Crafting Comfort and Beauty: Alisha Garlie’s Design Philosophy

Rich Bennett 0:00
I came across this young lady. Uh, a year ago. Maybe she was posting. She was submitting posts to half for county living dot com the the Facebook group. And at first I. First I'll be answer via. I thought you're a realtor. And like oh crap I can't let her post because one of my sponsors is Danny McGee and he's exclusive for that. But what she does helps realtors in a way. What do you do? I have Alicia Garvey on who owns Welcome Home Interior Design. Get it right. 

Alisha Garlie 0:44
Got it right. That's it. 

Rich Bennett 0:47
Yeah. I'm sorry I sent you. You probably thought I was some kind of frickin nut job when I contacted you first. 

Alisha Garlie 0:54
No. 

Rich Bennett 0:55
Okay, 

Alisha Garlie 0:55
I can see 

Rich Bennett 0:56
let's 

Alisha Garlie 0:56
a 

Rich Bennett 0:56
offer. 

Alisha Garlie 0:56
nut job from a mile away. Rich. 

No judgments, though. 

Rich Bennett 1:02
Because, I mean, when I when I see your videos, it's like, damn, she's good. And that's why I wanted to talk to you. Because I feel like 

what you do is an art. And I know a lot of people would just go to school for it. I don't know if you did or not. Oh, you did. 

Alisha Garlie 1:23
I did. 

Rich Bennett 1:24
Okay. I knew that. 

Alisha Garlie 1:27
Highly suggested, by the way. Best. 

Rich Bennett 1:29
Ashley Wallace, how are you so out of high school? Is this something you've always wanted to do? 

Alisha Garlie 1:34
Well, I actually my dad owned a paint store. 

Rich Bennett 1:37
Okay. 

Alisha Garlie 1:37
Okay. So I kind of grew up in the world of design and color and being creative. I was on construction jobs all the time. So it's kind of it was just in my DNA. 

Rich Bennett 1:50
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 1:50
My my favorite toy is a little girl was a Lego set. And 

Rich Bennett 1:55
Come on. 

Alisha Garlie 1:56
no, I'm not kidding you. So when I when I said that, like pad of grass down, I just could build and create and like, create new functional kitchens and living spaces for the little Lego families. And so I was kind of always in there for me. 

Rich Bennett 2:11
That's pretty wild. 

Alisha Garlie 2:12
Yeah. Yeah. So. But, you know, in high school, I wasn't the best student. I enjoyed my life too much. I grew up on an island in Hawaii, so it was. 

Rich Bennett 2:26
I'm with you there. I mean, I did grow up in Hawaii, but, yeah, I enjoyed life too much. 

Alisha Garlie 2:31
Yeah, well, I mean it. And it's not that we had a choice, but I 

Rich Bennett 2:34
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 2:35
chose to go to the beach a little bit more than I chose to go to class, so. 

Rich Bennett 2:40
Oh, I didn't choose to go to the beach. I'd choose. Never mind. Go ahead. 

Alisha Garlie 2:44
Is that segment number two. But. 

Rich Bennett 2:49
Let's just 

Alisha Garlie 2:49
So. 

Rich Bennett 2:49
say that Woods knew me by name. 

Alisha Garlie 2:51
Yeah. Wherever we could escape. 

But, you know, so I wasn't ready for college right 

Rich Bennett 2:57
Right. 

Alisha Garlie 2:57
out of I right out of high school. And actually, at that time, I might be dating myself a little bit. But Trading Spaces came about and I was like, That's it. I didn't know what an interior designer was growing up, but as soon as I saw them, you know the show. 

Rich Bennett 3:14
I'm just cracking up because you say you're dating yourself and. 

Alisha Garlie 3:19
Great. 

Rich Bennett 3:20
Species which came out, I want to say. Several years after the war. And I loved watching Clean House. 

Alisha Garlie 3:29
Yes, exactly. 

Rich Bennett 3:30
There. 

Alisha Garlie 3:32
What was it? 

Rich Bennett 3:32
I was probably 50. 

Alisha Garlie 3:34
No, I feel like it was right around the same time. 

Rich Bennett 3:37
It was. 

Alisha Garlie 3:38
It was like not late 90. 

Rich Bennett 3:40
No. 

Alisha Garlie 3:42
Yeah. I don't. Yeah. Don't you think? 

Anyway? I don't know. I mean, Trading Spaces 

Rich Bennett 3:49
Say 

Alisha Garlie 3:49
came 

Rich Bennett 3:50
or 

Alisha Garlie 3:50
out around late 98. 

Rich Bennett 3:51
really? 

Alisha Garlie 3:51
Yeah, well, I. We'll not going to use this on camera, but I graduated in 1999. 

Rich Bennett 3:59
Oh, shit. 

Alisha Garlie 4:00
And so, yeah, last of the decade and the century. 

Rich Bennett 4:08
And it was a good song. 

Alisha Garlie 4:09
It was a great song. Great year. And the world did not crash in 2000, but. So, yeah, it was right around there because that's how I figured out that I wasn't ready to go to college yet. 

Rich Bennett 4:23
Right. 

Alisha Garlie 4:23
And living on a little island. So waited a couple of years. And in 2002 I moved to Maryland to study interior design. And because it was a new career. 

Rich Bennett 4:33
Mm hmm. 

Alisha Garlie 4:34
Not a lot of schools had it, but at the time I thought I needed to spread my wings and fly, which was. 

Rich Bennett 4:39
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 4:40
6000 miles away from my home. 

Rich Bennett 4:45
Get all new Legos. 

Alisha Garlie 4:46
New Legos, maybe. Yeah, maybe adult Legos, I don't know. But. So I went to school at Harvard Community or at CC b c actually, 

Rich Bennett 4:56
Okay. 

Alisha Garlie 4:57
because even Micah, the Art Institute didn't have a design process. 

Rich Bennett 5:01
Really? 

Alisha Garlie 5:02
Yes. So CC CBC in Catonsville became my home for a couple of years and then I finished up at Harvard Community. But it was so necessary 

Rich Bennett 5:12
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 5:12
to learn space and scale and drafting and color theory and complementary colors and secondary colors and just like rules and regulations of codes and architectural, how to read an architectural drawing. And so. 

Rich Bennett 5:31
Did you say? Color theory? 

Alisha Garlie 5:33
Oh, my gosh. Color theory is amazing. Yes. 

Rich Bennett 5:37
Wow. 

Alisha Garlie 5:37
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 5:37
Okay. 

Alisha Garlie 5:38
It I mean, it is mind blowing if you walk into let's just kind of like touch on McDonald's. 

Rich Bennett 5:44
Right. 

Alisha Garlie 5:45
So McDonald's colors are red in yellow, red in yellow are hyper focused. They are fast pace colors down to like their seats ergonomically are straight up and uncomfortable because they want to turn 

Rich Bennett 5:58
Day 

Alisha Garlie 5:58
and. 

Rich Bennett 5:58
one, you hurry up and get out. 

Alisha Garlie 6:00
So it is you don't even realize it is a science. It's pretty cool. So if if a client wants to feel spa and Oasis, we are going to give them soft, subdued colors. Typically cool neutrals, blues and greens and you know, they want to have like be wrapped up like a hug. We're going to give them nice, deep, romantic colors. So, yeah, it definitely plays psychologically. A good game on you. 

Rich Bennett 6:32
So we're strictly raising. Right. You don't do business as well, do you? 

Alisha Garlie 6:37
I have done commercial. 

Rich Bennett 6:38
Okay. 

Alisha Garlie 6:39
So I am open to it, but I'm selective to the commercial. 

Rich Bennett 6:42
Have you. 

Alisha Garlie 6:43
Projects. 

Rich Bennett 6:45
For some. Well, two things are stuck in my head. Number one, the fact that you said 99. 

Why? 

Alisha Garlie 6:55
Womp womp. 

Rich Bennett 6:56
Every time I go. Audi on here. They just made me feel so much older. Thanks a lot. I know the beard doesn't help. 

But anyhow, the only other thing I can think of is Jon Taffer. 

Alisha Garlie 7:08
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 7:09
Because 

Alisha Garlie 7:09
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 7:10
because he when he converts a bar, nightclub or what he's been doing a lot with his the American Legion's turns him over. He always brings in an interior designer. 

Alisha Garlie 7:21
Mm hmm. Yep. 

Rich Bennett 7:23
That's your dream, isn't it? To work with. 

Alisha Garlie 7:25
I don't know if I want to be yelled at all. 

Rich Bennett 7:28
I knew you were going to say that. 

Alisha Garlie 7:30
Brilliant. But again, maybe 

Rich Bennett 7:33
But 

Alisha Garlie 7:33
the 

Rich Bennett 7:33
he 

Alisha Garlie 7:33
selective 

Rich Bennett 7:33
knew. 

Alisha Garlie 7:34
portion 

Rich Bennett 7:34
He knows 

Alisha Garlie 7:34
of it. 

Rich Bennett 7:35
the science of it. That's. 

Alisha Garlie 7:36
Does. 

Rich Bennett 7:36
I mean, the thing is, what you do in it is it's an art, but there is a science to it as well. 

Alisha Garlie 7:42
Absolutely. 

Rich Bennett 7:43
I was back to school. How long was it? 

Alisha Garlie 7:46
So I did a couple of years at KBC and I did all kinds of of schooling. I mean, I didn't do all of the liberal arts because again, I didn't love school, but I 

Rich Bennett 7:56
Right. 

Alisha Garlie 7:56
took an excessive amount of art classes. 

Rich Bennett 7:58
Okay. 

Alisha Garlie 7:59
So down to sculpture and ceramics and I mean, yeah, just I had fun with it, but I was ready to learn and I was 

Rich Bennett 8:06
was 

Alisha Garlie 8:06
ready 

Rich Bennett 8:06
ready 

Alisha Garlie 8:07
to 

Rich Bennett 8:07
to 

Alisha Garlie 8:07
dive 

Rich Bennett 8:07
die. 

Alisha Garlie 8:07
into it. But. 

Rich Bennett 8:09
I guess if would. 

Alisha Garlie 8:10
I said 

Rich Bennett 8:11
When 

Alisha Garlie 8:11
we. 

Rich Bennett 8:11
you started doing that, you had no idea you were going to do this yet. 

Alisha Garlie 8:14
I knew that I was going to be an interior designer when I started school because I was paying for schooling for myself. And so I didn't want to mess around and I wanted to wait until I was ready and and as soon as as soon as Trading Spaces came out, you know, 

Rich Bennett 8:27
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 8:28
latter part of my high school years, I knew that I was going to be an interior designer. 

Rich Bennett 8:31
I said, Why this sculpture, classes and all. 

Alisha Garlie 8:33
I just love the creativity of it. You 

Rich Bennett 8:35
Okay. 

Alisha Garlie 8:35
know, at the time I had a little extra. I knew that. I learned quickly that later in life I'm not going to have time to do a lot of these 

Rich Bennett 8:43
Right. 

Alisha Garlie 8:43
things that I really want to do. And so I took advantage of that and 

Rich Bennett 8:48
But. 

Alisha Garlie 8:48
stayed in art classes. 

Rich Bennett 8:50
But the thing is, too, and it's great that you did that because you're learning more about that. And I'm sure it also helps with the interior design you want to do. Because now I don't know if they taught, like the history of sculptures or whatever in their class. Oh, they did. 

Alisha Garlie 9:06
Oh. History. Art History. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 9:09
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 9:09
You've got to learn about all of it. I mean, I don't recall if they went into the history of sculpture, but I'm sure that, you know, with the Romans and. 

Rich Bennett 9:16
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 9:17
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 9:18
Because it's like any piece of art, even sculptures, music the same way poetry and everything. 

Alisha Garlie 9:25
hmm. 

Rich Bennett 9:25
At least to me, it can change the feel which you feel, and it can change over time. 

Alisha Garlie 9:32
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 9:33
You may see something else, something that somebody else doesn't. 

Alisha Garlie 9:36
Yep. 

Rich Bennett 9:37
And so forth, and even with sculptures. 

Alisha Garlie 9:39
Right. 

Rich Bennett 9:39
I mean, I've seen that, too, where you hear somebody say, Hey, Beethoven, it's Mozart. I mean, art, maybe that's going to extreme. I mean, just little like somebody could pick out a little flaw. And, you know, you may look and say, well, no, that's actually not a flaw. That's actually because the sculptor wanted to put that in there, because that's his mark. 

Alisha Garlie 10:03
Yep. 

Rich Bennett 10:04
Or something like that. 

Alisha Garlie 10:05
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 10:05
You allowed 

Alisha Garlie 10:08
Art is 

Rich Bennett 10:09
it to me? 

Alisha Garlie 10:10
in the eye of the beholder. 

Rich Bennett 10:11
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 10:11
It really is. And and that is probably one of the most challenging things to select for a client because it's so personal. 

Rich Bennett 10:20
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 10:20
And so I usually present a gamut of art that will suit either the mood or the style of the room 

Rich Bennett 10:29
Mm hmm. 

Alisha Garlie 10:29
from contemporary to tradition, and allow them to feel what what area they're gravitating towards. And then I can present more artwork along that criteria. So 

Rich Bennett 10:40
Okay. 

Alisha Garlie 10:40
yeah, because you just don't know. Everyone is so different and 

Rich Bennett 10:44
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 10:44
they're moved so differently. So. 

Rich Bennett 10:47
So what year did you actually start the business? 

Alisha Garlie 10:49
I started my first business in 2010. 

Rich Bennett 10:54
First business. 

Alisha Garlie 10:55
I did. It was called styled Interiors, and I did that for several years. And then I did a whole shift and I went to event coordinating. 

Rich Bennett 11:05
Oh, God, That's a big difference. 

Alisha Garlie 11:07
Kind of. 

Rich Bennett 11:08
Well, sort of, 

Alisha Garlie 11:08
Still 

Rich Bennett 11:08
I. 

Alisha Garlie 11:09
creative. 

Rich Bennett 11:09
Got it. Yeah, 

Alisha Garlie 11:10
Still fun and creative. But I still continued my my design business. But I really relaunched this welcome home. Took a lot of time in really honing in on what it is that I wanted to create 

Rich Bennett 11:23
right 

Alisha Garlie 11:23
and do for clients and serve for clients this go around. So this was back in 2019 is when I launched No, I'm sorry, 2021 is when I launched. 

Rich Bennett 11:35
after. 

Alisha Garlie 11:36
Welcome home. Interior Design. 

Rich Bennett 11:38
So three years ago. 

Alisha Garlie 11:39
Yeah. Yes. So that's it. So I've been doing it ever since. Since 2004. Really? In 20 years. I know. 

Rich Bennett 11:51
I will. Shouldn't even think about it that way. My 

Alisha Garlie 11:55
Two 

Rich Bennett 11:55
first. 

Alisha Garlie 11:55
years. 

Rich Bennett 11:56
Wow, That's pretty 

Alisha Garlie 11:57
Wow. 

Rich Bennett 11:57
good. After he got out of school. And now when you mentioned the 20. 

Alisha Garlie 12:01
Fast forward a little bit, right? I know, I know. I know. But it's 

Rich Bennett 12:06
Yes. 

Alisha Garlie 12:06
been. 

Rich Bennett 12:06
For those of you watching, she is doing her best to just make me feel older. 

Alisha Garlie 12:13
Were they? 

Rich Bennett 12:16
Well. 

Alisha Garlie 12:17
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 12:19
Okay. So what you're doing now, 

you're if a client calls you, I will. All right, let's back up a minute. What? What is your typical client? In other words, is this somebody that is wants to sell their home or somebody that just wants to change? Well, a change of pace in their. 

Alisha Garlie 12:44
You know what? We we actually we have four different. Different types of projects that you can take on. 

Rich Bennett 12:52
Okay. 

Alisha Garlie 12:53
So we actually have four different design project structures. So we have the first one is effortless relocation. 

Rich Bennett 13:01
Her. 

Alisha Garlie 13:02
Uh huh. I know. So this is really where we partner up with a lot of brokers, realtor brokers and real estate agents, home builders. You know, we've partnered up with a couple of other home builders as well who are doing new development. And what we do is we help clients who are either moving from Maryland to Maryland or from out of state into their new home in Maryland. And we help 

simplify the process of moving because it's exhausting. The moving is probably one of the hardest things that anyone's ever going to do. So we handle the process of taking inventory of the things that they're going to bring with them. 

Rich Bennett 13:45
Okay. 

Alisha Garlie 13:46
And then help them. We have partnered up with another wonderful company who has over 250,000 or 250 locations, Countrywide wide that can help service and facilitate the moving on their end. So, yes, it's a it's mind blowing. They basically can come in and take inventory of and help them sell everything from their Tupperware to a vehicle. 

Rich Bennett 14:14
Really? 

Alisha Garlie 14:14
They come in and they itemize everything. They do an online auction. They vet all of their purchasers. And so, you know, everything is just seamless. And anything that they don't sell, they will help pack up carefully and put on a truck and move to Maryland, which is where we will receive it and install it into their new home. 

Rich Bennett 14:37
So 

Alisha Garlie 14:37
So. 

Rich Bennett 14:37
they wouldn't even have to install it. You do all. 

Alisha Garlie 14:39
They don't have to do any of it. They because think about it, most of our clients who are doing this effort at relocation. Most of them are New York, New Jersey, Florida. They're moving to Maryland because of they are downsizing from their large family home that they raised their kids in 30 years, you know. And they're wonderful neighbors. And just I mean, just the love that they've already created. And they're moving to Maryland because we have some of the best medical facilities in the country and even in the world. 

Rich Bennett 15:13
You're taking a lot of stress off of them, too, 

Alisha Garlie 15:15
So 

Rich Bennett 15:15
because 

Alisha Garlie 15:15
my. 

Rich Bennett 15:16
one of the things that when people move, they hate the unpacking. I mean, you think about look how many times somebody will be in a house for a year or more. And these are boxes they haven't unpacked yet. 

Alisha Garlie 15:29
Yep. Yep. 

Rich Bennett 15:31
You handle that. 

Alisha Garlie 15:31
Yes, 

Rich Bennett 15:32
Wow. 

Alisha Garlie 15:32
Our receiving our receiving department handles it. We have organizers who will help even put their clothes away, if they will, down 

Rich Bennett 15:41
Right. 

Alisha Garlie 15:41
to toilet paper on the rolls like anything that they want. 

Rich Bennett 15:44
Wow. 

Alisha Garlie 15:45
Yes, But really, the goal is recently, over the last year and a half, I've been working with so many people who are in this moving process and as streamlined as it as they try to make it, it's exhausting and it's so hard. And and so if we can take all of that stress off of you through a Vich virtual consultation and also figure out a deep dive into who they want to be when they move to their new lifestyle. And. 

Rich Bennett 16:12
Right there. 

Alisha Garlie 16:13
Their new home. If they're buying a new home, they walk into the model they want. The model will guess what, eight months later, they're walking into a big white box where their furniture doesn't fit. How it should. How it used to. Right. How do I find someone to hang my artwork? I need window treatments and shades because now I'm in a fishbowl, you know? Who do I call 

Rich Bennett 16:34
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 16:34
for that? How do I have my house painted? Where do I start? We have. A very tall the top tradesman in our local area who we as a project manager facilitate all of that for them so they can actually enjoy the last 3 to 8 months with their friends, with their family, with the community that they've created. And as soon as they move into their home here in Maryland, they turn the key. They can start living their lifestyle, 

Rich Bennett 17:02
Uh, 

Alisha Garlie 17:02
they can figure out quiche for dinner to invite my new neighbors over instead of the embarrassment of like, Oh, 

Rich Bennett 17:09
I was going to say. 

Alisha Garlie 17:09
I'm not. 

Rich Bennett 17:10
Don't tell me you stocked the refrigerator, too. 

Alisha Garlie 17:12
I do not. 

Rich Bennett 17:12
Okay. 

Alisha Garlie 17:13
But it is. It is something on talks that we have talked about doing, you know. 

Rich Bennett 17:18
An added bonus. 

Alisha Garlie 17:19
You know, that's a little more specific for the client. 

Rich Bennett 17:23
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 17:24
Anything could happen. We do have expiration dates, but but, you know, like, immerse yourself in your new lifestyle, invite your neighbors over, get to meet your friends because, you know, for me, I've moved so much. And that's really kind of where a lot of this has happened. 

Rich Bennett 17:39
Right. 

Alisha Garlie 17:39
From as well. It's like I've, I've streamlined it and so it's like, how can I help my new client live their life? 

Rich Bennett 17:47
You put together a celebration package. 

Alisha Garlie 17:49
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 17:50
So for the day they move in. 

Of course, you would have to know what time they're going to be there and everything. But you'll have a home chef there for them with a meal created. They can just walk in, sit down to dinner. 

Alisha Garlie 18:05
Enjoyed it. 

Rich Bennett 18:06
Day, eat, 

Alisha Garlie 18:07
Done. 

Rich Bennett 18:07
go to bed, go grocery shopping the next day. 

Alisha Garlie 18:11
That 

Rich Bennett 18:11
That 

Alisha Garlie 18:11
is 

Rich Bennett 18:11
is. 

Alisha Garlie 18:11
not a bad idea. 

Rich Bennett 18:13
I. I would love that if I'm moving. And I. Because you think about it. You're moving into the house. If you don't have food there, 

Alisha Garlie 18:23
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 18:24
you're probably going to stop at McDonald's or something someplace. You know, get that fast food, which we know is not good for you. But if I let you know. Hey, Alisha. This is what my family likes. Do you know of anybody that can have this ready for us? We walk in and you're spoiling us. You're helping another business, because let's say that local chef there are home chefs. 

Alisha Garlie 18:51
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 18:53
I like it so much. I want him to come back once a month. 

Alisha Garlie 18:57
Or cater every event. We do have an. 

Rich Bennett 19:00
Stay tuned for more ideas from Rich. 

Alisha Garlie 19:02
Didn't want. What's in the bag? Read. Can do anything. 

Rich Bennett 19:09
See, This is why I love 

Alisha Garlie 19:10
Now. 

Rich Bennett 19:10
talking to other business. 

Alisha Garlie 19:11
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 19:12
As I just the gears start going. 

Alisha Garlie 19:14
Oh, my gosh. 

Rich Bennett 19:15
I wouldn't be able to do what you do. I mean 

Alisha Garlie 19:18
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 19:18
to me. 

Put a marine Corps poster and a John Wayne poster on the wall of the house. It's decorated. It looks good. Yeah. Oh, don't forget Harley Davidson. Yes. Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 19:31
Right. But aesthetically, when how are you going to do the layout? 

Rich Bennett 19:36
I. Me myself. I wouldn't worry about the inside. 

Alisha Garlie 19:39
Right. 

Rich Bennett 19:39
I worry about where am I going to put my grills outside, where is my outdoor kitchen going to be? And all of that. 

Alisha Garlie 19:46
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 19:47
Don't tell me you do all that to. 

Alisha Garlie 19:48
Well, we do have we do work with tradesmen who do. Like if you wanted to add a porch on, if you wanted to redo your siding, if you needed to redo your gutters or your roof, we have all of that landscape artists, so. 

Rich Bennett 20:02
God, you are so smart to connect with all that. 

Alisha Garlie 20:04
You have to because, 

Rich Bennett 20:05
Yeah, 

Alisha Garlie 20:05
you know, listen, there is a difference between full service interior design, which is what I do, 

Rich Bennett 20:09
right. 

Alisha Garlie 20:10
versus walk and talk consultations, which are so wonderful as while there is a niche for everyone. 

Rich Bennett 20:16
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 20:16
I just found mine with the moving that I've done with the clients that I have. I want to make their lives easier. I'm in the service oriented business, and I always have been. I am here to help you. 

Rich Bennett 20:28
I love that. 

Alisha Garlie 20:29
I love it. And I'm like, I always have to constantly remind myself, like, there's a post. It's like, this is a career, not a hobby, you know, because I just want to help, help, help all the time. And so, you know. 

Rich Bennett 20:43
But isn't 

Alisha Garlie 20:43
There 

Rich Bennett 20:43
it? 

Alisha Garlie 20:44
is a line 

Rich Bennett 20:44
Your hobby becomes 

Alisha Garlie 20:45
comes 

Rich Bennett 20:45
your 

Alisha Garlie 20:45
your. 

Rich Bennett 20:45
career. 

Alisha Garlie 20:46
Yes. And I love it so much. I love I love what I do. 

Rich Bennett 20:50
I was always. 

Alisha Garlie 20:50
Paul. 

Rich Bennett 20:52
That if if you're if your job isn't fine, it's time to find something. You have fun that. 

Alisha Garlie 20:59
Yes. You know, not to date ourselves again, but like we. 

Rich Bennett 21:03
I like the way you keep saying ourselves. 

Alisha Garlie 21:06
Another. Date myself, but I'm at the point where I'm like, There is one life to live and like, take advantage of it. You know, you've got like, I have to do what what I love to do. 

Rich Bennett 21:20
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 21:20
And I realize that now. Like, I knew that I wanted to be an interior designer at the age of 17, but I didn't fully commit to like the service oriented portion of it until the latter part of my business. 

Rich Bennett 21:33
Right. 

Alisha Garlie 21:34
So I, you know, I. I just. Yeah, I. 

Rich Bennett 21:38
Alisha, I'm going to tell you something to make you feel good so you won't feel like you're dating yourself anymore. 

Alisha Garlie 21:42
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 21:43
I was class of 81. 

Alisha Garlie 21:45
Oh, yes. 

Rich Bennett 21:47
Not 99. 

Alisha Garlie 21:48
Wow. What a young. 

Rich Bennett 21:49
81 I had already, Sir, I. 

Alisha Garlie 21:51
99. 

Rich Bennett 21:52
And I was I had already served in the Marine Corps. Oh, my God. 

Alisha Garlie 21:57
Oh, God. 

Rich Bennett 21:59
I had a bunch of different Ms. who served in the Marine Corps, already went to borrow a case, a school bartending academy 

computer. Oh, okay. Never mind. 

Alisha Garlie 22:10
Well, you've had like four or five careers. 

Rich Bennett 22:13
Well, I. 

Alisha Garlie 22:14
Before I was born. 

Rich Bennett 22:15
You are right. 

Alisha Garlie 22:23
Our. 

Rich Bennett 22:24
Continue on. 

Alisha Garlie 22:25
I re going after. 

Rich Bennett 22:32
Those of you listening? Yes. This is the first time I've met Alicia. You would not know that talking to her and hearing how she's cracking on me, which just goes to show me that, Oh, my gosh, she. Nobody else, because everybody always cracks on me. All right, so what was the first? I forgot. The first one was what? Effortless. 

Alisha Garlie 22:53
I'm set 

Rich Bennett 22:53
Effortless. 

Alisha Garlie 22:54
up. That's. 

Rich Bennett 22:55
Cracking on rich effortlessly. 

Alisha Garlie 23:00
You got me rich. Oh, my God. Oh. 

Just like you gave your life in a window. The wrong pipe. 

Okay. The first. 

Rich Bennett 23:18
Good. I won't look at you and laugh. Good. 

Alisha Garlie 23:22
Oh, God. Okay. The first package that we have. Yes, it's called effortless relocation. 

Rich Bennett 23:29
Okay. 

Alisha Garlie 23:30
The second package that we do offer. So, yeah, so again, that is for anyone moving to Maryland, either from Maryland or either to a new home or a newly built home. 

Rich Bennett 23:43
Okay. 

Alisha Garlie 23:43
Okay, I. 

Rich Bennett 23:44
And handling the. 

Alisha Garlie 23:45
That entire process from conception to installation. Then we have our second package, which is the Extreme Home Makeover. 

Rich Bennett 23:56
Sounds familiar. 

Alisha Garlie 23:57
Mm hmm. That's. 

You know. Tag that. But but yeah, that is basically anyone who is living in their home. 

Rich Bennett 24:07
Mm hmm. 

Alisha Garlie 24:08
And just needs. 

Rich Bennett 24:11
Change of scenery. 

Alisha Garlie 24:12
A change of scenery. You. 

Rich Bennett 24:14
Change of scenery, but still staying in the same place. 

Alisha Garlie 24:16
Love their home. 

Rich Bennett 24:17
Yeah, 

Alisha Garlie 24:17
They love their will. They love their location. 

Rich Bennett 24:19
right. 

Alisha Garlie 24:19
Right. And especially now, you know, it's harder to move in, you know, with like just the interest rates and everything else going on right now. That's a whole nother topic. 

Rich Bennett 24:30
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 24:30
But I think people are also afraid to move right now. And so if you're staying in your place, in your home right now, usually it's 20 plus years old. You need a change. You know, artists change every seven years. Your taste, your color palette, your taste buds change every seven 

Rich Bennett 24:53
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 24:53
years. Again, more science facts for you. 

Rich Bennett 24:56
One. My sister's concerned. Every few years. It seems like every year she's always painting another room, 

Alisha Garlie 25:06
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 25:06
changes. 

Alisha Garlie 25:07
Yes. No, exactly. Every seven years your time, your tastes do change. And so whatever that might be. Right. 

Rich Bennett 25:15
Well, you think about it, too. You look at all. I mean, furniture alone changes. 

Alisha Garlie 25:21
Oh, my goodness. 

Rich Bennett 25:22
Gadgets, especially of kitchens. 

Alisha Garlie 25:24
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 25:24
I mean. 

Alisha Garlie 25:25
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 25:28
Ten, maybe 15 years ago, we didn't have air fryers. 

Alisha Garlie 25:31
Right. It's. 

Rich Bennett 25:32
So that's a necessity. And, well, hell, you're even seeing ovens that are also an air fryer. 

Alisha Garlie 25:37
Air fryer? Yep. Absolutely. Yeah, Well, and technology changes at 

Rich Bennett 25:42
Well, 

Alisha Garlie 25:42
work, 

Rich Bennett 25:42
yeah, 

Alisha Garlie 25:43
always advancing or advancing so quickly. So. So. So this is for the client who wants to do the. The full makeover. They just need a complete gut or a renovation, 

Rich Bennett 25:54
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 25:55
starting usually with their kitchen, and then it's snowballs into their living room, probably bathrooms. Maybe they want to blow some walls out. Maybe the kids have left the nest and now they want to utilize, you know, the bedrooms upstairs and maybe do more walk in closets or, again, like I said, blow out their their primary bathroom into building a beautiful suite. So that is where we bring our contractors in as well. And we have amazing subcontractors in our area. And they do the walk through and see what can be done. We create the design overlay for them so that we can. 

Rich Bennett 26:32
I tell you, that's on a computer so you can show them. 

Alisha Garlie 26:35
It's all done on computer. 

Rich Bennett 26:36
Okay? 

Alisha Garlie 26:36
We actually have advanced software programs that we use that create 3D models. So 3D renderings of their space, 

Rich Bennett 26:45
Mm hmm. 

Alisha Garlie 26:45
two specs. So if we wanted to redesign their kitchen, you know, like I said, blow walls out and things like that, and this is that HGTV TV moment that you. 

Rich Bennett 26:56
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 26:57
Where they show. Oh, and but this is what the Joneses are going to do to their house. And they do that whole 3D moment. And that is the software that we do have as well. So we can tailor something uniquely for that client. 

Rich Bennett 27:11
And that software. You can also show how the lighting would be, how can change colors and all. 

Alisha Garlie 27:16
Oh, yes, we do paint colors. You can add wallpaper, you can change your flooring if you want to see both options. 

Rich Bennett 27:22
No, no, no. I meant 

Alisha Garlie 27:23
Hardwood? 

Rich Bennett 27:23
like, you know how you have LED lights. Now that can change color. 

Alisha Garlie 27:26
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 27:26
I mean, can you put that in the software so people could see, Look, this is what. This room would look like with a bright white. But this is what it would look like if a soft. 

Alisha Garlie 27:37
Oh, yes, absolutely. 

Rich Bennett 27:38
Different colors. 

Alisha Garlie 27:39
Absolutely. You can change the lighting also. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 27:43
Amazing to be. 

Alisha Garlie 27:44
It is. 

Rich Bennett 27:44
Stuart Cohen. And here I think of art again with the Thomas Kinkade paintings. I don't know if you know who that. 

Alisha Garlie 27:51
Yes, I do. Yeah, absolutely. 

Rich Bennett 27:53
Showing my age and. The artists of lights. But the I mean, God, you got to have so much fun doing this stuff. 

Alisha Garlie 28:01
It's wild. I mean, it's been such it's always such a process to, like, learn something new and then really hone in on that craft. But 

Rich Bennett 28:09
Which is good because this means you're the edge and which is good for any business. Your education never stops 

Alisha Garlie 28:15
no. 

Rich Bennett 28:15
because the way things change throughout the years. 

Alisha Garlie 28:19
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 28:20
There you have what? All the smart devices. Which. Think about it is also part of interior design. 

Alisha Garlie 28:28
It is. 

Rich Bennett 28:28
Yeah. You don't want that big, gaudy thermostat right there. You want something that looks good. 

Alisha Garlie 28:36
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 28:36
You know, you have although I don't even know if there are thing anymore. Remember the LSD picture frames where you upload your pictures? Is that even a thing anymore? 

Alisha Garlie 28:46
I. I like them. I but, you know, it's it's so smart. It's even bigger than that as far as the technology is concerned. 

Rich Bennett 28:56
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 28:56
I mean, there's it's again, we are always ever advancing 

Rich Bennett 29:00
Mm hmm. 

Alisha Garlie 29:00
from doors that you can control with the remote control from your windows that you can control with the remote control. I mean, this is this is old hat. But yes, you don't need any cords. Everything can be done wirelessly through your TV and read in for at least so you can keep your and store your all of your boxes in your mechanisms for your media in a closet and with your remote, it no longer needs to read infrared that. 

Rich Bennett 29:29
Wow. 

Alisha Garlie 29:30
Yeah, you can control you can control everything from your 

Rich Bennett 29:33
Just from. 

Alisha Garlie 29:34
phone through Bluetooth. I have window treatments now that you can set, programmed and whether solar shades or. But yes, you can control a setting. 

Rich Bennett 29:45
From what? 

Alisha Garlie 29:45
While you're on vacation to set them to rise and set at a certain time of the day if you. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 29:54
Women backup 

Alisha Garlie 29:55
Mm hmm. 

Rich Bennett 29:55
solar shades. What is a solar shade? 

Alisha Garlie 29:58
Solar shades are wonderful. They are a shade that actually protects your furniture, your flooring it. Like a UVA. 

Rich Bennett 30:07
Okay. It's not it's not storing electricity. 

Alisha Garlie 30:10
It's not storing you 

Rich Bennett 30:11
Okay. That's what I thought it was 

Alisha Garlie 30:12
solve. 

Rich Bennett 30:12
for. So. 

Alisha Garlie 30:13
Solving the issue of saving your furniture for. 

Rich Bennett 30:18
That's all. 

Alisha Garlie 30:19
I know. And your hardwood floors, all of your investments. I mean, these are investment pieces. 

Rich Bennett 30:22
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 30:23
Yeah. I have a 

Rich Bennett 30:25
Wow. 

Alisha Garlie 30:25
client who's a big collector and so of have priceless pieces and. 

Rich Bennett 30:30
Oh. 

Alisha Garlie 30:32
Have to make sure that we had to do several layers of solar so that we could protect those. 

Rich Bennett 30:36
Okay with something like that, because I know you deal with a lot of different other other businesses. 

Alisha Garlie 30:42
So. 

Rich Bennett 30:42
Something like that. Like documents and all that. A lot of times people don't know how to frame them. Do you work with companies that do that that. 

Alisha Garlie 30:53
Custom framers. Oh, yeah, absolutely. 

Rich Bennett 30:55
Wow. 

Alisha Garlie 30:56
We have. 

Rich Bennett 30:56
Okay. 

Alisha Garlie 30:57
You know what? It comes from experience. 

Rich Bennett 30:59
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 30:59
Been doing this for 20 years. So building my network of people that I love and trust, you know, I have a woman just today we had an installation and she has this beautiful she used to collect antiques and sell. And so she has this beautiful celadon lamp. 

Exactly. 

Celadon is a shade of green and it's an antique. But the the the lamp just needs some help. Right. 

Rich Bennett 31:23
Okay. 

Alisha Garlie 31:23
It just needs fixed and rewired. And so I personally do not have a lamp person per se that can actually work on this at the moment. But I do have lighting locations and showrooms that I can reach out to and ask 

Rich Bennett 31:40
They 

Alisha Garlie 31:40
if 

Rich Bennett 31:40
pay. 

Alisha Garlie 31:40
they have a referral. It's a referral business and a referral 

Rich Bennett 31:44
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 31:44
company and I need to make sure and vet these different companies before I bring them on board because my reputation is at stake. 

Rich Bennett 31:50
Oh, 

Alisha Garlie 31:51
And 

Rich Bennett 31:51
yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 31:51
again, I'm here to serve as my client as a number one top priority. So I just need to make sure that all the people that I bring on board will do that for them. 

Rich Bennett 32:00
So are you a member of the because you're in Cecil Canyon? I think you're a member of the chamber up there. 

Alisha Garlie 32:06
I'm not. 

Rich Bennett 32:06
You're not. Where do you find most of your Just research. 

Alisha Garlie 32:09
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 32:10
Wow. Okay. 

Alisha Garlie 32:11
Again, just going out to my different companies that I utilize and 

Rich Bennett 32:14
Yeah, 

Alisha Garlie 32:14
and if I need help or I need a different tile guy or what have you, you know, I'll reach out to my contractor. I have a couple of contractors in each county that I love and I trust. 

Rich Bennett 32:25
right. 

Alisha Garlie 32:25
And if I need a referral, hey, I've got this situation. It's a small project or it's a large project. I need somebody that's more readily available. They'll send me a few names and I'll go down the list and interview them. 

Rich Bennett 32:37
Okay. All right. So with with the Extreme Makeover. 

Alisha Garlie 32:41
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 32:43
Can you share a feel good story of a client that you did one for? 

Alisha Garlie 32:47
Oh, my gosh. 

Rich Bennett 32:49
Maybe. Do I have to get Kleenex ready around? 

Alisha Garlie 32:50
No, no, no, 

Rich Bennett 32:51
Good 

Alisha Garlie 32:51
no. 

Rich Bennett 32:52
because I forgot to bring. 

Alisha Garlie 32:55
I actually did bring one. 

Just. 

Rich Bennett 33:00
Told Rich is a real softie, but not. 

Alisha Garlie 33:04
Just in case. Listen, I'm an emotional person, too, so, you know, honestly, in my job, the best feeling that you can even get is I love installation day and then reveal day. Right? When I do the installation, I tell my clients, You need to go away. You need I don't care where you're going, whether it's a hotel down the road or the Florida Keys, but you need to be gone for the week because this is where the magic happens. Usually don't sleep, but I bet I bring my team in. We we dress everything from the floor to the ceilings. The lighting is installed, the painting is done, the wallpaper is done all within this magical week. Typically. Then when the client comes home and they walk in to their new space and the client cries with joy. 

Rich Bennett 33:58
It's like walking into a new home. 

Alisha Garlie 34:00
It is. And it's also something that I've always I saw that this I knew that this was way the way that the room 

Rich Bennett 34:07
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 34:08
was going to look. I saw the vision interviewing exactly what they want. Each client is so different. What you want with your Harley Davidson in your John Wayne is so different from my Celadon lamp, 

Rich Bennett 34:22
The Harley Davidson 

Alisha Garlie 34:23
Right. But you don't have to. 

Rich Bennett 34:25
ride. 

Alisha Garlie 34:25
Right. So it's figuring out how do they want to live. 

Rich Bennett 34:30
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 34:31
Do they have a growing family? Do they have big dogs? Little dogs. Babies, you know. How do they live and who do they want to be? Do they not have any of these things? But they want to entertain? Do they have family that they invite over? You know, it is a matter of how you live and your lifestyle of your home. And then you I have to know you better than you even know yourself because you if you knew what you wanted. 

Rich Bennett 34:55
But you're right. 

Alisha Garlie 34:56
If you knew what you wanted, you wouldn't hire me. You wouldn't need me. So I don't only have all of these services and can offer these things for you, but I have to dive into exactly who you want to be now. 

Rich Bennett 35:07
Almost like. Did you take a course in psychology? 

Alisha Garlie 35:11
Color theory? 

No, but it is definitely. 

Rich Bennett 35:16
It's almost like that because. 

Alisha Garlie 35:17
College. It is. It is. And so when a client walks in and I have these reveals happen often so I can go into a full story. But this just I love it when a client just cries 

Rich Bennett 35:29
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 35:29
and they're like. Oh, my God. This is. I live here. I get to live here. I get. And then just, like, overcome with joy. And look at this. Look at this, Look at this. And whether we're re hanging some of their artwork that they have or they're framing their family photos or that beautiful document from Purple Heart right there, like. 

Rich Bennett 35:51
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 35:51
Whatever it is, it's so meaningful. And you have to find those beautiful moments to be able to display their life. They are living here. I'm not living there. 

Rich Bennett 36:01
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 36:01
It might be totally different from the style that I actually have in my home. 

Rich Bennett 36:05
Right. 

Alisha Garlie 36:05
My job is to give you what you want. 

Rich Bennett 36:08
Wow. 

Alisha Garlie 36:08
So I. Yeah, I. 

Rich Bennett 36:11
You have your own TV show you. 

Alisha Garlie 36:14
We're right here. 

Recording on video live from my selfie cam. No, I you know, it's just me and my team. 

Rich Bennett 36:25
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 36:26
You know, we're just a Harford County living 

Rich Bennett 36:31
You're Chesapeake Bay living, 

Alisha Garlie 36:33
Chesapeake. 

Rich Bennett 36:33
actually. Well, actually, Do you? Do you go outside of Harvard and see who can or actually 

Alisha Garlie 36:38
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 36:38
do you even go out of state and help people? 

Alisha Garlie 36:40
Yes, absolutely. Yeah. No. Yes, absolutely. 

Rich Bennett 36:44
No. Yes. 

Alisha Garlie 36:44
You? Yes. 

Rich Bennett 36:47
Wow. So you go all over the country. 

Alisha Garlie 36:50
Yeah, we can do virtual. I have clients in Oregon right now. Ohio. Florida, Idaho. 

Rich Bennett 36:58
Canada. 

Alisha Garlie 36:59
Cornea. Shipping is different for Canada, so we stay 

Rich Bennett 37:03
I 

Alisha Garlie 37:03
within the country. 

Rich Bennett 37:03
keep forgetting about that. 

Alisha Garlie 37:04
Yeah yeah and and some Hawaii as well because as 

Rich Bennett 37:07
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 37:07
long as I have a receiving warehouse in that town in that state, I can work anywhere. So it's a lot of virtual design, 

Rich Bennett 37:15
Okay. 

Alisha Garlie 37:16
but physical design, I'm going to design where I want to go. 

Rich Bennett 37:19
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 37:19
So if you've got a home in the keys. Test, test, test. 

Rich Bennett 37:24
If you want to go there. 

Alisha Garlie 37:26
Maybe not now 

Rich Bennett 37:27
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 37:27
outside of hurricane season, but, you know, if you need me outside of hurricane 

Rich Bennett 37:32
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 37:32
season, call me. But no, I do a lot of clients actually at the beach. So. Milton Millsboro, Lewes, Rehoboth. So I love I've got my best friends out there. She's a wonderful realtor. And so I do business out there often. 

Rich Bennett 37:47
Wow. 

Alisha Garlie 37:47
Wow. Yeah. For my home. I can be at the beach in 2 hours and I'm okay with that, so. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 37:54
So what's the one after 

each racy extreme family makeover? Stream just. 

Alisha Garlie 38:02
Home. 

Rich Bennett 38:02
Extreme Home Makeover. 

Alisha Garlie 38:04
Wow. 

Rich Bennett 38:04
Wow. Okay. Now, I'm not saying my family needs a makeover. So extreme. Well, what if the extreme who make Hoover? 

Alisha Garlie 38:14
Oh, sure. Right. 

Rich Bennett 38:15
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 38:16
I know we are taking deep dives here, right? Like Woods is not brushing this service. 

Rich Bennett 38:20
In his workshop makeover? 

Alisha Garlie 38:21
Oh. 

Rich Bennett 38:22
No, the. 

Alisha Garlie 38:23
That would be fine. I did do even coordinating, remember? That could be kind of fun. What are you doing on Sunday? 

That's a little inside joke. 

So then we have. 

Rich Bennett 38:36
Well in my tale of the. 

Alisha Garlie 38:39
Only for an hour, hopefully. But will we then? Then we have partial home makeover. Those are for the clients who are sitting in their home, either again, moving into a new home or sitting in their existing home. And they're just looking around. They're like, Maybe I just need to renovate my kitchen, maybe I just need to redo my living room. You know, it's so it's sort of like multiple rooms, but not doing an overhaul with moving walls where we need to bring large construction in. So. 

Rich Bennett 39:06
I mean, he should or she should. 

Alisha Garlie 39:08
She sheds her find she they sheds. 

Rich Bennett 39:11
What about a heat wave? You said. She said she. 

Alisha Garlie 39:14
He usually gets. 

Rich Bennett 39:15
She says, Ah, she. Good Lord. She sheds her five year old baby sheds 

Alisha Garlie 39:21
He usually 

Rich Bennett 39:22
makes. 

Alisha Garlie 39:22
said 

Rich Bennett 39:22
makes. 

Alisha Garlie 39:23
he usually man caves in the basement is usually usually in my experience. You know, I don't want to get more charitable or 

Rich Bennett 39:34
I'm just saying. 

Alisha Garlie 39:34
I. 

Rich Bennett 39:34
Because if I ever get my. If I ever get my 200 square foot shed that I need. 

Alisha Garlie 39:40
Wow. Yes. 

Rich Bennett 39:41
I want to make it my podcast studio so 

Alisha Garlie 39:43
Love 

Rich Bennett 39:43
it. 

Alisha Garlie 39:43
it. 

Rich Bennett 39:44
Some might come in and decorate it. 

Alisha Garlie 39:46
I'm there. I'm. I'm there for it. 

Rich Bennett 39:48
Probably be cracking on me the whole time. 

Alisha Garlie 39:51
Probably. 

Rich Bennett 39:52
Be the one. Be a big John Wayne. What's good? 

Alisha Garlie 39:57
I'm going to sit you in a in a chair with a facade of John Wayne that you stick your head through to do your podcast. 

Rich Bennett 40:06
Well, I'll tell you what. Okay, So we got a partial makeover here. Well. 

Alisha Garlie 40:14
Yeah, I. 

Rich Bennett 40:15
Wow. It's been a long time since I tried to do that. 

Alisha Garlie 40:18
Oh, my gosh. 

Rich Bennett 40:19
I know why I stopped doing it. 

Alisha Garlie 40:21
Like bloop. We're. 

Rich Bennett 40:24
Okay. 

Alisha Garlie 40:24
I thought I was in the wild, Wild West there for a moment there, Johnny. 

Rich Bennett 40:30
So partial. Partial. BAKER basically. 

Alisha Garlie 40:32
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 40:32
Certain. Well. 

Alisha Garlie 40:33
Absolutely. Exactly. Without going through the full gut renovation. Right. It's just like a little piecemeal. Let's start here. And then that's where we source out. Same thing, flooring, tile, you know, paint colors. 

Rich Bennett 40:49
Right. 

Alisha Garlie 40:49
All of that. So we bring everything to you based on your on your lifestyle and your design requirements. 

Rich Bennett 40:57
And you said there's four, four pages. All right, so 

Alisha Garlie 40:59
The. 

Rich Bennett 40:59
you have the eversley moving. 

Alisha Garlie 41:02
Effortless relocation. 

Rich Bennett 41:04
Yeah, that one. 

Alisha Garlie 41:05
Yeah, that one. 

Rich Bennett 41:05
You have the extreme makeover. 

Alisha Garlie 41:07
Dream home? 

Rich Bennett 41:08
Home makeover. Partial makeover. 

Alisha Garlie 41:11
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 41:11
I think I knew the last one. 

Alisha Garlie 41:13
Tell me. 

Rich Bennett 41:13
I'm going to take a stab at it. 

Alisha Garlie 41:14
Okay. 

Rich Bennett 41:15
Staging. 

Alisha Garlie 41:17
No. 

Rich Bennett 41:17
No. Hmm. Okay. I was wrong. 

Alisha Garlie 41:21
But you know what? You aren't fully wrong. 

Rich Bennett 41:23
Okay. 

Alisha Garlie 41:24
It's room refresh. So that is taking the room. That just drives you crazy. You know, our our motto is loving your home again. Learn to love your home again. 

Rich Bennett 41:37
Okay. 

Alisha Garlie 41:38
And so this is basically taking a room. And how do we refresh it? You know, it's your bedroom 

Rich Bennett 41:45
Right. 

Alisha Garlie 41:45
and you're just tired of it and you just need a you just need a new light shown on it. And so either it's maybe just changing out your bedding or changing out your window treatments, or maybe it's changing your furniture or your carpet. So. Lighting, lighting plays such a beautiful, impactful way of changing the entire home. Really, really 

Rich Bennett 42:10
And. Yeah, it'll 

Alisha Garlie 42:11
lighting. 

Rich Bennett 42:11
change your mood. 

Alisha Garlie 42:12
It'll change your mood. Absolutely. So, you know, just even changing your package out can be a nice little refresh. 

Rich Bennett 42:19
Yeah, 

Alisha Garlie 42:20
So it's just basically, again, it's the easy button, the refresh button, and just allowing you to give you that personal oasis that you can sit, read a book and just never want to leave. 

Rich Bennett 42:32
right. 

Alisha Garlie 42:32
That's the goal. Instead of people coming home and being like, I hate my house, you're paying for it every month. You are paying to live in your home. 

Rich Bennett 42:41
Yeah. Why? 

Alisha Garlie 42:41
Don't stop hating it. Love your home again, you know? Enjoy it. Yeah. Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 42:51
Yes, I'm sure it's made up. 

Alisha Garlie 42:52
Okay. Welcome home. Learn love. You're home again, don't you? 

Rich Bennett 43:01
Alisha will help you out. 

Alisha Garlie 43:02
I will. I will. I will. You know, it's really. 

Rich Bennett 43:07
I'll help you in the got. 

Alisha Garlie 43:10
Dot, dot, dot. I don't know. 

Rich Bennett 43:13
Enjoy your home and party like it's 1990. 

Alisha Garlie 43:20
Elevate your style from 1999. How about that? Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 43:25
Don't like that shag carpet. That was seventies, wasn't it? The shag carpet. 

Alisha Garlie 43:28
Before both of us. 

Rich Bennett 43:32
Before me? 

Alisha Garlie 43:33
Okay, well. 

Rich Bennett 43:33
No. They're like, You shag carpeting and paneling as I'm looking at the paneling on. All that we painted. 

Alisha Garlie 43:42
Yeah. You know, so. You got to do. 

Rich Bennett 43:45
Elise is looking at the rooms like, Oh my God, there is so much I could do in. 

Alisha Garlie 43:50
Aesthetically, right? No, but. 

Rich Bennett 43:52
Hey, if you need a practice space. 

Alisha Garlie 43:55
Have at it. We could. 

Rich Bennett 43:57
Talk. 

Alisha Garlie 43:58
While we're doing 

Rich Bennett 43:58
Oh, 

Alisha Garlie 43:59
this. 

Rich Bennett 43:59
God. 

Alisha Garlie 44:02
We're stuck on budgets, right? 

Rich Bennett 44:04
Right. 

Alisha Garlie 44:04
If like so you have to meet the client where they are and. 

Rich Bennett 44:07
I'd be very. 

Alisha Garlie 44:08
Very open and realistic on what they want. There is also that. The stigma of an interior designer is I can't afford one. It's not attainable for me. Right. So 

for us and our job is to be able to be absolutely out front and transparent, in my opinion, on what we can and cannot do for you. 

Rich Bennett 44:35
Right. 

Alisha Garlie 44:36
When you hire an interior designer for whatever stage of the life it is and whatever you or your needs are, 

we have to meet our client where they are. We are here to help you save money and help you not to make costly mistakes. It's so unfortunate when I get the phone call, when somebody is in the middle of a renovation and saying I need help because I picked the wrong flooring for the entire home and now we need to pre-select to rip it out and we need it done by next week because it everything is so much more money. It's so we are here to save you time and help keep you on budget. 

Rich Bennett 45:17
And the other thing with that, too, is a lot of people don't realize your home is an investment. 

Alisha Garlie 45:26
It sure is. 

Rich Bennett 45:27
So invest in it. 

Alisha Garlie 45:29
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 45:29
Don't take shortcuts. 

Alisha Garlie 45:31
Now. 

Rich Bennett 45:32
It's shortcuts can cause nothing but problems. I found that out a long time ago when I used friends to replace. 

Alisha Garlie 45:44
Oh, 

Rich Bennett 45:44
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 45:44
yeah. Oh. 

Rich Bennett 45:46
They ever made. 

Alisha Garlie 45:48
Right? 

Rich Bennett 45:49
Now there's only one route for our use 

Alisha Garlie 45:51
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 45:51
all the time. And it's yeah, people don't realize that. It's like, well, yeah, but he's cheaper. He's cheaper for a reason. First of all, a. 

You're you have excellent reviews, if I'm not mistaken. 

Alisha Garlie 46:07
Thank you. 

Rich Bennett 46:09
The word, actually. First of all, tell everybody the website. 

Alisha Garlie 46:13
It's w h dot design. 

Rich Bennett 46:17
W h dot 

Alisha Garlie 46:19
Dot 

Rich Bennett 46:19
design. 

Alisha Garlie 46:19
design. We are not a dot.com company. We are a design company. We are w h that stands for Welcome Home Design. 

Rich Bennett 46:29
I mean, they realize that. 

Alisha Garlie 46:30
I know. Same thing with the email address. 

Rich Bennett 46:34
Wow. Okay, so those of you watching or listening, I'm looking at the camera. 

Alisha Garlie 46:38
Watching. 

Rich Bennett 46:39
Those of you listening. Go to W.H. Scott Design. 

Alisha Garlie 46:43
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 46:44
Also your you're her social media because the videos you post. You just did one I think it was a father and son reveal. 

Alisha Garlie 46:54
Yes, 

Rich Bennett 46:55
Oh my 

Alisha Garlie 46:55
the 

Rich Bennett 46:55
God. 

Alisha Garlie 46:55
family. That's 

Rich Bennett 46:56
Yes. 

Alisha Garlie 46:56
what I'm talking about. Oh. 

Rich Bennett 46:59
So you all could see the work that her and her crew do and does do, does, do, do, does. Man, I am really tongue tied today. What did you do to me, Alicia? I. Those of you listening, I'm looking at her trifold and on the back. Of course. Scan is got the QR code with one of the biggest smart or best marketing things I did for my podcast before I change the. 

Alisha Garlie 47:28
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 47:28
Front of the shirts ad cw rb. 

Alisha Garlie 47:30
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 47:31
On the back. Scan this and a giant QR. 

Alisha Garlie 47:34
Yes, we. 

Rich Bennett 47:35
Which worked look kind of weird as I'm walking it because it looked like people were taking picture my butt. You know, they had the phones up there scanning. 

Alisha Garlie 47:45
Right. 

Rich Bennett 47:46
But it worked. 

Alisha Garlie 47:47
It worked. 

Rich Bennett 47:47
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 47:48
That marketing works. 

Rich Bennett 47:49
Oh, yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 47:50
And everybody knows what a QR code is now, even if because that is one thing that COVID did bring is that is it introduced the code. The QR code. 

Rich Bennett 48:00
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 48:01
And learning how. Remember when you would scan your menu and you're like, okay, I don't know how to do this? I remember telling my dad. I'm like, okay, open your camera. And now it is the way of the world. But it is wonderful. And, you know, I actually have like a digital business card, and my digital business card is wonderful because you can just tap it to your phone and you can upload follow me on social media, add me to your contact list. Yes. Takes you right to my website. You can follow me on. Yeah. You want to try it? 

Rich Bennett 48:33
Angry is signaling here. 

Alisha Garlie 48:34
Oh, 

Rich Bennett 48:34
We'll 

Alisha Garlie 48:35
yeah. 

Rich Bennett 48:35
have to try 

Alisha Garlie 48:35
No, 

Rich Bennett 48:35
and. 

Alisha Garlie 48:35
you don't think you need to, but, yeah, we will try it outside. 

Rich Bennett 48:40
So the one I show you, the one thing you don't do is staging for realtors, right? 

Alisha Garlie 48:46
Right. We we were doing staging. We phased out of the staging process. So now we work with realtors to help either a client that they're working with. 

Rich Bennett 48:56
Mm hmm. 

Alisha Garlie 48:57
They're not sure on the home. They might need to bring an interior designer in to get some ideas. Can I renovate the kitchen? What do you think about, you know. Well, this home work for my clients. 

Rich Bennett 49:09
Right? Me? 

Alisha Garlie 49:10
May help them envision themselves living here so we can do walk and talks with them with the realtor or on the back end again, be a part of the realtors portfolio where they have hand-held this client and finding the right home for them. 

Rich Bennett 49:25
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 49:25
Now let's take it to the finish line. 

Rich Bennett 49:28
Okay. 

Alisha Garlie 49:28
You got to call Alisha. She's going to help you with making this home your dream home. So, yeah. And same thing with builders. You know, if you're a builder. Especially locally in the area and you work with these wonderful clients. We'd love to be a part of the portfolio to be be like, All right, now here's your key. 

Rich Bennett 49:51
Here. 

Alisha Garlie 49:51
Here's Alicia. 

Rich Bennett 49:53
you work with any builders in Delaware? 

Alisha Garlie 49:56
Not currently. 

Rich Bennett 49:57
Not currently. Okay. 

Alisha Garlie 49:58
Why do you have. Mm. 

Rich Bennett 50:03
I have contacts. I know. I 

Alisha Garlie 50:04
I 

Rich Bennett 50:05
know 

Alisha Garlie 50:05
know. 

Rich Bennett 50:05
people. 

Alisha Garlie 50:05
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 50:06
And if I don't know people, I know people that know people. Even though other people. 

Alisha Garlie 50:10
Yeah. Is that we. It's the chain of events, Right, I. Girls are everything, 

Rich Bennett 50:17
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 50:17
you know, because you trust me. I trust you. And it's. It's building those relationships. And that's really what we've been focused on. 

Rich Bennett 50:25
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 50:26
In our tradesmen. I want to feel comfortable that my single woman who's living in her home and maybe she's a little bit older, feels comfortable with my contractor coming in to her home because 

Rich Bennett 50:38
Oh. 

Alisha Garlie 50:39
I am because I have referred him. 

Rich Bennett 50:42
Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 50:42
You know, so you just never again. You meet people where they are. You don't know where they. 

Rich Bennett 50:47
It's and here's the thing with when it comes to business and I'm the same way if my sponsors I there are certain people, certain businesses that wanted to become a sponsor. I simply refused because I seen the work that they do. 

Alisha Garlie 51:01
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 51:03
You have to be picky on that. 

Alisha Garlie 51:04
You do? 

Rich Bennett 51:05
Because it's your brand, it's your name that's out there, 

Alisha Garlie 51:10
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 51:10
you're referring them and it's something they do something wrong. It comes back on you. 

Alisha Garlie 51:17
Yep, it does. 

Rich Bennett 51:18
A lot of people don't realize that. And I hate to say it, but if you own a business and you're not getting referrals from other businesses or even doing work with them, look at everything that you're doing because you're obviously you're doing something wrong. 

Alisha Garlie 51:36
Right. 

Rich Bennett 51:38
And. 

Alisha Garlie 51:38
That's all 

Rich Bennett 51:39
I 

Alisha Garlie 51:39
I. 

Rich Bennett 51:39
always tell people to to leave review. Because there could be a business from five years ago. They could have had bad reviews. 

Alisha Garlie 51:48
Yeah. 

Rich Bennett 51:49
But they change the way they do business. 

Alisha Garlie 51:50
Yes. 

Rich Bennett 51:51
And now they could be the best business out there. 

Alisha Garlie 51:53
Yes, 

Rich Bennett 51:54
You know. 

Alisha Garlie 51:54
absolutely. 

Rich Bennett 51:56
You have, you could be an interior designer that just goes all out and does the best work around, actually. And if you don't believe me, all you've got to do is go to w h design. And you see what I'm talking. 

Alisha Garlie 52:11
Thank you, Rich Bennett. 

Rich Bennett 52:14
Elise, is there anything you would like to add? 

Alisha Garlie 52:17
Oh, my gosh. I'm just this is such a pleasure to thank you for inviting. 

Rich Bennett 52:21
Oh, 

Alisha Garlie 52:22
You 

Rich Bennett 52:22
I have 

Alisha Garlie 52:23
share 

Rich Bennett 52:23
a. 

Alisha Garlie 52:23
all of this? 

Rich Bennett 52:24
Only the first. 

Alisha Garlie 52:25
I hope so. I hope so. 

Rich Bennett 52:27
I have a funny feeling. 

Alisha Garlie 52:28
I. 

Rich Bennett 52:29
So those of you listening, I got to tell you, I got to tell everybody, Alicia was a nervous wreck when she came in here because she's never done a podcast before. 

Alisha Garlie 52:38
Though. 

Rich Bennett 52:39
And. 

Alisha Garlie 52:40
Have that a ten minute one. It was a very short, sweet. 

Rich Bennett 52:44
A ten minute park is. 

Alisha Garlie 52:45
Ten minute podcast. It was. 

Rich Bennett 52:47
Would they do? Ask your name. 

Alisha Garlie 52:49
Name a little bit about the business and then, you know, just a little introductory and then you move on. But I'm 

Rich Bennett 52:55
Oh. 

Alisha Garlie 52:56
telling you, this is this is so great. 

Rich Bennett 53:00
So you're comfortable, Raja? 

Alisha Garlie 53:02
No, all I was to. 

Are we recording this? 

Rich Bennett 53:07
Yes, we're. 

Alisha Garlie 53:08
I'm just going. I'm just kidding. I was, though. 

Rich Bennett 53:12
You know, listen, 

Alisha Garlie 53:12
I. I am wonderful behind the scenes. It's so uncomfortable. Like, you know, it's uncomfortable putting yourself out there. And I love what I 

Rich Bennett 53:21
it's 

Alisha Garlie 53:21
do 

Rich Bennett 53:21
a. 

Alisha Garlie 53:21
and I and I love it. And I attract wonderful people to me. And that's just I love that. 

Rich Bennett 53:29
Here's the thing. You're doing something right. You are putting your face out there. 

Alisha Garlie 53:33
Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 53:34
You are your brand. 

Alisha Garlie 53:35
I am. 

Rich Bennett 53:36
It took me a long time to do that, you know? I mean, I've always did it for my business, but for her, for Candy Levine, I didn't really do that even for the podcast. My logo was for letters. You 

Alisha Garlie 53:50
You 

Rich Bennett 53:50
got to put your face out there. You are your brand. 

Alisha Garlie 53:53
You are? 

Rich Bennett 53:54
And 

Alisha Garlie 53:55
Mm 

Rich Bennett 53:55
I'm going to mention any names, Wendy, 

Alisha Garlie 53:57
hmm. 

Rich Bennett 53:57
but other people have told that. And thank God they're starting to do that. 

Alisha Garlie 54:02
Yeah, 

Rich Bennett 54:02
And your work, from what I've seen, is phenomenal. 

Alisha Garlie 54:07
think. 

Rich Bennett 54:08
And yeah, you're going to be back on. 

Alisha Garlie 54:10
I love it. I hope so. 

Rich Bennett 54:12
Oh, no, you will. 

Alisha Garlie 54:13
I. 

Rich Bennett 54:13
I'll talk to you afterwards when we're done. Kasia. I know what you drive. 

Alisha Garlie 54:19
It's not. 

Rich Bennett 54:20
But would it take you? 

Alisha Garlie 54:21
35 minutes. 

Rich Bennett 54:23
35 minutes. 

Alisha Garlie 54:25
Yeah. Going 89 miles 

Rich Bennett 54:26
I 

Alisha Garlie 54:27
an hour. 

Rich Bennett 54:27
was going 

Alisha Garlie 54:27
No, 

Rich Bennett 54:27
to. 

Alisha Garlie 54:27
I'm just. 

Rich Bennett 54:27
You must have seeing the posters. 

Alisha Garlie 54:29
No, I actually. You ask anyone, I drive. I drive like a 90 year old. 

Rich Bennett 54:34
What you do. You come straight down. 95 

Alisha Garlie 54:36
Straight 

Rich Bennett 54:36
or. 

Alisha Garlie 54:36
down 95. I'm right off of 95 and. 

Rich Bennett 54:39
Okay. 

Alisha Garlie 54:39
So. Yeah. It's not it's not bad at all. And I drive for my business. My. My poor car. My poor car. She's a workhorse, is what she. 

But she. But yeah, everything's done, you know, by my mobile office. So. Yeah, I it's it would be a pleasure. And I, we could. You know, launching things about the home and talking about how to and what to. 

Rich Bennett 55:06
Oh, I got a lot of ideas. 

Alisha Garlie 55:08
I know. I do, too. I. 

Rich Bennett 55:10
A lot of ideas. Yeah. 

Alisha Garlie 55:12
Yeah. Okay. 

Rich Bennett 55:14
Alicia, thanks so much. 

Alisha Garlie 55:16
Wanted 

Rich Bennett 55:17
Oh, 

Alisha Garlie 55:17
to 

Rich Bennett 55:17
I didn't. 

Alisha Garlie 55:18
weigh. 

Rich Bennett 55:21
No, go ahead. 

Alisha Garlie 55:21
No, 

Rich Bennett 55:21
No, 

Alisha Garlie 55:22
I. 

Rich Bennett 55:22
I just wanted to. 

Alisha Garlie 55:22
To see. Do you want me to add my. 

Rich Bennett 55:29
If you want. 

Alisha Garlie 55:31
Well, if you're looking to reach out to us and you need any of our design services, you can find us on Facebook at. Welcome home. Comma interior Design Co or on Instagram you can follow us at. Welcome dot home dot interior design. And then again the website is w ww dot w h dot design.