Tile, sinks and faucets - a kitchen and bath renovation can be so overwhelming! Today I’m joined by Emily and Dawn of Torrco Design Center, who reveal how having the right team behind you can take the overwhelm out of the process. They also provide some great tips and best practices for accomplishing the next renovation project you tackle in your home, along with the pitfalls to watch for, and so much more. Emily Becker Fasano is a Senior Sales & Design Associate and part owner of Torrco, a ...
Nov 19, 2024•41 min•Ep. 116
Did you know that there’s actually a science behind getting a good night’s sleep on the proper mattress? In this episode, Bob Zukowski of Custom Sleep Technology is here to share what you need to know about the benefits of a real custom mattress! Bob is President and Co-Founder of Custom Technology, and he ha 23 years of experience in the mattress industry, including 9 years with Latex International (now known as Talalay Global). He also has additional experience with Textron Aerospace and in fi...
Nov 05, 2024•36 min•Ep. 115
Are you tackling a home design or renovation project and feeling overwhelmed by the sheer number of moving parts and professionals involved? If so, you may need a renovation matchmaker to simplify the process! Enter today’s expert guest, Julie Potack, founder of The Renovation Concierge, who is here to make your renovation journey smoother. Julie established The Renovation Concierge in 2023 with the intention of filling a void in the home renovation market. Her passion for renovation started in ...
Oct 22, 2024•42 min•Ep. 114
Are you feeling lost when it comes to window treatments? Overwhelmed by all the options for your home? Today, we’re pulling back the curtain on window treatments with expert Betsy Smyth from Bumble Bee Blinds! Betsy is also an interior designer with her own design firm, but she really saw a need in the marketplace to help people solve their window treatment dilemmas. Betsy spent her early carer days in elementary education, and after a hiatus to welcome her 3 greatest joys of all who call her “M...
Oct 08, 2024•35 min•Ep. 113
How do you go from overwhelm to ease when you’re tackling a brand-new home design project in a new home in the suburbs? In this episode, you’ll meet my client Virginia as she shares how her and I did it together with my signature room service. I hope this conversation gives you the insight and inspiration for your own home! Is there’s something Virginia shared today that resonated most with you, and that you can relate with? Do you have any questions about how I may be able to help you as well? ...
Sep 24, 2024•29 min•Ep. 112
Are you ready to get your home organized this Fall? Setting boundaries is essential, and that’s why I’m thrilled to introduce our first expert guest of the new season, Lisa Trigsted of Get Neat with Lisa! Lisa grew up the oldest of 7 kids in beautiful Idaho. It was her parents who installed a “work before play” work ethic in her.This skill plus her natural gift for organization prompted her to start her own home organizing business, Get Neat with Lisa, in 2017. Since then, Lisa has created an or...
Sep 10, 2024•40 min•Ep. 111
As the saying goes, “It’s Fall Y’all”, and that means a new season of The Welcome Home to the Suburbs Podcast is here! In this special Fall kickoff episode, I give you a sneak peek at what we’ll have for you this season, and I share the ways in which I’ve designed my business to be different, in order to offer a design service specially curated for YOU, the Client. I’m so excited to have you join us this Fall for the brand-new season of the podcast, and if you loved this episode, let us know and...
Sep 03, 2024•24 min•Ep. 110
The 2024 Spring Season has now officially wrapped up after our amazing interview last week with Lily Lou’s Aroma’s , but we’ll be picking things back up this Fall! We don’t want you to be forgetting about us over the summer, so make sure to join our email list as we’ll be sharing about certain topics you may have missed from the last 100-plus episodes. Over the summer, we’ll be working on a new line-up to bring to you this Fall, and if there is anything specific you would like to hear on the pod...
May 21, 2024•5 min•Ep. 109
Have you ever heard the expression “you can’t have the rainbow without the rain?” Today you’ll meet a very special guest and hear about how she has created her very own incredible rainbow! At just 10 years old, Lily leads Lily Lou's Aroma's, a business dedicated to creating eco-friendly self-care products with delightful scents. From scented candles to wax melts, essential oils, and perfumes, each item is meticulously made with sustainable and cruelty-free ingredients, ensuring a delightful expe...
May 07, 2024•29 min•Ep. 108
As the saying goes, the proof is in the pudding – and I’m serving you some pudding today! In this episode, you’ll meet my very special guest, Lisa, who happens to be one of my clients that used my digital design services (for all 9 rooms in her home)! You’ll hear Lisa’s story of moving to the town that I live in with her family and how she had already hired a contractor who was doing work when she reached out to me for help. She reveals why she made the decision to hire me and all the reasons wh...
Apr 23, 2024•42 min•Ep. 107
Are you ready to take your home from drab to fab? Today I share how you can transform it easily, and in a way that will give you an instant “HGTV effect” like you’ve ever had before! If there’s something I shared today that resonated most with you, or that you are going to try in your own home? If so, I want to hear about it! You can DM me on Instagram, @jillkalmaninteriors and I can’t wait to hear what you thought of this home styling episode. I have a brand-new freebie that you are not going t...
Apr 09, 2024•19 min•Ep. 106
It’s the central part of any living space and one of the biggest investments in your home furnishing. That’s right, today we’re talking about sofas today with our expert guest, Alex Back! Alex is the founder and CEO of Couch.com , an innovative new online platform designed to help match customers with their perfect new couches. Formerly, he was the co-founder and COO of the popular furniture brand, Apt2B ( apt2b.com ), and bootstrapped the company from startup to acquisition prior to his exit la...
Mar 26, 2024•48 min•Ep. 105
There’s no one more versed at moving than a military family, and today’s special guest knows this very well! In this episode, I’m joined by Katie Vail of the blog Stripes and Whimsy, and we talk all things moving – not just locations, but also what to consider with the style of home you are moving to. She also reveals why DIY takes guts, and you’ll learn why Katie says, “don’t wait around for your husband for this stuff!” Katie Vail is an Army Veteran turned style, decorating, and lifestyle blog...
Mar 12, 2024•43 min•Ep. 104
Today we’re discussing one of the most common things I hear, which is finding your OWN style! In this episode I’m joined by Kate Taylor, as she reveals how style has nothing to do with your wallet and everything to do with confidence. There’s a bridge between fashion and home, and your style has similarities with both, which you’ll learn all about today! If you found this episode interesting, we want to hear what resonates with you the most. You can DM Kate on Instagram, @katetaylorstylist, and ...
Feb 27, 2024•56 min•Ep. 103
I might be known as your ‘City to Suburbs Interior Designer’, but today’s guest is known as your ‘Subway to Suburbs’ Realtor! Amanda Tarter is an experienced real estate professional who exudes the same fresh energy as her home city of Manhattan. She is personable, professional and dedicated, working diligently for her clients. First-time buyers especially love Amanda, thanks to her youthful spirit and dogged determination to make their initial real estate experience rewarding. In this insightfu...
Feb 13, 2024•35 min•Ep. 102
For today’s episode we’re bringing the outdoors in, as my special guest helps others introduce natural moss art into a variety of commercial and residential spaces! Lindsay Scherr Burgess is the Founder and Moss Boss of Green Wallscapes, a company that brings spaces to life with no-hassle preserved moss walls, logos, lettering and art. She has done projects in over 35 states and Canada in her West Palm beach studio. They have done work for Starbucks, Stella Artois, AutoNation, Suffolk Constructi...
Jan 30, 2024•34 min•Ep. 101
This is a very special milestone for Welcome Home to the Suburbs as it’s our 100 episode! Today I want to talk about something that’s been on my mind, and that’s TRENDS, or the 5-letter word that I like to call the four letter word. What does this mean? You’ll find out all about it in this brand-new episode as I share the good, the bad and the ugly with trends! I want to say that I am so grateful for each and every one of you who have listened to the podcast over these last 100 episodes, and if ...
Jan 16, 2024•22 min•Ep. 100
Can you believe it’s already 2024? We’ve now entered the fourth year of Welcome Home to the Suburbs, and to kick it off I’m answering some of the questions that I get asked the most often by people in my DMs and my clients! I hope this episode serves as a reminder that it’s a brand-new year and you can do something fresh and new in your home. I’m here to help you along the way with this podcast, my free resources and with the services that I offer! Do you have a question that you’ve been wanting...
Jan 02, 2024•24 min
Feeling sentimental? If so, you’re going to want to listen to what today’s guest, Shana Novak (aka “The Heirloomist”) has to say! In this episode, she reveals how to preserve your cherished memories in the most artful way, and as a sentimentalist myself, I was very excited to learn from Shana. Shana Novak is an established commercial still life photographer based in New York City. She has collaborated with brands such as Coca-Cola, Procter & Gamble, Rolling Stone, and Time magazine. As The H...
Dec 12, 2023•29 min•Ep. 98
In today’s episode, we’re getting color conscious! My guest Mehnaz Khan is here to talk about the impact of using color in your home, and as you’ll find out, color also has a big effect on YOU as well as your home! Mehnaz Khan is an RIDQC certified professional residential interior designer with a focus on creating positive psychological spaces. She uses the principals of color and design psychology to help homeowners not only make their homes beautiful, but stress-free, fun and happy. We would ...
Nov 28, 2023•35 min•Ep. 97
Do you love couture? Have you ever thought about putting it on your walls? After today’s episode with my special guest, you just might want to make this your next home project! Molly Borman is the founder of Housewife Essentials, a wallpaper company based in Detroit. She is passionate about the power of great design, color and of course, couture. In this episode, Molly shares all about the amazing and unique products that Housewife Essentials offers customers, as well as her own founder story th...
Nov 14, 2023•43 min•Ep. 96
I know it sounds scary, but today we are talking about how to use pattern in your home! My guest is the very talented Lead Keggi from Coastl Design, and she’s an artist who’s developed a series of amazing (and affordable!) designs that you can use. We promise you that pattern isn’t scary, and that you absolutely CAN do it! Leah Keggi creates modern, coastal inspired art under the brand CoastL Studio. She creates coastal inspired patterns and prints perfect for bringing a little beach vacation in...
Oct 31, 2023•37 min•Ep. 95
Want to know what the BIG secret is to have an organized home? Today’s guest is Margo Staten of Be Good to Yourself by Margo, and she’s got the answers for you! Margo likes to motivate and empower women to improve their quality of life by creating a relaxing home environment, and she says every woman deserves a clean and tidy home she can be proud of. Margo is a psychology professor, professional home organizer and decluttering coach with over 15 years of experience working with women and helpin...
Oct 17, 2023•40 min•Ep. 94
This episode is an eye-opening one, and an important topic, as I’m joined by home renovation expert Gabriella Milgrom to discuss the do’s and don’t’s of home renovation! Gabriella is an accredited interior designer and professional project manager who’s been in the design and construction industry for nearly 15 years, designing multi-million dollar renovation projects, commercial spaces and hospitals. She teaches women how to create their dream home the right way from the start, by combining the...
Oct 03, 2023•1 hr 7 min•Ep. 93
Today, I want to talk about what I was frustrated by with design. The intimidation, the overwhelm, the thought that design services are expensive (and more!) is what I’ve heard for years, but a few years back I had a lightbulb moment and embraced online and virtual design services, or “E-design.” In this episode, you’re not only going to hear about my pivot to this business model and why I wanted to do it, but the amazing Molly Cody is with me to share her thoughts on why E-design is here to sta...
Sep 19, 2023•49 min•Ep. 92
To kick off this brand-new season of the podcast, I’m excited to bring you my conversation with Janet Parrella-Van Den Berg, as we talk design and she shares what you will find in her incredible book that is just launching, White and Faded: Restoring Beauty in Your Home and Life! Born and raised in Holland, Janet Parrella-Van Den Berg has been painting antiques white long before it became popular. With her husband Dino, she is the creative powerhouse behind UK-based shop and lifestyle brands Whi...
Sep 05, 2023•38 min•Ep. 91
Do you know what’s hiding in your mattress? It might be more than you think! We spend up to one-third of our lives on our mattress, so this is a topic I really wanted to talk about on the podcast, and today’s expert guest has a lot of good information to share. Barry A. Cik is founder and Technical Director of Naturepedic, a manufacturer of award-winning certified organic mattresses. His devotion to the organic industry is the natural result of his lifelong interest in preserving the environment...
Feb 28, 2023•34 min•Ep. 90
In the words of today’s guest, anything can be painted, and she is here to today to share how this is possible in your world too! Shelly Denning is an Interior Decorative Painter who works with homeowners, decorators and designers to create unique finishes for walls, floors, ceilings and furniture. Shelly has been painting for over 30 years, crafting techniques and designs for traditional and modern interiors. With a strong sense of color and texture, she works with custom tinted glazes used for...
Feb 14, 2023•38 min•Ep. 89
Are you wondering why you still have empty rooms in your home? You’re not alone, but I’m here to tell you that it’s more mind over matter than you think! In this episode, I’m diving into the role that your thoughts will play in the process of designing the rooms in your home, and how to identify those thoughts or beliefs that may be holding you back. Even if you feel that home design isn’t your thing, we are all deeply impacted by our environment and our surroundings, which is why I want to help...
Jan 31, 2023•17 min•Ep. 88
It’s been said that architecture is about trying to make the world a little more like our dreams, which is why I’m so excited today to bring you the perspective of a residential architect on home design and renovations projects! My special guest is Heidi Bolyard, an architect who has worked with more than 750 families to eliminate frustrations in their homes. Heidi does this by creating spaces that function and flow for their families, and she has also inspired more than 75,000 people by providi...
Jan 17, 2023•22 min•Ep. 87
