It's New to Us by Jean Stratton

Bozena Louis Home Furnishings Also Offers Audio Cafe and More

"The welcome mat is out, and the door is open!"

Louis Diaz, owner with Bozena Gould, of Bozena Louis Home Furnishings, smiles as he surveys his spacious new store. He should be proud. He painted the space himself, and personally arranged and set up all the displays. Of course, as an interior designer for the past 23 years he has a knack for color, spatial relations, and style!

Opened in January in The Montgomery Center, in the space formerly occupied by Oriental Teak, the store features a full selection of furniture, also interior design service, home theater room with surround sound, and a café offering complimentary refreshments.

Making customers feel welcome is a priority, says Mr. Diaz. "We are set apart by the services we offer, our unique home theater, our in-house decorating, and the inclusion of other area businesses with our store. For example, Audio Café can provide the surround sound system and tech support, Chatham Rose is a full-service window treatment and interior design business, and my partner Bozena Gould also operates a home maintenance service. With a minimum purchase at our store, customers can have one week free cleaning at their home, and we will also provide a free design service, including a design plan and decorating tips, with a minimum purchase.

No Sticker Shock

"Another thing, " he adds, "We have great quality at affordable prices. Customers will not have sticker shock at our prices."

Transitional, traditional, and contemporary furniture for all rooms is featured, with the focus on hard woods, such as oak, cherry, poplar, and some mahogany. "It is primarily imported from Indonesia, China, and some from Brazil, but mainly from the Orient," reports Mr. Diaz. "People are buying a lot of master bedrooms right now. We also have a full line of youth and teen furnishings. And if you don't see what you want on the floor, you can look at one of our many catalogs here in the store. We can order furniture for you."

Bedroom choices include impressive four-posters and sleigh beds, dressers, etc. and for the dining room, a big selection of tables of all sizes, chairs, side boards, and china and curio cabinets is available. An attractive 40-inch diameter round tile-top table features a butterfly leaf, transforming the table into a larger oval.

"Pub tables are very popular right now," reports Mr. Diaz, " and are available in cherry wood and in cappuccino finish." You can place your bets on a fun "roulette" table and add to the panache of a family or game room. And there is a nice variety of accent pieces as well.

One of the most appealing aspects of Bozena Louis is its inviting arrangement of small sample room settings. Sofas, including leather, chairs, beds, and dining room tables, etc. are situated throughout the showroom, which also includes an upstairs.

"I furnished this showroom to look the way I'd like my own home to look," notes Mr. Diaz. "We have our ideas for decorating on display. I liked the idea of having personalized rooms, including our home theater with 80-inch TV and surround sound. We also have flat TV screens at various spots throughout the showroom. Videos and cartoons are available for kids to watch while their parents shop, and dads can have a cup of coffee and watch the game or even check the stock market."

Stunning Array

In addition to the furniture, a stunning array of silk flower arrangements is on display. "We have one of the largest selections of silk flowers and trees, and they have been very popular," says Mr. Diaz. "We also have a very good selection of Oriental area rugs in all sizes and shapes — round, oval, and rectangle, in different fabrics and assorted patterns."

New and interesting table and floor lamps, mirrors, and vases, including lead crystal, accent pillows, and a large assortment of framed art, are all handsomely displayed. Also available is the full line of Jaclyn Smith designer mattresses, featuring Visco memory foam, which conforms to the body.

Bozena Louis is currently offering a special sale in addition to its grand opening and Presidents' Day sale, says Mr. Diaz, who looks forward to meeting more members of the community. "We are a secret soon to be discovered!" he quips. "People from Princeton and the area are finding us, and once they come, we know they will be back. We want to get to know them and learn what they want. We look forward to becoming part of the community."

In addition to overseeing his new store, Mr. Diaz continues to work as an interior designer. "I will do any size job for customers — complete renovation or addition, or furniture rearrangement. One of my biggest pleasures is having a customer come in after the job is done and say how pleased they are with the work. This brings joy to me."

Right now, his biggest joy is the new store, he adds. "This is my dream come true. I wa always a designer for others. Bozena has helped my dream come true. It was her suggestion to open our store."

Bozena Louis' hours are Monday through Thursday 10 to 7, Friday and Saturday 10 to 6, Sunday 12 to 4. (609) 497-6464.

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