Looking back on 2010, many exciting things happened for Dezigner Digz, but one of the highlights for me would definitely have to be this. Debbie Travis, host of CBC Television's All For One, and her crew travelled to Oakville Ontario to film a surprise home makeover for a true local hero. The premise of the show is to give back to those who give so much of their time to others in the community.
I had the privilege of putting in some time on the project. It was a pleasure to work alongside some of my friends and peers from the Halton & Hamilton-Wentworth Real Estate Staging Association. The worthy recipient of this makeover was Sera Mansueto, founder of Walls of Hope; a local charity that helps transform the homes of needy families in the community.
Here are some photos that tell the story so much better than words:
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Karen Hubert getting wired for sound by the crew's sound guy. Linda Graydon and Anne Vernon going over the plans. Linda was appointed in charge of the decor team by Debbie.
Igor from Restaurant Makeover giving a lesson on how to use a nail gun.
Of course, then someone walked off with the nail gun to use in another room, so here I am back to the old fashioned hammer and nails. Enter the "Queen Bee" Debbie to inspect our work:
Allison Roberts and I getting ready to dress the bed. You'll notice a large flourescent tube on the wall. That was only there to provide more light for filming purposes. It was never seen on TV and was removed afterwards.
Volunteering for this project really brought a sense of community to everyone that was there to help out.
This makeover was filmed over 5 days and included many moments of utter chaos, particularly on the day of the reveal. Trust me, the panic of reveal day isn't faked for TV. We worked right down to the last minute before Sera arrived. You can imagine the amount of film footage that had to be sifted through over those 5 days and cut out in order to bring the project down to 30 minutes (well, actually 20 odd minutes of air time if you factor in the commercials).
I've always been a fan of Debbie Travis, so it was an added bonus for me to actually meet her in person; something I won't forget any time soon. And yes, she can be a wee bit bossy, but she'd probably be the first person to agree with that - she doesn't mince words :-). We're both looking a little "wilted" in these pictures. It was a long, hot day.
Time for the reveal. Sera was going to be arriving shortly so everyone gathered out on the street to wait for her.
The crew set up a giant screen out on the street so that everyone could watch Sera's reaction as Debbie walked her through her home. Here she is getting out of the car. Is she ever in for a surprise!
Although it was very tiring, it was heartwarming to know that we were doing something special for someone that was truly deserving of it. Just the look on Sera's and her daughters' faces says it all. This year I look forward to learning more about Walls of Hope and volunteering for one of their upcoming projects.
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Dezigner Digz is Burlington, Ontario's premier home staging, styling and redesign firm. The owner, Charlene Storozuk, is a member of the Canadian Decorators Association and the Real Estate Staging Association. She currently serves on RESA's Executive Committee as Regional Vice-President, Canada. Her work is featured in the book FabJob Guide to Become a Home Stager, 2009 edition. Charlene has written several articles on home staging, some of which have been published by the International Business Times and the Women's Council of Realtors. She is also a Contributing Blogger for REALTOR Magazine. For more information about us, visit our website at www.dezignerdigz.com. Click here to see some of our work: Our Portfolio
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