Most home decor showrooms have to refer their customers to outside sources when it comes to upholstery.
That was true for Scot Bohart, who founded Decor Home Coverings &More in Monroe one year ago.
But then Bohart met John Holmes, owner of Monroe Upholstery, at a Chamber of Commerce meeting and the two joined forces under one roof in Monroe Plaza this past summer.
Their location is ideal for picking up walk-by traffic, with a doughnut shop on one side and a Papa Murphy’s pizza on the other.
Now when customers come to order custom window treatments, flooring and more, they can also be thinking about making over their existing furniture.
“I’m excited. I really am,” Bohart said. “It was a great opportunity.”
Holmes, who has worked in upholstery for almost 15 years, offers a variety of services, including upholstery for furniture, automobiles and boats as well as custom slipcovers, handmade footstools with storage inside and even fabric- or leather-framed picture frames.
Though upholstery isn’t exactly a growing field, given the influx of cheap furniture, Holmes said his partnership with Bohart’s business has already helped him bring in more clients.
“There’s such a huge population base,” said the Monroe native. “They’re willing to spend good money to take care of good pieces.”
Decor Home Coverings &More and Monroe Upholstery will feature product and upholstery samples this weekend at the Everett Fall Home Show, which opens Friday.
If you go, you might also meet Joe Watson, who is co-owner of the decor side of the business with Bohart.
He’s particularly proud of the wide selection of door pulls — 1,500 in all — offered in the Monroe showroom, including knobs in the hottest finish, oil-rubbed bronze.
“The bronze just barely shows through the black,” Watson said, pointing out one of the samples in the store. “It can go in any kitchen.”
Knobs and pulls not only protect wood from the natural oils in your hands, which can unintentionally distress cabinets, but they also add character.
“It’s like adding jewelry,” Bohart said. “It can bring a lot of life and it can also bring a lot of personality. It’s amazing what a simple knob will do for the look and feel of the kitchen or the bathroom for that matter.”
In addition to blinds, curtains and other window coverings, you’ll find floor coverings such as laminate and hand-scraped wood flooring surrounded by a variety of home accents such as area rugs, throws and candles.
Bohart, who worked for 10 years at Microsoft and later for a kitchen remodeling company in Bellevue, knows he’s up against steep competition when it comes to window coverings and flooring, especially with a new Lowe’s under construction in Monroe.
“We’re going to give them that extra customer service,” Bohart said. “Come in. Sit down with us one on one.”
Reporter Sarah Jackson: 425-339-3037 or sjackson@heraldnet.com.
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