About

I've been a dreamer since I was a child. Days were spent caring for baby dolls as if they were real, decorating my dollhouse around the seasons, sketching floorplan after floorplan of my dream houses, playing dress-up, and building play forts in the woods of our neighborhood. These sweet and simple childhood days have morphed into reality with a house full of kids, floor plans still being sketched out but these plans are now built and lived in by clients, an appreciation and love for the little things in life and all things that sparkle and bring us joy.

 

I enjoy designing spaces for clients that become safe havens for their families and fit into their lifestyles. I also offer ways for other women to add a little sparkle to their lives, feel more confident in their daily lives, and help provide financially for their family and their future dreams.

 

I had two favorite places growing up. One was my back screened porch- I could spend hours and hours on our porch- reading, playing games with my family, talking to my mom while she painted my toenails, eating meals out there, and just gazing into the woods and watching the wildlife run and fly by. It was truly a safe spot and a place to relax. I also loved visiting my grandparents' farmhouse in Maine. It overlooked nearby Woods Pond, where I spent hours swimming on hot summer days and viewed out upon Mt Washington and the White Mountain range. Wild blueberries grew in the fields, birch trees swayed gently in the wind, and the sweet smell of wildflowers and cut grass hung in the air. It was magical, and the time spent with my grandparents, my dad, and my aunt are hours I wish I could live over again.

 

Today I close my eyes and envision a future home- one with mountain views and a nearby pond where my kids, future grandchildren and friends can gather and create new memories to carry into generations to come and where we can come to connect.  I never see myself as "retiring" because to retire would be stop doing  one of my favorite things to do  Sharing ideas, designs, and life stories with clients and new friends just makes me happy. 

 

I have always listened to friends' and clients' struggles and concerns and am always available as a shoulder to lean on and offer advice if wanted. I have never considered myself to be a "leader," although as I grow older, I see that leadership isn't what I used to define it as. I never wanted to tell people what to do or to have to criticize poor work or feel responsible for putting food on another family's table. I see now that leadership is helping others find their best way to reach their own version of success. Understanding your own unique strengths and talents and working within the range of your personal values brings us all closer to success every day. There is no right way or wrong way - there is only your way and what works best for you. Understanding this in an authentic way has taught me how to be a strong leader as well as a stronger designer. 

 

Over the years, I have definitely suffered from a lack of confidence and self-doubt. Our attempts to start a family ended up needing medical intervention after years of trying. Being a mom was the first thing I can ever remember wanting to be. It took longer than expected, and that shook me. I had no control over it, though, which was so hard to accept, and I am so very thankful that modern medicine helped us kickstart our family. At one point, we had 4 kids under the age of 3, and I was in my element with all my babies. As they grew and needed me in different ways, I adapted to always be available for them- from attending sports games, driving to and from lessons and practices and rehearsals to just being available to talk, listen or snuggle on the couch. My four teens do not need me now in the same way they did before. I find myself with more time on my own that I have been able to use to foster my business and earn money to help them with a car, college and hopefully lay the groundwork for a future dream home. Not being "needed" by my kids has shaken my confidence a bit, and anxiety definitely strikes me as I think about future days when they are not under my roof anymore. What do you do when your dream of motherhood has been lived, and your babies move on?

 

I have found a new joy in fostering friendships with other like-minded moms and entrepreneurs in a few networking groups over the past couple years who are also re-finding their way in a world that is not taken up by the needs of little ones. It's our time now to SHINE and being able to share advice, leads, and comraderie has been incredible. With that being said, I'd love to help you with any home design project that will make your life a little easier, a little more fun or a little more put together so you can SHINE as well.