Colony Creates Timeless Settings

From Today’s Custom Home

It’s been said that after she had not changed a thing in her living room for 20 years, renowned interior designer Eleanor McMillan Brown knew it was time to get a fresh look, so she repainted the walls – the same color.

That timeless quality can be found in the best interior design and furnishings, and it’s that enduring style which the experts at Colony Furniture & Interiors strive to bring to their clients’ homes.

“We are fashion conscious, of course, but the rooms are never faddish,” says Gail Maynard, ASID, vice president of Colony, who has been with the company for 40 years. “Our designers are conscious of what’s stylish and reflect that, but we make sure that clients purchase items that are classically well designed. We don’t want them to get tired of a room or for it to feel dated in 5 years or in 20 years. People invest quite a lot of money in a room. When you buy the wrong dress, you can hide it in the back of the closet, but you can’t ignore a sofa.

Colony has been helping its clients make the right selections since 1950, when president and founder Merrill Gattis opened the company’s initial location at Colony Road. He had a vision of what the store should be, one that was unusual for the time. He wanted to offer accessories and to have an interior design staff. He wanted his clients to get more than just a coffee table or sofa – he wanted them to be able to get a complete room. Over the years, Colony has changed its address to Providence Road, but its philosophy has remained the same.

“We look at ourselves as a large design establishment rather than what most people think of as a furniture store,” Maynard says. Colony’s senior designer, for example, has been with them for over 10 years, while all the designers have a combined total of over 150 years of experience. “We don’t bring in anyone who hasn’t had a design experience and worked with clients. That way, whomever a client selects is qualified – they know about period furniture and they can work successfully with an architect,” she says.

That experience allows Colony’s designers to combine pieces from their impressively large inventory to create a look that fits each client’s individual style and budget. “We have a large selection of French, English, Oriental and transitional pieces. We combine them skillfully to make a wonderfully inviting interior,” Maynard explains.

To help clients pull these complex looks together, Colony offers complimentary design services. Designers meet clients in their homes to learn about their needs and tastes, and then put together a suggested plan for the room. “We create a drawing, and show them the fabrics and accessories. After we’ve talked it over, they can go onto the floor and see the actual pieces; they can feel the finishes and sit on upholstered pieces,” she says.

While you might expect that type of attention from such an establishment, Colony offers pieces in a wide range of prices. Maynard describes one family who trusted Colony to bring a distinctive look to their home, but hadn’t considered them to furnish their beach house because their budget was lower. “We said, “Let us try,” and we put together something beautiful for what they wanted to spend. That’s what we’re about.”

That white-glove treatment and comfortable atmosphere are what keep Colony’s clients coming back – and referring their children. “Whether they’re buying or not, whether they’re purchasing one piece of a whole house, everyone who comes in the door gets the same caring treatment.”

Like the classic lines of a fine antique, the individual attention Colony offers is something that will never go out of style.