The Best of Edmond

Kern’s

Ever since she was a little girl, Jenny Heffington dreamed of becoming a designer. “My mom thought I should follow my grandmother’s footsteps and become an English teacher. I made it one day in college before I asked for the counselor of the interior design department.” Heffington recalled.

Upon graduation from OSU with a degree in Interior Design, she immediately started a home decorating business. She also found time to teach design at Red River Technology Center and opened her first shop in Duncan when her children were young.  

In 1996, Heffington established Kerns at 50 Penn Place. Years later, Nichols Hills Plaza became her store’s home, and for the past eight years, Norman residents have enjoyed shopping at the Carriage Square location. Now located in both Norman and Edmond, her customers follow, no matter the address.

Heffington said it was the support of her husband and the loyalty of her employees that brought the store such early success. Many Kern’s staffers have more than ten years under their belt, and the trio of designers: daughter Nikki Bunn, Megan Sparkman and Jenny, have attracted a faithful clientele.

Over the years, there’s one thing that has changed very little, she says – design. “Good design basics never change. Colors vary year by year, but mainly in tones and combinations,” Heffington explained. “Quality is most important. Even in hard times people buy quality. Fads come and go, but classic, tasteful and traditional looks are always in style.”

Kern’s offers custom design services, a wide variety of furniture, custom drapery, rugs, bedding, window coverings and accessories. You’ll find such well-known lines as Habersham, Taylor King, Charleston House and Vervain fabrics among hundreds of other designer names.

Heffington built her business by hand-picking everything that comes in the store, wanting each piece to feel utterly unique in quality while still serving clients regardless of their budget. “We can work with most any budget. It makes no difference if you have a budget of $1,000 or millions, we do good design work for everyone that walks in the door,” Heffington said. “You can have great design even in a tiny house.”

Heffington believes it is God’s provision that has brought her to where she is today. “I put my faith in God. He’s the one that gives me strength, and in return we try to be good stewards with our business and resources.”
Initial design consultations start at $250. If you are in need of interior design assistance, you can reach a Kern’s designer at 285-2374 in Edmond or 366-1881 in Norman. Or for more information, visit www.kernsinteriors.com. 

DeShazo Photography

Imagine a toddler crying big crocodile tears, or the feet of a 4-month-old girl as they playfully dangle between the rails of her baby bed. These are the frames of life that Megan DeShazo passionately strives to capture for her clients through her camera lens.

Although she always admired the art of photography, she never expected that it would one day become her chosen vocation. A self-taught photographer, DeShazo started her business about a year ago after she and her husband purchased their first digital single lens reflex camera.

DeShazo is an on-location photographer who focuses on natural lighting portraits. While she enjoys shooting weddings and couples, her specialty lies where her heart is – the family. “I specialize in newborns, children and family photography,” she said. “I love children – when they are between 6-8 months. They are in love with life. It’s fun to capture their expressions and their images as they are discovering everything around them.”

Don’t expect special poses and endless direction from DeShazo. She prefers to give her subjects the freedom to be themselves, to explore, to laugh, and to let their personality shine naturally.

“I view each photograph I take as a gift – a single, captured moment,” she said. “I don’t like to pose people. You won’t ever hear me tell people to say ‘cheese’. You just don’t get genuine smiles that way.”

DeShazo believes it’s the candid moments of life, like when you’re throwing your head back and laughing, that bring out your personality. “Those are the moments you remember and cherish. Those are the memories I try to capture in families,” she said.

“Every family is different. I personally try to get to know them – who they are and their personality and styles,” she said. “I want to give them images that I would love seeing on my wall. Life is so fleeting and being able to catch these small moments is incredibly important.”

It wasn’t so long ago that DeShazo first picked up a Nikon and decided to give photography a try. What she lacks in formal education, she more than makes up in spirit. She believes having passion and a heart for photography is just as important as talent. 

“Great photographers don’t do it solely because it’s something they are good at,” said DeShazo. “They do it because they have a passion and genuinely love capturing the moments of life that ‘you won’t ever get back’. That’s why I do it.”

DeShazo hopes to find a way to utilize her photography skills to bless others and recently submitted her application to become a Pictures of Hope Photographer. POH is a charitable organization of professional photographers who provide complimentary, documentary-style, photography sessions to babies in the neonatal intensive care unit and their families. She is waiting to hear if her application has been accepted.

For more information and to view Megan DeShazo’s portfolio, visit www.deshazophotography.com.