Guhde Flooring America & Design Studio is in the business of making home improvement dreams a reality
By Patricia Nugent
With a spacious floorplan, an open-air rooftop perfect for sleepovers, a balcony to host dance-offs and a two-story spiral slide that descends into a luxurious pool, the dream home pictured here is iconic for good reason.
When the phenomenon hit theaters last year, it struck a chord of fond remembrance, an existential trip to revisit a time when you could still imagine what you wanted to be, where you wanted to live, and with whom you wanted to enjoy life.
Whether or not you’re one of the millions of people who watched this highest-grossing movie of 2023, you can still appreciate its message. When was the last time you dreamed of something new and beautiful for your home?
Guhde Flooring America & Design Studio has been in the turning dreams into reality business since 1957, which is two years before the toy was created. The family began in flooring, then evolved from there as client demand rose. Today, in addition to flooring, the showroom features a staggering variety of tile, countertops and cabinetry, vanities, faucets, sinks and lighting. They do it all.
We’ve assembled the main players here who can help you create your own dream home. If you can dream it, this team can do it.
Shawn Rosa, Sales Manager
Shawn proves every day on the job that he can step out of the box. With decades of experience in the flooring business, he excels at implementing creative ideas, processes and procedures. He enjoys interacting with clients to pinpoint their signature style and explore new design directions.
Monica Guhde-Rosa, Office Manager
Much more than a pretty face, Monica is all about controlling the flow of everything that enters or leaves the store. She’s a key decision-maker in business growth and development, while keeping the team grounded.
Mike Guhde Jr., General Manager
As general manager, Mike plays a sidekick to no one. He has the right stuff to create any dream home you can envision. Mike’s stream of creativity allows him to challenge the team with new and creative ways to keep the company moving forward.
Jillian Brickman, Kitchen and Bath Designer
Specializing in functional home design, Jillian handles all aspects of home renovation, from the initial planning and selections to overseeing the workflow. You’ll see her work all over Northeast Ohio, from kitchens and baths to basements, laundry rooms, butler’s pantries, you name it.
Candace Obracay, Flooring Consultant
Her focus is on all things flooring and hers is the first friendly, smiling face customers see when they enter the Design Studio. While new to the flooring world, since starting here last fall, Candace has caught on quickly and has excellent customer service skills.
Big Changes to Small Spaces
When it comes to transformational design, there’s no reason to feel limited by space constraints. In the tiny bathroom seen here, from a 1980s split-level home in Painesville, Kitchen and Bath Designer Jillian Brickman reimagined the room’s footprint and explored monochromatic high-end finishes to open the esthetic.
“We pulled out a small, builder-grade, fiberglass-framed corner shower and replaced it with a much larger curbless shower that visually enlarged the space,” she says. “Even though the color scheme was basic and modern black and white, we played around with shapes and finishes, going with a black matte hexagon tile in the heated floor, plank ceiling above and subway tiles for the shower. Opting for sleek white shutters on just the bottom half of the large picture window kept the space clean while letting loads of light in.”
Treating the vanity like fine furniture and installing two variable shower heads added a touch of luxury to the final look.
“The homeowner was so pleased with the experience, she’s already planning for a kitchen renovation with us,” adds Jillian. “It was a pleasure working with her, since she knew exactly what she wanted done. Many of the clients who utilize our complimentary professional design services don’t have a clear idea of what would look best. By taking the time to go through their likes and dislikes, we get a starting point for putting together a design that fits their style personality and lifestyle.”
Guhde Flooring America & Design Studio is located on the terrace level of the Platinum Center, at 7200 Center Street, Suite 100, in Mentor. Access and parking are in the rear of the building. Backed by the buying power of a 500-store nationwide retail flooring group, Guhde Flooring America offers its clients some of the lowest prices, best warranties, and widest selection in the industry. Call 440-639-1990 or visit GuhdeFlooringAmerica.com for more information.