BURLESON INTERIOR DESIGNER USES MEMENTOS TO DECORATE OFFICES

A home office doesn't have to mean just a desk, a chair, a computer and a fax. Delina Dobrenchuk, owner of 3D-Designs, believes a home office should reflect a person's personality just as much as the home does.

"A person's personality doesn't change from the home to the office," she said.

With her designer's eye, Dobrenchuk moves larger pieces to follow the lines of the room, to provide balance and scale. Then, she brings in pieces from throughout the home to form the office around her client's character. For small offices, just a couple of favorite mementos can make a huge difference. For larger offices, she might arrange a seating area for entertaining clients.

"It's a matter of providing the finishing touch of placing things in just the right place," she said.

Dobrenchuk utilizes a client's existing pieces. She is not connected to a retail firm; she doesn't come in with swatches to totally makeover a room. She doesn't want her clients to feel they have to purchase new things.

"A lot of the time they will have the functional basic pieces, but in order to add personality, I seek accessories from throughout the home," she said. The comforts of home are still the comforts of the office. It makes the office very workable and pleasing."
The personal touch

She cites as an example one client who was against having his home office redone, yet his wife had purchased Dobrenchuk's services. He had a huge, solid cherry wood desk that Dobrenchuk simply flipped around to face another direction. Shelves were being built, so she went about finding things that reflected the client's preferences, such as Western art and antique Western accessories. When she finished with the room, her client was extremely happy. "He couldn't believe it was the same room," she said.

Dobrenchuk also uses her skills for public offices. An attorney's office she worked on presented her with a challenge.

"It was like a bowling alley," she said, very long and narrow with about 12 thin windows along one side. At one end was a CPA's office, at the other was a title office, with the attorney serving both. The area held two love seats, a couple of ficus trees and two end tables, all lined up against one wall, throwing the room off balance. The theme was somewhat Southwestern.

First, Dobrenchuk took away anything that was not Southwestern in design. Then, she rearranged the furniture to create personalized seating areas for each office, harmonizing the scale and balance of the room by taking the furniture away from the walls. "Most people line furniture against the wall," she said.

Once complete, she provided an assessment of additional items that would work in the office, such as a small runner in front of the sofa, another ficus and floor lamps.

"Floor lamps are very intimate and private," she said, thus dividing the seating areas even further, "yet they allow function."

She also suggested a few more brass pieces, such as a sculpture and candle holder, to compliment and accent the pieces that were already there.

These simple add-ons can be applied to any office as an inexpensive way to add texture and interest, Dobrenchuk says. Sometimes, her assessment might include task lighting, area rugs, mirrors and greenery -- things to soften the environment yet keep it professional.
Movie magic

Dobrenchuk's background in design began with a career in the visual department of May Co. in Jacksonville, Fla. When her family moved to Virginia Beach, Dobrenchuk began a career as a free-lance movie set decorator, working for The Movie Channel's "Yours, Mine and Ours," show. From there, she read an article in a woman's magazine about one-day makeovers for homes and offices. She called the company for information and attended a five-day seminar in Savannah, Ga.

At the seminar, Dobrenchuk honed her natural ability with three days of intense training and two days of handson assignments. She sharpened her skills for following the architectural lines of a room, learning scale, balance and lines and deciphering which pieces go where. Then she started her own company and moved to Fort Worth in December 1997.
Business boost

A feature on KXAS-TV's Saturday morning show in November 1998 spotlighted Dobrenchuk redesigning an entire home. That spot resulted in an overwhelming demand for her home holiday decorating services, she said. She also designed the boudoir parlor of Thistle Hill.

In her new hometown of Burieson, Dobrenchuk designed the entry lobby for the Burieson Chamber of Commerce, requesting a courtesy loan of two Queen Anne wingback chairs and matching tables from Stett's, a local furniture store. She added lamps, a mantle clock, candles and photos of still life.

"The Chamber was very appreciative," said Dobrenchuk, who added that she was proud to be able to provide the Chamber with a positive greeting space for visitors and business officials. Other Burleson clients include the mayor's home office.

Much of Dobrenchuk's business comes from referrals and Realtors. More and more, business is focusing on home offices.

"With telecommuting and home officing, it allows people to carve a niche for themselves at home," she said. Most people box themselves in, living with just the essential pieces. "I want them to know they can relax more and put more of themselves into their work space, saying 'It's my own office. I don't have to share the coffee machine or anything else.'"