Roy Otwell and Doug Henderson met in Atlanta in 2000 and became fast friends. The design-minded duo later decided to change careers and start Switch Modern, Atlanta’s go-to source for contemporary home furnishings, lighting and table-top accessories.
The store & background: Established in 2001, Switch Modern has expanded to a 25,000-square-foot showroom in West Midtown.
Owners & background:
Otwell: An Emory University-educated dentist who became interested in architecture and design, Otwell spent his early years in Atlanta, Statesboro and Milledgeville. After high school in the Washington, D.C., area, he returned to Atlanta to attend Emory for both college and dental school. After 10 years, Otwell sold his dental practice, traveled and dabbled in real estate before teaming up with Henderson to start their company. After nearly 30 years in Atlanta, he moved to New York City in 2005, acting as the New York branch of the business.
Henderson: Grew up in the Midwest and earned a business degree from the University of Wisconsin. Before "switching" gears in 2001, Henderson worked as a project manager in the financial services industry.
The name: The owners chose SWITCH Inc., doing business as Switch Modern, because they switched careers to follow a passion for design.
How our store is different from others: Perhaps our "pop and pop" ownership and business philosophies (excellent customer service, and shopping should be fun). We represent original, authentic designs from the early 1900s through the present. We never sell knockoffs.
The main goods: Contemporary luxury furniture, lighting and accessories from around the world. Brands include Minotti; Flexform; Poliform; Moooi; Bocci; MDF Italia; Viccarbe; Flos; and Santa & Cole.
Favorites: BD Barcelona's "Show Time" chars, designed by Jaimie Hayon in 2007 and Walter Knoll Fabricius chairs, designed in 1972 by Preben Fabricius.
... and new favorites: AFire, a line of "smart fuel" fireplaces that can be mounted or installed around the home. Also, Miele vacuum cleaners, which we have loved and used for years.
Popular gift items: Rosenthal Block Glas vase ($192); Mad et Len candles ($90 to $180) and Alessi, the Italian manufacturer that offers thousands of products from barware and kitchen gadgets to decorative objects.
People would be surprised to know … : In addition to residential furnishings, we also represent contract furniture lines for hotels, offices and hospitals. We often use contract lines in residential settings and vice versa.
Claim to fame: Featured in March on Animal Planet's "Treehouse Masters" show. Helped furnish the interior space of a modern treehouse in Fayetteville. Also won Atlanta magazine's Best of Atlanta (contemporary furniture category) several years in a row.
Favorites
- Blogs & websites: DPAGES; The Sartorialist; and Designer Man-What I Saw Today.
- Atlanta home/design stores (other than our own): Parc Monceau Antiques; Fox Glove; William Word Fine Antiques; and Boxwoods.
- Movie interiors: All of Wes Anderson's films. Pedro Almodovar's interior sets are interesting as well.
Design pet peeves: Repetitive design in residential, hospitality or restaurant settings. Enough already with the faux rusticated materials and hand-made fixtures. This "Brooklynization" of design needs to stop. Also, the need to fill every space. Negative space is a good thing.
Current design obsession: Refinement.
New (or re-emerging) designs we like:
- Pink, warm interiors and brushed brass finishes.
- Resurgence of all-white minimalism.
- Luxurious materials used in clean-lined, sparse applications.
- Simple materials used in extraordinary ways.
… Design looks we are glad to see go: "Undesigned Design," such as faux rustication. Also too much stuff, such as pillows, cushions, plants and art.
Most unusual request: It's a tie: One client wanted us to design a very high-end kitchen with no appliances because she never intended to cook again. Another client purchased $18,000 of ashtrays.
Biggest design mistake we have made: Thinking that I (Otwell) can live with color. When I have experimented with interior wall color other than white, I ultimately paint over it with white. A clean, minimalist white interior calms my mind.
… mistake homeowners make: Not buying quality.
Up next: Updating the showroom with fresh products we saw a few months ago on our visit to the Salone Furniture Fair in Milan.
Find Switch Modern at:
• Website: www.switchmodern.com
• Facebook: Switch Modern
• Instagram: @switchmodern
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