Design Dream

In addition to design services, Interiors Market’s thoughtfully curated showroom brims with vintage, antique and new furniture

by Dana W. Todd / photography by Holger Obenaus

When Atlanta Style & Design caught up with entrepreneur Milton Roberts, owner of Interiors Market, he was elbow-deep in paint and gilding. His passion for helping designers and homeowners source just the right items for their homes extends to refinishing special pieces for his clients. At the moment we reached out to him, he was repairing an antique Florentine accessory one of his dealers was offering in the showroom.

Roberts has entirely revamped and elevated Interiors Market from the time he purchased it eight years ago. The interior design shop had a long history of 30-plus years on Bennett Street when Roberts moved from his small hometown of Washington, Georgia, and first began working there on advice from a friend, who thought he would be a perfect match for the shop and its customer base. “I have no formal training in design, but I worked hard, learned a lot and was always good at curating displays,” he says. When the shop went on the market, he bought it. Three years ago, he opened a second location in Buckhead and recently consolidated both stores into the newer location on Miami Circle, an area that is known as Atlanta’s top spot for interior design and fine art. “Interiors Market is located near the Atlanta Decorative Arts Center, which is a good location for our designers. The consolidation expanded our customer base by opening up a new stream of retail traffic,” Roberts adds.

Roberts maintains a space in the showroom, where he displays the fine art and antiques he sources and ships from his European shopping trips, but he also fills the showroom with finds from 30 other dealers. “We have such a wide variety of new, antique and vintage furniture, fine art, decorative accessories and more,” he says. “I have a heavy focus on art because I personally like it so much. We have works from local artists as well as large-format, museum-quality 18th-century paintings and other masterpieces.” The expansive range of design finds provides a single source of inspiration for designers looking for that one piece to finish a room. “Designers always need a great coffee table or an entry mirror—something to serve as the main star of a room. We sell a lot of accessories because designers appreciate our generous program where they can take items to try out in their clients’ homes before they buy them.” It’s a courtesy he also extends to homeowners.

Walking through the showroom, a shopper finds all types of furniture, art and accessories, including unique items, and services. “We have a dealer who frequently travels to England and brings back creamware and drabware—along with porcelain; they are always in demand by designers to finish a wall,” Roberts explains. Interiors Market features specialists in clock repair, art framing and latex floral arrangements. There also are opportunities to find vintage jewelry. One dealer is a flight attendant who scours the Parisian flea markets to bring back small French paintings. “One of our brilliant new additions is women’s high-end consignment clothing,” adds Roberts.

While dealers optimize each of their areas, Roberts curates the entire shop floor for a true showroom experience. “We are more curated than most shops, with a range of dealers and products.
I enjoy spending time creating thoughtful rooms and spaces,” he says. “I work with each dealer, using moveable walls to transform their spaces as needed, flowing the entire floor plan for a unique walk-through experience for designers and homeowners. We have just about everything they need to design a home.”

The flow seems to work, as the shop is always busy and full of excitement, with numerous vendors updating their inventories and refreshing their displays. “Our dealers are very active and update their spaces weekly. We’re constantly moving in new merchandise to add fresh energy to the store. The variety really makes the showroom sing. With all of the dealers working in their respective spaces, there is a lot going on when designers come in the door. It’s a fun atmosphere, and I love to talk to everyone who comes in and be as helpful as possible,” Roberts says.

The high energy seems to draw regular clients on a weekly basis. “We are knowledgeable; our dealers specialize in different areas of design products and services,” Roberts adds. “Our goal is to always be kind and helpful and create an experience for each customer. Designers often stop here first to see if we have something that works to finalize a room they are working on. We offer high-quality items, and our design clients support us for our efforts.”

Roberts’ personal attention extends to homeowners, too. For customers who come in asking for a special piece to finish a room, Roberts asks them a series of questions to understand what will work for them. He queries them about the home’s architecture, personal style and budget to determine where to direct them to find that one distinctive piece of furniture. “Maybe they’re looking for a coffee table,” says Roberts. “I help them think outside of the box. Perhaps they might consider a pair of museum stands or ottomans instead of a single piece of furniture. My job is to help them open up the design opportunities by expanding the ideas of what could fill the space to impart the look they’re after.”

Roberts’ passion for design and people is shared by his staff and dealers. Together, they are continuing the tradition Interiors Market first established back in 1992: to be the top resource for designers and design aficionados to find unique anchor pieces and finishing touches for rooms.

“The consolidation of Interiors Market has been a transformative journey, and it wouldn’t have been possible without the exceptional dedication of our managers, Megan McCurry and Reuben Walters,” Roberts says. “Their kindness, patience and unwavering attention to detail have been invaluable throughout this process. From coordinating logistics to supporting our team, they’ve ensured a seamless transition while maintaining the warm, welcoming environment that defines our store. We are immensely grateful for their leadership and commitment to making Interiors Market the best it can be. All of our wonderful staff members are just as eager to help and enjoy working one-on-one with customers. We have happy employees, and it translates well into creating a joyful shopping experience for all.” *

Dana W. Todd is a professional writer specializing in interior design, real estate, luxury homebuilding, landscape design, architecture and fine art.

More Information

Interiors Market

715 Miami Circle NE, Suite 200

Atlanta, GA 30324

404.352.0055