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Credentials: Interior designer, professional member of the American Society of Interior Design

Company: Boyles Distinctive Furniture in Jamestown

Years in business: More than 25, the past six with Boyles

Style: “I’m eclectic. I like contemporary furniture with interesting, dramatic fabrics. I try to inject a little drama into every room unless (a client) wants it serene instead of dramatic.”

Ultimately, “I like to end up with a room that reflects the personality of the person who lives there.”

Fee range: At Boyles, design advice is free to clients who buy furniture. Appointments are suggested.

About Boyles: Boyles sells bedroom, dining room and living room furniture, as well as mattresses, home office and home entertainment pieces, and a variety of accessories. There are seven ASID designers on the staff. “As well as selling furniture, we are selling a look. We’re a very design-oriented store,” Henry says. North Carolina companies represented in the store include Kingsdown Mattress Co., Charleston Forge Furniture, Henredon Furniture and Hickory Chair. Other well-known brands, in a number of price ranges, include Kriess, Baker and the Althorp Living History collection, consisting of reproductions of pieces of Princess Diana’s ancestral home.

A major project:

Henry is advising a Bangkok-based couple who are renovating a two-story, 6,000-square-foot waterfront condominium. The couple bought the raw space, which has glass walls on three sides — the kitchen is the only room without window exposure — and an elevator.

They made contact with Henry more than two years ago when they came to Boyles for furniture, and are wrapping up the renovations this year. “We did everything from the ground floor up,” she said of the project that included picking flooring, molding and other architectural details, as well as furniture selection.

The house had to be planned for adults and children, and Henry helped the couple with concepts to take to an architect. “It was a job where I truly got to function in what I’m educated to do. It was a complete design job.”

The couple chose predominantly Marge Carson furniture, and the color scheme included bronzes, golds and creams. Unique design features include electronically opened window treatments and a Juliet balcony off the office.

Design tips:

• Accessories count. A good piece of artwork can transform a space and “make a room look spectacular.”

• Put different styles together. “It’s more interesting than one look. Furniture should be not just functional but beautiful and interesting.”

Inspiration

Henry, a Chicago transplant who has traveled extensively and enjoys visiting galleries and museums, says it’s important to be open-minded about design. “I love getting ideas everywhere I go.”

For more information about Boyles and Diana Henry, call 812-2200 or e-mail dianahenry@boyles.com.

Design Profile is a regular question-and-answer feature highlighting area interior design professionals. To participate, contact Heather L. Modlin at 373-7144 or heather.modlin@news-record.com.