Today we’d like to introduce you to Sean and Chandler Collins-Barnes
Hi Sean and Chandler, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today?
Our company developed as a natural, but very unexpected evolution of our passions. Chandler and Sean both share a common love of interiors but come from very different backgrounds. Sean, who operates the Interior Fabrication side of the business, has a degree in Fashion Design and holds an eye for detail coupled with a great perception of what’s new, what people are drawn to, and what’s “next”. Chandler compliments that on the Retail side with a deep understanding of historical architecture and design, and has a theatrically oriented eye from growing up in a Costume Shop and spending his weekends at auctions with his grandmother.
Both of them are devoted to creating whimsical spaces grounded by quality and traditional craftsmanship.
When Sean was fired unexpectedly two days after Christmas, the two decided they had no choice but to bring to life a concept for a Design and Fabrication Studio that they had drafted early in their marriage. The company caters to the Design Trade by offering antiques, upholstery, window treatment fabrication, and management of a myriad of specialty services such as decorative finishing, custom-built furnishings, and sourcing; in other words, a studio for creatives to create together.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
We’ve been blessed with the support of several local designers that trusted Sean’s work as we moved into our own facility for this business. Skilled tradespeople are rapidly dying off in America and his skill for technical execution (and early stage of his career) makes him a highly valuable asset for a designer’s toolbelt. That being said, it’s not been a perfectly smooth ride. While there’s no trust fund or fall back for us, we are very content knowing that we’re not here to become the most profitable or large-scale company in our niche. Instead, we are happy to execute the work that we’re producing, place great design pieces in the hands of people who love them, and to connect other creatives with the wonderful tradespeople that we’ve been able to meet through the years. Our shared love of the artistic freedom in the human hand keeps us connected to our goal of curating a design community that supports high quality tradespeople and traditional crafts.
Our most major hurdle so far has been finding space for our production facility in a city with increasingly scarce affordable commercial property. After securing that, we renovated what had formerly been a bloody mary mix facility (which looked like murder scene with tomato splattered walls and dingy blue carpeting) into an airy and romantic backdrop for designers to visit, host client meetings, and collaborate in. This included building massive worktables for large scale drapery, setting up several industrial grade sewing machines, designing and installing ceiling-mounted pully systems to store 50-60 chair frames at a time, setting up a woodshop for furniture construction/repairs, and combining several offices into a showroom space for rotating displays of antiques and design pieces (all on a nickels and dimes budget and with our own two hands).
We will always be sourcing and buying great furniture pieces, so figuring out the most cost effective storage/delivery channels to support our online furniture sales is the next hurdle!
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about GAGGLE HOME?
Primarily, we are a to-the-trade custom interior fabrication studio focusing on window treatments, cushions, pillows, and upholstery that offers a selection of antiques and upholstery frames in our in-house showroom.
In addition to that, we are a creative studio. Design often involves several different trades, so when one of our designers brings us a completely custom idea, we manage the design, fabrication, upholstery, finishing, and delivery of those one-of-a-kind pieces.
We specialize in unique projects including tented rooms, lambrequins/historical window treatments and heirloom upholstery.
While we are focused on services for Design Trade Members, we also work with homeowners who have interesting and unique projects that cannot be accomplished elsewhere. We want people to know that if they are trying to make something that cannot be bought and have an understanding of the cost/time it takes to accomplish these types of things, we are here to guide them through that process!
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
We have an online shop on Chairish where we post “drops” of 15-20 incredible antique and design pieces three to four times a year for anyone to shop virtually. (Next drop in July)
This is always a small inkling of our actual inventory, and we’re happy to help non-trade customers source pieces for or design their projects. Chandler is a full-time interior designer and is accepting new clients (not already working with our to-the-trade clients) through Gaggle.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.gagglehome.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gagglehomechs/
- Other: https://www.chairish.com/shop/gagglehome
