52 weeks of design (kitty & company) week 51

By Kitty Golding
Kitty & Company will be conducting a series of short interviews with Chelsea Residents for 52 weeks, bringing to light differing personalities and design styles in our community.  Perhaps you will meet someone new through these weekly interviews or perhaps it will be YOU! Stay tuned and follow us each week – we now introduce you to  Mrs. Tammy Mason.
What is your current profession? Owner/CFO of Roberts Paint & Body, Inc. I started working as an employee at Roberts Paint & Body in 2005, when Matt, my husband,  partnered with the previous owners John and Jerry Roberts.
Your family members: Husband - Matthew Mason, Sons - Max and Michael Mason.
People think of me as: quiet and reserved but really I am friendly and outgoing once you get to know me.
When did you move to Chelsea and where did you live prior to coming to Chelsea? We moved to Chelsea in 2008 shortly after Matt and I became owners of Roberts,  in 2007. Previously our family lived in Grass Lake.  I was born in California and moved all over because my dad was in the Air Force.
What do you love about where you currently live?  My home is secluded in the woods, but we are only minutes away from town, so I get the best of both worlds.
If you could have a second home anywhere, where would it be? I have always loved the idea of a home on one of the Great Lakes.  Harbor Springs or Glen Arbor areas would be ideal.
What three words describe your style? Comfortable, Homey, Uncluttered.
What are you most inspired by in your design/decor? Nature, we are surrounded by it, and Michigan is filled with it.
As you think about the home in which you grew up, what elements did you like and do you think you have incorporated some of them in your own home?
I am comforted with  woods surrounding our home, as the house I grew up in was on a wooded lot. My parent’s home felt comfortable and warm with stained wood trim and floors. It also offered many windows to enjoy the seasons and a double sided fireplace for cold winter nights. While we have painted wood trim and rustic hard wood floors, we have many windows to enjoy all the nature on our property with a large fireplace as well, as the focus of our great room.
When entering your home, how do you want it to feel? Comfortable and welcoming.
What is one design style you do not like? Contemporary - it always feels cold to me and detached.
What is the biggest design issue you struggle with?  I don't like cluttered spaces, so I struggle with accessory and art placement.  I don’t mind seeing a nice clean wall, but often wonder, should it have something on it, or can it be an open space?
Have you ever built a new home or remodeled an existing one? * Yes! Many of my friends know I used to call our house the "UBH house" aka, Ugly Blue House! Matt and I bought the house purely for the property and the potential we knew it had. We completely remodeled our home in 2015, a major undertaking, basically rebuilding the entire structure, creating a more open floor plan with lots of windows and a large deck. This is our forever home.
Have you ever sought professional help with the interior design of your home - if so, what did you find most helpful?
Absolutely! Matt and I knew most of the elements we wanted when we rebuilt the UBH, however I wanted help with paint colors and to have all the rooms look put together and cohesive.
Have you stayed true to a style through the years, or have you fluctuated in your tastes? As I’ve grown and moved to new homes and locations, my styles have indeed altered. Nothing hugely dissimilar , but different settings call for changed décor.
If you were moving and could only select one item from your home to keep, what would it be?  That's a difficult question. I love my home and all it's different features. Matt and I thought many years about how we wanted our dream home to be. After thinking about it, it is part of the home itself, the windows, as they offer the beautiful views. I  love waking up and seeing what a new day brings – sunrise, snow…etc.  Each window has a different view of the property and is filled with mother nature.
Which room in your home gets the most use?  The kitchen. No matter how many people we have over, everyone stands, sits or is near the kitchen island.  It is the heart of our home, food, laughter, warmth- all in one.
No room is complete without: A personal touch.
If you are a pet owner, how has that influenced your choices in design, if it has? I am sad to say, we just lost our dog Cooper, he was older, so making sure the elements of our home were cleanable was necessary.
Has any local venue particularly caught your eye - if so why? Chelsea has many little gems. The downtown shops have great ideas and goods for any home. If you make some turns off the beaten path, you will discover additional treasures….try driving down Waterloo Rd, on N. Territorial Road.
What did you do to pass the time during the COVID-19 State shutdown? Worked! While we were closed for a month, there were still things that needed to be handled at the business. Matt and the boys cleaned and rearranged the shop for better production.
If you were given $1,000 to buy a new piece of art, what would it be? A sculpture, like a bronze western Remington, even though $1,000 wouldn’t buy a fraction of one of those.
A few of your favorite things!
Movie – The Proposal  - I  enjoyed Sandra Bullock and Ryan Reynolds. The house in the movie is stunning!
Favorite Historical Place You have visited –  Gatlinburg, TN
Scent –A home cooked meal
Music– Country
TV Show- The Big Bang Theory
Meal – Anything From Common Grill
Travel Destination (on your bucket list)– Ireland
Season –Autumn
Color- Orange
Favorite thing to Collect – Roosters
Design Style-  French Country
Museum –The Field Museum of Natural History,  in Chicago
Hobbies- Reading
Favorite Tree – Red Maple
Item on a bookshelf – Family Pictures
 
Kitty’s Note: Tammy and I have known each other for a few years as our boys were in the same grades, but we discovered over this sit down that we have more in common than we knew. I mean, who else has their favorite color as orange? (immediate connection!) Tammy and her family are hardworking small business owners and I know our Chelsea Community appreciates having their type of business in town.  Raise your hand if you have been part of the Hit a Deer
 (Oct. 1-Dec 31) club, where you  “hit a buck and get some doe!”  We have!   Their beautiful home and setting is a respite after working hard at the business all day/week.  When I was there, the boys were out ice-fishing and taking advantage of the nature that surrounds them. A lovely home for a lovely family indeed.

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