News & Press

Read about the DesignWish 2010 reveal in the Shoreline Times: The Big Reveal: Local designers make wishes come true for two families

DesignWish selects two families for complimentary room makeover

First published in the Shoreline Times on Thursday, January 21, 2010.
Reprinted with permission.

DesignWish has selected two families as the 2010 winners of a complimentary room makeover, The Carver and Frost families of Deep River, who live about a mile apart.

The families were selected from a large pool of deserving candidates; all nominated by area residents. When the DesignWish team realized these top candidates were located a mile apart, the decision was simple-help both families!

Each family’s story can be read at www.designwish.org. The Carver’s were nominated by a friend who spoke of their philanthropic work in the community and beyond. Maura Carver and her two teenage children spend countless hours volunteering at churches, soup kitchens, and homeless shelters. They raised money to travel to the Dominican Republic to be part of a medical mission team and plan on returning again this summer.

Mary and Eric Frost, also nominated by a friend, are the proud parents of three children. Two of their children have challenging medical conditions which require out-of-pocket medical and travel expenses. Mary has put her career on hold to stay home and care for the children.

The recipients were surprised on Christmas Eve morning at their homes by the DesignWish team: Lisa Leonardi of The Room Doctor, Kristen Wall of Wall to Wall Home Concepts LLC, Patty MacNeil of Linden Shores Interiors, Robin Reed of Robin Reed, Ltd., and Julie Cousins of Let’s Get Organized.

“We are thrilled to reach out to more than one family this year,“ said Lisa Leonardi. “Located only one mile apart, we knew fate played a part in us honoring both families as DesignWish recipients.”

DesignWish relies upon the generous donations of local vendors and residents. If you are interested in making a donation of goods or a monetary contribution, DesignWish will put it toward the Carver or Frost room makeovers. Please send checks payable to: DesignWish at PO Box 1084, Madison, CT 06443. Those who wish to donate may contribute to the makeovers in general, or specify the project to which they would like to donate. Anyone interested in volunteering their time or services can contact Lisa Leonardi at www.theroomdoctor.com

The Day’s Person of the Week – December 10, 2009

Kristen Wall of Wall to Wall Home Concepts, LLC and the Design Wish Team. Click here to read the article.

The Guilford Courier – December 10, 2009

Make a Design Wish come true! Interior decorators seek nominations for deserving individuals for room makeover. Click here to read the article.

For Immediate Release:

To: Editorial Staff-Guilford Courier
From: Jennifer Moore, DesignWish Publicity
CC: DesignWish team
Date: 11/24/09
Re: Redesign services to benefit deserving individual or family

The DesignWish Team 2010. Click to enlarge.

Area interior design consultants seek community nominations

With the season of giving approaching, a group of local design consultants have reunited for the third year to provide a deserving individual or family with a complimentary room makeover and are seeking nominations from the community.

The collaborative effort, DesignWish, transforms a room in the home of a deserving recipient. The design team consists of Lisa Leonardi of The Room Doctor, Kristen Wall of Wall to Wall Home Concepts, LLC, Patty MacNeil of Linden Shores Interiors, Robin Reed of Robin Reed Ltd., and Julie Cousins of Let’s Get Organized.

“Our purpose is to give back by offering a room makeover to a individual or family that is facing a financial or personal challenge.” “We also consider individuals who deserve recognition for being a hero in the eyes of their family or community,” said Lisa Leonardi.

To locate this year’s honoree, DesignWish is asking the community for nominations. In 500 words or less, nominators should explain why the nominee is deserving of a room transformation. All submissions will be strictly confidential. The deadline for nominations is December 16th. A nomination form can be found at www.designwish.org/nominate-someone/.

Beth Spencer, recipient of DesignWish 2009, expresses her gratitude for her complimentary Great Room makeover. “Our Great Room is the most beautiful room in our house and the center of our home. It is really a place of peace and joy. It is a little retreat in the middle of life’s craziness. In the morning I wake up and my day is a little brighter because I can feel all the love that went into making over the Great Room. For us it is a place where we can gather as a family, read together, watch movies and unwind after a long day. We will forever be grateful to the DesignWish team for making our Great Room exactly what we needed.”

DesignWish uses interior redesign techniques to make the room transformation. Interior redesign is a philosophy which assumes that all the necessary ingredients for a well-designed space exists in the home already. “As designers, we understand the positive or negative impact immediate surroundings can have on day-to-day life. Through DesignWish, we hope to create a refuge for someone and strengthen their emotional bond with their home,” said Kristen Wall.

The support of local businesses and volunteers make DesignWish possible. For more information, to make a donation, or for nomination forms, please go to www.designwish.org.

The DesignWish recipient will be announced on December 24th.
The actual room transformation will take place in February 2010.

###

News & Press for 2009

For Immediate Release:

To: Editorial Staff
From: Lisa Leonardi-The Room Doctor
CC: Kristen Wall – Wall to Wall Home Concepts, LLC.
Patty MacNeil – Linden Shores Interiors
Robin Reed – Robin Reed, Ltd.
Julie Cousins – Let’s Get Organized!
Date: 3/2/09
Re: DesignWish Reveal

DesignWish for a Deserving Family
Area interior design consultants and local businesses come together for Guilford family.

More than 70 shoreline merchants, contractors, and volunteers joined forces with five local interior design consultants for the second year to provide a deserving family with a complimentary room makeover. The five design consultants include Lisa Leonardi of The Room Doctor, Kristen Wall of Wall to Wall Home Concepts, LLC, Patty MacNeil of Linden Shores Interiors, Robin Reed of Robin Reed Ltd, LLC, and Julie Cousins of Let’s Get Organized.

The DesignWish team selected Beth and Brian Spencer after a nomination from their adult daughter stood out from a pool of over 25 nominations from the community. When hearing about a little boy with special needs that no one wanted to adopt, Beth Spencer’s immediate response was, “We’ll take him.” They have since gone on to adopt two additional children with special needs and are in the process of adopting a fourth.

The makeover began by painting the 25×29 room in soothing beachy tones. The expertise of three local painters, Andy Broughal, Gary McNeil, and Kim Regan gave the room a fresh new look. Next furniture was removed from the house for some much needed reupholstering by Nautical Needles of Westbrook.

Over the course of three days, trim work and furniture was painted, old furniture was repurposed or relocated, new furnishings were delivered, and accessories were strategically placed. Riverbend Development and Johannesen Home Improvements installed an attractive and functional storage bench that will keep this family of seven well-organized. Wayne Hanna of Deep River added his quality craftsmanship to the space by building an eye-catching tv console.

The design team went to great lengths to provide a peaceful, relaxing atmosphere that the Spencers could enjoy as a family. Beth Spencer had secretly hoped for a sectional to cuddle up with her little ones. As a result of the generous donation of Cort Furniture Rental of Cromwell, Beth’s wishes came true. As they cozy up on the sectional together they will be in full view of the family portraits donated by Catherine Keirnan of Guilford. Daniel Magee of Deep River created one-of-a-kind frames to showcase the beautiful photographs.

Thirty volunteers worked diligently preparing for the big Reveal. The Spencers arrived home to find their Great Room completely transformed. “Oh, my gosh. It’s beautiful!” Beth Spencer repeated again and again. They marveled at the new additions to the room and were grateful for the fresh look given to their old treasures. The Spencer children giggled in delight as they rubbed their faces against the cozy rug donated by Theresa Kelly of Masland Carpets. As the family took in every nook and cranny of their newly designed space, designers stood back in complete gratitude as they viewed the joy in the Spencer’s faces. “No words could describe the sense of fulfillment,” said designer Robin Reed.

DesignWish operates on the generous donations of local businesses and individuals. Project sponsors include Russ and Bonnie Jensen of Westbrook Floor Covering and Eileen Smith of Madison Furniture Barn. The combined value of the custom work and various donations of local merchants too numerous to mention (see insert) totaled more than $40,000 this year. The DesignWish team is humbled by the outpouring of support that helped make this year’s makeover so successful.

“I knew this was the type of project that my company would be proud to be a part of when I heard about the Spencer family and the way they open their home and their hearts to children with special needs,” said key donor Sylvia Prior of Window Products in Branford.

A local web designer, Margaret E. Tehan of Margaret’s Folly in Guilford, has donated her services to create a website for DesignWish. The new website can be viewed at www.designwish.org. Anyone interested in participating in DesignWish 2010, please visit the website. Monetary donations toward the Spencer’s makeover are still being accepted. Please send checks payable to DesignWish at PO Box 1084, Madison, CT 06443.

News Channel 8’s DesignWish Grants Family Room Makeover

Story by: Jodi Latina

View the complete story from News Channel 8 here.

News Channel 8’s Guilford Family Gets a Home Makeover

Story by: Jodi Latina

View the complete story from News Channel 8 here.

You can download Shore View’s December 5, 2008 article here:

Shore Home: Your Design Wishes Can Come True (unknown, 283 hits)

Or… please see our most recent press release directly below. For news articles on DesignWish 2008, please scroll further down this page.

For Immediate Release:

To: Editorial Staff
From: Kristen Wall – Wall to Wall Home Concepts, LLC
CC: Lisa Leonardi – The Room Doctor, Patty MacNeil – Linden Shores Interiors, Robin Reed – Robin Reed, Ltd. and Julie Cousins – Let’s Get Organized!
Date: November 18, 2008
Re: Redesign services to benefit deserving individual or family

REDESIGN SERVICES TO BENEFIT DESERVING INDIVIDUAL OR FAMILY
Area interior design consultants seek community nominations

With the season of giving approaching, a group of local interior design consultants have come together for the second year to provide a deserving individual or family with a complimentary room makeover and are seeking nominations from the community.

The collaborative effort, called DesignWish, aims to transform a room in the home of a deserving individual or family. Lisa Leonardi of The Room Doctor, Kristen Wall of Wall to Wall Home Concepts, LLC and Patty MacNeil of Madison Furniture Barn and Linden Shores Interiors joined forces last year to perform a room makeover for a Madison family. This year they are adding two more design professionals to their collaboration: Robin Reed of Robin Reed Ltd. and Julie Cousins of Let’s Get Organized.

“We are offering a room makeover to an individual that really deserves it. Maybe an unsung hero in our midst, or someone in the middle of a crisis that may not have the time to dedicate to themselves,” said Lisa Leonardi.

“Last year, the talented ladies of DesignWish asked if I would like to be involved and donate some furniture and accessories. I thought it was a thoughtful idea; a great way to give back to the community that gives so much to me personally and to my business. Just seeing the excitement of last year’s recipient is enough to make me want to give each year,” said Eileen Smith from Madison Furniture Barn.

“This was such a gratifying project for all of us last year, as well as the shoreline community with the area businesses and volunteers that came forward to help us. We made a difference in the life of one family. We made their home more comfortable and functional for their needs. It is truly a gift to be a part of this wonderful effort!” said Patty MacNeil.

“As designers, we understand the positive or negative impact immediate surroundings can have on day-to-day life. Through DesignWish, we hope to create a refuge for someone and strengthen their emotional bond with their home,” said Kristen Wall.

DesignWish uses interior redesign techniques to make the transformation. Interior redesign is a decorating philosophy which assumes that all the necessary ingredients for a well-designed space exist in the home already. Westbrook Floor Covering and Madison Furniture Barn of Westbrook will join efforts with the designers by donating items to make the results of the interior redesign even more dramatic.

The support of local businesses makes DesignWish possible. To help market the cause, a local web designer, Margaret E. Tehan of Margaret’s Folly in Guilford, has donated her services to create a website for DesignWish.

To locate the honorees, DesignWish is asking the community for nominations. In 500 words or less, nominators should explain why the nominee is deserving of a room transformation. All submissions will be considered strictly confidential. Nomination letters should be sent by December 18th to info {at} designwish(.)org or to PO BOX 1084 Madison, CT 06443.

The actual room transformation will take place in January of 2009. The DesignWish recipient will be announced on December 24th and listed on the DesignWish website at www.designwish.org.

Anyone wishing to make a monetary donation to help DesignWish reach their goal or to volunteer their time for the project can email info {at} designwish(.)org .