For John Kirk Furniture Galleries store interior designer Nick Williams, it’s the most wonderful time of the year for displays.
By Christmas Day, however, he sorely needs a break.
“When it starts out in September, I feel more Christmasy than ever,” Williams said. “If I’m not in a good mood and trying to do it, you can tell — you’ll think that looks awful. You have to feel Christmasy.”
Kirk’s Christmas Treasures is in its third year as part of the store, 12345 Old Meridian St., Carmel
“It’s really blossomed,” said Williams, a visual merchandiser and a buyer. “We have a huge inventory. We probably tripled it since we started, easily.”
The Christmas Treasures section is open year-round, but Williams gives it a new look each fall.
“We redo the whole thing right before the season,” Williams said. “We rip it apart and put it back together, because all the new stuff comes in.”
The response from customers has been phenomenal, he said.
“I’ve redone the store three times since we had open house (Nov. 3-4),” Williams said. “As soon as people put their Halloween decorations away, they are thinking about Christmas.”
Williams loads the Christmas trees with decorations for display.
“I’ve redone (one) tree three times,” he said. “I keep running out of things to put on it.”
Penguins in black and white and silver are hot this holiday season, Williams said.
Now in his fifth Christmas at Kirk’s store, Williams, 60, has been working on displays since he was 16. He said the section specializes in larger statement pieces, larger ribbons, large ornaments, big wreaths and garlands.
“These homes around here are bigger, and the box stores don’t carry this stuff,” Williams said. “There are all these crazy things you can’t find anywhere else.”
Williams said Kirk can customize by going to customers’ houses.
“Then (we) come back to store and create for them,” Williams said.
There are a few bigger specialty statues, such as Santa and snowmen.
“People that buy those don’t want to see it at their neighbors’,” Williams said. “I can order it for someone if they really want it. Sometimes we bring items back the next year, but usually not.”
