… and LOVE what you use!

Those wise words from Alison are central to her interior decorating style. When dreaming up ideas for Homearama, or any project for that matter, she tries to take a product that she already has or that may be in rough condition, and give it a new life.

Take the tulle ballerina table in the little girl’s room, for example. The A.Dodson’s team found a small tabletop, gave it a fresh coat of white paint, and then attached legs to the bottom. Keeping true to our theme, we then sourced Made In America tulle, which we purchased from Tulle Source, and attached it to to the underside of the tabletop.

We also love the rebirth of this bookshelf. Before a stroke of A. Dodson’s inspiration, it was looking pretty drab and dusty. With some fixing up and staining, it turned out to be a beautiful piece in our loft room at the Made in America house.

The key behind both projects is keeping an open mind about a piece. With a little creativity, sweat, and paint you can bring new life to even the dullest, seemingly hopeless furniture!

Facebook friends, we’d love to see any projects that you’re working on. Tag us, and you may just give us our next inspiration for a piece!

We learned a lot as we set out to design and furnish the Made in America Homearama house. The bottom line? When you buy American made furniture, you buy an heirloom!

Alison and Tina (shown right and left respectively) journeyed to the High Point Furniture Market in April to search for American made furniture. They returned with more than sofas. They came back with the knowledge that American made furniture is different! They also came back with glowing stories of a woman they met, Nanette Price of N Design International.

Price works with Key City Furniture to create beautiful collections of American made furniture. She says, “American craftsmanship simply can’t be replicated, from the inside out. Moreover, the pride that the crafters take in making each piece is second to none. They make sure it’s done right!” She is proud to have paired with Key City to showcase her Coastal Classics collection in our Made in America house because of their dedication to high-quality work.

Founded in 1927, Key City is now owned by the gradsons of the founder of the business, and Price says the tried and true techniques are passed down through each generation. On their sofas and chairs, they use Appalachian wood for their frame, which is sourced from a sustainable forest. The hand-tied coils and ten way hand-tied technique in the frame is the highest quality in furniture making and cannot be replicated with a machine. This ensures the most stability and comfort. These products are simply built to last.

Tina and Alison were blown away by Key City’s ten way hand-tied sofas. According to Tina, “an eight way hand-tied is fabulous but a ten way hand-tie? It’s exemplary quality!”

Let’s hear it for the ole U-S-of-A!

At A. Dodson’s we love to promote our fellow small businesses, but who wouldn’t after hearing about all the benefits of buying local? Investing in local businesses means investing in YOU and your community! Small businesses are what make our community unique. They are the must-visit destinations for those passing through. They bring character to our city and make it stand out. If that isn’t enough to encourage you buying local, think about your last visit to your Big Box Mart. Remember that superb customer service from the happy, friendly employees? Chances are, you don’t! Small businesses, however, usually have a very knowledgable, invested staff who are committed to helping you with your purchase. Whether it’s helping you pick out the perfect chandelier for your home at our own A. Dodson’s or selecting the yummiest bottle of wine at Bon Vivant, local business employees are up for the challenge!

Perhaps, in fact, you do know some great workers at Big Box, but there is something unique, even a bit magical, about local business employees and their passion for the products they’re selling. Speaking of jobs, small businesses provide the most employment across the nation. By making your purchases locally, you can do your part to combat high uneployment in your community. These are just a few of the many benefits of supporting local businesses. We’d love to hear what your favorite part of buying local is! Be sure to share your ideas on our Facebook page. See ya around the neighborhood!

If you haven’t heard about our Get Spotted campaign, you’re missing it! Not only does it make your car cool, it gives you a chance to be Spotted every single day. If we spot you out and about, you’ll get a $20 gift certificate plus all the fame and fortune the A. Dodson’s spotlight brings!

| Spotlight on Emily Runyon | 

Where do you live?   “Surprising Suffolk!”

Where were you spotted by A. Dodson’s?  Parked on the street for my daughter’s 3rd birthday party – she’s a huge fan of A. Dodson’s as well. (P.S. Nora Fleming mini’s from A. Dodson’s were on display! The yellow rose is perfect for even a child’s Tangled theme party – the possibilities are endless!)

What’s your favorite local restaurant? It’s a tie between Vintage Tavern and Amici’s. Mmmm, love both.

If someone was new to the area, what ‘must see or do’ advice would you give them? New to the area must see/do list: Definitely head to Cedar Point Country Club and play a round of golf and take a dip in the pool – the river views are breathtaking. Have to hit up A. Dodson’s for some boutique shopping then on to Vintage Tavern for dinner. If you’re up for a bit of a drive, we love to head to Sandbridge for beach days, Williamsburg’s Merchant’s Square (The Cheese Shop!) for lunch and shopping and a Norfolk Tides’ game for family night. Our area is pretty cool.

What’s your favorite charity? Why? My favorite charity would have to be Suffolk’s Rockin’ Relay for Life (GO TEAM RIVERVIEW!!). We ladies of Riverview throw an annual [cocktail] “Party with a Purpose” and auction fundraiser to raise money for the American Cancer Society. Yeah!