We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Roman Shelkovnikov. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Roman below.

Hi Roman, thanks for joining us today. How did you come up with the idea for your business?

My name is Roman Shelkovnikov, and together with my wife Anna, we run a small family business here in Georgia. We design and build custom wood accent walls, fireplace features, and interior carpentry that bring warmth and character into people’s homes. But our story started long before our first client in the U.S.

We are originally from Siberia — a place where winters are long, forests stretch endlessly, and you grow up learning to work with your hands. Back home, we lived in our own house surrounded by pine trees. I had a small workshop where I spent hours building furniture, shelves, or whatever was needed. It wasn’t just a hobby — it was how I thought, how I created, how I felt useful. I’ve always believed that wood has its own soul — you just need to listen.

When we moved to the United States — just me, Anna, and our little daughter — we left behind everything familiar. A new country, new culture, and a language I barely spoke. It was tricky. Starting over from nothing in a place where no one knew us. But deep down, I held onto one thing: the belief that I could still build something meaningful, even here.

The idea for our business came one evening while standing in front of a blank wall in our rented home. I looked at it and said to Anna, “This wall feels like our life right now — plain, unfamiliar, but full of potential.” That night, we designed and built our first accent wall — not for anyone else, just for us. It completely changed the space. It gave the room warmth and identity. And something clicked. If we could create this feeling for ourselves, why not offer it to others?

We started taking on small projects. I handled every detail — from design and measurements to cutting, installing, and finishing. I don’t see myself as just a carpenter. I want each project to feel intentional, tailored, and personal. I aim for craftsmanship with soul — something that looks and feels like it truly belongs in the space.

Anna is the other half of everything we do. She communicates with clients, manages our website and social media, organizes the schedule, creates our branding and marketing, and keeps our books. She wears a hundred hats — from marketing director to customer support to business manager — and somehow does it all with heart and clarity.

We’re not a big company. We’re a family team. And every part of what we deliver comes directly from us — handcrafted, deeply thought through, and done with care. What keeps us going is not just the joy of building something beautiful — it’s the moment when a family walks into their space and says, “Wow… this changed everything — it finally feels warm, unique, and ours.”

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers.

We help people fall in love with their homes again — that’s what our business is really about. We run a family-owned company specializing in custom wood accent walls, modern media wall installations, fireplace features, and detailed interior carpentry. Every project we take on is one-of-a-kind — made to fit not just the space, but the personality and lifestyle of the family who lives there.

Many of our clients come to us because they feel like something is missing in their home — a lack of character, a blank wall that doesn’t feel like them, or a space that just doesn’t work. We take those forgotten or underused areas and turn them into something meaningful: a bold feature wall, a cozy fireplace surround, a media wall that turns the living room into the heart of the home.

I handle every part of the design and building process personally — from the first sketch to the final finish. We don’t work with crews or subcontractors. That allows us to keep full control over quality and deliver a truly personal experience. I approach every project with precision and care, always thinking about how to blend structure, symmetry, and soul.

Anna leads the entire back-end of the business — client communication, branding, scheduling, social media, content creation, and all of our business systems. It’s because of her that our clients always feel heard, supported, and connected throughout the process.

What we’re most proud of is that our clients don’t just get something “custom” — they get something deeply intentional. Something that makes their home feel more like theirs. That’s the real goal behind everything we build.

We believe in craft over speed, in thoughtful design over trendy looks, and in relationships over transactions. That’s the heart of our brand — and that’s what we bring into every project we touch.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I believe our reputation was built not on volume, but on values. From the very beginning, we chose to focus on quality over speed, relationships over transactions, and listening over selling.

Most of our clients come to us through word-of-mouth, and I think that’s because we genuinely care — about the people we work with, the spaces we help shape, and the details others might overlook. We don’t just build walls or install trim. We take the time to understand the family, the purpose of the space, and what feeling they want to create in their home.

Everything we do is personal. I handle all the carpentry myself, and my wife Anna handles everything behind the scenes — from the first message to the final follow-up. There’s no middleman, no pressure, no automation. Just real people doing meaningful work.

I think what truly helped us stand out was consistency: in how we treat people, how we communicate, and how we deliver results. Our clients know we’ll show up when we say we will, do what we promised, and take pride in every little detail — even the ones no one else sees.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

When we moved to the U.S., I knew it would be hard. But I didn’t realize just how much strength it would take — not just physical strength, but emotional, mental, and spiritual.

At first, I took whatever jobs I could find. I started doing repair work in hotels — patching drywall, fixing doors, repainting walls. I had no contacts, limited tools, and a small car that could barely carry materials. But I said yes to every opportunity. I didn’t always understand the language, but I understood work. I knew how to show up, figure things out, and do my best.

Eventually, Anna and I began working in a painting company run by a truly wonderful family who gave us a chance. We painted entire apartments, carried heavy drywall sheets up stairs, sanded walls for hours until our hands were raw. We often worked long days — 12, sometimes 14 hours — and came home completely exhausted. But we were proud. Proud that someone trusted us. Proud that we were earning our place, not with words, but with action.

Looking back, I don’t regret a single day. That time taught us humility, discipline, and what it means to rebuild from zero. It taught us that no job is ever “too small” when your dream is bigger than your pride.

And today, when a client says, “Your work has heart,” I know exactly where that comes from — from those early years. From those dusty apartments and long days. From the sweat, the silence, and the decision we made again and again: to keep going — and to build something real, together.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.anrogroupdesigns.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arg_walldesigns
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AnRoGroup