The thirty-first anniversary of  a Utah home furnishing and interior design company.

By Carla Boecklin

This year, owners Andy and Kelly Wallman are celebrating the thirty-first anniversary of their Utah home furnishing and interior design company, San Francisco Design. Weathering three decades of economic ups and downs is nothing short of stupendous, and their success reflects the Wallmans’ talent, adaptability, and commitment to exceptional service. In fact, the word Kelly uses to describe their continued longevity in a fickle business is: trust. “Gaining the trust of my clients is my priority,” she believes.

In 1981, Kelly, then a buyer in San Francisco, made her way to Salt Lake City for a fateful visit. Aside from falling smitten with the area, the trip to Utah opened her imagination to career opportunities in the Beehive State. She saw a dearth in the contemporary furniture market and believed her experience and skills could fill that void. The Wallmans relocated to Salt Lake City and opened their first showroom in the Valley. In 1990, they expanded their company with another showroom in Park City (around the same time, the couple had to enlarge both their showrooms to the size they are today.

The company now employs three designers in Park City, five in Salt Lake, and sports a warehouse in South Salt Lake City to accommodate their furnishing needs. Additionally, many of the San Francisco Design associates are family
members, a fact which grants meaningful camaraderie to daily operations (although, Kelly believes everyone that works with her “is family”). Clearly, Utah—and the design business— has been good for the Wallmans.

The company offers all-encompassing design services and home appearance inspiration, tackling single room projects with the same devoted engagement as full home remodels or new construction enterprises. The designers painstakingly review tile, paint, carpet, rugs, wood floors, custom bedding, window treatments, furniture, and accessories to find the perfect fit. Whatever the budget and regardless of the project’s scope, the designers work carefully with both architects and homeowners to ensure client satisfaction. The result of their high-quality performance home tour events (such as the Park City Area Showcase of Homes) and lauded recognition (Utah Business Magazine ranks them #2 among the top design firms).

Thirty years into San Francisco Design, Kelly still “loves” her job as a buyer. She travels to various markets and furniture shows to identify the best vendors for her company’s needs. She believes in supplying locally, per se, primarily using American vendors whenever possible. Her social consciousness also extends to playing an environmentally responsible role within her industry, as San Francisco Design actively seeks out partners that manufacture reclaimed and recycled merchandise. Her team works to track down wood products from certified sustainable forests and sell sofas and chairs with soy-based foams and recycled fibers. Furthermore, they recycle all their paper, cardboard, and plastics.

Be sure to review San Francisco Design’s blog for design tips, upcoming events, and new additions to their services and furnishings.

San Francisco Design; 1890 Bonanza Drive in Park City; 435-645-7072. sanfrandesign.blogspot.com, sanfrandesign.com

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