Lynda Somach has issues with our disposable culture.
Lynda Somach has issues with our disposable culture.
“Too often today, people just want something disposable and cheap – something that gets thrown to the curb a year or two later,” said the space planner and member of the American Society of Interior Designers.
“True, those who move around a lot sometimes want or need that type of disposable furniture, but it’s really so much better to buy something that will last and become your heirloom.”
She should know about the lasting quality of work and home furnishings, as she has been helping clients remake their homes for nearly three decades.
A fine arts major with a background in office space planning, she moved from corporate work for PPL, restaurants and spas to helping individual consumers redecorate and renovate their homes. She also often helps stage model homes for local builders.
Somach, whose office is in Allentown, likes to get to know her clients and their likes and dislikes, so that the finished product reflects their personalities. She never wants two jobs to look the same, even in cases where she may use the same or similar fabrics, colors or design.
One of her largest challenges in remaining in business successfully for so long has been to move forward with the times, while avoiding an overly trendy approach.
“I don’t go for trendy so much, but I like to create the trendy look with accessories that are easier to replace,” she said. “It’s easier to change up the pillows, for example, rather than the entire space.”
She counsels her clients on how to best spend the money they want to spend. She helps them “get the biggest bang for their buck.”
Since last fall, Somach has been selling quality, gently used furniture, well-maintained and with lots of life in it.
