Meet & Greet in Sterling, MA

A Meet & Greet was held to foster the connections of our chamber’s businesses within our Sterling area

A Meet & Greet was held to foster the connections of our chamber’s businesses within our Sterling area. The attendees included Bill Caldwell the town administration of Sterling; our hosts, Matthew Kooyomjian and Mary Elizabeth Tinervin from MEM Dance Theatre; Robert Jumper and JoLisa Chouinard from LCU; Melissa Gallo, Carol Ann Gjeltema, and Josh Halterman Owner/Interior Designer from Joshua Allen Design (the spotlight company for today); Heidi Bogner from The Organized Duck; and our own Manager of Membership Recruitment and Engagement, Tracy Gagnon. It was nice to have some fun in a relaxing atmosphere with coffee and donuts on hand.

Josh from Joshua Allen Design gave an engaging presentation about 5 of the current design trends for interior design, as many of us fantasized what our new spaces could look like. We learned that:

  • wallpaper is popular once again, but the vinyl type is so much easier to deal with than the old paper and paste wallpaper of yesterday. Use it in small spaces, accent walls, refrigerators, or even ceilings!
  • GREEN is huge right now – although New Englanders will always love their blues, too. Green does well to contrast wood tones and golds.
  • Velvet, and antiques are popular again – it can really make a place look cozier.
  • Wood cabinetry and board & batten walls can be used to update our spaces.
  • Mixing styles, especially traditional and modern, is what’s hot right now.

It was great to learn that:

  • They have friendly pricing, and can do a little or a lot, depending on each person’s particular budget and needs.
  • Dining rooms are not going away, as was rumored only a few years ago to be the case. The kitchen is the hub of the home, but an island generally can’t handle the larger crowds that come during the holidays.
  • Mixing different wood tones is acceptable – so we can put a lighter wood cabinet in a room with a darker wood floor, etc.
  • Currently popular styles include the Antique Modern, the Mid-Century Modern, and the Modern Farmhouse looks.
  • The trending antiques include mirrors, frames to make collage walls, trunks, lamps, globes, and chairs.
  • Modern items to mix into your space can include things like vases, stacks of books, knots, trays, and houseplants.

After the presentation we learned what was upcoming at the Chamber. I’ve already signed up for several things, but there is still plenty of time to get your name in to attend several more events this month and next month. Don’t forget to attend the Kickball Tournament fundraiser on the 17th; the new member orientation on June 6th; and Steve Gross from Life is Good speaking at the NCMCC 39th Annual Business Meeting and Expo on June 15th!

Submitted by: Heidi Duck, Founder of The Organized Duck