Features
Related Photos
-
Scott Teague
Discussion
New business brings fashion, art to homes
Donna Bentley turned her passion to profit Tuesday when she opened her new business Hifalutin.
Bentley has converted the fruits of 10 years worth of collecting other people’s unwanted furniture to fashionable home furnishings.
“I find things in junk stores and antique stores. I buy what I like,” she said. “I’ve been doing this for about 10 years and I decided to combine my collection and sell it.”
Armed with a keen eye for design and an ability to see the fashion potential of even the least of items, Bentley works with her artist in residence, Joy Hart, to give new life to old furniture.
“This is going to be a fun business for [my husband] Jim and I,” Bentley said.
The Bentley’s are co-owners of the business, and it shares space in the same building as her husband’s office on North Jefferson Street.
Nearly everything on the floors, walls and even ceilings of the business’ theme rooms is for sale. The business specializes in Mediterranean, especially Tuscany, cabin and primitive, cottage, traditional, shabby chic and French styles of furniture. Hifalutin also sells outdoor garden furniture like bird baths, fountains and benches.
The featured artist, Hart, takes furniture and gives the items their distinct look and feel.
“I like the idea of taking new spaces and giving them the patina of age,” Hart said.
Hart worked in Boston during the 1980s where she operated her own faux finishing business, she said.
From furniture to walls, the artist can imbue ordinary items with extraordinary characteristics.
“Even if you don’t notice at first, [faux painting] gives a subtle change and warmth to a wall,” Hart said.
The artist in residence paints murals and faux finishings to furniture and walls by special request.
Bentley first met Hart at an antique store in the area where she was painting, and the pair hit it off from the start, Hart said.
Items at Hifalutin come from all along the East Coast, and Bentley and her husband may even travel to Europe soon and return with items that strike their fancy.
She’s always on the lookout, too, and welcomes interesting, unwanted furniture, Bentley said.
“We really want unique, one-of-a-kind items,” she said.
Whether a customer is looking to decorate a lake home or a home in one of Milledgeville’s subdivisions, Hifalutin has something to offer.
“I really think there’s something here for everybody,” Bentley said.
For more information, contact Hifalutin at (478) 454-0123. For more information about Joy Hart, visit www.joyhartartstudio.com or visit Hifalutin to view her portfolio.
- Features
-
-
Girl Scouts seeking members for personal growth
The Baldwin County service unit of the national Girl Scout program is hoping to recruit more than 200 kindergarten through high school age girls to instill courage, confidence and character in each and every member as they continue through the program.
-
Allied Arts fall theater classes engage local youth
Ruby Wertz, a volunteer for Allied Arts, has been teaching children for more than 30 years and directing acting classes for children and teens for the past 10 years.
-
Clothing store teaming with ARF for fundraiser
Jack & Darcy is a new downtown Milledgeville clothing store, and its pet-friendly policy is about to get a little friendlier.
-
GIVE Center connects students to local nonprofits
A Georgia College & State University organization has been connecting students to volunteer service in the Baldwin County community for more than 10 years now.
-
Nonprofit provides security, love through blankets
A nonprofit organization has been wrapping seriously ill and traumatized children with warmth, love and comfort with handmade blankets, giving away more than 5,000 quilted, knitted, crocheted and embellished blankets and afghans for the past decade throughout the community.
-
Box Office Books and U-R team form book club
Readers in Milledgeville and the surrounding area are fortunate to have a book store in downtown Milledgeville to be able to purchase the latest Jodi Piccoult or Stephen King novel, but in addition to purchasing bestsellers and magazines, the community can now take part in a book club to discuss a wide variety of books and authors.
-
Fire Rescue selling tickets for barbecue plates
Baldwin County Fire Rescue will hold a barbecue chicken plate sale Thursday with proceeds going toward the purchase of firehouse equipment.
-
Spending the lazy days of summer touring local sights
“Roll out those lazy, hazy, crazy days of summer, Those days of soda and pretzels and beer.
-
Never-ending fundraising and why it’s necessary
Lots of things are going on at Animal Rescue Foundation.
-
American Legion annual car show, blood drive Saturday
The Morris-Little Post 6 American Legion will hold its annual Car, Truck and Motorcycle Show, Blood Drive and Chicken Dinner Plate Sale Saturday.
- More Features Headlines
-
