Stylish mission

The former host of HGTV’s “Rate My Space” has made it his mission to create affordable lines of stylish furniture.

“I want to be the person who creates for everybody, those who want to buy beautiful things but without sacrificing their food budget or their rent budget.”

This mantra was shaped when he was a child. The son of Greek immigrants, Surmelis said his parents struggled to decorate their Chicago apartment on what they earned as a short-order cook and waitress.

After success with his line of upholstery – which is available through Kohl’s, Costco.com and QVC, among others – Surmelis debuted his collection of occasional tables and accent pieces at the World Market Center Las Vegas this winter. It is expected to arrive in retails stores this spring and summer.

Manufactured by the Dallas, Texas-based Southern Enterprises Inc., Surmelis said the new additions to his angelo:HOME collection have great fashion sense and feel like heirlooms, but are affordable and practical enough that you can put your feet up on the coffee table.

Taking cues from the fashion industry, he strives to create furniture that looks high-end but is priced for the masses. None of the pieces in the new collection sells for more than $500. Yet they are hand-stained, accented with hand-rubbed hardware and feature other hand-created details such as individually placed nail heads.

“You get a mass produced piece, yet it’s a one-of-a-kind desk,” Surmelis said describing his angle desk. Using an apothecary cabinet for inspiration, the desk features leather accents and a lot of function in a small space.

“I wanted it to feel classic, but not so obvious. I wanted it to feel more vintage as if you inherited it or found it in a flea market.”

Surmelis said in designing pieces for the collection, he created a “back story” for each one. He also considered how the pieces would be used.

A coffee table that retails for $299, for example, has a distressed tabletop and metal framing. “It looks like it came from the Napa Valley, but you can put your feet on it. I don’t want there to be any ‘Oh my God’ moments that you scratched the table. This is beautiful, livable furniture. You can’t feel like you’re living in a magazine spread.”

He said he used himself as a test lab for how the furniture functioned and performed.

“I’m always changing the color on the wall and moving furniture around. I want furniture that will not fall apart.”

The new collection debuted with 16 pieces out of his original 45 designs. The others will be introduced over time.

Surmelis said one of the critical components to the partnership was SEI’s value-conscious philosophy, adding that they are like two halves of the brain functioning together.

“We’re a good fit,” he said.

Mike Horowitz, president of SEI, agreed. “I think our ability to source and develop and ship to the consumer — the nuts and bolts of the industry — combined with Angelo’s design talents and his connection with the consumer and his clientele marries his strengths with our strengths.”

Angelo:HOME fits in with SEI’s value-oriented line of furniture, Horowitz said. “We have very strong similarities with our merchandise approach, but his has more of a design twist to it.”

This is SEI’s first licensed collection.

Horowitz said the positive energy created by the partnership is invigorating. He admires Surmelis’ talent and ability to think for his customer. “Working with someone like that is very refreshing. We’re collectively working for the consumer.”

The synergy between Surmelis and SEI is so positive they were able to transform the designer’s drawings into 3D pieces exactly how he envisioned them on the first try.

Surmelis was introduced to Horowitz through the Illinois-based HandyLiving company, which is manufacturing his line of upholstery.

In addition to his furniture lines, Surmelis plans to unveil a lighting collection by the middle of the year and hopes to add rugs before the end of the year; then he hopes to delve into accessories. He already has a line of bedding.

For more information about Surmelis or his furniture, visit www.angelohome.com.