Girard Interiors has been providing interior design services to Bergen County residents for 22 years. They opened their first store in Closter and second in Ridgewood before consolidating their operations at 69 Westwood Avenue in Westwood. Girard’s store-front in downtown Westwood is a complete design showroom. They have thousands of sample fabrics, wall coverings and window treatments to guide any client through the design process.

In addition to providing design services, Girard Interiors has been involved in many charities throughout the years. Wendy Girard, owner and designer at Girard Interiors, believes that giving back to the community has given her a great sense of fufillment. Recently, Girard’s commitment to Children’s Aid and Family Services included the donation of a framed basketball jersey signed by superstar Dwyane Wade.

Mybergen.com sat down with Girard to learn more about what has made her business a Bergen institution for so many years.

You have a lot of celebrity clients. Why do so many celebrities and athletes prefer to work with Girard Interiors?

We did one athlete’s “sometime” home locally and he referred us to a teammate and so on and so on. Due to the satisfaction meter, we keep getting referrals. We have been to Washigton DC, Potomac, Maryland, Racine, Wisconsin, Alexandria, Virginia, Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, Florida, Rhode Island and Chicago.

You will be featured in the upcoming Home Design episode of mybergen TV, do you regularly receive media coverage for your work?

If you visit our website, you will see under “in the news” we actually had HGTV film an episode of a show which has yet to be aired.

Can you talk about current trends in home design?

Wallcovering is making a huge comeback but it is now considered for the “elite” only vs. the old fashioned wallcovering that was inexpensive. Homeowners used to be able to install it themselves, or at least attempt to. We now sell many suede fabrics that are applied directly to the wall for media rooms that serve as an “acoustical” wallcovering.

In this economy, many clients are trying to accomplish more with less when it comes to home design projects. Can you explain a few ways this can be accomplished?

As far as money and decorating are concerned, it shows if you try to cut corners. Most men don’t understand the impact window treatments have. I have many clients that paint the walls, dress the windows and leave the room empty until furniture can be afforded. The window treatments alone, dress the room and make a huge impact.

You have been a successful home design consultant for many years. What do you love most about your job?

I love the window treatment side of the business because unlike other items, they sometimes turn out to be a “commodity” in that a sofa can be priced out, compared and substituted. You can’t substitute on “custom” window treatments. They cannot just bought at another location. Our sewers are top notch and we have clients who have had their custom window treatments for 15 years and because they are now out of date color wise or fabric pattern are forced to remove them but claim “they are like brand new” as far as holding up.

If you could give one piece of advice to someone contemplating a new home design project, what would it be?

Paint and do window treatments, children’s rooms, kitchens, family rooms and then the remainder of the rooms. Children especially want to have friends over and adjust to new surroundings if special attention has been given to their rooms.

Any memorable clients or projects you’d like to share?

Our most memorable client was a little girl from “Make a Wish” who wanted a beautiful bedroom. We reached out to Stanley Furniture and they helped us work within a budget given to us by the foundation. Jay Lorenzo, an executive at Stanley Furniture, got his 18 year old son involved in the project by working all summer to pay for the girl's bed. More information on this great story can be found on our website under “In the News” and can be reprinted from the New York Times.

What is the best part of the decorating process?

I think the best part is meeting the client because there is such excitement on both their part and ours.

For more information please visit www.girardinteriors.com or visit Girard Interior’s showroom at 69 Westwood Ave. Westwood, NJ (201) 263-1332