Naperville woman redesigns rooms around your own items

If you're tired of the way your house looks, or if a room is filled with clutter, a Naperville business might be able to help.

Yours Redesigned takes what you have in a room and shakes it up a bit to give the area a whole new look.

Grace Ann Simoni, the owner of the business, said clients are amazed at the positive changes she is able to make. There is no need for the client to buy anything new.

The designer is able to take what her clients have to make the home function better and feel more comfortable. She can leave a shopping list of items that the client may want to add to the room in the future.

"For example, most homes don't have enough lamps," she said.

The 54-year-old entrepreneur spent nearly 20 years hanging wallpaper.

While she continues to enjoy this, Simoni said she wanted to do something more creative. She attended classes in Crystal Lake and started her business last summer.

Prior to getting the venture off the ground, Simoni said she saw that many of her wallpaper clients were intimidated by interior decorators.

"I didn't want to get into the selling aspect of the business," she said.

Simoni says she focuses on what is important to the homeowner. For example, a special chair passed down from a relative could be used in the design of a room. Or, if the man of the house demands a centrally located recliner and remote control, that is drawn into the floor plan.

Simoni has also found home offices benefit from her service. She noted that many men don't believe anything can be done to improve their workplace. She added that she often removes certain
accessories to help make the room feel "less claustrophobic" and edits bookshelves to give the feeling of more space.

She adds that she often helps clients who "can't figure out what's wrong with a room."

The Naperville woman charges about $75 for an initial consultation that lasts anywhere from an hour to an hour and a half. She gives many tips during this initial visit. The cost to put together a proposal and do a room is about $350.

She often works with an associate, Susan Nonnenmann of St. Charles who owns Redesigning Woman. The women operate similar businesses and say they work well together.

They are members of IRIS, Interior Redesign Specialists, a networking and referral group of home interior re-designers.

For more information, call (630) 355-0318.

Fifth decade of signs: Parvin-Clauss Sign Co. of Carol Stream is celebrating its 50th anniversary this year.

Established in 1952 by Tom Parvin and Bob Clauss Sr., the company provides an extensive array of signage products and services.

While much in the industry has changed, keeping the customers needs in the forefront has remained at the center of what the company does, said Bob Clauss Jr., president of the company since his father's retirement 12 years ago.

During its 50th year in business, the company projects $5 million in sales. It operates at 165 Tubeway Drive.

- Kim Mikus' column appears Tuesdays and Fridays. She can be reached at (847) 427-4567 or at Kmikus@@dailyherald.com.