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May 19, 2015

It takes a village!

The official definition of VOLUNTEERISM is as follows:

"thepolicyorpracticeofvolunteeringone'stimeortalentsforcharitable,educational,orotherworthwhileactivities,especiallyinone'scommunity."

But in my opinion, it should be something like this:

"a group of good-hearted people coming together to volunteer their time (which they don't have a lot of), talents (which they didn't necessarily know they had) for the benefit of one's community."

Over the past couple of months, I have been volunteering with an incredible group of students, parents, vendors and local businesses to create the set for Exeter High School's junior prom. This past weekend we got to see the fruits of our labor come together for a beautiful evening celebrating an amazing group of kids.

Once the photos were taken, and the evening began, I had a moment to sit and reflect on how it all came together. And I have to say, it was such a joy to work with this group people who had the same sense of volunteerism that I try to live by. They gave it all...and then some! It was up to the students to decide on a theme, design the space and then create and paint the set. And boy did they rise to the occasion!

What could be more fitting for a prom theme than The Great Gatsby?

Because of safety concerns and building codes all of the décor had to be created under some specific guidelines, such as no real fire or water, and everything had to be flame retardant. So it was time to get creative, roll up our sleeves and get right into some DIY! How fantastic are these chandeliers made from hula hoops and irrigation pipe?!!!

Once you're done drooling over the chandeliers, check out Gatsby's fountain made from PVC ductwork, Styrofoam, beach balls and baubles to mimic water. The fountain was even up light with battery operated lighting!

Onto the outdoor area where we had battery operated candles suspended from delicate hanging baskets and tons of fresh flowers cut the morning of prom so that they could have the heady scent of lilacs as each couple walked through the arches.

Of course non of this happens with out a dedicated group of volunteers and a supportive community. We can't thank the following local businesses enough for all that you did to make this night come together! Places like Wonderland Thrift Shop, Churchills, Riverwoods, Exeter Rent-All. We'd also like to give a HUGE thank you to the North Hampton, NH Home Depot for just saying yes to anything and everything we asked for!

I hope that through this experience these young adults will remember how fun and rewarding it has been to volunteer and that they will continue to volunteer their hearts, time and talents for the benefit of others. Because after all...it takes a village!

P.S. for more Great Gatsby ideas, be sure to check out my Pinterest board! Click here to see it now!

Transformations Worth Sharing

Clients who have experienced the transformative power of healthy interior design

Renee possesses a rare combination of artistic creativity and intuitive design. Her warmth and compassion extended beyond working with us to understanding the style and feel of our home and how we live in it. We felt fortunate to work with and get to know Renee and absolutely love the updates she made to our home- from windows and walls to artwork and furniture!

Jim P.

Renee is an absolutely wonderful designer. Very talented and easy to work with! She will transform your room or outdoor space into exactly what you want, only better!

Karen S.

Talented, creative, dedicated, great communicator. Renee is such a special person.

Marla W.

We have worked with Renee Carman at this company for almost 2 years. Renee is professional, personable, and a pleasure to know. She is very helpful and will go the extra mile to please her clients. Renee has excellent expertise and knowledge of interior design. We have a beautiful home and highly recommend her.

Lisa W.

Renee possesses a rare combination of artistic creativity and intuitive design.  Her warmth and compassion extended beyond working with us to understanding the style and feel of our home and how we live in it.  We felt fortunate to work with and get to know Renee and absolutely love the updates she made to our home- from windows and walls to artwork and furniture!

Kate S.

Renee was a pleasure to work with and has great vision. We were doing a total rehab of a recently purchased property and she was able to look at a gutted out '50s cottage and turn it into a beautiful mid-century modern home. She understood our budget and timeline and was good about narrowing all our options down to just a few choices. This expedited the process, made it less difficult and more enjoyable. Once the rehab is done, we look forward to working with her again and finish the rest of the rooms.

Bill H.

Renee at Mandeville Canyon Interior Design was simply wonderful to work with. She was able to understand what we were looking for in terms of color, function and design from the moment we first spoke. She's easy to work with, goes above and beyond and delivers an outstanding design.

I highly recommend Renee and Mandeville Canyon Interior Design. I don't think I will attempt to decorate another room in my house without the help of Renee!

Pam O.

Love working with Renee and Mandeville Canyon Interior Design ! I had the opportunity to collaborate on a large scale design project recently and the results were fantastic! Creative, resourceful and one of kind design ideas made this design opportunity with Renee "one of a kind" Have a large or small project? You won't be disappointed!!

Mary S.

Renee not only has an amazingly creative eye, she also directed a massive renovation for us this past year that included the challenges of operating during the pandemic. She put together a team that had an incredible work ethic and brought the project in on-time and on-budget. She's a great listener. When we threw ideas at her, she was never dismissive; quite the contrary, she made them better. Her patience, attention to detail combined with her whacky sense of humor meant we were all able to smile while producing a home that we love. A great talent and a great lady.

Ann R.

Rene is amazing!  Great customer care and wonderful attention to detail.

Holly M.