It took 24 years for John Murphy to find his calling on Martha’s Vineyard; but find it he did when he opened Tracker Home Décor in Edgartown, with partner Helen Koch back in 2010. This was after washing dishes, sales stints at Vineyard Dry Goods, CB Stark Jewelry, and Vineyard Decorators, and in between, an internship with an interior designer in Washington, DC. Tracker Home Décor now has 8 year-round employees and this past summer opened a second shop in downtown Edgartown. We wondered how John viewed modern Vineyard style.

What trends do you see in seasonal versus year-round homes?

A lot of the houses we’ve worked in don’t feel either winter or summer. It’s sort of transitional, because people are spending more time here in the winter and they don’t want it to look either very summery or very wintery. They want casual with a bit of elegance, not too formal or stuffy.

How do you achieve that?

With a lot of easy-care, performance fabrics. We always have clients with children who worry a lot about stains or pet hair or whatever. I love Sunbrella fabrics, we use them a lot. They are basically polyester but just so cleanable.

What are some simple changes we can make to transition from summer to fall, décor wise?

Slipcovers, for one. It’s always great to have a slipcover for the summer that you can yank off and launder, with an upholstered piece underneath in more of a wintery fabric. Rugs make a big difference too.

What is the change of seasons like for you?

This is our busy season. People are leaving. They have their lists. They expect things to be done by Thanksgiving. Then there’s the Valentine’s Day deadline, then Memorial Day. Business has been consistent. We are extremely project-driven in winter. Retail falls off. We are in this [out of town] location on purpose. We wanted to be a bit off the beaten path, so we can focus on projects. But opening the shop downtown, the Villager, was really to lure the client who is on a boat, or staying in hotels that wouldn’t ordinarily make their way here.

Furniture choices, on-Island, are limited. Are you able to special order from just about anywhere?

We have loads of sources that we have found on our own. We hunt and gather! Love going to Brimfield, love going to estate sales, where you can always find that special, one-off thing that nobody else has.

What else would you like people to know about you?

I have heard that people think we’re expensive. We are not. We have price points for any buyer and we can work with any budget.

Most fun for you?

I love working with clients who become friends. Small jobs, big jobs, they’re all a challenge. But I can’t think of one we’ve done that we didn’t have a great time doing!

Paula Lyons is a former ABC and CBS television consumer journalist who is now semi-retired and lives in Vineyard Haven.