Russ Heckman, designer with Oskar Huber for almost a decade and a half now, recalls his first meeting with Abby and her husband Steve last fall. “Her husband popped into the store by chance, we got to talking, and he insisted he return with his wife. As many customers tend to feel during such a great undertaking, I could tell that Abby was overwhelmed with regards to figuring out how to best furnish her new space,” Heckman recalls. “She needed a professional assessment of what can be done with each space, and that ultimately lead us to a solid, enjoyable plan of action,” he concedes. With a little guidance “and a lot of hand-holding,” Abby jokily admits, the experience of working with the Oskar Huber design team was one she now recommends to all of her family and friends.
want to do is be limited on a couch color because you already painted the walls a certain tone,” notes Heckman, as he points out that furniture should always be selected first. Once Abby selected her Sunbrella fabric furniture, Russ matched her wall colors to the furniture. The designer made sure to enroll the couple in Oskar Huber’s “Guardsman Program” which replaces damage to any fabrics for up to 5 years, as well as overseeing the interior painting of the entire home, an undertaking Abby was relieved to wash her hands of. Other decisions that were facilitated by the expertise of the designer ranged from little things like not backing the furniture up against the walls, or adding variety touches such as decorative succulents and
One of the initial concepts that the team were able to settle on right away was that the Sakwas wanted a “classic beach” look, with lots of blue and white accents. Heckman with his associate, Heidi Delbeau, took the Sakwas through a tour of the 20,000-sq. ft. Oskar Huber showroom and after reading their cues and observing certain objects they might have picked up—or others they might have passed right by—the designers were able to get a better understanding for the aesthetic the couple naturally gravitated towards. Once the general theme and inspiration of the décor was decided, Russ and Heidi got to work. They brought in drawings, sketches, fabric swatches, catalogues, samples—you name it—tirelessly offering one idea after another, suggestions and recommendations to help the homeowners think outside of their usually décor comfort zone. Since working with a designer offers an extra set of eyes, (that are trained to see and notice things that the average person may not) his insight offered the counsel Abby and Steve might not have found elsewhere. Heckman was able to present ideas that Abby might not have typically considered for herself, like when it came to the mission-style bedroom furniture, sofa shapes or sizing of the unconventional, one-of-a-kind coffee and accent tables. The order of items when furnishing a home is also important, and simple things like determining the perfect couch fabric swatch and wall paint color had to be done chronologically. “The last thing you
accent artwork. Selecting their solid wood dining room table with or without self-storing leaves was a big decision the couple had grappled with, and of course, how to lay out the rooftop outdoor living space. Little did the Sakwas know that Russ’s suggestion of a fire pit feature table, which at the time they didn’t care much for, resulted in the creation of their absolute favorite place to unwind and host guests. Another suggestion was the color and fountain feature in the lower level pool area, which the designer now cheekily refers to as “The Bellagio.” Make no mistake, all work and no play can make a designer dull—which is not the case with Mr. Heckman. Thanks to his imaginative ceoncepts and darling project nicknames, which Abby grew fond of, the homeowners decided to keep the names when charmingly referring to rooms. One room with solid
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