Q&A with the President

FormDecor. What does that really mean? In a literal sense, we want to give form to your décor. Whether it’s through our expansive inventory (22,000+ sq. ft. warehouse!) or through personalized service, our goal is to help you achieve the best possible design for your event. Having been established as a leading resource for the events industry throughout the country for fourteen years we’ve seen our fair share of trends come and go, but one thing remains the same: stylish design. That’s where we come in! We asked Fritz Williams, FormDecor’s president, to go over some details about how FormDecor is different and what keeps event industry professionals coming back year after year.

Delano-VIP-Lounge-Los-Angeles-Furniture-Rental-10

Q. FormDecor’s inventory, arguably our strongest feature, is centered around mid-century and modern pieces. Does specializing in a specific style or design help or hinder business?

A. It’s definitely been helpful. First and foremost, I want to be passionate about the products we’ve built our company around, and I can do that with mid-century modern designs. Secondly, 70% of our inventory are authentic and original rentals carefully curated throughout our collection process. While other businesses may find success in offering traditional or run-of-the-mill rentals, we embrace a particular aesthetic and use that to our advantage. We want to be different and offer our clients the opportunity to be creative in their designs by utilizing rare and unique items. That doesn’t mean that we only have Mies van der Rohe and LeCorbusier rentals, we do stay on top of fashion trends so often you’ll see us renting glamorous Hollywood Regency styles or even modern and modular pieces. It’s all based on the needs of our clients!

Q. Here’s a big question: Isn’t it best for furniture rental vendors to diversify and offer event planning and producing services? It seems like it would be an easier opportunity to gain traction in the market.

A. Because of economic trends this was something that a good many vendors were opting to do over the last few years, but having been established in the industry for over 14 years, is something we never felt the need to do. We’re here for one specific reason: to rent iconic furniture. Whether that’s to a tv/film production or special event (think after-party, or VIP Lounge) doesn’t matter; FormDecor specializes in personalized event furniture rental. What does this mean for the planner or producer? It means that we’re not competing on bids for jobs. We’re here as a resource, not a competitor for your business.

Delano-VIP-Lounge-Los-Angeles-Furniture-Rental-3

Q. Who are some of FormDecor’s larger clients? What makes a high-end client pick FormDecor?

A. It wouldn’t really be fair to those clients to answer that! If you request confidentiality, we guarantee confidentiality. From unbranded delivery (and yes, we’ve had that request quite often), to complete confidentiality and NDA’s, we’re here for the client in every aspect. While other companies may require you to use their logistics division, we offer our clients the opportunity to use their own in-house solutions if they are more comfortable and require the anonymity. In fact, oftentimes vendors will cross-rent from us to take advantage of our unique items, but we honor our contracts and stay mum.  At the end of the day, FormDecor is not interested in acquiring client information. That’s not the business we are in and we want to remain a customer-orientated, boutique firm.  We look exceptional by making our clients look exceptional. There’s no better publicity we can ask for.

Q. You said the b-word. How is the boutique model sustainable for a furniture rental company?

A. Easier than you’d think! Sometimes we joke, but we never lose sight that FormDecor started with just one chair, an Eames Armshell Chair to be exact.  Wooed by the craftsmanship and aesthetic, it was clear I could build around this chair. I was a collector and I still am, except I’m able to constantly add to our inventory and keep discovering new items to offer our customers. There’s something special about sitting on a piece of history, don’t you think?

Eames Armshell Chair (Chartreuse) 1

Leave a Comment