Spring is normally the time for things to start afresh, from grass to trees awakening from their winter slumber. Awash in bright colours, spring is a miraculous time as we see everything take on new life.
The Vancouver Island Stagers, Stylists and Re-designers (VISSR) took this spring magic to heart and put their professional expertise to work rejuvenating Holly House.
After a tour in late December, the VISSR decided that Holly House would be chosen as its special “Hands Up” project for 2013.
The VISSR Team starting at the top: Tracey, Stacey, Pauline,Dana, Melanie, Josee, Diana and Valerie (and where is Murray?)
The “Hands Up” project is where these talented professionals choose to assist a particular non-profit agency by transforming either a work space or service space used by the agency in its work in the community. Threshold was “tickled pink” to be chosen by VISSR. Like many non-profits, Threshold does not have the funding to “spruce up” the living space of its houses so it was exciting to watch VISSR do its magic and give Holly House virtually a new life. Holly House houses at-risk young women. Having an up-beat ambiance is so important that is exactly what VISSR set out to achieve … and did!
The VISSR is an amazing group of people who work in staging houses that have entered the real-estate market. They know how to give any environment eye appeal. Each member comes with a special expertise in visualizing a space and then giving it some new sparkle. The VISSR is well connected to the trades and made use of those connections from painters to gardeners. The work took place over a month with many donations and contributions from local trades people and their services including:The Housse; Rain Coast Paint & Finishing; Poise Painting; New Heights Contracting; C&T Squared Contracting; Island Flooring; Island Savings Credit Union; Steve Copp Construction; Rona; Home Depot; Freedom Rent To Own; Capital Glass; London Drugs; Cloverdale Paint; Sherwin Williams Paint; Design District Studio Curt’s Services – Landscaping; Garden City Landscapers; Illuminations Lighting.
Living Room "Before"
With sooooo many people working toward a goal, you just knew that something good was going to happen. Each room in Holly House was carefully examined for potential. Walls colours, drapes, blinds, flooring, kitchen hardware, furniture, lighting, and accessories were all chosen to show off aspects of the house and give it character with a cheery atmosphere.
Over the course of several weeks, great things happened and aspects of the house started to change and a lighter, more fresh feeling started to fill the house. More importantly, the enthusiasm of the stagers was contagious. Good-will was in abundance as they worked with community businesses and trades people to make the transformation happen. Even the garden was not left untouched. The garden had become over-grown and a tangled jungle. With some TLC, Curt made it look enchanting as one enters the house.
Living Room "After"
To help save money, furniture that had become worn and tarnished was given new life by being painted and lacquered to give them a dazzling new appearance. Accessories such as mirrors, wall-hangings, light fixtures and decorative vases accentuated everything perfectly.
To view more of this transformation as a wonderful pictorial essay, go to the amazing website of two of the stagers, Tracey and Stacey of Room Candy. Here you will find a thread of photos that show the progression of change over time.
Shaw TV “Go Island” aired a review of the project on April 4th. To see the clip click on courtesy of SHAW-TV
Thanks to James Green and Jen Muranetz for telling the community about the fabulous generosity of VISSR and its members.
The house for young men, Mitchell House, was not left untouched by this dynamic team of change and transformation. On March 21, Garden City Landscapers arrived to give the backyard some badly needed TLC. With the help of youth, the garden took on a new life helped with donated garden furniture from Pauline. For a full report of the Mitchell House adventure, see the SHAW TV clip on “Go Island.”
THANK YOU VANCOUVER ISLAND STAGERS, STYLISTS and RE-DESIGNERS!
YOU ROCK!