IT’S DONE!! Shelter – Before/After

So thrilled to share with you the BEFORE/AFTER pictures of the shelter redesign!  This morning all the designers and bloggers involved are linking up their blogs so you can surf around and view all the rooms Before/After in the shelter.   You won’t want to miss it!!  I’m hoping by sharing all this it might inspire other designers and people to do the same!!

One of my favorite things about design is the ability to make people happy, and also be able to change someone’s life.  Donating my time and seeing all the amazing designers, handymen, and volunteers generously give their talent and time to help women and children who’ve suffered abuse makes me feel so positive about the world!   I will sleep better tonight knowing women and children who’ve suffered horrible abuse have a nice, inviting, cheerful place to stay while they heal.

Listen to what KATHY, the shelter director says about their new surroundings!

THE STORY

With Knock Out Abuse we have a program called Sharing Spaces, which helps shelters fix up their spaces with an all volunteer effort. I went out to one of my favorite beneficiary shelters, to see if they needed help. I knew a lot of the shelters were struggling in the economic crisis, and no money ever gets allocated to interiors.  Here is what I saw….

SOMETHING HAD TO BE DONE!!

STEP 1

I wrote about it on the blog and asked Jennifer Sergent at DC by Design to do the same. She rallied several talented local designers. Within days we heard from many designers who were excited to step in and take on a room each to redesign. In fact we had more designers than we had rooms!!!

STEP 2 – MEET AT THE SPACE

We met at the shelter, made a plan and assigned space.  It was great meeting everyone, and the weird part of it was…They were thanking me to be able to do this!!  HOW NICE!

STEP 3  – SHOPPING WITH ZERO DOLLARS

Since the budget was zero we had to rely on donations from kind people and the shelter’s second hand store. Most designers went out of their way to donate their own pieces and somehow miraculously like always when something is meant to be, it all just fell in to place.   Here are some pieces Danielle and I found to use in our room.

STEP 4 – GIVE THE PIECES A FRESH MAKEOVER

Jose was an angel and donated lots of time to help the shelter.  Here we gave the pieces a cheerful update.

We took lamps we bought for  a couple of bucks and spray painted them turquoise.  To turn them in to…

…something like this.  The lamp shade we found in the shelter some where but it worked perfectly.

A side table like this and an ugly lamp base, was turned in to…

…a bedside set like this!

The head board looked sweet with the bedding Bliss Living donated. The chairs with their fresh coat of paint got upholstered in yellow.  (Great upholstery job Danielle!)

This depressing corner turned in to…

This cheerful view. ( Sorry this chest we had not completely finished painting when I took the picture)

I will sleep better at night knowing the woman and her three children staying here now will come home to a happy space!   (Thank You Jennifer for painting the bed!)

To view the rest of the rooms you’ll have to visit all the other blogs.  But I’m going to share with you a teaser of Hardwood Artisan’s make over, because they took on the worst bedroom in the entire shelter.

This is what one corner looked like before…

This is how a little boy or a girl will sleep now! Doesn’t that feel good? The mom cried when she came in to the room!!

Surf around and catch all the rooms going from DRAB to FAB!!  If they’re not posted yet, they will be today. Rebecca and Lauren’s living space is BEAUTIFUL, Denise’s playroom makeover a JOY, Raji’s living  room a CHIC haven.

Rebecca at Acanthus & Acorn

Jennifer Sergent at DC byDesign

Lauren at Pure Style Home

Hardwood Artisans

Raji at Design Dossier

Dream Design Live

THANK YOU all Designers, Jennifer, handymen, Jose, Ellen, Kathy!!!!!

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7 thoughts on “IT’S DONE!! Shelter – Before/After

  1. Jill!!! IT'S GORGEOUS!!!! You are such an inspiration and I just can't thank you enough for organizing all of this! You & Danielle & Ellen are so generous & I really admire you all.

    I loved the video of Cathy & again, she's another person who's just incredible.
    thank you so much for everything & can't wait for the next one.
    xoxo,
    lauren

  2. Jill,
    It has truly been a pleasure getting to know you and Danielle!

    All of your furniture transformations that you, Danielle and Jose tackled are fantastic. The space is so fresh and hip! Love that turquoise lamp!

    The video was a great idea! Cathy is so composed and I loved hearing all the reactions about the house. …very moving.

    Beautiful work by a group of wonderful people!!!!

    ~Rebecca

  3. Hats off to all of you – what a great project! The rooms look terrific and I can only imagine how meaningful all of the beautiful new rooms are to the families.

  4. Just wonderful! This is the epitome of "before and after"……from chaotic and dreary to tranquil and uplifting. The results of all the time, work, and creativity are beautiful.
    Margharete

  5. Jill,

    This project happened because of you and your dedication to helping so many women and children who have been victims of abuse. The shelter looks amazing thanks to your perseverance, amazing talent and generosity. Bethany House and all of the Knock Out Abuse recipient organizations are very lucky to have you. You are an amazing woman who is an inspiration to all those you meet you.

    Ellen

    Thanks,

    Ellen Blankenstein

  6. Hats off to all of you – what a great project! The rooms look terrific and I can only imagine how meaningful all of the beautiful new rooms are to the families.
    nice!

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