Inner Beauty
She may sell goods and services, but Adrienne Rich's true talent is people. Nary a customer crosses the threshold of the grand old Art Deco theater housing A&R Interiors (26 Broadway, Denville) that Rich doesn't send out a hearty hello, as if she's welcoming an old friend into her home. When clients are looking for interior design guidance, she sits right down with them to assess their personality, lifestyle and aesthetic sense.
"My job is to pair the customer with the right designer," says Rich, who founded A&R 33 years ago in her basement and now co-owns, with her daughter Allyson Rich Morren, a business boasting 10 professional designers and the largest interior design showroom in Morris County. "The customer who does two rooms this year comes back to do more. It's important not to have a cookie-cutter approach."
A&R's dedication to helping people create unique interiors extends beyond its paying customers. In conjunction with Morris Habitat For Humanity, the company founded the Furniture Alliance to provide quality furnishings to families in need. The main event is an annual drive: Area residents contribute gently used, non-upholstered furniture, rugs and decorative accessories, and A&R supplies a warehouse, offers donors discount vouchers and serves refreshments. Later, Habitat families visit to select items for their new homes. "Your heart just sings to see the joy these things bring to the families," says Rich.
Last year, Rich received more than 150 donations, twice that of the drive's 2003 inaugural. This year, donations will be accepted Friday, July 29 and Saturday, July 30. 973-625-8950.
