Often when we travel to other cities we search for unique, one-of-a-kind shops for ideas on how to decorate our homes. Well, now we don’t have to travel far. One and Only Design Studio is a new home decor shop in Brandon that has an eclectic collection of furniture and accessories to suit a range of styles and tastes.
One and Only Design Studio opened just a little over six months ago in heart of downtown Brandon at 130-10th Street. Owners Patrick Kim and Jenny Kang, along with their teenage daughter, created this haven for those who are passionate about home decor.
For years, Patrick has been selling commercial lighting fixtures, furniture and accessories to hotels and hotel chains. His job required a lot of travel, but it was also a challenge to provide his clients with samples of all the products that were available. After all, you can only pack so much in a suitcase!
So, the idea began to create a showroom right here in Brandon, where clients would be able to see the complete collection, get an idea of what the quality was like and get a better sense of size. As the plans for the business developed, the husband and wife team also decided to make their products available to local home owners and interior designers at a retail level.
“It’s been a great experience so far. Our commercial clients are able to come here to get different ideas, concepts and options that they didn’t have as much access to before, plus they are now exposed to our retail line,” said Jenny.
One and Only carries a wide variety of products that are imported directly from manufacturers in China. As a result, guests are discovering products in the store that you might not be able to find anywhere else.
“Patrick travels to major international trade fairs in China and Hong Kong a few times a year to search for products that are unique and different, but still trendy and of good quality. He’s managed to find reliable manufacturers that really fit the Canadian market,” said Jenny.
They currently carry sofas, accent chairs, coffee tables, end tables, side tables, lamps, wall art, and lighting fixtures. Jenny said they hope to get three or four shipments a year and with the next order, they are expanding their product line to include more pieces for small home decor, more accent chairs, dining room tables and additional side tables.
Since their products are available to retail customers, as well as to commercial clients they are connecting more and more with local interior designers, contractors and electricians.
“We have a good selection of commercial lighting fixtures. We know what is selling well and what’s popular, plus with our competitive pricing, contractor’s are able to get a good price for their clients,” said Jenny.
And, if that isn’t enough they are also starting to do custom orders on furniture.
“Our customers want to tailor their purchase to their own style and taste. We can custom order furniture and lighting fixtures, so if they want to change the colour or the material or the size, we can do that for them. This is something we were hoping to be able to do for our customers and so far it’s working out really well,” said Jenny.
To enhance your shopping experience even further, this entrepreneurial family also has a coffee shop in the 4000 square foot space. Along with a variety of speciality coffee and tasty treats, O&O Coffee, also features live, local entertainment almost every Saturday.
If you haven’t had the opportunity to explore this gem, I’d be sure to put it on your summer bucket list! It’s definitely worth the trip.
– By Wanda Kurchaba