Interview with Tony Brown

Enjoy this interview with owner and interior designer Tony Brown, CID

Tell us about your career and life before Milestone Designs including living overseas.

I went to college at the University of Maryland in Heidelberg, Germany where I met my late wife we were married for 29 years she was in the Air Force, and stationed in Germany at the time. Due to her military career, we have lived in many places including Turkey, Germany, and North Dakota. I began my career working for a custom furniture store; I then worked as a civilian in the Air Force at the family support center.

Have you always had the design bug?

Absolutely! As a child, I was very involved in decorating my room and wanted to select the paint colors, carpet, and anything else for that matter and I was only 8 years old. I’ve always helped my family and friends when furnishing and decorating their homes because it is something I have just always had a natural eye for. To be able to look at a room and envision the potential and advise my family and friends on what to do when they seemed to be so lost was a very fulfilling feeling.

 

What are your favorite styles and why?

I appreciate all the styles as they all have beauty and functionality within different spaces, but if I must pick a favorite I can only narrow it down to two, which would be contemporary and transitional. What I absolutely love about the contemporary style are the clean lines and uncluttered feel the room presents when you step into it. I am a very organized person and clean and uncluttered spaces are where I am able to focus best so naturally I am drawn to contemporary design because it mirrors me personally. On the other hand, I also love the transitional style because it does follow much of a contemporary style with the simplicity and straight lines but there’s an addition of interesting textures, wood detailing, and warm tones that add depth to this timeless design.

 

Tell me what a client can expect from you.

A client can expect me to listen. It’s very important to me that my client’s lifestyle is reflected in the design, therefore I collaborate with my clients to ensure they get what they are looking for.  They can also expect me to care and get to know them on a personal level. During the initial consultation, I spend a great deal of time getting to know my clients, so that I truly capture their vision in the design.

 

Tell me about the process you use with your clients.

Upon the first meeting, I like my clients to give me what I call a “dream room tour” of their home. This is essentially the client taking me on a tour of their entire home and explaining what their dream vision is for every room of the house if time and money were no object. I do this with every client. No matter the budget or the design job. I will repeat for clients who only want their living room refurnished, and I complete this activity with clients who want to completely furnish a new home. This “dream room” tour allows me to understand what the client is passionate about. If they are using similar colors or design styles, I know these are important and a favorite to them. It also provides a more relaxed environment for the client to open up, be direct, and be creative in their description. I have found this activity is my go to for getting a glimpse of their vision so we can achieve their dream space together.

 

How long do you tell a client a typical one-room project will take?

While the timeline for a project with this scope can vary, I would say the average time is about 6-8 weeks once the products have been ordered. This is the average because typically we meet 2-3 times before ordering any products. Then once everything is ordered we wait for each piece to ship to our studio, usually from multiple suppliers. Once we have received everything on order, we are able to set up a time to deliver and set-up your room(s). This timeline will be several weeks longer for custom products such as upholstered furniture and window treatments.

 

What do you like about the design process?

I love taking a room that is either outdated or has never fully been put together and turning it into a beautiful room that the client has always wanted. I also love getting to know my clients on a personal level throughout the process. I have met so many influential people who have had amazing and different experiences that I get to learn about. With all of their different experiences comes different design influences that make every project unique and personalized for them.

 

Why should a client work with you and your company?

As unbiased as I would like to be while answering this question, I truly love my team. It has become a family to me where we celebrate birthdays, holidays, and accomplishments together. This atmosphere is something I have strived for since adventuring into this industry fifteen years ago and I believe that translates into the relationship we have with our clients. From their initial phone consult with our office assistant to their in-home experience with a designer, they truly are cared about every step of the way. We make sure, here at Milestone Designs, that we are reachable and keep the client updated throughout the process. We listen and are proud that we are able to create a space the client has been dreaming about instead of taking over and creating a space we have dreamed about. I know many clients have left an impact of my life and I hope I have left the same positive impact on theirs.

 

What do clients like about working with you?

They can get hold of me, I listen to them, I take their wants, budget, and style into consideration when designing but ensure that the design is beautiful. Also, I am diligent about working within a budget. I don’t show up and show a beautiful design, have my client fall in love with it and then tell my client the design is 40% over budget.

 

Tell me about the best project you’ve worked on, and why.

Favorite project based off client relationship:
When I think about one of my favorite projects I think about a couple I had as a client a couple years ago. I absolutely loved this project because they were very fun and enjoyable to be around. They had worked with a designer before and knew what to expect but they also allowed me to show them new concepts to incorporate into their home. They wanted a contemporary design when they had stuck to traditional in the past so it was exciting to be able to be bold here and there but still reflect their taste. This project was one of my favorite reveals because their reaction was priceless. When their master bedroom was complete and the wife walked in, she had tears in her eyes because she was so impressed with the result and my ability to understand her vision and create a space that truly fit their personality and dream. Moments like those are so special because I am reminded how impactful a fresh and new design can be on someone’s life.

Favorite project based off design freedom:
One of my favorite projects was done for a client who lives in Cape Verde. They bought a new home that will act as a vacation home for the next couple of years until they are able to retire and live full time in Florida. They wanted to stray away from their usual design style and go with a contemporary look throughout the entire house, while at the same time incorporating some of their African heritage. This design was very fun to create because it was unlike anything I had done before. I was able to use these African influences to marry the sleek line contemporary furniture with heavily texture woods, playful prints, and vibrant artwork, while accenting neutral rooms with rich earthy tones.

 

 

What do you do in your spare time?

In my spare time I like to travel, read, practice yoga, and run. I also love to entertain family and friends at my home.