Design studio opens second Moses Lake location

'Lucky' owner pursues dream with new concept store

MOSES LAKE - Less than a year after opening, a Moses Lake interior design studio is adding a second location.

It took 13 days to prepare the second Silver Sage Design Studio space, located at 121 W. Third Ave., which opened Nov. 16, said owner Lenae Haugen.

"Really ambitious," she said with a smile. "I was like, 'OK, we have all this stuff, Christmas is coming, I can't fit it in here, so we just leased a space and went gung-ho."

There were about 150 people in attendance at the store's opening, which occurred during the holiday open house in downtown Moses Lake, hosted by the Moses Lake Business Association.

Haugen's business offers interior design, and has specialized this year in resort properties and summer homes. The studio offers full furnishing packages, including dishes, wine bottle openers, candles, lamps, fabric by the yard and bedding.

"It's kind of a really cool concept," Haugen said. "I just did 50 units in Lake Chelan for a hotel resort, and we're working on 11 units for another resort in Lake Chelan. So I help design the units, pick colors, tile, all that kind of thing, and then I bring in crews and fully furnish."

The business first opened in February at its location at 211 Division St., after Haugen received business from a number of resort properties.

"I have the sheets made, the bedding made, and we have warehouses full of stuff," Haugen said with a small chuckle. "We actually had to rent a second warehouse, and when we went on our third warehouse, I knew we just needed to start another location so we could show people. The boxes just piled on top of each other and started falling over; it wasn't good."

Haugen has lived in Moses Lake for 16 years. She moved to town for real estate investing.

"I'm lucky," she said. "You know, most people don't get to pursue their dream. Most people go to college and don't know what they want to do, and I've owned my own business since I was 19, so this is my 14th year, almost, in business."

Haugen loves to see people react to her work.

"I love making homes theirs, and getting to use my ideas, but making it look like them," she said.

In the original location, the move allowed Haugen to showcase draperies and blinds for resorts and customers, and add Kristie Crissman, who runs the blinds division.

"We do draperies here, upholstery and furnishing for homes," she said. "So with us all working here, it got too crowded. So we're going to keep the design (at the original location) … and so then our other location is going to be mostly the furnishings, so kind of the whole range, trying to make things affordable for people and a designer look at a better price."

Customers can also order furniture.

Community response has been good since the original opening. Haugen wasn't particularly surprised, since she had previously owned another business for six to seven years, which had also found success. That business, Mustard Seed Design, was closed to do the design studio.

"But it was a new concept for Moses Lake, I think," she said. "We do accessorizing services and that type of thing for a consultation fee. We come in and actually move people's furniture around. People actually end up buying their whole rooms full of furniture, and we make a plan for them, so they give us a budget."

The studio employs a total of five people, with one person brought aboard with the new location.

Haugen would like to see the business become a true design firm, with employees specializing in various services and specialty work.

"I'd like that, where each one of us have our own niche, and then we're able to bring on more designers eventually," she said.

The studio is also looking to expand into Cle Elum, and serves a coverage area all over Washington and Idaho.

Silver Sage Design Studio is open at its original location Tuesday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. In the new location, the business is open Monday through Friday from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. for the holidays and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

For more information, call 509-765-4334 for the Division location or 509-765-4049 on Third Avenue.