Coaster Gives Back: Our “Military Makeover” With the Clarke Family

When we started in the furniture business more than 40 years ago, we had one goal in mind: To make life more comfortable for families across America. So when we got the chance to give back to one special family that had given this country so much, we were happy to lend a helping hand.

We partnered with “Military Makeover With Montel” on Lifetime TV to turn the house of the Clarke Family into a home. This family is headed by, not one, but two military veterans who served our country during the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan. After the traumas they experienced during deployment, the Clarke Family deserved a peaceful sanctuary to call home.

We were able to work with the show’s designer, Jennifer Bertrand, to provide rustic, industrial home furnishings that fit the family’s space and personality. Here’s a look at the incredible journey of the Clarke Family and the Coaster Furniture pieces that now fill their home.

Partnering With “Military Makeover“

We were so excited when Brandstar, the production company for “Military Makeover,” reached out and offered us an opportunity to get involved.

“Military Makeover” is a very special series hosted by talk show legend, veteran, and military advocate Montel Williams. With the help of cohost Art Edmonds, designer Jennifer Bertrand, and a home makeover team made up of local contractors and volunteers, they perform complete home renovations for military families.

This TV show has featured families from the Army, Navy, Marine Corps, and Air Force. In addition to home makeovers, the show also provides education for retired service men and women. Their special edition “Operation Career” series travels the country and talks to veterans who are transitioning from their military careers back into civilian life and new careers.

“Military Makeover” often comes up with extra surprises for its military families and their loved ones. In this case, the Clarke Family will also get a trained assistance dog — a black lab who we hope to see lounging on the family’s new modular sofa soon!

Serving the Clarke Family

We love the overall mission of “Military Makeover,” and once we heard the Clarke Family’s story, we knew we were part of a very special episode.

Both Adam and Kari Clarke previously served as Army Sergeants. During their service, both lost close friends. On two occasions during his tours of Afghanistan, Sergeant Adam Clarke was kept out of harm’s way by an act of fate — a mission changed the night before, a bombing missed by a matter of minutes. It left Adam with survivor’s guilt, unable to understand why he survived when his fellow service men and women did not.

Kari had a similar experience when she was based in Germany while two of her close friends died in the line of duty in Iraq. It fueled her desire to serve. When she was later deployed to Iraq, she was exposed to toxic burn pits and was involved in an accident during training that left her with multiple herniated discs in her spine. Soon after, she was also diagnosed with an autoimmune disorder — both of these conditions forced her to retire early from her military career.

Kari and Adam met through the VA and bonded over their similar experiences. This bond grew and led them to create the home and family they share today. But because of Kari’s medical conditions, she’s been unable to help Adam with home projects. As such, they’ve never been able to fix the place the way they originally intended.

We think both of these hard-working American heroes deserve more comfort in their lives. And we were happy to help repay the service they’ve done for our country with a small service of our own.

Turning a House Into a Home

We provided the new furniture for Kari and Adam Clarke’s home makeover. This family has three pets and two young kids, so they needed a home that was not only comfortable but also functional and stylish.

They wanted their home to feature clean lines to create an organized and peaceful aesthetic. Kari and Adam both love rustic, industrial design, and they wanted to bring the outside in with natural materials like rich wood grains and leather.

We worked with Jennifer Bertrand to find the perfect pieces for each room in their house. Here are some of the pieces that transformed the Clarke Family’s home.

The Living Room

The Clarke Family’s new living room furniture provides plush comfort with room for every member of the family, plus plenty of guests. It’s an ideal space to relax, unwind, and make happy new memories. Here’s a look at the living room furniture that will be appearing in Clarke Family photos for years to come.

• The Upholstered Modern Sectional in Charcoal: This L-shaped sectional is sold by the piece, which allowed “Military Makeover” design team members to come up with the perfect arrangement to fit the Clarke living room. The deep cushions provide lots of comfort while the charcoal color is easy to keep clean — even with kids and pets.
• Wooden Square Coffee Table in Natural Sheesham: This modern, square coffee table has clean lines but provides visual interest with a rich wood grain and an elegant cross section base. It was the perfect way to bring nature into the Clarke Family living room.

The Dining Room

In the dining room, Adam Clarke wanted an extra long, viking-style table where they can host large meals with loved ones. We helped Jennifer Bertrand create the look with two dining tables, placed side-by-side, and paired with leather saddle chairs.

• Ditman Live Edge Dining Table in Grey Sheesham and Black: The beautiful two-toned wood grain and the live edge on this table bring a natural look into the dining room. With two tables lined up side-by-side, the Clarke Family has room for 12 dinner guests.
• Upholstered Tufted Side Chairs in Brown: This timeless (and ultra-comfortable) saddle chair adds another natural-looking material with its wipe-clean brown leatherette upholstery.

The Den

With two kids, the Clarke Family needed a room for homework and games — and of course, any kid-friendly space needs plenty of storage. Coaster Furniture was able to provide both with industrial-style wall shelves, a bookcase, and matching desks.

• Elmcrest 24-Inch Wall Shelf in Black and Rustic Oak: This design has wood shelves that contrast dramatically with its industrial plumbing pipe frame. With two sets of shelves in the Clarke’s den, each desk has its own storage area.
• Analiese 4-Shelf Bookcase in Antique Nutmeg: A similar black metal frame and the antique nutmeg shelves on this bookcase match beautifully with the wall-mount shelving units.
• Analiese 3-Drawer Writing Desk in Antique Nutmeg and Black: To complete the look, two of these writing desks create a functional workspace, each with three storage drawers for supplies.

The Bedroom

In Kari and Adam Clarke’s bedroom, the simple addition of a modern, industrial bookcase — paired with the furniture the couple already owned — provided additional storage. It also created cohesion between their bedroom design and the rest of the house.

• 4-Drawer Etagere in Natural Sheesham and Black: Featuring the dramatic Sheesham wood grain used in the furniture throughout the rest of the Clarke’s home, this was the final piece needed to tie their home design together.

From Coaster’s Family to the Clarke Family

Watching the big reveal of the Clarke Family’s home makeover and seeing their heartwarming reaction was everything we wished for when we started working with “Military Makeover.” We hope this wonderful family will enjoy their new furniture for years to come.

If you want to watch the Clarke Family’s home reveal on the latest season of “Military Makeover,” head to militarymakeover.tv. And if you want to recreate some of these looks in your own home, visit a Coaster Furniture partner near you to shop for the pieces featured in this episode.

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