Friends with an eye for style start a new business focusing on interior design, home organization and events
For many people who shifted to a work-from-home model during the pandemic, the importance of having a living space that’s beautiful, clean and comfortable has taken on a whole new weight in recent years. For Candace Reichbach and Vicki Sword – two Lexington women with a knack for style – their passion for helping create beautiful, clean and comfortable spaces evolved into an entrepreneurial leap with Maven, a new design and events business they launched in November.
A word meaning “one who is experienced or knowledgeable,” Maven draws from Reichbach and Sword’s experience – both in the design world (Reichbach has practical and educational experience in design and color theory; Sword has worked on residential design projects both independently and in collaboration with friend and artist Blake Eames) and beyond. The partners say Sword’s background in social work and Reichbach’s in hairstyling (she formerly owned Fleet Street Hair Shoppe and oversaw its redesign) actually come into play quite often. Both women learned good communication skills essential to getting a read on a client’s style, their personality and what they are willing to do for maintenance.
Maven provides a variety of services centered around two categories: interiors and events. For the first category, they offer design and home organization with a focus on vintage and modern aesthetics. That includes commercial, retail and residential spaces; Airbnbs; nurseries and any other space that needs a creative touch. Looking for that perfect table, area rug or art piece for your home? They can help with that too. And for anyone searching for a chic venue to host your event, the Maven home base, located on West Third Street between Limestone and Upper, can be customized to suit your party preferences – or they can provide chairs, tables and decorations for offsite events.
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This Boonesboro Avenue home is one of Maven’s recent projects. Services offered range from art selection and placement and mural design and coordination to painting, decor, furniture and light fixture selection. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
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This Boonesboro Avenue home is one of Maven’s recent projects. Services offered range from art selection and placement and mural design and coordination to painting, decor, furniture and light fixture selection. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
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This Boonesboro Avenue home is one of Maven’s recent projects. Services offered range from art selection and placement and mural design and coordination to painting, decor, furniture and light fixture selection. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
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This Boonesboro Avenue home is one of Maven’s recent projects. Services offered range from art selection and placement and mural design and coordination to painting, decor, furniture and light fixture selection. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
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This Boonesboro Avenue home is one of Maven’s recent projects. Services offered range from art selection and placement and mural design and coordination to painting, decor, furniture and light fixture selection. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
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This Boonesboro Avenue home is one of Maven’s recent projects. Services offered range from art selection and placement and mural design and coordination to painting, decor, furniture and light fixture selection. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
When asked what sets Maven apart from other design services, Reichbach and Sword have a clear idea of who their ideal client is … and isn’t. “If you enjoy selecting every paint color and drawer pull and light fixture, please do. Because you don’t need us,” the Maven website states.
But while they certainly impart a sense of humor into their approach, Reichbach and Sword also quickly point out they would never force their ideas or style on anyone. Instead, they spend a lot of time listening and getting to know their clients and clients’ families so they can reflect their individual style in a way that is beautiful, comfortable and functional.
“We get to know your space, how you want to live, what you have, what you love and what you don’t love,” Sword explained. “We know how to make a space work and how to make it look like the people who live there.”
So who would benefit from working with Maven?
“Someone who wants to kick back and enjoy while someone else takes the lead on the design process – with plenty of opportunities for feedback along the way,” says Sword.
“I think our talent for sourcing sets us apart, too,” says Reichbach. “We’re good shoppers. And I actually have a stockpile of things I know someone will love someday.”
The pair might travel to neighboring cities or estate sales to find a special piece that brings a room together. They might present a few options for paint colors, wallpaper and other decorative elements. And their clients will have the satisfaction of knowing no one else’s home will look exactly like theirs.
When thinking about what their clients find most challenging, Sword mentioned many people have trouble cohesively mixing elements from different eras, mixing patterns, choosing colors and incorporating special pieces into existing decor.
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Kitchen cabinet color and hardware, bathroom wallpaper and light fixtures were among the design services offered to the the Bell Court neighborhood home. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
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Kitchen cabinet color and hardware, bathroom wallpaper and light fixtures were among the design services offered to the the Bell Court neighborhood home. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
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Kitchen cabinet color and hardware, bathroom wallpaper and light fixtures were among the design services offered to the the Bell Court neighborhood home. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
“Everything does not have to match – in fact, it can look stale when it does,” she says. “People want a place that is uniquely their own and doesn’t look like a catalog page, and too many choices can be overwhelming. That’s why we do the groundwork and present a few great ideas.”
While Maven is all about good design, Sword and Reichbach also love working with clients on a practical level. The two pride themselves on developing creative solutions that work for each family or individual and each space. For example, it could be a matter of removing items. “Do you really need 10 saucepans?” said Reichbach. “Could you fold your towels differently to fit more? We can’t give you more space, but we can give you the tools to control clutter.”
Added Sword, “Organization is crucial. The space can be beautiful when we walk away, but if our clients don’t have anywhere to put their belongings, it’s eventually going to be a mess.”
As the weather gets warmer and social calendars begin to fill up, Sword and Reichbach are looking at expanding the events aspect of Maven. For their grand opening, they hosted a vintage pop-up market featuring local vendors, drinks and a live art installation. While they definitely had a lot of fun, Sword said with a laugh that the event helped them realize they are more “behind the scenes” people. With that said, they look forward to hosting weddings, parties, art shows and other events at their event space, which formerly served as the Transylvania University bookstore, in the future.
When looking back on what inspired them to jump into this business, they both agreed the pandemic makes it clear people need to love being in their homes and spend time with their loved ones in a calm and beautiful environment.
“It can happen,” said Sword. “You don’t have to have an incredible amount of money – we can work with any budget. You might not get everything you want for the budget you have, but don’t be intimidated to ask. Everyone deserves a space they love to live in.”
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Located on East Third Street in the former location of the Transylvania University bookstore, the Maven design studio (pictured here) also doubles as an rentable event space. The space is stocked with vintage furnishing and decor pieces. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
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Located on East Third Street in the former location of the Transylvania University bookstore, the Maven design studio (pictured here) also doubles as an rentable event space. The space is stocked with vintage furnishing and decor pieces. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
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Located on East Third Street in the former location of the Transylvania University bookstore, the Maven design studio (pictured here) also doubles as an rentable event space. The space is stocked with vintage furnishing and decor pieces. Photo by Emily Giancarlo
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Located on East Third Street in the former location of the Transylvania University bookstore, the Maven design studio (pictured here) also doubles as an rentable event space. The space is stocked with vintage furnishing and decor pieces. Photo by Emily Giancarlo