The Expansion of Sustain Interiors
by Danielle Vigueria
Modern. Simple. Organic.
Sustain Interiors, a premier provider of high-end building and interior design services in Hood River and beyond, has been building quite a brand with a standout, signature look over the last 15 years. With a background in the drywall business, owner Heith England has a knack for recognizing trends and rising to meet the everchanging needs of his customers.
In addition to contracting, plaster, and design services, Sustain Interiors recently announced that they will be expanding the business to include luxury home furnishings and finishes. With a focus on locally made, custom items and accessories, Sustain will open a second showroom located just two blocks from its current home on State Street, in the historic Sheppard Building. Known for well-made farming and vineyard machinery, Sheppards remains one of the oldest family-run businesses in the Hood River area. And the team at Sustain Interiors is proud to continue the building’s more than 100-year legacy of delivering quality services to the community.
“Recently, we have seen a big increase in the number of people wanting to renovate and refresh their homes,” says Heith. “Particularly home offices, bedrooms, and outdoor spaces are being reimagined right now. And we want to inspire and fulfill the local creative demand and become a one-stop shop for home interiors like no other in the Gorge.”
“We want to inspire and fulfill the local creative demand and become a one-stop shop for home interiors like no other in the Gorge.”
–Heith England, Owner, Sustain Interiors
With the original Sustain Interiors showroom converting to all-things kitchen and bath, the new showroom will highlight a curated line of soft goods, upholstery, and furnishings. Interesting textures, natural influences, and one-of-a-kind pieces will fill the space and hopefully attract visitors from all over who are looking to find exceptional home furnishings and enjoy the unmatched charm of Hood River.
“When I first started my business here, it was the norm to go to Portland or some other metro area to pick luxury or unique items for your home,” says Heith. “I’m trying to flip that perception and entice people from all over the Northwest and the entire country to come here and see what we have to offer.”
And for Heith, meeting new clients and forming relationships are some of the most rewarding parts of the job. Whether solidified over months of contracting work, a friendly chat in the store, or a few shared hours with trowels, Heith says that he remains humbled and amazed by the power mud has to bring people together.
By adding the dimension of furnishings to its already extensive catalog of design and contracting services, the Sustain brand hopes to elevate its offerings and individualized experience for every client. People can choose any level of support—general contracting, project management, interior design, furniture styling—or they can simply stop in the Sustain home furnishings showroom for a glass of wine and a new couch.
Heith and his team have big plans for the workshop space as well. Tapping into his decades of familiarity with natural wall finishes including clay and limestone plasters, he hopes to push Sustain further into new territory—plaster furniture. The concept of plaster home goods is not actually novel, as artisans have been using it to make furniture and objects since ancient times. But with the relevance of sustainability concerns and continued appeal of natural textures, plaster furniture and finishes are gaining in popularity. Taking advantage of plaster’s inherent durability and versatility, there really are no limits. Everything from benches and end tables to stylized headboards and cabinetry may be getting plastered by Sustain in the future.
“What we’re doing today in the furniture space is experimental and creative; it’s really exciting,” says Heith. “And plaster is a great, environmentally conscious way to bring textures and interesting finishes to everyday pieces. It lends itself to all kinds of organic shapes, low-profile designs, and the popular wabi-sabi style. Not to mention the materials are all natural—no paint, no acrylics, no toxic stuff whatsoever.”
“One thing that I’ve learned over the last 35 years is that everyone wants a story, A conncetion to the things in thier house.”
–Heith England, Owner, Sustain Interiors
With his two sons, Alec and Chase, working alongside him, Heith hopes to continue to bring innovative design and high-quality building and contracting services to the local community for many more years.
“One thing that I’ve learned over the last 35 years is that everyone wants a story, a connection to the things in their house,” says Heith. “These pieces we are making now are great story pieces. We are creating unique items that help facilitate that connection between individuals and their homes, and they are able to share in the shaping of that story. I am honored to have some of the most talented humans working with me and am grateful for the opportunity to move into the home furnishings market and showcase some of their amazing work.”
