Owner Kevin Harrison in KHHome. (Photo special to The Oakland Press/LAVONNE UPTON)

Kevin Harrison has come “home” — home being Clarkston, home interiors being his love.

Harrison opened KH Home at 6 N. Main Street, in Clarkston, and has chocked it full of decorating items, and unusual antiques.

Continually adding merchandise, he is anxious for you to come in and tell him whether you like the items he’s chosen.

“We want to provide interesting decorative furniture and accessories and offer personal design service at a good price,” Harrison said.

“We chose Clarkston because we believe there’s a future in small towns like this, that are walking communities,” he added. “We’ve gotten great feedback from people stopping by. They say: ‘I’m so glad you’re here,’ ‘We expected a boutique such as this to have higher prices’ and ‘Your prices are great.’”

Harrison’s parents brought the family to Clarkston from Kalamazoo when he was about to go off to college. After college, Harrison took his design degree and expertise to Chicago, where he worked 17 years for All Steel, an office furniture manufacturer, out of the Chicago Merchandise Mart. Harrison did all of their showrooms around the country, traveling about 50 percent of the time.

“We had just remodeled the New York showroom and I was planning the opening party when 9/11 occurred,” he said. “After that, it became horrible to travel. Every week the length of the lines became more unpredictable and it was a worry to travel. I left All Steel at the end of 2004 and, having a minor in business, tried my hand at a high-end antique business in Chicago for two years.”

When Harrison turned 40, he decided it was time to move back to Clarkston, where his sister also lives. Their parents died five years ago when they were were struck by a car while returning home from a Harley gathering in the Dakotas. David Harrison, Kevin’s father, had founded Clarkston State Bank several years before his death.

A simple question posed by Harrison and his partner, Don Carmody, a chemical engineer, led to KH Homes. “Where can we add value?” they asked themselves.

They wanted to find items you can’t find elsewhere, or take the same kind of items you can get elsewhere, but do it better. They wanted to provide luxury products at reasonable prices they could brand as their own.

By having their own seamstress who does everything — window treatments, pillows, and bedding — by making their own soaps — solid and liquid, moisturizing and scented — and by having their candles made for them, they can cut out the middleman and offer reasonable prices.

“I would put our candles up against any of the higher end,” Harrison said. “We select scents, colors, and glass for the candles. I want to be like the candle companies that have a following because they are fragrant, but not strongly identifiable fragrances. You won’t find a blueberry cobbler here, for instance.”

Harrison mentioned that interior designers used to be available only to the upper class. Now, all income levels find it much more affordable to have professional help. Harrison charges by the hour.

“Any discount I get as a designer, I pass along to the client,” he said. “Otherwise, I feel I would be charging twice.”

Harrison is aware that the public has become much more design sensitive, with the many design and decorating shows on television.

“The customer is proud to find bargains and often combines a varied price range of furniture and accessories, from bargain finds on up,” Harrison said. “My house is full of English antiques. Hhowever, the days of purity of style are pretty much gone. People want an eclectic mix.”

Harrison’s home will be on the Clarkston SCAMP Home Tour on June 6 and 7.

A decorating tip from Harrison: There should be five light sources in major rooms, such as living room, family room and master bedroom. The sources could be lamps, overhead lighting, wall sconces, picture lights, up-lights, candlelight or a fireplace.

Stop by or call for help with design ideas for accessorizing or furnishing your home. He also makes house calls to care for and maintain your fine furniture and antiques.