“As Ambassador for the Raleigh Chapter of Home Staging Professionals (IAHSP)
I was looking for a way to give back to the military community that supports
us. I contacted several resources from the area but couldn’t come up with a
candidate that would fit the logistics of our project. As luck would have
it, the stars lined up for Matt and Melissa when my daughter mentioned that
her teacher’s fiancée was returning from Iraq within the next few weeks; I
knew we had a match” said Janine.
The couple met over four years ago, while attending SUNY in Fredonia NY
and got engaged in March just before Matt left for Iraq. Melissa has been
anxiously awaiting his return as she continues her career as a fifth grade
teacher at Leesville Road Elementary School. After hearing about the couple,
Janine decided to enlist the help of some professional colleagues and
friends to make her dream project Welcome Home a reality. As Janine states
“This project provides soldiers and their families with home makeovers in
appreciation for serving our country. We wanted to make Matt’s return to his
new home in Raleigh extra special”.
Local area businesses including several Accredited Home Staging
Professionals (ASP’s) and Designers, home supply related firms such as
American Furniture Rental, Cort Furniture Rental, Lowes’ Hardware, and CA
based Stagedhomes.com have made answered Janine’s call and made donations to
the cause. Janine is still in need of donations of labor from handymen,
appliance and lighting specialists as well as furniture, accessories and
perhaps a few food items for the big reveal. She explains that, “The couple
has only a few pieces of their own as most of their furnishings belong to
Melissa’s roommate who will be leaving this summer. They have done some
minor decorating but the house needs updates to reflect the couples ‘Urban
Chic’ tastes. With the holidays approaching we are hoping to add some
festive touches to our decorating as well”.
“I currently have a team of eight home Stagers and designers plus a few
friends lined up for the two day makeover. We have a lot of painting, to do
and would love to put new tile or linoleum down in the bathroom and add a
new vanity to repair the couples bathroom. With our tight schedule and
budget the group will be putting their creative talents to good use. The
donations and efforts of these generous people are crucial to the success of
this worthy project” explains Janine.
Matt and Melissa will be returning to their well dressed home on Saturday
December 8th, Janine is hoping to have some of the couple’s family members
and local students from Melissa’s school attend the event. “This is a great
opportunity to show our appreciation for our troops and our teachers. I
can’t think of a better way to kick off the holiday season”. For more
information contact Janine Varney of Well Dressed Homes at (919) 624-3460 or
email her Janine@welldressedhomes.com.
About Welldressedhomes.com
Janine Varney is an Interior Designer and Home Stager serving the greater
Raleigh NC area. She created the Welcome Home Project as a way to show
appreciation for the troops serving overseas. Janine’s website is
Welldressedhomes.com
Contact Information
Janine Varney
Raleigh NC
(919) 624-3460
Janine@welldressedhomes.com
