I love the concept of redesign as much today as I did when I decided to become a designer in 1988. On the same day my youngest child, Tracy, went off to kindergarten, I went back to college and began design school.

Redesign focuses on rearranging furniture in just one day, using what is already in the home. The college design program I attended didn't include study in this area, so I topped off my formal design education with a seminar that became the foundation for my future. I became a designer who uses what you have instead of suggesting new. Even though I now have a retail home store, it remains the focus of my consultations.

Next Generation
Tracy has become an important part of my team. In addition to handling the marketing department-- she has become a great buyer and event planner.

My son Brian, and his wife Paz, also work for me and round out our great team. Brian is an artist and writer and Paz, also an artist, focuses on textiles. I have more than my fair share of creative talent...I am very lucky!

Back In The Day
Before I began my design career, and way before I became a merchant, I spent many years creatively working as a chef and caterer. My last job as a chef, just before I returned to college, was working for Betty Jackson in her Jackson Square restaurant, Square One, in downtown Fallbrook. Many years later, Betty opened a high-end consignment store in Jackson Square. I worked briefly for her again and it whetted my appetite for retail.

Here we are, At Home, just across the street from Jackson Square. The space that was Square One is now a lovely tearoom, and the one-time consignment store is a wonderful children's store, Wee Little Sprouts.

My design background includes many years training others in the concepts of interior redesign. I authored training manuals and workbooks across the spectrum of the redesign field. I traveled the country teaching seminars and spent many years helping other professional launch redesign careers. The last training class I taught was held in the empty shell of the space we had just rented for the shop. My design work and everyday operation of the shop left scarce time for training, so for now, I'm retired from teaching.

Marie on HGTV
I enjoy heightening public awareness for the redesign concept and loved the 10 years I spent with HGTV's Decorating Cents. You might still catch me in action in a rerun; or notice a friend or neighbor from the 11 shows we taped in Fallbrook. I was behind the scenes for most of those segments (except for the Fallbrook B&B repeating on April 16th, 2007 @2:30 pm Home & Garden Television # 2303.

In addition to HGTV, I have showcased interior redesign concepts on TV news segments in San Diego and Phoenix.

Here are a few samples of newspapers that have featured my design work.

• The San Diego Union-Tribune : No secret: Simple steps to a successful redesign
• The Orange County Register
• The San Francisco Chronicle
• The Fallbrook/Bonsall Village News
• San Diego Home/Garden Magazine
• Better Homes & Gardens Special Interest Publications
• Florida, a magazine of the Orlando Sentinel
• The Valley News : Making the most of what you have