‘"Louis XVI style furniture usually has a straight leg Griffith pointed out, "Louise XV has a bombé or shape leg." The biggest problem, however, for Griffith and her manager, Sadie Morton, is keeping furniture in the showroom. "When dealers come in they often take away a truck load," said Morton. What they take away en masse are Louis XV, Louis XVI and Empire style reproduction antique furniture. In case you are a bit rusty on your Louis‘, just remember â€" it‘s all in the legs. She added much of her furniture from this period has inlaid wood and is decorated with bronze gilding called On the downside, she believes the various taxes she has encountered, such as property taxes, business taxes and GST, could be deterrents to others thinking of setâ€" ting up companies this side of the border. Although she would not reveal her suppliers, Griffith does admit all her fumniture is manufactured outside of Canada. Griffith chose Oakville as the site for business because of its close proximity to the Toronto market, the number of furniture businesses within the area and its good transportation system. * Book your deck now and SAVE ‘"We used to have a lot of Canadian customers who don‘t shop in the U.S. as much anymore because of the taxes and the exchange rate," said Griffith. "It makes it very prohibitive to bring the merchandise in from the United States." Owner Pauline Griffith, a Canadian residing in New Jersey, and a silent partner, decided to establish a branch of their fiveâ€"yearâ€"old U.S. wholesale reproduction furniâ€" ture company here in Oakville to better serve their Canadian clients. ucked away between a craft warehouse outlet and a store selling spas, is one of the best kept secrets north of the QEW. G & P Wholesale, Inc., importers of French reproâ€" duction antique furniture, is one of those rare birds in business these days. It quietly set up shop last August, got the word out to dealers and decorators, and since then, watched its sales soar. By CHERYL ELLIOT Special to the Beaver French reproductions can give you special ‘look‘ on a budget * Decks booked before MARCH 31st qualify for 15% DISCOUNT and you‘ll ENJOY your DECK sooner! NOW AVAILABLE Sadie Morton, manager of G & P Wholesale Inc.: French reproductions can fit into most decor. COMPUTER AIDED DESIGN SERVICE EARLY BIRD SPECIAL To our deck customers ‘ FOR FREE ESTIMATES OR INQUIRIES FREE Service Rd. West and retail client Saturdays and by Griffith‘s long range plan is to expand her business in diate plans are to move into bigger premises in the Glen Abbey area and to introduce some additional traditional reproduction lines including Chippendale. When Griffith is not commuting between New Jersey and Oakville, she is busy promoting her business at furâ€" niture trade fairs. She attended the Tokyo Fumniture Fair in December last year, the French Fumniture Fair in Paris in early January, and sold everything in her booth at the International Fumniture Show in Mississauga the same month. Although G & P is a wholesale business, retail makes up just under one per cent of sales. ‘"We cater to Oakville," said Griffith. "We cannot give the same prices as those our wholesale clients get, but we do give very good prices to the community." The paintings, all in the grandeur style of the Louis XV and Louis XVI periods, are handpainted on canvas and signed by the artists. ‘Maybe in 10 years you‘ll see these artists emerge," said Morton. "The reproductions of today are the antiques of tomorrow." According to Griffith, a genuine Louis XV antique desk, which would have been made between 1715 and 1774, could go for about $150,000 and a commode for $250,000 in todav‘s market. Paintings, sconces and chandeliers have been recent ly added to the showroom selection. Small occasional tables retailing from $175, lingerie chests with seven drawers from $500, a sevenâ€"piece Louis style upholstered salon set for $1,500, and a favourite with lawyers, the bureau plat, a large omnate desk for $1,200, are all part of an extensive range of furâ€" niture camed by this business. All of Griffith‘s pieces are handmade from solid wood and have a flat finish to make them look antique. "Our lines can be integrated with any modern fumiâ€" ture for an eclectic look." Griffith said. ormolu. There is gold leaf gilding on the mirrors and upholstered furniture. P Wholes dl€ Mil Inc B Ind is (Photo by Peter McCusker) M 461 N Mon. â€" Fri. 9 a.m. â€" 9 p.m. â€" Sat. 9 a.m. â€"6 p.m 134 Lakeshore Rd. W. (Lakeshore W. & Kerr St.) LATEX PRIMER 842â€"0032 Free design consultations are held Saturdays where consumers can meet with professional interior designâ€" ers for a free consultation in the Resource Centre. Advice from problem solving to color selection, decor planning to renovations as well as ‘how to‘ directions is available. The following is a list of design consulâ€" The building & Design Resource Centre at Toronto‘s Designers Walk, is sponsoring a series of evening and Saturday seminars this month and next. All sessions are conducted by Sheila Doris, ARIDO, principal of SI Design and a professional decorator and educator who will provide tips and techniques for simplifying the design and renovation tants and when they will be offering free advice: March 20th: David Nosella of Burt Manion Design; March 27th Rochelle Michaels of R.E.M. Design and April 3rd Donna Kirsh of Kirsh and Associates. Compared to St Clair‘s After Sale Price on Luxury Veivette Paint and Professional Paint. After Sale Prices In Effect March 21, 1993 Interior designers holding seminars pTrC Under New Management VERTICAL STYLE LONG In addition, on Sat. March 20th there will be a LEVOLOR 842â€"4358 27 CHURCH S$1 5 m uaven Ahe Sae Proe 21 99 ATEX SATIN OAKVILLE © ® Beam of Canada Inc. 02/93 Central Vacuum. If you want your family and friends to enjoy a healthier, cleaner home environment, Beam has the solution for you. Call us today! No home, old or new, should be without a Beam Beam of Canada â€" the Central Vacuum Company that cares as it cleans! CEILING FLAT LATEX 0 |BEAM| DON‘T LUG A VACUUMâ€"PLUG IN A BEAM!* Mon. â€" Fri. 9 a.m. â€" 9 p.m. â€" Sat. 9 a.m. â€" 6 p.m ‘how to‘ workshop on a hardv tion by GoodFellow Inc. It runs p.m. Call 961â€"1211 to reserve a On Wed. March 24th a semir and Accessory Pieces‘ will be March 31st, ‘Super Storage Ide Wednesday seminars begin at 8:30 p.m. On Sat. March 97th twa o. On Sat. March 27th two seminars will be held. ‘Creative Floor & Wall Ideas‘ will run from 10:00 a.m.â€"12:00 p.m. And a seminar on ‘Custom Builtâ€"ins: bars, Family Rooms Etc.‘ will be held from 12:30 p.m.â€"2:30 p.m. All seminars take place at 168 Bedford Rd. at the Building & Design Resource Centre in Designers Walk. Seating is limited so advance registration is necessary. Individual seminars are $35 each plus GST or $30 for three seminars. Group rates are available. Call 961â€"1211 for reservations. (Upper Middle Rd. & 8th Line) 845â€"7748 Upper Oakville Shopping Ctr. Homes â€" Wednesday, March 17, 1993 VENEFTIAN BLINDS IN â€"STOCK 1" VINYL 1 two seminars will be held. 1 Ideas‘ will run from 10:00 seminar on ‘Custom Builtâ€"ins: ‘tc.‘ will be held from 12:30 i hardwood flooring install It runs from 10:00 a.m.â€"2:( serve a snace. erve a space. a seminar on ‘Unique Accent will be held while on Wed. 18 OILâ€"BASE SEMIâ€"GLOSS SUPER BUY (#157) LATEX SEMIâ€"GLOSS deas‘ will be presented. it 6:30 p.m. and run to URABILITY (#14 $3038 H3 00