Lucille McKey, right, owner of Business Interiors in Coral Gables, works with junior designer Vanessa Lynn, 23. McKey makes good use of the limited space in her office -- at least four rooms are devoted to thick catalogs of furnishings and other materials. CHARLOTTE SOUTHERN/FOR THE MIAMI HERALD

Designer Lucille McKey displays a man-made alternative to marble or granite for countertops from Avonite surfaces. CHARLOTTE SOUTHERN/FOR THE MIAMI HERALD