Simplifying The Process

Photos by: John Burns

Thiessen Design Co. began in March 2018 as an interior design company, but within six months owner Tammy Thiessen knew she wanted to integrate building expertise into the business and enlisted her brother, Daniel Carlson, a licensed general contractor to fill the role.

Now the siblings, along with Tammy’s husband, Brett, have purchased Home at Last, a Fairlawn Mall retail store offering distinctive furnishings, home décor and gifts.

“Our design-based approach provides seamless integration for homeowners seeking solutions for their remodeling projects,” said Thiessen. “And with the acquisition of Home at Last, we can help them apply the finishing touches to their refreshed spaces.”

Thiessen said their affinity for Home at Last was twofold.

“We’ve sourced a lot of furniture there and we are committed to supporting local businesses,” she said. “When the previous owner talked to us about buying the store, we realized it was another opportunity to simplify the home design process.”

Homeowners interested in remodeling kitchens and bathrooms or undertaking additions first meet with Thiessen about their ideas, and then Thiessen gathers Daniel and the team to determine feasibility and costeffective approaches.

“We often work with clients who’ve been told that a kitchen island won’t fit or something desired won’t work, so our goal is to always come back with a solution that makes the project’s outcome strong and the homeowner happy,” she said. “We have carpenters on the team who can build suspended shelving or reconfigure a fireplace. We know about real-world execution and see things through to the end.”

Thiessen’s entrepreneurial aspiration to provide a turnkey system for homeowners was honed when she and Brett remodeled a 35-year-old home on five acres.

“Through our experience, I realized that the industry is so fragmented,” she said. “You have to share your vision with the contractor and again at the tile store and the cabinet store, and it’s exhausting. My goal was to consolidate everything so clients would know that I’m the first and the last person they need to explain their ideas to and avoid misinterpretations along the way.”

Thiessen’s background is in graphic design and marketing and through work at an agency she honed an aptitude for combining color, scale and texture, a relevant attribute for styling a living room or a showroom floor.

The mother of four boys, Thiessen describes her style as “classic with a light and airy, inviting feel,” which will be reflected in the Home at Last’s selections.

“Some of our store customers may not be ready for remodeling but they may still be interested in new furnishings, mantel décor or gifts,” said Thiessen. “We’re keeping many of the previous owner’s legacy items but weaving in our signature look too.”

Thiessen said the store will soon offer curated, themed gifts at different price points to celebrate special occasions. For Thiessen, the most gratifying aspect of the past four years of entrepreneurship has been “walking alongside homeowners and helping reduce that often overwhelming feeling people have with remodels. It can be a daunting process and a lot of money to invest and the results will stay with them a long time.”

The same can be said for establishing a business and then escalating it to a new level.

“When we started, we sought advice and believed our company was needed in the community,” said Thiessen. “We took big risks, but it always felt like the right thing to do. We love working with our customers to transform their dreams into something tangible, beautiful and functional.”