At Home With Merle
At Home With Merle
Current Column - Spring Furnishing
Previous Columns -
Table Talk.Getting Added Value From Your Salesperson
Mixing Woods and Stains in the Same Room
Getting Added Value From Your Salesperson
Whether you believe it or not, working with a trained salesperson is one of the best ways to solve home-decorating problems, and a great way to obtain the best value for your money. When we meet you in our store and ask if we can help you, answer questions, or give ideas, you might be surprised at how much you will learn in a short period of time. Once we break through this first uncomfortable barrier, shopping for furniture becomes a whole lot easier for the customer and the salesperson.
Let’s say you are working on a tight budget—maybe doing three rooms for $3,000. Once you explain that to the salesperson, he or she can immediately steer you to the right area of the store or to our catalog department. And don’t forget to ask to look at the catalogs. Over half of our sales are done through our special-order department because we like to find solutions to your needs. Often customers will see something that almost works, but might be in the wrong color, or a fabric they gravitate toward, if only it were on another sofa. And of course, since House of Oak & Sofas does not charge a premium for special order merchandise, it is an attractive option.
Of course, if you come to the store armed with dimensions, paint samples and fabrics, the salesperson can immediately get to work problem solving. But don’t worry about that if you don’t know where to start—just approach one of our salespersons and ask enough questions to know what to bring the next time you come. Usually it takes 2-3 trips when deciding on a major purchase. With that understanding, our salespeople won’t press you to make a decision before you are ready. We understand if your need to return home to think through the decision.
Another way to get comfortable with the salesperson is to ask a trial question. Ask about a color of paint you want to use, what colors are “hot” right now, or whether you can use certain items in the same room. In five minutes you will know if the salesperson has any helpful tips. Many of our customers end up going directly from our store to the paint and carpet store, taking fabric samples and paint recommendations for their new decorating project.
So give it a whirl. You’ve watched them do it on the home decorating shows on television and now you can do it yourself. Our salespeople have combined home decorating experience of over 125 years. Let us demonstrate to you how you can have the home of your dreams.
Decorating Tip
Emily asks: I have a dark corner in my bedroom that measures about 3x3 foot. The rest of the room looks great. What could I do to bring that dark space into the room décor?
House of Oak & Sofas answers: Three solutions come to mind. See if any of them appeal to you.
First, you could place a large potted tree in the corner, position an “up-light” on the floor behind the tree, and thereby fill the corner with a wonderful collage of form and shadow.
Second, a small secretary is a great addition to a bedroom. You can find one at a very reasonable cost, and the added bonus is it functions to hide some of your clutter.
Third, consider an interesting floor lamp placed in front of an exotic fabric wall treatment. Remember, window treatments don’t have to be covering a window. A wall fabric treatment is a great way to bring color and soft texture into a room.
