In February 2024, my friend Gail posted on Facebook that Wilma’s Transition Society urgently needed furniture donations after a devastating fire damaged the brand new facility they were preparing for moms and children in transition.
Suddenly, they had to reopen their older building and right away so I volunteered to help and donate all the finishing touches!
The problem? The suites were functional, but they felt stark, institutional and unfinished.
Each suite had the basics: donated sofas, dining sets and beds, but these spaces had zero warmth, personality or comfort. Here are some of the before’s and afters!
Note I didn’t buy area rugs for these rooms because they don’t want to manage cleaning them in between tenants.
And one of the conversations happening at the time was whether the kitchens needed to be renovated. After we finished decorating the suites, that conversation disappeared.
Because once the rooms had lamps, art, colour, softness and connection between the spaces, the entire emotional experience changed.
These were three of the five Mom’s bedrooms that I finished:
That’s the part people underestimate about decorating.
A home is never experienced one finish at a time. People don’t walk into a room thinking: ‘Nice countertop’. They experience how the entire space feels.
In this project, we transformed five suites, hallways and gathering spaces simply by layering warmth, colour and personality into rooms that previously felt cold and temporary.
I finished 12 kids bedrooms in total and here are 3 of the before’s and afters:
And now, two years later, I returned to finish the last spaces that had never been touched:
the outdoor patios where moms sit while their children play nearby.
Here’s a peek at the two connected areas before and after!
Before:
After (Rechargeable patio light)
This episode is yet another powerful reminder that there’s nothing fluffy or ‘extra’ about decorating.
Beauty, warmth and comfort matter deeply, especially in spaces where people are rebuilding their lives.
Below are some of the before and after transformations, along with the full video.
Watch how the patio came together in this week’s episode:
Connect with new friends and learn to decorate inside my community. Can’t wait to meet you inside!
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Thank you Maria for giving these families hope and dignity. Your colorful, loving gesture tells them that they MATTER!
I always tell my clients that design doesn’t have to be expensive. But, it does need to be intentional.
Mil gracias!!
Wow, what transformations! You’ve created a welcoming & homey feel to these spaces. Well done!