Reflecting on the past, designing for the future
Iconic Austin furniture store redefines custom design
Furniture and big-ticket household items become a part of how you live your everyday life. While you may not be conscious of it, the items that surround you in your space create lasting memories and set the tone for how you live your life. The new Reflections Custom Design Center by Louis Shanks makes sure that your home reflects your lifestyle with comprehensive customizable, yet accessible, options from the fabric and arms on your sofa to the size and the finish of your dining room table.
If fully customizing a piece of furniture has been a daunting idea in the past, you’re not alone. “For most people, furnishing a space or designing a room is an exhausting and sometimes extremely confusing process,” says Michael Forwood, Louis Shanks store manager and marketing coordinator. “We not only want to make sure people are comfortable and relieve the pressure, but we’re here to guide the way and get customers involved in the process. We want to stimulate their creativity and have it become a discovery process.”
Louis Shanks recognizes that furniture is a major purchase, one that usually has a 5-7 year cycle, and therefore doesn’t want your buying experience to be the stereotypical trope of pushy salespeople. “The focus is customization and the customer,” Forwood continues. “We want to become a resource where customers can come in the store simply for information. We don’t want to try and sell something to someone every time they walk through the door. We want you to feel like you made a good choice whatever you decide.”
So what would the experience be like for the average person to walk in and begin the discovery and design process? With the help of one of the Louis Shanks employees, many of whom are licensed designers, you would walk throughout the showroom and choose your materials, finishes, hardware, fabric, shape, color, size (and so much more!) for each individual item. If you’re worried that you’ll make a poor design choice, there are even kiosks within the space that will show digital mock-ups to help preview what your one-of-a-kind piece will look like. The experience brings what used to be an exclusive designer’s library and makes it accessible for the consumer.
While this service is ideal for those with little to no design experience, it’s also a welcome friend for seasoned and even professional designers. Where normally a designer would have to source flooring, drapery, custom lighting, furniture and wallpaper from multiple avenues, Louis Shanks provides all these customizable options in-house.
What you’ll find is the convenience and buying power of a big box store with the custom and boutique feel of a custom design house. You’ll see national name brands you recognize like Magnolia Home and Ellen DeGeneres alongside locally designed furniture. You’ll see three generations of the Forwood family passionately helping people on the showroom floor. You’ll see a local furniture powerhouse that’s been in Austin for 73 years working with craftsmen and privately held companies in order to keep that small business charm.
“These are things we’ve always been able to do, but we’ve shifted the experience,” says Forwood. “You immediately walk into the showroom and have infinite options rather than me just trying to show you what’s in the store that you could customize.” It’s all about transparency with the process and, yes, even the pricing. The price difference between custom options versus in-stock options is minimal, especially when custom pieces help you save time and a headache in the long run.
It’s all about your style, your vision and your dream—but don’t take our word for it. Check it out for yourself at the grand opening celebration on Sept. 1 from 2 to 6 p.m. The event (and ceremonial ribbon cutting) will feature live jazz, hors d’oeuvres, beverages, exclusive product offers and giveaways, door prizes and more. Help Louis Shanks officially open the doors to the Reflections Custom Design Center and they’ll help you create a home that reflects your individual style and needs.
