52 Weeks of Design (Kitty & Company) week 8

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. Margie St. Pierre.
What is your daily job? 
Mother of 4 and a Chelsea school bus driver
Your family members: 
Husband: Brian  / Our sons: Luke, David and Michael. And our daughter Elyse and her husband Brian and our grandson John Lawrence.
People think of me as: Super busy and I am, however, I always want to take time to visit, talk and have fun with friends and family!  
When did you move to Chelsea? Where did you live prior to this? 
My husband, children and I moved to Chelsea in 2003 from Dearborn.
What do you love about where you currently live? 
Nature, every window we look out has great view!
If you could have a second home anywhere, where would it be? 
On Lake Michigan.
What three words describe your style? 
Elegant, Warm and Inviting.
What is one style of design you do NOT like? 
Modern, it just seems to cold and uncomfortable.
Have you ever built a new home or remodeled an existing one? 
We recently completed a large renovation project that encompassed the kitchen, family room and dining room. Prior to that we had remodeled the kitchen in our first home.
What was the biggest issue you struggled with during the construction of your remodel ? 
The correct placement of our island in the new space we created in order to give us the cozy yet functional entertainment options we were looking for.
Have you ever sought professional help with the interior design of your home - if so, what did you find most helpful?
Our experience with Kitty & Co was our first time hiring a professional. Selecting colors was most helpful other than the actual space plan/design that we could not do without! We already had quality kitchen cabinets, so we decided to re-purpose and paint them which saved us a lot of money. Kitty arranged them to best suit the kitchen function and entertainment style. Placement of our kitchen island was also important, and Kitty was very thorough with the perfect placement of it. Colors can be tricky, and it is easy to end up with a shade that one does not care for. We love the various colors Kitty recommended and it saved me a ton of grief.
Which room in your home gets the most use?
Our new kitchen of course! It is the hub of all activity. We have a beautiful kitchen window that never fails to give us unending hours of seasonal nature viewing!
If you were moving and could only select one item from your home to keep, what would it be and why? 
My grandmother's rocker-  I now use it to rock my own grandchild!
No room is complete without: 
Comfortable and inviting seating- No matter what the room or the function, we have included this important element.
If you are a pet owner, how has that influenced your choices in design, if it has? 
We recently added 2 kittens to our family. They bring much fun but are in process of training them how to behave on the leather furniture, and keep them off our island counter!
Which do you prefer- higher end items that last a long time, or economical items that can change out more frequently?
Higher end furniture and accessories that can stay with me a long time.
 
By nature I am a :  Collector, not a minimalist
 
A few of your favorite things!
Movie:
That depends on the mood I am in and who is watching it with me. Home Alone if I am with my youngest son Michael!
Historical Place You Have Visited:
Washington D.C.
Scent:
The smell of a rose!
Style of Music:
Love them all for the most part, except Rap and Heavy Metal. Music is a big part of our enjoyment in our kitchen!
Meal:
Prime Rib Au Jus with a baked potato
Travel Destination On Your Bucket List:
I think the Greek Isles would be fascinating.
Things to Collect:
The “find of the day” at a resale shop or garage sale!
 
Colors:
Never a fan of just one favorite color, I love them all depending on where and how the room is used! If I am wearing it, black of course!
Museum:
Henry Ford Greenfield Village in Dearborn.
Design Trend/ Style:
Modern Farmhouse and Country with a touch of Traditional!
Dogs, cats or other?
Cats
Kitty’s note:  Margie and I have had children go through school together, but I got to know her through the renovation with which we helped.  Margie knew in her mind what she wanted to accomplish, and she amazed me with her “I will do this” attitude. She told me she is a “DIY” person, and although a very gentle and kind woman, she is not afraid of tackling anything.  Margie (even though there was contractor help) made her kitchen happen and I know fills it with love each day.
 

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