 For more than four decades, the name Morin has been synonymous with flooring, cabinetry and countertops, all the while helping area homeowners make their houses feel more like homes.
It was the early 1960s when family matriarch Paul Morin stepped out from his job at D.F. Quillen in Rehoboth. He started with a work van, his tools and $200 to start his new business's venture. This was prior to the devastating spring storm of '62 and the building boom that would forever change the face of Bethany Beach. Morin and other contractors were part of that phenomenal surge. Real estate was not only "affordable" at that time, there was still some of it left east of the Assawoman Canal.
Morin's first business location/showroom was located on Route 1 in Bethany Beach, where Mick and Mike's Crab House now stands. According to Morin's daughter, Paula Morin Hudson, when high-rise units started being built in the little seaside community they'd always loved, her dad decided he'd head inland. His showroom was relocated to Clarksville, where it remained for many years.
Back to the Future
Nowadays the second generation of Morins operates the family businesses just west of Bethany Beach: Paul Morin's Floor and Wall Design, Kitchen and Cabinet Corner, CSI Granite Fabrication and the newest venture, Paula's Decorating Cafe.
Paula's Decorating Cafe is an eclectic mix of varied styles and tastes, including the old world or traditional look, nautical, Indonesian, French country or Cottage, a bit of the south west and even the trendy "shabby chic" look that's so popular these days. When clients enter the cafe they are immediately surrounded by the sounds of soft jazz music. An abundance of strategically placed ceiling fans rotate slowly amidst innumerable soft lightning sources throughout the store that lend to the cozy atmosphere. The aroma of fresh brewed coffee and chai tea along with the baked good du jour not only entices the customer to peruse the cafe, it's a big part of the shop's concept to appeal to the senses, in a totally stress-free environment.
Not only does Hudson feel she has a bit of an artistic flair that led to this latest business venture, she's also sure she acquired her dad's good business sense and wants to perpetuate his reputation for quality work. Hudson said one of the things she's most proud of is her dad's reputation of integrity and honesty. "He really cared about people," Hudson said, and since her dad's retirement in the early 1990s due to poor health, the community has been demonstrative in showing how much he was thought of in return.
Home Sweet Home
Paula's Cafe consists of small vignettes throughout the store. When Hudson is buying for the shop, mostly in North Carolina, Georgia and New York, she tries to keep those areas in mind. When she returns to the shop after a buying trip, she and her design consultants have no trouble at all putting the eclectic mix together so it flows and evolves into the feeling one should get when moving from room to room in a home. That concept is also what Hudson often recommends in area homes - that a homeowner need not limit themselves to just one decorating style or for instance one type
of wood throughout in each and every room. These days, Hudson said, with the eclectic look being so popular, it's often times achieved by using perhaps cherry in one room and pine furniture in another, as long as it flows rather than being too drastic.
"People already know how to go out and buy furniture," Hudson says. Often times where they struggle is trying to make a room a reflection of themselves. "How do I make this room feel like me" is a question Hudson said she often hears. And, Hudson adds, it can be an overwhelming and frustrating process when a room just needs "something."
Hudson concluded that for the most part people have great taste - they know what they like. The only problem is they just don't know how to bring it all together. That's where Hudson and her design consultants Ellen Janelle and Kathy Lyons, can step in. "We give loads of free advice," to people who come in and browse, she said.
While a good part of Paula's Decorating Cafe consists of accessories and unique furnishings and occasional tables, the store is also filled with unusual lighting fixtures, artwork, mirrors, clocks, fireplace and floor screens, bath accessories and area rugs. Fabrics are available for everything from window treatments to shower curtains or place mats. "Our passion here is in accessorizing," said Hudson. "We can help you bring out the 'you' in your home." She noted it can be a process that perhaps can be done just "one room at a time."
More often than not, Hudson noted, people have come into the store since it opened in November and remarked that the cafe is different than any other store in the area. "I just wanted a place where people could come and have fun while they decorate," turning their houses into their dream homes, said Hudson. "You bring your visions to us, and we'll help you make your dreams come true."
Paula's Decorating Cafe is not only a versatile mix since there are accessories to fit every decor, shoppers can often find just the right piece they've been searching for right here in Bethany Beach in a moderate to higher-end price range. The cafe is located on Route 26 and is open everyday but Sunday. For hours or other information, call Paula's at (302)539-7871.
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