for your
home
Monovuipn’
Barbara and Cliff Marano
look to Costco to help
furnish their new home
By Anita Thompson
But once the details were taken care of, bring one back,” he was told.
the Maranos completed their decorating with Cliff’s office sports a leather recliner and Top: The foyer of Barbara Marano’s home
ANY WELL-DESIGNED HOME is a combi- “We go there a lot, and when we see
nation of careful planning and artful things we think will work, we get them,”
serendipity, and that is certainly true for Barbara tells The Connection.“I really like the
Costco members Barbara and Cliff Marano. quality of the products, and the price.”
Before building their new home in rural Cliff adds, “Most things there, you feel
Connecticut, the Maranos collected folders like you’re getting your money’s worth, and
full of clippings and ideas. Then they shared they’re wonderful about taking things back.”
their wish list with a designer who drafted a Both the dining room and the great room
20-page plan that covered every detail of con- have area rugs purchased at Costco. Cliff was
struction. When it came to the interiors, especially pleased when he was encouraged to
Barbara consulted a decorator to help select take home the ones they liked to be sure the
colors and integrate family pieces. colors would work. “Take them both and then
PHO TOS B Y MAGGIE COLE
Costco finds. From the master bedroom to desk chair from Costco; the bedroom has a features a mirror and decorative bench
the screened-in porch, from accessories to night stand and Barbara’s jewelry armoire. from Costco. Above: The wicker furniture
area rugs, nearly every room in the Maranos’ In addition to furniture and decorative set makes the screened-in porch a
spacious, traditional-style home incorporates items, the Maranos used Costco for many of comfortable retreat for people and pets.
something from Costco. the basics. All the windows feature Duette
According to Barbara, the design inspira- blinds by Hunter Douglas. The laundry room had purchased a month earlier from a store in
tion came from many sources. She knew she has the Whirlpool Duet washer and dryer. Massachusetts.
wanted a warm feel and a focal point in each There’s a flat-screen TV monitor, a Kirkland “Let’s see if they will take it back.”
room. In the living room, it’s the coffered ceil- Signature barbecue grill, various clocks, wall They did, and Cliff drove back to
ing; in the kitchen, the granite countertops; décor and topiary trees. Massachusetts to return it.
and in the entry hall, an inlaid medallion in Cliff, who jokes that he has trouble Later the Maranos found a set identical to
the floor made from five kinds of wood. matching his socks, oversaw the construction their Costco purchase in a popular catalog at
Since the Maranos do a lot of family and left the decorating to Barbara. But when three times the price. That’s when they real-
entertaining, comfort was a key considera- he spotted the indoor/outdoor furniture set, ized what a great value they’d gotten.
tion. Cliff and Barbara had a 50-year-old din- he called her from the warehouse. “You’ve got “The other stuff was good to look at, but
ing room set and a bedroom set passed down to see this. It’s so much nicer than what we wasn’t very comfortable,” Cliff adds. “This is
from their families, and she had selected have. We have to change it. I love this stuff.” both.” It’s also a favorite with their Yorkies,
linens for the bedrooms that set the tone for “What are we going to do with the set we Buddy and Caesar.
the color scheme. have?” she asked, referring to a wicker set they The Yorkies were the beneficiaries of
So how did they fit their Costco purchases another of Barbara’s Costco finds, a pet car-
into their plan? Costco helped Cliff and Barbara rier she purchased on costco.com. It attracts
Marano decorate their attention wherever they go.
Connecticut home. Barbara still has a few areas to finish decorating and is on the lookout for certain
pieces. With their regular trips to Costco, it
probably won’t take her long. C
COURTESY OF BARBARA MARANO
The Costco Connection
Like the Maranos, members will find a
wide variety of furniture and home
décor items at the warehouses and at
costco.com.
