Four Blank & Ten creates space for talking interior design in Lansing's Old Town

As the owner of Four Blank & Ten, Jeremy Mick has been designing interior spaces from the comfort of his own home since about 2005. But recently, Mick decided to open his very first brick and mortar store, and provide a space where he could sit down, relax and talk ideas with prospective clients.
 
In late February, Mick officially cut the ribbon on his 150-square foot studio located inside of Leopold Bloom & Co., 523 E. Grand River, in Lansing's Old Town. The cozy space allows prospective clients to view lighting, flooring and paint samples, and to reimagine their own living quarters while viewing Mick's extensive portfolio for interior design.
 
"I like to create stylish and contemporary spaces by mixing traditional and modern styles," says Mick. "I don't like things to look like they popped out of a catalog."
 
Mick says he works with clients to help build spaces around existing pieces, and to expand upon ideas his clients may have.
 
"I want it to seem like an extension of what they may have done," he says. "My goal is to take their ideas and make the space something they are going to enjoy, rather than just making it look pretty."
 
Mick says he enjoys looking for unique pieces and finding things that can be repurposed or juxtaposed with different styles. A television armoire, for example, might find a new life as an office supply cabinet, while a 100-year-old antique might get a new look when positioned in a room with modern wallpaper.
 
"My goal is to make your home look like the design took years to come up with," he says. "That goes with the fact that more people are trying to invest in their homes and make them comfortable, rather than simply moving on."
 
Eventually, Mick says, he would like to expand to a larger space where he can display samples of cabinets, flooring and other decor, and even bring on a full- or part-time employee.
 
"Right now it's just me," he says.
 
Source: Jeremy Mick, Owner, Four Blank & Ten
Writer: Ann Kammerer, Development News Editor