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"Partnerships only work when they are just
that, partnerships," Sister
Parrish, the legendary American interior decorator, once said.
A true example exists at Now & Then
in
Acton where Linda Carbutt, Prudence Spencer, and Kate Wharton
have managed to defy the odds and sustain a successful partnership
for over 30 years. In the year 2005, three women in the furniture
industry is not a terribly unique phenomenon, but three decades
ago it was a radical move for three young mothers.
"We didn't
start with a small decorating business that grew into a furniture
store, we started out with a significant design and furniture
business that has evolved over the years into a full service
home furnishing store specializing in interiors unique to each
client." said Spencer.
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Now & Then is
located only 30 minutes from Boston on Great Rd in historic
Acton. The big pink building was originally two Victorian
houses, which were creatively joined together with a welcoming
great room. Visitors can meander through the many rooms where
the partners' signature mixture of old and new is ever changing.
The friendly design staff, which includes Kate, Linda and
Prue as well as Tory Stamm, Lee Wakefield, and Jenn Warfield,
often reminds people of the camaraderie they saw in the television
show "Designing Women", and apocryphal
or not , it is strongly rumored that this partnership was indeed
the inspiration for the show. The women occasionally work together
on design jobs, but usually just assist each other or help
when necessary. Most often, each handles her own client roster.
"People
often ask if we have the same style or would approach a design
project in the same way. The truth is, although we are quite
different in many areas, we would actually make very similar
suggestions for a client because so much of what we do is
really based on what is right for them, their individual
lifestyles and their particular homes,"comments Carbutt.
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Through the years, their work has been seen
on the covers and in the pages of numerous magazines and they
were once featured in the business section of the Boston Globe
for appearing on two national magazine covers in a single month.
Do they always agree? "No" they
all say in unison. Do they have the same strengths? Again,
a unanimous no. Prue, who has jokingly been called "Prudent
Spender", has been a proponent
for their conservative, yet steady growth. Linda and Kate
will admit to sometimes scheming beyond their reach.
Wharton said, "Every year we go on buying trips to New York.
Linda and I go to buy, and Prue goes so we don?t buy - too
much. "Every good engine needs a superior set of brakes." The
three have had so much fun in New York over the years that
she adds, "Some people go to New York in order to keep their
stores going; we keep our store going so we can go to New
York!"
Although they have improved the looks of restaurants, offices
and schools, most of their work is residential. Projects have
taken them from St. Barts to Denver- as their loyal clientele
have expanded their realms, so have their design needs. All
three are now working with the adult children of some of their
original clients.
A lot of people can start a business, a lot
of people can run a business that is already started, but
to create and maintain a business for over 30 years through
the fickle fluctuations of the economy and life's circumstances
is a daunting if not rewarding prospect and one rarely achieved
so consistently.
A thirty year partnership. Imagine.
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Now & Then
Interiors
29 Great Rd.
Acton, Massachusetts 01720
978.369.8387
FAX: 978.369.5362
design@nowandtheninteriors.com |
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