Excalibur Design

Harness The Intangible

By Auburn Cecil

                When Dan Bright finishes a room, he has taken something as vague as a feeling and given it life. Couches, rugs, paint and accessories go from being ordinary decorations to being the defining elements of a tangible character and personality. He explains,              
                 “When you complete a job, you have built something that has an effect on people. If you complete it and please both the client and their friends, then you’ve taken something intangible – their taste – and created something that they can touch and feel.”

                Dan Bright has been in the interior design business for more than 20 years. In that time, not only has he developed a reputation that has taken him all over the east coast, but it has won him space in magazines ranging from Atlanta’s Enclave to Virginia Living. Even with the local and national attention, Dan realized that the place where he really wanted to be designing was right here at home. He commented, “I found that I was traveling the East Coast working while there was so much work right here, so I decided that I needed to open a public studio.”

                For most of his career, Dan’s studio has been other people’s homes; but when the building on Scruggs Road became available, he knew he had to grab it. Perfect for his purposes, the studio essentially features two divisions. One is Dan’s design studio where clients can get his expertise and ideas. The other is Embellishments by Excalibur. Embellishments is actually a resource room for both Excalibur and the public. Dan invites all the do-it-yourselfers to stop by, “We charge for my ideas, but I want people to feel comfortable coming in and using Embellishments without having the pressure to buy anything.” The shop is perfect for anyone who wants to get decoration ideas, browse through thousands of samples and find materials and options that are typically only available in big-city studios.

                From baskets full of granite countertops to a showroom packed with chairs, paintings, sculptures, lamps, tables, mirrors and more, Embellishments is a designer’s goldmine. “The accessories are what really create the feel of a room. It’s fun to help people complete the look. That’s what gives the home the personality,” said Dan, “Most people buy safe art. I like things that tell a story. I like things that evoke a memory, a mood or an emotion.”

                Dan has two assistants who help run Embellishments. Josh, a design apprentice, and James, an architectural student at Virginia Tech. As they help people discover the right patterns and samples, Dan can concentrate on creating his incredible designs. Excalibur offers everything from a complete house layout to a simple hour and a half of rearranging furniture. The level of service just depends on what each individual person is looking for and how they relate to Dan. He explains, “Choosing a designer is like choosing your doctor or therapist. It has to be a good fit, we have to be able to make you comfortable.”

                While he thinks the really fun projects are the ones where the customers want magazine quality rooms, Dan also likes the challenge of making small changes that help people love their rooms. “Sometimes it is as simple as moving a couch or angling a piece of furniture. Many people who have finished 85% of their homes will call us for the finishing touches.” Of course, for the best design Dan recommends that you plan for those finishing touches, “The most important part of what I do is the accessorizing. Many people budget for the big items like carpet and couches, but for really good design you need to keep 25% of your budget for the accessories. You buy the ‘Vanilla’ couches and carpet and then you need the ‘hot fudge’ to make it really good.”

                One of Dan’s greatest strengths is his diversity. “I don’t enter any job with a pre-conceived notion. I want each job to reflect the customer.” He also makes sure that each individual can be sure their home will be unique. “We mark the fabrics and wall-paper so we don’t use the same things in the same region. Most of my clients want to be individuals. They don’t want to do the same thing as anyone else, and they don’t want people to try to recreate their design. Much of our art is one-of-a-kind items that we can’t re-order.”

                Whether you’re looking for a inspirational piece of art to enhance a room, or you’re looking for someone to start from scratch and talk to your construction team about how your home will be designed, Excalibur Design is your key to the traditional, the contemporary and the creative.

                For more information stop by their studio at 213 Scruggs Road or call 540-721-3626.