” Well, this is also a way to get quality pieces and build upon it over time.
MV: How can a prospective client who may be considering using the services of an interior designer learn more about you?
Sandy: Just call us at 865-392-6222, visit our website at www.SandyKozar.DecoratingDen.com, or simply email us at skozar@decoratingden.com. We would love to talk to you and spend a few minutes getting to know you and your project!
MV: In closing, is there anything else you would like to add?
Sandy: I am appreciative of all of our existing clients that have helped to make Decorating Den Interiors a successful Knoxville-based small business for more than six years and counting. We have made many great friends and always feel blessed with each and every client we have assisted throughout the years.
Decorating Den Interiors
Sandy Kozar
865-392-6222
www.SandyKozar.DecoratingDen.com
