Meet Todd Falconbury

Todd Falconbury is an Interior Designer with the Musso Design Group.  Todd joined the firm in 2006, shortly before he graduated Summa Cum Laude with a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree in 2007.  Todd shares some personal insights in this interview. 

Did you always know that you were destined for design?
Yes.  In grade school, a few of the neighborhood kids would get together and make up plays for our parents or other kids.  I was always in charge of set design.  As I grew up, my passion went to landscape design, but I knew the Indiana weather would not allow me to do that.  So many years later and after a career in sales, I finally went back to school, received a degree in Fine Arts, and was hired by Bill Musso in 2006.

What absolutely has to be in place for a successful design project?
One word for me, “patience.”  And that goes for both parties involved.  As in any job that is done in any field, if you rush a job, more than likely there will be consequences.  Delays, extra expenses, and time driven short cuts always compromise good design.

Who makes your favorite home accessories on the market now? 
I have to say Moooi.  We found them in New York last year.  Where else can you find a “blow away vase” which is a blue and white china vase that literally looks like the top section has been blown over, or a fiberglass side table that has four very different leg shapes?

What is that one piece of furniture you completely love?  
I have always loved the Barcelona chair for its clean lines and would love to have one someday.  At home, I love my sectional sofa from Southern Design Source at ADAC.  Besides looking great, it is simply comfortable to collapse in after a long day.  

How often do you make interior changes at home?
I say not enough, others say TOO MUCH!  Again, I like changing my surroundings to create different feelings for different times.  I may just change an accent wall color, or pick up new pillows for a chair or bed.

What’s the one thing that people would be surprised to know about you?
I have a rather unchecked addiction to candles.  Some people call it crazy, I call it fun. I use them to create moods by addressing the sense of smell.  For Halloween I have a special black candle ("Salem" from Modern Alchemy) that smells of burnt wood when lit.

Must see TV:  What television show do you watch religiously?
Yes, I’m a “Gleek!”  I got the “Glee” bug and I dread the day they say the show is canceled.  I also really like “Raising Hope.”  Of course, Project Runway, Top Chef, Survivor, and MY favorite BIG Brother are always filling up the DVR.  

Tell us about your most challenging design project.
Every job has a unique challenge to attack, but we designed a home in the Northeast without seeing it in person.  The entire project was executed through emails, photos, and conference calls.  We never met the client face to face until a year after it was completed. When we finally got to Connecticut, it was great to see the room was set up as we originally planned it.

One Size Does Not Fit All

The Benefits of Custom Upholstery
Catherine Cocke

It has happened to all of us, even professional interior designers.

A casual walk through Crate and Barrel or Pottery Barn led to a purchase of a “perfect” piece of furniture that, once delivered, just does not seem to work. The color may be off or the dimensions simply wrong. Worse yet, you might see the same piece at a friend’s home.

For the same price as a sofa at Pottery Barn, it is possible to have one custom made in a fabric of your choosing and in dimensions that fit your home perfectly. We frequently have pieces custom made for our client’s homes because custom furniture offers immense flexibility.

Custom design gives us many options. You can select all dimensions, fill material, choose from multiple leg options and cushion sizes, and pick fabrics to complement your decor perfectly.

I recently moved into a new home with vastly different room sizes compared to my former home. My formal living room has a 15-foot long window that was crying out for a sofa underneath it. The window is very low so the back of the sofa needed to be a certain height to not block the view.

A sofa I love by a well-known furniture designer was too short, the back was slightly too high and I did not care for its legs. And, the company offered mediocre fabrics and took months to deliver. With the help of a local furniture craftsman used on many Musso Design Group projects, I was able to create exactly what I wanted.

I specified that the sofa be 10 feet long rather than 7 feet, changed the legs, and lowered the back by a couple of inches. The furniture craftsman suggested altering the seat depth a few inches to make it more comfortable. Together, we decided to use a cushion foam that would have more “give” but still retain its shape nicely.

A couple of weeks later I stopped by to look at the wooden frame of the sofa to be sure the dimensions looked good. At this point, I could have altered the length or height. I returned when it was almost complete to ensure the back was soft enough. I wanted the cushions to be soft but not so soft that the cushion looks rumpled and indented when a person gets up.

About three weeks from placing my order, my gorgeous new sofa was delivered! The final cost was about the same as the much smaller store bought sofa, but I got exactly what I wanted while supporting a local craftsman!