Berks County, PA Design Staff

Biography

Connie has spent most of her lifetime in the furniture business. She grew up helping her parents with their local home furnishings business. She dusted tables for a penny a piece and sold her first piece of furniture at age 10! She was previously employed by Griffith and Bixler before Davids purchased the company and has enjoyed 26 years of employment here. With her many years in the furniture business, Connie knowledgeably guides her clients through the design process with a strong working knowledge of product and resources. She has enthusiastically completed many projects from adding a piece or two to completing full rooms including window treatments, rugs, and accessories. She now lives locally in Lancaster County with her family.

Design Philosophy

"I enjoy working with each new client's ideas and helping them incorporate their ideas, wants, and needs into a beautiful room! Also, it is very important to ask the right questions and listen to all my clients' needs, so I can help them reach their goals and beyond so they can enjoy their new room for many years."

Biography

As a student, she attended Central Catholic High School in the former Luden Mansion on Hill Road where she was enamored by beautifully carved ceilings, marble stairways, and rich mouldings. These architectural surroundings left her inspired to pursue the field of Interior Design and she headed to Boston, MA where she completed Interior Design coursework at the Chamberlayne Junior College. Her passion to travel and see more architectural beauty throughout the world led her to tour seven countries in Europe and she has lived in some of the most beautiful and exciting cities in the United States including San Francisco, Atlanta, and Palm Beach, Florida. It is here that she worked at the Breakers Hotel which is one of the most architecturally stunning hotels in the U.S. Michele's eye for color and fabrics has been keenly developed through her experiences in the fashion industry with Ralph Lauren/Polo as well as her successful career in home furnishings. She has been a part of our design team, originally with Griffith and Bixler, since 1996. Michele brings her passion for design to every project and she would love to tell you about another passion of hers...her miniature poodle.

Design Philosophy

Her unique design approach is in her sensibility to understand each person's distinct need for comfort, beauty, and value.

Michele's Portfolio

Biography

Rich is an interior designer enthusiast and, it seems, he always has been. Much to his parents chagrin, he tells the story that his career began at the age of 5 when he picked up a pair of kindergarten scissors and attempted to shorten the living room draperies. He had thought it would look better trim-length. His parents, who were interior designers, disagreed.

Rich grew up in the design trade. His parents' studio, drapery workroom, and office were next door to their home; the showroom was a couple of blocks away. As a youngster, he literally saw hundreds of rooms go from drawing board to presentation board. When he was older, summer jobs in the family business served as an apprenticeship. His mother's parents were artists and educators, and his paternal grandfather an antique dealer. Growing up in that environment proved to be an education in and of itself.

Art courses at Dickinson and a post-graduate course at Harvard sharpened his design skills. Then his internship began in earnest and he will tell you he is still learning today. During the past 35 years, he has done everything from select wall coverings for a powder room to design a 14,000 sq ft home for which he provided the floor plans, elevations, architectural details, and home office and kitchen designs as well as the interior design.

One of the fascinating things about being a designer is that one is constantly reinventing oneself. A reverence for things past and a devotion to his community led him to donate his services to the Pottstown Historical Society to help them develop their headquarters in Pottstown's Historic District. He ultimately served two terms as president and published the society newsletter for six years. Through his friends a the society, Rich became involved with the Tri-County Chamber of Commerce and the local revitalization effort, designing the guidebook and interpretive displays for a permanent walking tour highlighting historic buildings and points of interest in the borough.

Rich had been employed at Griffith & Bixler for three years prior to the store being purchased by Davids Furniture and Interiors four years ago.

Design Philosophy

"My design philosophy is grounded in respect for the creative spirit that exists in all of us. I know that for a project to be truly successful it must express the personality, ideas, taste, and lifestyle of the client — and it must include an element of fun. I look forward to sharing my enthusiasm and experience with you here at Davids as we work together on your project."

Biography

Italo hails from Peru, but has planted his roots here for the past 35 years, having lived in NY, NY and now residing in the historical district of Reading where his home has been on the Christmas tour with the Reading Historical Society. He brings his 30 years of design experience with special knowledge in window treatments, color, and architectural design to Davids in addition to his many travels which have taken him around the world. Italo's degree from the Parsons School of Design combined with his experience, makes him a valuable asset to any client whether they are searching for one item or undergoing an entire home design. His abilities include developing elevations and window designs to reviewing plans prior to construction where he can often save the client money from potential mistakes. He was previously employed by Griffith and Bixler before Davids purchased the company and has enjoyed over 10 years of employment here. He is passionate about design, although he would love to tell you about his travels, baking, and extensive collections, too.

Design Philosophy

"I work with the client to understand what they want and then I help them to achieve it through my design ability and knowledge of resources."