ONE Client, HOMES

ONE Client,
twoHOMES
My Version of Green Acres
Grand Rapids
Grand Rapids is the place to be…
Discussion turned to wants, must haves, and considerations for her….
G
“The chores. The stores. Fresh air. Times Square.”
Flash forward to the fall of 2014, Jackie calls out of the blue. Dillon was “going to
be in town this weekend” and could I meet for brunch to discuss a project. I never
decline Sunday-Fun-Day brunch or a new project with cool clients. Plus, I was curious with the “in town that weekend” comment.
I was once told, “long distance relationships never work!” In my personal life,
it happened to work out beautifully (after 14 years, we are getting married). Over
brunch, I learned long distance can work in client’s worlds too. Jackie was a CEO in
Grand Rapids and Dillon owned a successful company in the Detroit area. For the
last six years, they lived separately during the work week and alternated weekends
together in Grand Rapids and Detroit.
The Riverhouse condo had sold, as well as their Bloomfield Hills home where
they raised their children, Alli and Michael. They had just closed on a flat roof,
mid-century modern condo a block from Birmingham’s gorgeous shopping district.
On top of that, they had just signed to build in the new Hillside neighborhood on
Thousand Oaks golf course north of Grand Rapids. Both were overwhelmed, yet
over-the-top excited to get started.
Before me were two full-scale projects and cool clients with a great story; one
a full scale remodel and one brand new construction. Even better: Jackie and Dillon
wanted both homes to be fairly true to their surroundings. Birmingham was to be
now; modern and slick, yet comfortable. Grand Rapids begged to be classic and
slightly traditional without being boring and trite. I remember thinking, “this could
be confusing come furniture delivery time.” Good news, only once did a chair get
delivered to the wrong home.
DESIGN FEATURE | One Client Two Homes
DESIGN FEATURE | One Client Two Homes
WRITER | TYLOR DEVEREAUX, ASID PHOTOS | ASHLEY AVILA PHOTOGRAPHY
GREEN ACRES…2015
There I was, five or so years old in the mid-1970’s watching Green Acres reruns
on TV; munching on Taco Doritos, Faygo red pop and according to Grandma Lula,
sitting too close to the television. Even then I had interior designer running fiercely
thru my veins. I would fantasize about how great it would be to have two totally different residences. WOW! One in the country and the other in the city. That would
be outta-sight!
I was introduced to Jackie four years ago during a cocktail party at the
Riverhouse in downtown Grand Rapids. She and her husband Dillon owned a condo
on the 7th floor and were seeking help to spruce it up in preparation for placing it on
the market. We chatted over the next few weeks and I gave them a few simple ideas
to help it sell. Quick and fun: a little paint, declutter and furniture placement.
Twenty five years in the interior design biz teaches you: never assume a project
is too small. Be patient. A small project may lead to a great referral or become a
project that is an absolute blast.
• Leaning slightly towards feminine and soft formal. “I
love yellow and gray!” hinted Jackie.
• Serene golf course setting and views to adore.
• 10 years from now: archival furnishings, finishes, and
fabric styles.
• Classic design elements: rich wood floors in main living areas, detailed moldings, tray ceilings, chrome
hardware and fixtures, bright white kitchen, marble
subway tile backsplash, and stone countertops through
out.
• Should incorporate a portion of client’s existing furnishings and artwork.
• Crisp color palette of white dove, pewter gray, bright
gold, sky and a splash of fireside orange.
• Ledger Builders-quality, attention to detail and delivery
on time.
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WINTER 2015
Neuenschwander Doors
Stunning. Striking. Elegant.
Dah-ling I love you, but give
me Woodward Avenue… Keep
Manhattan, just give me Hillside…
Two projects with their own style, and
yet…
• Similar: crisp color palettes, quality selections, clean lines, classic wood
tones, and chrome fixtures
• “We have to have these fabulous barstools in both kitchens!” Slick technofabric in Birmingham, gold and grey lat
tice fabric in Grand Rapids did the trick.
Birmingham is where I’d rather stay...
And then for him• Leaning slightly towards masculine. Dillon’s den of
hip-relaxation. Try and find the recliner in disguise.
• Hidden in a cozy cul-de-sac of five free standing condos built in the 1950’s. Purchased from the original
owner.
• Retain mid-century modern while not ignoring today’s
comfort and style. Re-finished original oak floors,
clean lines and a color palette of designer white, penthouse gray, fireside orange and steel blues.
Dillon’s company took on the Birmingham remodel
while working on other commercial projects. They
delivered excellent quality and finished earlier than
expected. Jodi Caden of Caden Design Group in
Birmingham created the kitchen design and cabinetry.
MichiganHomeandLifestyle.com
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• No mid-century museum or traditional
fuss here. Blending of styles that are
touchable, alive and relaxing.
• Should Jackie and Dillon decide to live
at one residence full-time, combining
styles should be simple and work
beautifully.
I love living vicariously thru my client’s design projects. A unique challenge,
ignoring the negative others say, and a
rewarding experience is always welcome
in my world. Teaming with Jackie and
(866) 787-0810 was a great example
of my Green Acres childhood fantasy.
However, the Doritos and Faygo have
been replaced by celery and flavored seltzer water. I also need to watch TV with
my glasses on. Grandma was totally right
on that one!q
DESIGN FEATURE | One Client Two Homes
Birmingham
Just some of the
reactions to our
one-of-a-kind,
handcrafted solid
hardwood doors.
What will bring
your vision alive?
Turn to us to make
it real. From cozy
cottage doors to
extravagant entry
ways, and anything
in between, we
promise you
a special,
timeless piece.
Contact us today
to learn more.
(866)787-0810
[email protected]
Neuenschwander
Doors
62306 Needham Road
Burr Oak, MI 49030
Specializing in hand crafted
interior & exterior solid wood doors
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WINTER 2015
DESIGNER DALE H. CAMPBELL
Winner of The Kendall Designer Artist Award
2
29 years ago after a career in art and antiques, Dale H. Campbell began his career in the furniture industry. Early on,
he made the choice to work with a French furniture manufacturer; this allowed him many trips to Europe which in turn
gave him invaluable insight into the European business philosophy and architecture. He furthered his furniture education by learning the retail side of the industry which came from co-managing a retail store with the woman who would
later become his wife, Teresa Campbell.
In 1995 Dale joined furniture company Lloyd Flanders as a National Sales Manager and later moved on to become
Vice President of Sales and Marketing. This is where Dale’s keen interest in furniture design started to spark ideas and
soon he was embarking on a venture to put that design talent to the test. Since then he has designed 18 collections; some
of which are still the most enduring and highest earning collections in the industry.
Dale’s passion for designing furniture is evident in the fact that he has won the three top awards in furniture design.
In 2005 he won the ADEX Platinum American Designer Excellence Award along with the 2005 Designer Excellence
Award from the American Casual Furniture Association. In 2006, Dale won the Pinnacle award, which he likens to an
actor winning an Oscar. He competed with the likes of Martha Stewart who showed up at the ceremony with her usual
entourage of at least a dozen people. Dale was there with the support of his wife and a friend; he was sure Martha would
win but suddenly he realized his wife and friend were both telling him – “Stand up! It’s you!” He was shocked and
excited to hear he had won the Pinnacle award that year. His exclusive chase lounge design is still being sold by Lloyd
Flanders to this day and has been proven to stand the test of time.
In 2007, Dale embarked on two new adventures. First, he created his new store, Urban Diversions, a high end
interior design store and studio. Urban Diversions offers a variety of services including refresh or remodel of existing
homes, cabins and cottages, or the full design of new construction. He designs everything from kitchen and bath to all
living spaces – inside and out. Dale’s motto is “Expect more than others think possible. Dream more than others think
practical.” He considers Urban Diversions to be a starting point for his clients to see the variety of styles, fabrics and
wood choices that can transform their living space. Dale’s design service includes the opportunity to shop with clients,
searching for just the right pieces with the perfect colors and fabric designs to match their personality and living space.
He will transform any room or entire home from boring and drab to stunning and breathtaking. When he started the store
he promised himself he would never sell anything that he had to apologize for and he prides himself on selling 100%
American made, high quality furniture lines.
While working on the opening of his store/studio, Dale began designing his own line of furniture that is currently
being marketing under the name Diversions. The first Diversions lounge chair embodies Dale’s influential and architectural experiences from around the world…I sat in one and my first thought was “I could sleep in this chair”.
With the creation of this first Diversions branded chair, Dale has partnered with the Kindel Furniture Company based
in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Kindel has been a family owned furniture manufacturer since 1901 and is known for 100%
MichiganHomeandLifestyle.com
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DESIGN FEATURE | Designer Dale H. Campbell Winner of The Kendall Designer Artist Award
DESIGN FEATURE | Designer Dale H. Campbell Winner of The Kendall Designer Artist Award
WRITER | CANDIE CONAT
American-made furniture lines. Campbell
is the first guest designer in the new
Kindel Designer Artist Series and considers this to be paramount in his furniture
design career and to his future in design.
The chair and ottoman were debuted at
Urban Diversions on August 29, 2015
and have now been added to the Kindel
product line. Dale likes to say of this new
partnership “Designed in Michigan, made
in Michigan, enjoyed everywhere!” The
Designer Artist Series is an extension to
Kindel’s “Create Something New” initiative that was introduced earlier this year.
Robert Burch, CEO of Kindel Furniture
says, “With this new program, we are
taking our customization ability even further than ever before. This will allow
for original designs to be built for interior designers who seek to have their own
creations for residential and commercial
projects.” Campbell chose to work with
Kindel for their shared Michigan roots
and the company’s willingness to work
from his drawings and build his designs.
He says it just plain makes sense to be
a Michigan designer partnering with a
Michigan Manufacturer. q
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WINTER 2015