STYLE Media and Design

That’s the idea, says store manager Natalie Ruhl. “It’s about creating the perfect spaces at home without having to travel to the ends of the earth to find the right furnishings.”Even though the showroom is small, the selection is huge, she says. “All of our larger furniture is from Hickory Chair. It’s made in the U.S. and shipped from Hickory, North Carolina. North Carolina is the furniture mecca of the U.S.,” she says. “All of the pieces are very sturdy, are solid wood and can be customized to a particular need. The vignettes in the store just give you an idea of what’s available. We can order a different finish, different fabric or cushion type. You can customize until you’re blue in the face,” she says.

While the showroom features a relatively small number of pieces, a computer center on the upper floor gives access to the full line available. With an interactive program, the client can change any of the aspects of a particular piece to get a better view. “You can choose the style of feet on a couch, for example, or the fabric or finish. Rather than imagine it, you can visually see how it will look,” Ruhl says.

R&R Home store manager Natalie Ruhl

The overall view in the store reflects the travels of owner Rod Clough, a hotel appraiser and consultant. “With his business, he’s traveled all over the world and knows the best hotels, the best service and the best designs. He wanted to use that knowledge and bring that worldview into a local setting. He has a great vision and that is what’s fun about working here. Rod’s vision is for people to relate to a location or experience through a piece or group of furnishings.”

Scenes created by specific furniture and accessories can transport the viewer to another place, she says. That can create a welcoming, happy and pleasant environment in any home. R&R Home’s tag line states it best: “Where happily ever after has an address.”

If the environment at R&R Home is any indication, the results are certain to be unique to you, because that’s the feeling created in the showroom itself. In addition to beautifully designed and placed furniture and a wide range of remarkable accessories, visual art by local artists is displayed throughout the store adding appeal to the surroundings – Shoni French, Stephanie Wilson and George Manning are currently featured.

Their manner of marketing is also of interest. Wednesday through Saturday from 3 to 6 p.m., platinum - wigged models create moving scenarios in the front window. A children’s area is available where kids can watch videos while parents sip wine or coffee and browse. Ruhl, who has a bachelor’s degree in architectural interior design from the University of Nebraska Lincoln, is available for consultations as are the other three full time staff members.

One of R&R’s display vignettes showcasing a custom canopy bed.

“We provide a very personal and customized service,” Ruhl says. “We also provide in-home consultations. We’ll help measure areas and we can bring accessories to try. We help the client decide what they want to create and then determine what furnishings would make that happen. And if they can’t find something at our store, we can recommend where they can find it.”

R&R Home promises their clients the whole package: fine furnishings, contemporary collections and astonishing customer service, all at a convenient local address. “We can help you find whatever you need to create the look you want,” Ruhl says.The store, which opened this past November, is located at 632 South Mason Street, www.randrhomefurnishings.com.