It’s All About the View, Says Georgia Window Coverings

JOHN SHIVERS

It’s All About the View, Says Georgia Window Coverings

“The magic of the window is not in itself, but in the view it shows outside!”

So says self-styled philosopher Mehmet Murat Ildanm, who obviously must have been inspired by the mountain views and placid lakeside vistas so prevalent in northeast Georgia. His sentiment, about both windows and views, is one that Chris and Terri Goethe not only understand, they heartily endorse. So much so, they were led to open Georgia Window Coverings.

Thanks to repeated customer demand for quality window coverings through their Angel Oak Design business in Toccoa, Georgia, Chris launched the newest business four years ago. Angel Oak Design is an Atlanta quality home design center, and his business is adjacent to the original business, and functions as a part of the business he and Terri opened seven years ago.

After researching the field of options, the decision was made to make Hunter-Douglas window coverings conveniently available to their customers, and the business was launched. Chris explains that there were several compelling reasons to bring the Hunter-Douglas brand to northeast Georgia and the adjacent Carolinas. Among them, was the fact that the manufacturer has one hundred years of business experience, and Hunter-Douglas products are made in factories in the United States. What’s more, their products carry a limited lifetime warranty.

“Northeast Georgia is famous for its breathtaking mountain vistas and pristine lake and water views,” Chris says. “Throughout this region, there are many homes that were built to take advantage of those views. The last thing anyone wants is to block those tapestries crafted by Mother Nature with window coverings.” Here again, this is where Georgia Window Coverings comes to the rescue, thanks to the extensive range of products Hunter-Douglas offers.

Chris can offer his customer all manner of styles and functions, including motorization, room brightening and darkening models, light enhancing and energy efficient options. There’s also top down and bottom up treatments, coverings that emphasize child safety, and even door coverings.

In the 3,500 square foot gallery showroom located at 147 N. Pond Street in Toccoa, twenty-four different Hunter-Douglas displays give customers an idea of the variety of products Chris can provide for their homes. What’s more, he has the full support resources of the brand behind him, and this ability to answer a need has resonated with customers locally, on Lake Hartwell, Lake Burton, and even as far north as Highlands and Cashiers, North Carolina.

When you’re doing business with Chris and Terri, you’re dealing with local folks. Terri is a native of Toccoa, and while Chris is originally from Charleston, South Carolina, later from Atlanta, he’s adopted Stephens County as his forever home. Especially after he discovered Lake Hartwell and his blood pressure adjusted downward considerably. “I used to be known as a ‘water baby’,” he says and chuckles, as he references his coastal upbringing. He goes on to explain that he always believed that his Creator lived at the lake, and now he gets his water fix on a regular basis. He’s found his peace.

He and Terri are excited about what’s happening in Stephens County today, as it continues to come out of the kinks caused by various factors and exacerbated by the Covid pandemic, which saw many from the Atlanta area seek safe shelter in Toccoa. They’re especially excited about the rebirth of the original downtown area that continues at a steady pace. Chris speaks of a specialty butcher shop scheduled to open soon, and mentions other businesses that have recently opened.

Their original business, Angel Oak Design, was brought to life when Terri, in the process of furnishing their remodeled home, was driving to Greenville and Atlanta to find the distinctive furnishings and decorative accessories she wanted. As she listened to those talking in the community, she realized others were as frustrated as she was.

Believing that Toccoa needed more retail businesses downtown to entice shoppers to come downtown, Terri, who is AKBD certified, and Chris decided to do something to benefit buyers and the town alike. Angel Oak Design was born. Terri says, “If we can take a house and create a home where those who live there long to be there, and those who visit long to come back, then we’ve achieved the ultimate success.” She’s ready to sell a candle for a quick gift, and she’s equally ready to assist you to furnish a single room or your entire house.

So when she saw the need for a wide selection of quality window coverings, Terri dispatched Chris to meet that need. Four years later, there’s a top-notch professional solution to covering northeast Georgia windows for privacy, without blocking out the views that make these homes so special.