For home décor enthusiasts, Oak Park just became a design destination. Interior designer Jeanne Nohalty recently set up shop in town, and she hopes that Alley Cat Décor will become a source for those looking to freshen up their interiors via the do-it-yourself route or with the help of a professional. As one of a select number of outposts carrying the Annie Sloan chalk paint line, Alley Cat Décor also offers workshops to help clients utilize this unique line of paint to upgrade their homes.
Chalk paint
Annie Sloan chalk paint was first developed in 1990 by Sloan, who trained as an artist in the United Kingdom and was seeking a paint for household items that would provide immediate results and a fast turnaround time. With young children at home, she wanted to be able to complete a project during the school day. She also wanted to develop a paint for any surface from wood to cement to plastic, without preparation, sanding or priming. The low-voc (volatile organic compound) paint is easy to use indoors, low odor and dries quickly.
She chose the name “chalk paint” because of the paint’s velvet-like, matte finish. In the United States, Unfolded in New Orleans is the sole distributor of Annie Sloan paints and shop owners who want to stock the line travel to Unfolded to become trained in methods for working with it. Today, 1,400 shops worldwide are certified to sell Annie Sloan products.
The road to the store
Oak Parker Nohalty had been a practicing interior designer for years when she noticed a need in her own home and in her clients’ projects.
“Personally,” she said, “I was looking for an eco-friendly alternative to latex paint in my repurposing projects. Sloan chalk paint solved the issue of having to move heavy pieces to my garage for painting. Now I do it in my own home. I found myself able to tackle many more projects because the paint adheres without priming or sanding.”
Nohalty says the ability to change furniture’s look through a quick paint process that does not require the heavy prep work of sanding and priming also appealed to the people who hired her to redecorate their homes.
“It was becoming clear that more budget-friendly décor and home decorating were in demand in the marketplace,” she noted. “A lot of my clients seek the high-low approach, where they might splurge on an item and then save on another. They might invest in an amazing fabric for a favorite chair, and then make an old dresser new again with Annie Sloan chalk paint.”
Alley Cat Décor, which opened on Lake Street in Oak Park on June 20, provides Nohalty with the opportunity to reach a broad swath of interested clientele.
“I live in Oak Park and I wanted to invest in the community,” she said. “I wanted that face-to-face contact with clients.”
Why Alley Cat?
“It has a double meaning,” Nohalty said. “All of us who live to thrift or ‘junk’ can easily claim to have at least once picked a piece of furniture from the trash or alley. No shame there! The other part is that my childhood home was located on an alley. I spent so much time playing and hanging out back there that my sister called me ‘Alley Cat.'”
Nohalty had been looking for store space in Oak Park for a while when she stumbled upon the shuttered Peterson’s Pharmacy, in the Medical Arts Building between Oak Park and Euclid avenues, and realized it would be the perfect place for a shop.
“The second I saw the beautiful built-ins, I was sold. Peterson’s was such a heart of the community for 85 years, and it was wonderful to be able to keep so much of the space intact.”
Nohalty upcycled the original built-ins, giving them a new lease on life with a few coats of Sloan paint. The pharmacy’s old desk was enhanced with new paint and hardware and became the register for the shop.
Hands-on workshops
Alley Cat Décor is not just a paint store. While the store stocks the entire line of Annie Sloan, its other distinguishing characteristic are the workshops Nohalty and her staff offer to teach the techniques of painting furniture and household items.
Nohalty said that the Annie Sloan 101 course, held every Thursday evening, is proving to be the most popular, but classes focusing on other paint techniques or workshops for more experienced painters are a hit too. A full schedule of classes can be seen at www.oakparkalleycat.com
During the Annie Sloan workshop, participants meet at the shop for a few hours of experimentation with various colors and techniques, including the signature waxing process that adds polish to finished pieces. From a rustic, textured finish to a smooth modern finish, novice and experienced painters hone their skills on various wood samples while enjoying a glass of wine or cup of tea.
Other classes focus on the art of milk paint, decoupage or painting a small household item. Specialization is something the store prides itself on, Nohalty said.
“We do private parties at the shop for milestone birthdays, showers or girls’ nights out. We can help you come up with an idea. Everyone can paint a flower box to take home, or they might want to paint one item as a group to present as a gift.”
For those not confident in their own DIY skills, the staff at Alley Cat Décor offers custom paint services. Customers can bring in small items to be painted in store, and consult with the trained specialists about a custom color or finish. For larger items, a staff member can travel to a client’s home to paint a piece.
One-stop decorating
Alley Cat also offers full-service design work for clients.
“We really want to be recognized as the ultimate design resource,” Nohalty said. Everyone on the floor of the shop is a trained designer. We offer a competitive hourly rate and can help you with everything from paint, to wallpaper to fabric choices.”
The store stocks a well-curated inventory of items. Customers can make a quick stop and find a unique gift or spend an afternoon and come away with a new plan for a room in their home.