When Rex Ryan was hired to become the head coach of the Buffalo Bills, his wife Michelle had a new home to furnish when they moved here.
“We had used Ethan Allen when we lived in Maryland, and I really like the quality of the furniture,” she said.
Initially she went to the Amherst store to buy a new sofa for her family room. She had already ordered a new dining room table, chairs and a rug from an Ethan Allen in New Jersey (where Rex had most recently coached for the New York Jets) but was having difficulty getting them shipped to her new home. Peter Balistreri, a member of the Ethan Allen design team, came to the rescue.
“Peter approached us in the store, and he helped us select the sofa, and then he handled our New Jersey order. He was so efficient,” she said. They ended up working with him for every room but the basement. “He even helped remodel a bathroom,” said Ryan.
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Ryan requested that the space be comfy and cozy, and was drawn to a classic blue and white color scheme. The first time Balistreri walked through their home, the Palladian window above the French doors that led into the sunroom caught his eye. It reminded him of sea coral, and using the unique window as inspiration, the design was built around the homeowner’s requests.
Ryan said the sunroom ended up being her favorite room in the house. By selecting durable fabrics for the furnishings, the home is also able to withstand the traffic of the Ryans’ four rescue animals: two dogs and two cats.
“We decorated this one differently that we have our other homes. I really wanted everything to be casual and Peter has done a beautiful job with the house. I think it’s beautiful,” Ryan said.
