Tailored Living is now The Tailored Closet. With a recent name update and new office space for both The Tailored Closet and PremierGarage in West Knoxville, Everything Knoxville met up with Kathryn Norton and Brian Falls, two of the co-owners, at their well-appointed showroom to find out more about their relocation, new name, and high-quality services.
EK: Let’s start at the beginning – what is the background and history of ownership of your company?
Kathryn: Dan Morgan, who owned his own food brokerage company prior to our business, bought PremierGarage in 2010 and added Tailored Living very soon after. Dennis Falls, a retired manager from Alcoa, and myself, a former communications executive with Coca-Cola, joined Dan as co-owners in 2012. A short time later, Dennis’s son, Brian, joined the company.
Brian: I became a co-owner in 2016 and was initially focused on the garage floor coating process, developing the best techniques and using the latest technology to make sure we installed the best garage floor in East Tennessee. This led us into opening Premier Concrete Surfaces, which serves concrete coating needs outside the garage, such as basements, retail spaces, industrial settings, and restaurants.
Kathryn: With our four diverse backgrounds and skills, we continue to work well together to define the changing strategies and resources needed for the company. From day one, our business philosophy was clear: maintain a sharp focus on providing great customer service with the best products at a reasonable price.
EK: Why the name change to The Tailored Closet?
Kathryn: Home styles have evolved over time, and so has Tailored Living. Last November, Tailored Living became The Tailored Closet. The name change better reflects our services and makes it easier for potential customers to recognize what we do. We remain the same great company with the same great people – just with a more brand-specific new name.
Brian: The name change happened to coincide with moving our offices to 10301 Cogdill Road, Suite 305. Located off Lovell Road, our larger office, warehouse, and workshop area includes a showroom with comfortable meeting spaces for customers. The move to West Knoxville puts us closer to our core market and makes it easy for clients to visit our office to meet with designers and see our products firsthand. However, a large percentage of our business is remodels, where we meet with customers in their homes. Without leaving their home, we show them samples of various options and they watch their project come to life as we design their space using our computers.
EK: Besides The Tailored Closet, you also operate PremierGarage. How do these companies complement each other?
Kathryn: More than 12 years ago, we saw a demand for high-quality flooring and cabinetry for the garage, so we purchased PremierGarage, which had been in business in Knoxville since 2007. Tailored Living, part of a national franchise specializing in the design and installation of closets, home offices, pantries, and other spaces inside the house, came next. Whether inside the home or in the garage, combining the two businesses gives us the ability to help homeowners who want to organize their lives, not just a closet. We can help to “calm the chaos” in all areas of the home.
Brian: You won’t find any two designs from The Tailored Closet or PremierGarage that are exactly alike, because we tailor a design to meet each individual’s needs. The high percentage of repeat customers and referrals we receive is a continued testimony to our successfully being able to help homeowners in all aspects of organization.
EK: Can you walk us through a typical customer interaction?
Brian: We know from long-term experience that a new closet, pantry, or a renovated garage will change a person’s everyday life for the better. By developing a relationship and learning about our clients’ organizational obstacles, we can help solve problem areas in their home.
Kathryn: The showroom allows us to share with clients the various wood finishes that are available, styles and colors can be discussed, and accessories for the pantry, closet, or garage, along with our concrete coating options, can be chosen. A 3D design is then presented on a large monitor, where we can adjust elements to arrive at exactly what our client is hoping to accomplish.
EK: How can your services aid homeowners in ways they may not be aware of?
Brian: We are experienced in modifying any size of closet and pantry to utilize every inch of available space – laundry room efficiency upgrades, mudroom or entryway organization, and home office optimization (including Murphy Beds) inside the home, as well as the perfect storage options and flooring for the garage.
Kathryn: We had a “vertically challenged” client who really needed to be able to reach her everyday closet items. With lower rods for hanging clothes and a top rod that folded down with a flip of a switch, we solved a very real and basic need for her. She actually cried when she saw the finished closet!
A popular, but little known item, is a fold-out ironing board. It is magically hidden behind a drawer front! Simply flip the “drawer” front down, and the ironing board unfolds and swivels to any angle – perfect for closets and laundry rooms. Another closet accessory we often install are slide-out panels that hold necklaces and bracelets. The panels keep jewelry protected and make it easy to see each piece – no more tangled chains!
Brian: And should you ever decide to put your house on the market, custom-designed closets and an upgraded garage will add value and appeal for potential buyers.
EK: Anything else you would like to share?
Kathryn: If you need better home organization or your garage needs remodeling, give us a call and let us prove that we can help make your life easier and less stressful. From our owners to each member of our team, we are passionate about what we do. Our trained team does all the design work and installation.
Brian: When we talk about designs to specifically meet a customer’s needs, that’s not an exaggeration. Every person is different in terms of their lifestyle and what will make their lives easier and more organized. And, most importantly, we want our relationship with clients to last as long as they’re in their home. We will be here to make any future additions or revisions that need to be made. They’ve got us for life!
The Tailored Closet
PremierGarage
10301 Cogdill Road, Suite 305
Knoxville, TN 37932
865.777.0306
TailoredClosetKnoxville.com
PremierGarageKnoxville.com