As the owner of the antique and vintage rug marketplace, Upstate Rug Supply, Joanna Mahserdjian knows that a room’s color palette is key. But when it comes to assessing a room and creating a design plan, it’s not always straightforward. We recently talked to Joanna about her must-have item when working with clients—and it might surprise you.
What item made your work life easier this week/month/lately?
Joanna Mahserdjian: My Benjamin Moore paint deck has been a lifesaver while communicating with clients about rug selections.
How did you discover this item?
JM: Rugs are such a decorative decision in a room and define a room’s color palette in a significant way. Clients regularly shop for rugs with paint selections already made, so that guides the color story and impacts the selection of the rugs. A paint deck became a necessity in working with clients simply by demand.
Will you use this item in the future?
JM: Yes, I’ve used it as recently as this week. If a color is missing from my deck, I’ll pick up a chip at the paint store to compare it to a rug.
How has this item made your job easier?
JM: One of the special qualities of vegetable-dyed, antique rugs is the depth of color and natural variation in the wool. You can pull deeper and lighter tones throughout the rug, which makes it fun for pairing paint colors. Whether the paint selection or the rug is the starting point in a design scheme, my paint deck has proved an invaluable tool in assisting my clients.
How might someone not in your line of work benefit from this item?
JM: If you’re making a lot of color decisions for a large project, or regularly creating color stories, paint decks are so helpful to contrast colors and tones. It’s the first reference point before putting a sample on the wall.
What, if anything, would you change about this item?
JM: It would be nice for the novice to have a few cards with color palette recommendations.
Are there any care/use tips someone considering this item should know about?
JM: My paint deck is a more general selection of colors, but there are a variety of deck options depending on your needs.
