With more than 20 years in the design business, Amy Ferrer is known for using timeless pieces to create spaces that are at once sophisticated and livable. But recently Ferrer added store owner to her design resume when she opened Miko + Boone Home, a new boutique in Roswell.
Background: I grew up in Augusta and moved to Alpharetta in 1989. While I attended college for information technology, I pursued a career in sales. Shortly after moving to Alpharetta, I started a sewing business out of my home. Since I had a passion for design, I began offering design services at no additional cost to my workroom clients. In 2003, I took a leap of faith. I closed my workroom, sold my equipment and started my design business.
Store owner vs. designer: Having a store front gives me a place to showcase my design aesthetic and reach a broader clientele.
The store: Miko + Boone Home in Roswell opened in September. The boutique offers furnishings, gifts, home accessories and design services.
The name: Our grandkids call us Miko and Boone. It seemed the perfect name for the store and a symbol of how much family means to us.
The main goods: Custom upholstery and case goods (from Vanguard and others), rugs and lighting. Also artwork by Southern artists, including Kate and Laura Roebuck and Britt Bass Turner (who is Ferrer's daughter).
Popular gift items: Moona Blu jewelry; Capri Blue candles; Emily Ley planners; greeting cards; and Britt Bass Turner phone cases.
Favorite:
- Atlanta home/design stores (other than my own): Bungalow Classics, Boxwoods and Pieces.
- Blogs and websites: Style Blueprint; Elements of Style Blog; Life Styled Atlanta; La Dolce Vita; and The Lettered Cottage.
- Magazines: Atlanta Magazine; Atlanta Homes & Lifestyles; The Atlantan; Modern Luxury; Domino; Architectural Digest; Garden and Gun; and Jezebel Magazine.
- Instagram: blountdesigns; décor therapy; joannagaines; bpatrickflynn; watersedgewoods; loithai; styleblueprintatlanta; and scoutguideatl
Unusual (or great) finds: Scott Antique Market and Round Top Antiques Fair in Texas.
Design pet peeve: Too many family picture frames spread throughout the room. This makes a room look cluttered. I prefer to see gallery walls or a unified section for frames.
Current design obsessions: Brass light fixtures, gold/brass accessories and concrete anything.
New (or re-emerging) looks I like: Grass cloth and patterned wallpapers.
… and looks I am glad to see go: Heavy and dark rod-iron light fixtures. Also oversized rolled sofa arms.
Tried and true tricks: De-clutter. Add a fresh coat of current paint color, statement pillows and window treatments.
Biggest design mistake I have made: Ordered a table in the wrong size, but it worked out. It's in my breakfast room and I love it.
Biggest (or common) mistake homeowners make: Trying to decorate too many rooms at once without having a design plan and furniture layout.
Best design advice: Before using a paint color you like (from a blog or your friend's house), make sure it works in your home with your lighting. Get a sample and paint on a poster board and hang on your wall before investing in the paint and painters.
My personal style: Transitional and clean lines.
Favorite space in my house: The breakfast room. It is comfortable, warm and inviting. The colors are neutral with pops of tangerine color. It has windows that overlook our yard and pool.
Favorite pieces in my house: Pieces that my Mom gave me from countries where we lived when my dad was in the service. One was a clock that my parents bought in Germany in the 1950s when my dad was stationed there. A set of three, hand-carved wood swans was bought in Central America. These items are not only beautiful but full of memories.
Dream project: A restaurant designed with current trends.
Latest project: An Italian villa on the beach in Hilton Head Island.
What's new in the store: Layering rugs and hides.
Find Miko + Boone at:
- Website: www.mikoandboonehome.com
- Facebook: Miko-Boone-Home
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