Designer sample sale is a home decor gold mine
It's a good place to find specialty decorator items
By Shari Kaplan
For homeowners who've looked at their interior designer's or decorator's work and thought they'd like to try the craft themselves, the fifth annual Designers' Sample Sale on June 19 in the West Valley College parking lot may be just the ticket.
Sponsored by the West Valley College Interior Design Club, the sale consists of more than 30 booths run by local professional interior designers and design-related tradespeople. According to show chairwoman Cookie Futterman-Spilka, the event gives merchants the opportunity to clear out their warehouses and showrooms of extraneous items such as samples, customer returns, mistaken orders and overstocks. Merchandise, most of which is sold at below retail, includes antiques, lamps, furniture, art, fabric, accessories, pillows, frames and rugs.
"People can get items on their own that usually only professional designers could get for them, and also items that are individual, handmade or one-of-a-kind that they couldn't find anywhere else," says Futterman-Spilka, a Los Gatos interior designer and WVC student. "We have a variety of quality merchandise for the home, for all budgets, all in one central location."
The West Valley College Interior Design Club has its own booth at the sale, where its members will sell merchandise donated to them by several local design firms, including Mendelsohn Place Interior Design Studio of Saratoga and Martino's and Kirklund & Co. of Los Gatos. All proceeds from this booth benefit the club and its programs. Booth fees from the other vendors also go to the club; the vendors keep the money they make from booth sales.
The Interior Design Club, in existence for nearly 20 years, is a student affiliate of the American Society of Interior Designers. The club, which has more than 60 members, offers students design-related tours, seminars, workshops, guest speakers and opportunities to do community service projects.
Among the businesses with booths are The Front Window, Golden Mirror Home Furnishing and Helen Carreker, all of Saratoga. Those from Los Gatos include Michael Ferguson of Michael Ferguson Design, The Rose Collection, Betty Lohbeck, Interior Services of Los Gatos, Alexis Ulrich, Cynthia Garvey, East on Main and Cotton Works.
West Valley College is at 14000 Fruitvale Ave. in Saratoga. The Designers' Sample Sale takes place from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m. Parking and admission are free. For directions or more information, call 395-7775.
Los Gatos, California Since 1881
