New business brings fashion, art to homes

Scott Teague
The Union-Recorder

May 14, 2008 12:02 am

— Donna Bentley turned her passion to profit Tuesday when she opened her new business Hifalutin.
Bentley has converted the fruits of 10 years worth of collecting other people’s unwanted furniture to fashionable home furnishings.
“I find things in junk stores and antique stores. I buy what I like,” she said. “I’ve been doing this for about 10 years and I decided to combine my collection and sell it.”
Armed with a keen eye for design and an ability to see the fashion potential of even the least of items, Bentley works with her artist in residence, Joy Hart, to give new life to old furniture.
“This is going to be a fun business for [my husband] Jim and I,” Bentley said.
The Bentley’s are co-owners of the business, and it shares space in the same building as her husband’s office on North Jefferson Street.
Nearly everything on the floors, walls and even ceilings of the business’ theme rooms is for sale. The business specializes in Mediterranean, especially Tuscany, cabin and primitive, cottage, traditional, shabby chic and French styles of furniture. Hifalutin also sells outdoor garden furniture like bird baths, fountains and benches.
The featured artist, Hart, takes furniture and gives the items their distinct look and feel.
“I like the idea of taking new spaces and giving them the patina of age,” Hart said.
Hart worked in Boston during the 1980s where she operated her own faux finishing business, she said.
From furniture to walls, the artist can imbue ordinary items with extraordinary characteristics.
“Even if you don’t notice at first, [faux painting] gives a subtle change and warmth to a wall,” Hart said.
The artist in residence paints murals and faux finishings to furniture and walls by special request.
Bentley first met Hart at an antique store in the area where she was painting, and the pair hit it off from the start, Hart said.
Items at Hifalutin come from all along the East Coast, and Bentley and her husband may even travel to Europe soon and return with items that strike their fancy.
She’s always on the lookout, too, and welcomes interesting, unwanted furniture, Bentley said.
“We really want unique, one-of-a-kind items,” she said.
Whether a customer is looking to decorate a lake home or a home in one of Milledgeville’s subdivisions, Hifalutin has something to offer.
“I really think there’s something here for everybody,” Bentley said.
For more information, contact Hifalutin at (478) 454-0123. For more information about Joy Hart, visit www.joyhartartstudio.com or visit Hifalutin to view her portfolio.

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