 Can
a passion for furnishing be passed on genetically, like
blue eyes or an ear for music? Talk with Jeff Cohlmia,
owner of Home Gallery by Cohlmia, and you begin to think
so. Cohlmia grew up in the furnishings business. His father
owed an "ugly little furniture store," Cohlmia
says, on the corner of West Street and Douglas, and when
he was just thirteen years old, Cohlmia was working there
each and every weekend. By the time he was sixteen, he
was putting in more hours and starting to have a say in
the kind of furniture the shop sold. Fast forward roughly
ten years, and Cohlmia, with the help of seed money from
his father, was setting up shop on his own - and with
his own vision. "I always wanted to have a store,"
Cohlmia says. "I just wanted to sell better furniture,
more interesting things. It evolved from that."
Evolved is right. Today, Home Gallery by Cohlmia furnishes
some of the grandest homes in Wichita, with high-end,
custom-designed pieces that, in many cases are of an
equally grand scale: a 116-inch long, 50-inch deep sofa
and a 12-foot long table supported with three slabs
of carved stone, to name but two. Although Cohlmia can
customize pieces to match virtually any decor, his trademark
style can best be described as Old World, classic and
comfortable. "I prefer richly woven, textured fabrics,"
he says. "I love heavily waxed or crackled leathers,
tapestries deep with color, velvets, angoras, mohairs...fabrics
that wear well - fabrics that will outlive their owners."
Cohlmia's showroom, on 535 N. Woodlawn
in Wichita, welcomes visitors with high ceilings, furniture
vignettes, and a casual quality that contrasts somewhat
with the classic feel of the store's offerings, which
includes accessories such as urns, candlesticks, and
leather boxes. You're likely to find Cohlmia - who prefers
the "hands-on-stuff" to the "paperwork"
of running the business - in jeans, Tommy Bahama shirts,
and cowboy boots. "I want people to come in and
feel comfortable, to come in and enjoy themselves,"
he says.
And while Cohlmia prides himself
on a flexible approach to furniture design, centered
around his goal to make every client happy, there's
one thing this casual businessman takes very seriously
- and advises his client to take seriously, as well:
"Do not fudge on quality," he says. "Whatever
your budget, purchase the best quality you can afford."
Spoken with the conviction of someone
for whom fabulous furnishings are more than just a business,
but a way of life.
|
After over 15 successful years in furniture and home design,
Home Gallery has been fortunate enough to expand their design
services nationwide. Our clients come to us from a variety
of places including Florida , California , Arizona , Colorado
and throughout our home state of Kansas . Many from Wichita
wanting help designing their homes- others because
they could not find the quality, service and style in their
local area.