Hauser Destined for Design Success
Atlanta Native Allie Paulen Hauser fulfilled her dream of helping others construct and renovate to enjoy their own dream designs.
After 37 years with the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and now with the AJT, , Jaffe’s focus is lifestyle, art, dining, fashion, and community events with emphasis on Jewish movers and shakers.
On Feb. 11, entrepreneur Alexandra Paulen Hauser started living her dream by opening The Designery on Sandy Springs Circle.
She explained the concept: “We are a kitchen, bathroom and home remodeling company as a one-stop shop for cabinets, countertops, tile, flooring and custom closets. Clients come into the showroom and make all their selections in one place instead of driving around to find components for their renovation projects. We can help with as little or as much as the client needs. We design and sell the products.”
The Designery works directly with clients, designers or the client’s general contractor. If a client doesn’t have a team, they can provide contractors.
Hauser graduated from Riverwood High School, then Indiana University at Bloomington. She held various jobs in New York and California in finance and management and moved back to Atlanta where she worked in several positions at New Image, the Paulen family dental lab. Within that company, she did sales, accounting, procurement, finance, and human resources.
But there was still her dream brewing. She hired two franchise brokers, who presented three concepts, one of which was The Designery. She explained, “I have always loved home renovations and building … dad always had projects from basement buildouts, to building a pool, constructing decks, building a house – you name it, and he did it. It gave me such a passion for home renovation and design that I, too, have renovated two of the three of my own houses. I love watching a home go from tired and outdated to refreshed with a new lease on life.”
She closed on the franchise in November 2023, found the location in March 2024 and signed the lease in June 2024. She worked with general contractor Garrett Owens (Pro Tech General Construction) and architect Keith Allen to map out the space with guidance from the franchisor who required some on-site specs: closets, four kitchens, a design center, fixtures for cabinet doors and countertops. Other than that, she was left for her own vision to bloom.
Hauser explained franchising details. “I bought six territories, including most of Metro Atlanta and most of the area between I-75 and I-85 on the north side. I felt like Sandy Springs was centrally located and accessible from both the city and the northern neighborhoods of Alpharetta, Roswell. The location is 2,600 square feet.”
For kitchens and bathrooms, they carry 13 different cabinet lines including nine standard, three custom and one outdoor. All 13 cabinet lines are built like custom cabinets with solid plywood boxes, soft closed doors and drawers, undermount slides, and dovetail edges.
She shared, “The beauty of having so many lines is that it allows us to have over 100 different door styles that can fit any budget. We have great relationships with our tile and countertop fabricators. We carry an enormous selection of tile from MSI and sell over 70 different types of countertops by the square foot, instead of clients having to purchase the entire slabs. Our countertops also include granite, quartz, quartzite, marble and soapstone.”
The Designery constructs closets similar to competitors like Artisan, California Closets, and Closets by Design. Designers come to the client’s homes, measure, and discuss project needs. Once the client approves the design and orders, they generally install in three to four weeks. They carry over 25 different color options to fit various styles and have accessories like valet rods, tie racks, and lighting.
Hauser’s personal taste is more “transitional” for home and kitchen design, but she enjoys designing all types. Inside the showroom, there are two shaker-style kitchens, a large modern slab kitchen, and an elegant inset kitchen. She lets the client express their own vision, hopefully bringing in ideas from Pinterest or Houzz.
She stated, “We work through many revisions to assure that the space is customized. Since we have such diverse product offerings, our target demo is 30-plus. We are able to fit any first-time home buyer’s budget as well as the custom homebuilders or client’s budget.”
The grand opening night was replete with navy décor, clusters of balloons, a bar, and two lavish buffets by Elevated Table. The showroom is sparkling clean, and its elongated U-shape is easy to navigate. For more information, please call (404) 999-4585 or visit TheDesignery.com. Hours are from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday, and by appointment on the weekends.
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