As long as I can remember, I have always received compliments on how I design and decorate my home- even when I lived in a tiny, unimpressive house.  Even though I am a Registered Nurse by trade, I’ve always had such a deep passion for interior design… and as an empath, it totally makes sense because my surroundings can either make me feel inspired, or completely paralyze me. There is no in-between.

Unorganized Chaos at Best

Now… let me paint a picture for you:  After years and years of incredibly hard work, we currently live in a home that could TOTALLY be Insta-Worthy. And as much as I love and am immensely grateful for my house, it doesn’t lend to the kind of environment where I can be fully inspired or creative in my designs… simply because of two words:  BOYS & DOGS.

I’d love to pretend and tell you that I have all of my shit together and can manage and maintain a beautiful, sparkling clean and decorated house; but who are we kidding?! I’m a hot mess mom, just like you- barely hanging on by the stretched out elastic that is holding my 3 day old messy bun intact atop my head. From sunup to sundown, I have probably repeated myself 7 million times, chased a toddler around to the equivalent of 5 miles, vacuumed up enough dog hair that could create 4 more dogs, Uber’ed my pro athlete to and from school, 5th grade basketball practice, and to his dad’s house to pick up the missing homework assignment or his lucky pair of socks that he just HAS to have for the game-IYKYK. Anywho… you get the visual. Keeping my house in any kind of order is what Einstein would call, Quantum Insanity:  “…doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.”
Clean.  Clean would be the ideal result.

Funneling Creativity

So when my husband and I finally decided to get into short term rental real estate (another story for another post!), I instantly knew this was going to be the way for me to implement and pour into my passion of interior design- through our vacation rentals! A space that I could design and decorate to my hearts desire, that wouldn’t be covered in 2 inches of dog hair, spilled milk, or clutter. A space that would wow our guests and create a luxury experience for them while away from home. Alas! I had found my funnel for creativity!

In 2022, we closed on two doors;  one in Gatlinburg, TN, and one in North Myrtle Beach, SC.  Our first property was a 2 bedroom, 2 bathroom condo on Cove Mountain- just minutes to downtown Gatlinburg, and a mile from the new Ober Mountain.  At the time of our purchase, the Short Term Rental (STR) market was INSANE and properties were going for way over asking to cash buyers.  We prayed, worked with an Amazing Realtor in the Sevierville/Pigeon Forge/Gatlinburg area, and inevitably found the perfect spot… but it needed a complete remodel!  I know to some that may have been a deal breaker, but my husband can literally do anything when it comes to remodeling/flipping homes *swoon*, and it was going to give me the perfect clean slate to showcase my first true design for my [pretend] portfolio.

Bare Bones

We got our keys to the property in January of 2022, and because we live in Ohio, Danny and I drove back and forth, sometimes one at a time, to work on it for a few days at at time. Because of the distance, it took us about 4 months from start to finish.  We literally gutted everything except the kitchen sink (and cabinets/appliances).  Looking back, we probably could have put lipstick on a pig, but that wasn’t how we wanted to start out our vacation rental journey.  We wanted to provide a really nice experience for our guests that would leave lasting impressions and help them make meaningful memories that they’d never forget. So we went to work, sometimes with little helpers tagging along.

Inspiration and Final Design

Since this property was in the middle of bear country, the typical theme for the area is, well, bears. Although we love our furry friends (that visit us quite often at Knotty Alpine Cove), I wanted our place to stand out amongst the numerous other rentals in the area. I did want to keep in line with the beautiful natural surroundings, but I didn’t want to vomit “bear” all over people.  So, I decided to take on more of a “modern rustic charm” theme, that was welcoming, cozy, and luxurious. 

It didn’t take long for me to pull the look together in my head- and when I know what I want, it has to be exactly what I envision, or I wont be satisfied.  I searched and searched for JUST the right pieces of furniture… so much so, that I’m certain I drove Danny crazy going all over the place to find them [enter the toothy grin emoji].  But my when my vision and passion collide, it has to be just right. 

From Passion to Purpose

Once everything started to come together, I thought to myself… “Hmm… I bet I could help other STR owners design and decorate their properties to help them stand out and attract more bookings”, I just had NO idea where to even begin.  So I just tucked it away in the back of my brain for A YEAR, until I finally got the guts (well, let’s be honest- someone kicked my booty into gear) to just DO IT and put my dream into motion:  Snider Select Design. 

After hours of research, listening to podcasts, surfing Facebook design groups, and learning e-design software, I finally found all of the tools and resources I would need to put a business model together and start offering my skill and passion to others. Meanwhile, I can continue living my wild “boy mom” life while channeling what I love to do via the inter-webs!

So thanks for being here, for joining me on this journey, and I hope that you’ll stick around to learn more about me and my family as we navigate life, business, and new adventures!