Texas business owner Marina Fox has operated McKinney Furniture and Design, previously called The Furniture Buyers Club, for the past five years. Originally from France, Marina lived in California for twenty years before moving to Texas.
After first moving here, Marina was struck by the size of the houses compared to the home they owned in California. Furnishing a Texas-sized house was overwhelming.
It was while shopping to furnish her new home Marina quickly became dissatisfied with the home furnishing stores she had to choose from. She found that most stores offered similar products with little variety. She was anxious to have something new and original. To solve her dilemma, Marina took matters into her own hands and, with a business partner, opened her own home furnishings store.
McKinney Furniture and Design became Marina's store when she bought out her business partner last year.
Determined to make her store different, Marina offers her customers an original, customized look at a reduced cost. Located off the beaten path, Marina takes advantage of the low rent to pass along those savings to her customers. Her store has a beautiful front showroom with a large warehouse showroom in the back. All of her furniture is decoratively displayed in tasteful vinettes so the customer can imagine the pieces in their own home.
Customers enjoy a relaxed shopping experience, free of the pressure from commissioned sales associates. Customers are encouraged to leisurely browse the number of high-end styles available. When assisting customers, store sales professionals seek to understand the customer's style, preferences, and season of life before making recommendations. Marina sees each customer that walks through her doors as a friend and neighbor.
McKinney Furniture and Design offers customers a selection of high-end styles like Dovetail, Essentials for Living, and Universal Furniture. Many of the lines they carry are also used in model homes by local designers.
Customers have the option of customized furniture built to fit their space, or they can purchase floor models at a reduced rate. Staying current with the latest trends means a regular turnover of floor models, so there is always a sale going on.
Customized furniture includes a variety of fabric choices with samples available for you to browse in the store. All customized sofas and sectionals are made right here in the USA.
Once a year, Marina visits the furniture market in Las Vegas to keep up on the latest trends. This year her visit brought back the addition of a new accessory line by Decor Uttermost, which she is particularly excited to share with her customers.
When asked what's trending now, Marina shared that gold is very popular, and there is also a lot of mixing of elements and styles. Vintage style is now mixed with transitional and even modern pieces to create a unique look and customized feel. Metals and metallic fabrics are also hot right now. As far as colors, grey is still a popular neutral, and bold blues are always a favorite.
For the customer who wants additional design help, in-home design service is available for a small fee. The professional designer will make expert recommendations and help you throughout the entire design process.
McKinney Furniture and Design is a faith-based business, and while Marina is excited about great design, she is passionate about the McKinney-based prison ministry that she founded. Her ministry helps formerly incarcerated women rebuild their lives. Every Friday, you will find Marina ministering to women in the prison where she leads a bible study. For formerly incarcerated qualified women, she offers employment in administrative roles in the store. Through her efforts, these women are given a second chance to start their lives over.
When not working in the store or running the prison ministry, Marina spends most of her time at home, enjoying her husband and daughter, and spending time with her horses. Once a year, she's able to get back to France to visit family.
Marina says she's "incredibly grateful for the opportunity to live and work here (USA). There is a freedom in this country that is very precious."
Visit Marina at 2001 Central Cir, McKinney, TX 75069, or their website at www.mckinneyfurnitureanddesign.com to learn more and browse her beautiful showroom.