This paid piece is sponsored by Montgomery’s.
Maria Schaffhauser wasn’t looking to begin a home renovation when she first walked into Montgomery’s in Sioux Falls – she was there to deal with a flooded basement – and fast.
Schaffhauser, who serves in the South Dakota Air National Guard, was preparing to spend two weeks in Sioux Falls as her husband dealt with the flooded fallout in their Aberdeen home.
“So we needed to pick a place that served both Sioux Falls and Aberdeen to replace the flooring, which is why I was at the Sioux Falls Montgomery’s,” Schaffhauser explained.
But when she walked in, she met interior designer Patricia Thoms, and the two started talking longer-term plans.
“I was just there looking for flooring, but I said eventually I want to do a home remodel,” Schaffhauser said.
The Schaffhausers had purchased their Aberdeen ranch home with the plan of remodeling it. Then came the pandemic, price increases, labor and material shortages, so it was put on hold.
Thoms provided the inspiration to get the project rolling.
“She didn’t know where to start,” Thoms said. “So I said, we have a free consultation, and I can go to your house and measure and make a project for you, and she thought that was great. So I went to Aberdeen and measured and took pictures, and then when she returned to Sioux Falls, I had a presentation for her.”
Thoms presented Schaffhauser with a three-dimensional image of how she could enlarge her main living space and renovate her kitchen, dining room and living room.
“That allowed her to visualize and see how she wanted to place even things like her windows,” Thoms said.
It was the help Schaffhauser needed.
“We wanted a larger kitchen and had an idea of what we wanted to do, but she was the one who measured and said ‘we can do this’ and drew it out, and that was actually what we used with our contractors to show what we wanted,” Schaffhauser said. “We took it to a cabinetmaker and showed designs and to a counter provider and showed what we wanted.”
Then, Thoms and Schaffhauser began working together to decide on fixtures and to furnish the space.
“I would send her pictures all of the time – things like handles for cabinets and faucets for the sink – everything,” Schaffhauser said. “We did a Roman clay fireplace, and she helped me make all these decisions on colors and styles. She was super-responsive in helping me decide on all these things because where do you even begin? She was always super-responsive.”
All of Thoms’ design services, like all Montgomery’s designers, were provided complimentary to Schaffhauser as a customer.
“And truly, the flooring is what started it all,” she laughed. “We ended up going with a luxury vinyl plank, and she suggested putting the same flooring upstairs so it all flowed.”
The Schaffhausers had to work through contractor availability, but Thoms stayed in touch and helped determine what furnishings would complete the renovation.
“I ask a lot of questions of clients, and Maria had shown me some photos for inspiration that showed me her style,” Thoms said. “It’s clean and timeless, and that’s what we did for her.”
For Thoms, “I like to make beautiful kitchens, but most important to me is that they be functional,” she said. “So I look at how things are stored and what needs to be out, and then I focus on things like how many barstools there should be and what height they should be.”
In this case, they went with a customized lower stool that had a slight back to it.
“So they’re not the first thing you see because there are a lot of cool things in the kitchen,” Schaffhauser said. “And then they’re also a vinyl material, which is nice with kids.
“We’ve had plenty of spills already, and you just wipe it up.”
The lighting in the kitchen is “very simple but chic,” Thoms said. “We went with a simple clear light that allowed us to do decor like floating shelves in the back of the kitchen without making it too busy.”
Because the house sits adjacent to a golf course, “she has a beautiful view, so the home layout takes advantage of that,” Schaffhauser said. “But I also introduced a lot of light into the house because it was darker before, so we also put in more windows.”
In the living space, they chose an American Leather sofa off the floor at Montgomery’s and customized fabric for reclining chairs.
“It flows very well with the stools and the sofa,” Thoms said.
For Schaffhauser, the chairs “are amazing. They’re chic, they’re comfortable, and they’re awesome,” she said. “And the way she designed the windows, you can sit in the chair and look out at the golf course and trees, and it’s so peaceful.”
Two years after their first meeting, Thoms went back to Aberdeen to put the finishing touches on the project.
“I think it’s perfect,” Thoms said. “I love it, and I love to see how happy she is.”
Working with Thoms, “she’s seen us at our worst, with our entire basement – two bedrooms and a playroom – moved upstairs after the flood,” Schaffhauser said. “It was a lot.
“And Montgomery’s was able to install our flooring as quickly as possible so we could get back to a normal life and made the entire process a one-stop shop. And now, I absolutely love the house. It’s a home, and it feels so clean and warm and cozy.”
The Montgomery’s Whole Home design experience “was so easy,” Schaffhauser said. “They’re great to work with. The collaboration between the Sioux Falls and Aberdeen stores was awesome as well. You can tell everyone there works well together, which just makes the customer experience that much better too.”
To learn more about how Montgomery’s can help guide your home design from start to finish, stop in any location or click here to get started.
