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Sipping rum punch and gazing at the Caribbean usually means kicking back and leaving work behind. That's what Amy Rice, Patty Hopple and Louise Brooks, longtime friends from Wilton and New Canaan, were doing in the Bahamas. But instead of helping them relax, the rum punch triggered a burst of creative energy. They talked about how much fun it would be to start a business together. And they'd call it Oomph, "because everyone needs a little oomph in their life," the three say in unison.
The idea was simple, as all the best ones tend to be. Everyone has a white Pottery Barn couch, says Louise, who is also the founder of Brooks and Falotico, an architectural design firm based in New Canaan. The trio decided that colorful pillows would give those couches a little oomph.
Every room needs small tables, says Patty, who has held jobs in real estate and interior decorating. A table just big enough to hold a martini glass, for example. The friends agreed that bright lacquer colors would add even more oomph to the cute Tini table.
Pretty side chairs always add oomph in a room, says Amy, whose background is in sales and home design. Oomph has several fabric options for their chairs, but you can use your own fabric, too.
The trio launched their business at the New York International Gift Fair in the summer of 2009. Oomph was a hit. Weve sold to the most renowned interior designers and stores all over the country, says Louise. Patty adds that theyve had orders from Mexico and the Bahamas, as well as an inquiry from Australia.
Oomph has its offices and a trade showroom at 111 Main Street in the center of New Canaan. Amy writes the blog, Patty handles the photography, and they all have a hand in the designs. We only do things we like, says Amy, though they do take requests. Which is how the backgammon table came about. Someone asked for a table large enough for two people to share a meal and with a built-in backgammon board. It comes in your choice of color and retails for $3,200.
The key to Oomphs success is in the quality of the pieces they sell. Everything is made right here in Connecticut by old world craftsmen. The line has expanded beyond tables, chairs and pillows to include mirrors, lamps and other accessories. Any plans to open a store? We have an online store, says Amy. And thats keeping them busy enough.
Have you ever come back from vacation with a new business idea? Did you do anything about it? Let me know below.
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