For 22 years, Nancy Fath designed and sold clothes for major corporations. She traveled to many parts of the world representing Target, Nordstrom and other companies.

Five years ago, the Thousand Oaks resident left the corporate world to spend more time with her two children, now 11 and 14. After doing some extensive research, Fath launched a wooden furniture designing business, Cobblestone and Company.

Typically, Fath goes to the home or office of a client to make an assessment of what furniture is needed and then offers design possibilities, with an estimate of what it would cost. There is no charge for the initial consultation. If given the go-ahead, she prepares a design sketch of the piece or pieces to be made. A design approved by a client is manufactured and delivered, usually within four to six weeks.

Custom-made entertainment centers to accommodate large, flat-screen TV sets have been popular in recent months. Other commonly requested items are beds and headboards, desks, dining and coffee tables, and bookcases.

One man recently wanted a new home office setup. He wanted it to serve his precise business needs, with an added feature: an area where his four children could do their homework.

"Your home is the one place you can truly shape to be a personal expression of what you and your family value most," Fath said. "It's where real life takes place, and custom handcrafted furniture can work to capture the homeowner's style. That's what I do — design furniture to fit my client's lifestyle."

Other projects have involved designing "hostess stations" at restaurants, as well as special store displays and counters.

Fath handles about four to five projects per month. Prices range from about $1,200 to $10,000.

"In many cases, a custom-designed project actually costs less than the client expects," she said, adding that people sometimes find it's more cost-effective to have a piece made than to search for ready-made furniture that doesn't quite fit a person's vision.

Fath is now studying for an exam to get a contractor's license. If she gets it, she could expand her services to handcrafted cabinets for kitchens and baths.

Fath has a showroom 31139 Via Colinas, Suite 303, Westlake Village. For more information, visit the firm's Web site at www.cobblestoneandcompany.com or call 444-1586.

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The lure of superb surfing sites and a community offering an exceptionally high-quality lifestyle motivated Ionia Kershaw and husband, Terence Ulrich, to move from the Los Angeles area to Ventura. They purchased a home in the area in 2003.

In 2005, Kershaw opened Ionia Design Studio in the Bell Arts Factory, 432 N. Ventura Ave., Studio 35, Ventura. Ulrich works with the studio, but also is an independent commercial painting artist.

The studio designs and creates Web sites and other graphics. The three-member team specializes in providing custom solutions, including logos, brochures, collateral print items and interactive Web sites, Kershaw said.

"We work in socially responsible ways that minimize our impact on the environment and treat all players in the design process fairly," she added. "We believe in good design that goes hand in hand with functionality. We show that it's possible to turn a profit while bringing about positive change."

The studio recently has done Web site work for the Fritz Coleman golf tournament and Salvation Army, as well as designed collateral materials for a fundraising gala next year at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. The client was the National Charity League Juniors of Ventura. In addition to design projects, the studio provides Web site hosting services.

For more information, visit www.ioniadesignstudio.com or phone 804-6108.

— Star columnist Jim Woodard, a Ventura resident, is a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist. Fax him at 644-0790 or e-mail him at Storyjim@aol.com.