Growing design team serves qathet region, offers new directions

Summer is always a busy time at Pebble Beach Design, and as more people move to Powell River or redesign their interiors, it continues to get busier.

“Hunter Douglas has been represented in our business since our opening in 1991,” says Deb Vanderkemp, owner of Pebble Beach Design. “We’ve built a relationship with the brand, the people, and the products, and can provide the community with a one-stop shop for everything they need in window coverings. Our company has evolved and launched a specialized sister company recently, but the roots of Pebble Beach are still deeply seated in window fashions.”

Pebble Beach Design is introducing Sara Boulton, its new Hunter Douglas technician.

“Sara has a fuelled passion for interiors, and with her organizing skills and attention to detail produces the quality of service the community has come to expect from our team,” says Deb. “She’s such a phenomenal addition and will happily help our clients find solutions for the design, budget and performance requirements of their window coverings projects.”

Window treatments are a reflection of a lifestyle, a nod to the livability of a home, and embrace the functional requirement for energy costs, privacy, security and general light control, she adds.

“As our lives change and we spend more time in our spaces, the team at Pebble Beach Design is here to provide beautiful solutions within your budget,” says Deb, “and Hunter Douglas products are part of our toolkit to make it happen.

“Powell River rests on a hill that faces the ocean, and like many people, we have huge windows facing the ocean in our home. We installed double-lined cellular shades on those windows, a feature called Architella that is available in many affordable options within the Duette family of our products. As a result, our home stays nice and cool in the summer. The blinds also keep out the cold and lower our heating costs exponentially in the winter.”

Pebble Beach Design also provides a wealth of home products, including furniture, drapery, lighting, area carpets, art, bedding, home goods and accessories. Deb and her daughter Paige are very particular about the brands they supply.

“We source our trades by building relationships with people first,” says Paige. “Many of our soft goods are made locally in BC by incredible artisans. Several brands we represent are Canadian families who love what they do as much as we do.

“We keep as much of our business as close to home as possible, and we find the people we work with are the fuel for our commitment to quality and customer service.”

The physical shop is small, but represents hundreds of beautiful brands within its walls, something that is rare on the coast.

By scaling back the retail side of their storefront, Deb and Paige were able to launch Parker & Harlow, a new company that specializes in comprehensive interior design and renovations of luxury coastal and island homes. The mother-daughter team has completed large-scale projects on Savary and Cortes islands, as well as in West Vancouver and Whistler in the past four years. 

This year marks Pebble Beach’s 30th anniversary. 

“For any business, 30 years in a small community says a lot about the family that owns and operates it, as well as the clients who support it,” says Deb. “We are very grateful to be rooted here in Powell River, and we continue to expand our businesses and our offerings in interior design to honour that history, the clients we’ve had the pleasure of serving, and the heartbeat of this amazing town we call home.”

Pebble Beach Design is located at 101-4675 Marine Avenue and is open Monday through Friday from 10 am to 3 pm, and on weekends by appointment. For more information, go to pebblebeachdesign.com or parkerandharlow.com, or call 604.485.5750.