by Michael Bonts
Special To Realty-Builder Connection
In talking with other builders, designers and architects, Mitchell McDaniel found a need for a new kind of design center. Between building a successful company that specializes in historic restoration and hosting a national television show, he decided to start Architectural Accents and Design Center.
“Being in the industry for over two decades, I have always found it difficult to provide homeowners with a variety of selection for their interior and exterior design,” said McDaniel.
“We felt there a need here in Jacksonville for a design showroom, a place that deals specifically with the trades. We offer them a variety of interior and exterior ornamentation for the home,” he said.
Architectural Accents and Design Center held its grand opening in June. Invitations went out to designers, architects and builders. The showroom is designed for business-to-business, professionals in the trade. Something like this hasn’t been done before.
“It’s going to take some time to get the message across that we are not salesmen with spec sheets,” noted McDaniel.
The setting is an extensive display. It allows designers, architects and builders to see, touch and feel a product. According to McDaniel, looking at the differences in product texture in a magazine, looking at anything in a magazine, becomes very static. The showroom can be utilized to heighten the awareness of products and how it can be utilized in the home.
“We carry a lot of cutting edge products. We are the Southeast’s largest supplier of plaster ornamentation. Plaster has been used for more than 200 years and people sometimes forget how beautifully that product can be used,” he said.
“A problem we as builders have is that plans are sometimes designed to spec a product, and the builder can’t get that product installed. So specs get rewritten and the problem is finding people to install that product,” he said. “We also have over 20 lines of interior and exterior ornaments European and American antiques with special finishes.”
“I worked basically in commercial construction for various companies,” he recalls. “It was the 80s and I went down and took my contractor’s license exam. Of course, just because you have a license doesn’t mean you have work. We were involved in a lot of commercial work in the beginning, multifamily and condos.”
In the mid-80s, McDaniel turned his attention to remodeling and doing a few custom homes. They still build a few custom homes but have even narrowed it down to being a very small niche company, exclusively dealing with the restoration of historic homes.
“We can’t disregard how they live their lives based on how a house was originally designed. Most people like the exterior elevation of the old home; they usually want to change the interior. People want more baths, closets and larger kitchens,” he said.
McDaniel also provides television viewers across the country a glimpse at what goes into historic restoration and remodeling.
“About nine years, ago we started out doing a show called Remediless Showcase on Sunday mornings on UPN. The success of that show grew into a series for PBS called Today’s Classic Homes,” he said. “Today’s Classic Homes has been airing nationally for over three years. The program has had some widespread success. We get a lot of responses from the west coast, especially from architects and builders.”
McDaniel credits the program’s theme for the show’s popularity. The broadcast shows viewers what’s been done in some historic homes and how it was achieved.
“Today’s Classic Homes is not a how-to show. It’s about the history and evolution of products and styles. People in the industry find it of value, but it’s also entertaining. We’ve found a good mix,” said McDaniel.
(Michael Bonts is
communications director for the Northeast Florida
Builders Association.)