Photos provided by SCHEELS Home & Hardware
SCHEELS Home and Hardware offers more than meets the eye. We chatted with one of SCHEELS’ in-house interior designers, Morgan Diehl May, to discuss a recent design project, what services SCHEELS provides and what makes them really stand out.
Looking for your opportunity for a custom consultation and design from a certified interior designer? For an ever-changing selection of home accessories, furniture and finishings? A package that offers design consultations and installation? Look no further than SCHEELS Home and Hardware.
Their curated collection of artwork, rugs, throw pillows and lighting along with their in-stock selection of upholstered furniture and options for custom ordered pieces makes SCHEELS our community’s go-to for all things interior design. With design experts on the sales floor and lines such as Rowe Furniture, Craftmaster Furniture, IMG Norway, Comfort Design and Jaymar Leather Furniture, you are sure to find that perfect piece for your space.
While independently perusing for furniture or accessories is encouraged, SCHEELS is equipped to go beyond that. On staff are Interior Designers Leah Martin and Morgan Diehl May. Martin has been part of the SCHEELS Design Studio for over 15 years, specializing in Hunter Douglas window coverings and custom draperies, paint and wall covering consultations, upholstery, lighting and more. Diehl May has been part of the team since November and uses her educational background and artistic eye to steer a variety of projects, from small room refreshes to complete redesigns.
With an in-home consultation with the SCHEELS Design Studio, you can arrange for full designs, custom drapery, paint consultations, wallpaper, upholstery, lighting, room rearranging or simply accessorizing. “I think some really common misconceptions about working with an interior designer are that they are expensive, that you have to get everything new…but that’s not the case at all,” said Diehl May. She explained that the first step is always setting a budget and discussing what items the homeowners want to preserve or replace.
What better way to showcase all the SCHEELS design team can do than to see their work in action? Here, Morgan Diehl May shared with us a recent project she completed, where she worked side by side with the homeowners to give their newly remodeled home a warm and cozy feel. With this remodel done by Floor to Ceiling Carpet One, the homeowners were looking to refresh the space and bring it out of the 1990s look they felt it was stuck in. They bid farewell to golden oak, warm tones and outdated bright green accents, trading those in for a modern and refined look.
The homeowners had some wishes that the SCHEELS design team was happy to abide by. First off, they wished to keep their existing SCHEELS living room furniture, but to switch out blue to be the new accent color of choice. With the plan to keep the existing furniture, the SCHEELS design team focused on adding new throw pillows, blankets, a stylish rug and accessories that were both on-trend and practical. In addition to the living room refreshes, they wanted a cabinet and mirror in the entryway, the creation of a designated mudroom area and to add warmth to the crisp and clean dining room while not adding clutter.
With a wishlist in mind, the SCHEELS design team set out to work their magic. After the in-store consultation with the homeowners, Diehl May went to their home, took measurements, captured “before” photos and got an even better idea of what the homeowner’s style and wishes were. “Design is all about making the space right for the person you’re designing for,” said Diehl May, emphasizing the importance of getting to know the client and making sure the design works for them and their lifestyle.
In this stage, Diehl May ensures she is understanding of how the homeowners will use the space. Do they congregate on the couch often, making a multitude of decorative pillows unnecessary? Do they have pets that would make certain textile choices difficult to maintain? By stepping into the home, the SCHEELS interior designers ensure they design a space perfect for the individual’s wants and needs. After the measurements were taken and an understanding of who the homeowner is was achieved, it was time to hit the SCHEELS Home and Hardware floor. “I went back and shopped around the store. I think that’s a fun part of working with SCHEELS, is that everything is available to us there,” said Diehl May. Instead of flipping through catalogs and sampling fabric swatches, interior designers at SCHEELS can get a feel of the mass, texture and mood of their specific selections.
This particular project had a quick turn-around of one week. This turnaround isn’t necessarily standard across the board, but when it comes to design projects like accessorizing or rearranging, this is certainly attainable. Since this project didn’t involve ordering any new furniture, the one-week timeline was not a problem.
Diehl May first stepped foot into the home on a Friday and by the next Friday, she was there again installing the selections. On the Wednesday in-between, she met the homeowners at SCHEELS Home and Hardware to review the items she pulled for them. This guaranteed they were all on the same page and that they would be wasting no time by bringing the wrong selections for installation.
“The homeowners came in the store, looked at everything I pulled and were super excited. They wanted it right then and there and I was like, ‘OK give me two days!'” said Diehl May. Since all the selections were in stock already, the SCHEELS design team was able to provide their clients that instantaneous satisfaction many of us desire when embarking on a project.
Since SCHEELS has a large inventory, they were able to bring multiple options to the design install. This allows SCHEELS to give the homeowners options, even on the day of installation. For even more flexibility, Diehl May said, “After we install, they get two weeks to live with [the selections] before they pay for it all. So they get to figure out what they like and tell us if there’s anything they want to return.” This trial period is just another respect that places SCHEELS at the forefront of regional design services. The attention to detail and dedication to customer satisfaction puts any client worries at ease, reassuring them that the interior designers on staff have their best interests in mind.
Aside from the aesthetics, the artwork serves a practical purpose. Tucked behind the painting are two electrical outlets situated high on the wall. The homeowners scarcely use the outlets, so this painting was the perfect choice to not only add a focal point to the room, but also to hide the unsightly outlets.
SCHEELS’ interior designers are available by appointment from 8 a.m to 5 p.m., Monday – Friday. Call 701-232-8903 during those hours to schedule an appointment.
SCHEELS Home and Hardware
scheelshomeandhardware.com
(701) 232-8903
3202 13th Avenue South, Fargo
