Most furniture stores want you to buy something and leave, but Stuart Ogg and his partner at Parker + Rome are more interested in slowing you down. Their Calgary showroom carries pieces built from real materials, by makers who care about what’s underneath the surface… the frame, the fill, the leather, the way something will still feel ten years from now. It’s not a big box, and it’s not overwhelming. It’s curated, personal, and refreshingly honest about what separates furniture worth owning from furniture that just photographs well.
What is your business called and what does it do?
PARKER + ROME is a luxury furniture store showcasing crafted pieces from brands defined by structure, materiality, and permanence.
We saw an opportunity to build something in Calgary that felt more considered than a typical furniture store. At PARKER + ROME, we have always been drawn to pieces that are well-made, well-proportioned, and built with real materials. For us, luxury is not just about how something looks. It is about the construction, the fabrics, the leathers, the customization, the comfort, and whether a piece has the quality to remain in a home for years. As partners, we also enjoy the relationship side of the business. We get to work with homeowners, designers, and clients who care about creating spaces with intention. That combination of design, craftsmanship, business, and personal connection is what made us want to keep shaping PARKER + ROME into the kind of showroom Calgary did not really have enough of.
What made you want to do this work? What problem did you want to solve with the business?
We felt there was room in Calgary for a more curated and design-led furniture experience. A lot of people want to invest in better pieces for their home, but the process can become overwhelming. There are endless options online, large showrooms can feel impersonal, and it is not always easy to understand the difference between something that simply looks good and something that is actually well-made. We wanted PARKER + ROME to help solve that. Our goal is to create a showroom where clients and designers can slow down, see quality pieces in person, understand materials and construction, and make more confident decisions. Whether it is a sofa, chair, lounge piece, or a key piece that anchors a room, we want the process to feel more thoughtful, more personal, and more grounded in long-term value.
Who are your clientele/demographics?
PARKER + ROME serves design-conscious homeowners, professionals (designers), and collectors with the intention of investing in enduring luxury furniture.
How does your business make money? How does it work?
Our revenue comes from the sale of curated furniture and interior pieces, but the way the business works is more personal than a simple transaction. Clients and designers can visit the showroom, experience pieces in person, and work with us to understand comfort, scale, materials, fabrics, leathers, customization options, and timelines. From there, we help source or order the right pieces for the home or project. A large part of our value is in the guidance. We are not trying to overwhelm people with endless options. We are trying to help them make confident decisions on pieces that are well-made, properly suited to the space, and worth owning long-term.
Where in the city can we find your profession?
We are located at 5730 Burbank Cres SE, Calgary, AB
What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services?
A great question would be: “How do I know this piece is actually well-made and right for my home long term?” The answer is that good furniture should be judged by more than how it looks in a photo or how it feels in the first few minutes. You want to understand what is underneath the surface: the frame construction, suspension system, cushion fill, fabric or leather quality, scale, comfort, and how the piece will actually be used in the home. A good showroom should be able to explain details like solid hardwood frames, 8-way hand-tied construction, spring systems, high-performance fabrics, and customization options in plain language. Those details matter because they affect how a piece sits, wears, ages, and holds its shape over time. Those questions usually lead to a much better decision than simply comparing price or choosing the first piece that looks good.
What is the best question a prospective customer could ask a member of your profession when comparing services?
The best part is the people. We enjoy building relationships with clients and being part of the process as they shape their home or project. Over time, you get to know what they respond to, how they live, and what matters to them, and that makes the experience much more rewarding than simply selling a piece of furniture. We also enjoy helping people understand what makes a piece worth investing in. When someone starts to see the difference in comfort, construction, materials, and customization, and then finds something that truly fits their space, that is one of the most satisfying parts of the job. The hardest part is that quality furniture often takes time. Many of the pieces we work with are custom or made to order, and that does not always fit the instant-gratification world we live in. We always try to be clear about timelines, but waiting can still be difficult. The upside is that the client ends up with something more personal, better suited to their home, and built to last.
What is your favourite joke about your own profession?
Once you work in furniture, you never sit in a room normally again. You are always noticing the sofa depth, the cushion fill, the chair scale, the fabric, and whether something should be moved two inches to the left.
Where can we follow you?
Website | Instagram | Facebook
PAY IT FORWARD: What is another local business that you love?
A local business we really admire is Local Laundry. They have done a great job building a Calgary brand with personality, purpose, and a strong sense of community. We have always respected local businesses that manage to grow without losing their connection to the city. Local Laundry feels like one of those brands, and we appreciate the way they continue to represent Calgary in a positive way.
