It's been a crazy, unexpected, challenging journey the last three and a half years here at Orangetree Interiors.  I feel so blessed for the amazing experiences I’ve had and I’m beyond grateful for the overwhelming support and growth that Orangetree Interiors has had since launching our virtual interior design services on September 26, 2017. 

Today, I’m SO excited to officially welcome the new team members of Orangetree Interiors!

The last year has been quite unusual.  It has no doubt led to different obstacles and opportunities for many of us. Although running a business with two kiddoes at home has been tough, I was fortunate enough to already have had a streamlined process in place for delivering interior decorating services “online.”
 

With so many people being forced to work from home and so few being able to travel, freshening up home interiors seems to be the "in" thing to do.

I’ve been amazed with the amount of growth that Orangetree Interiors has had this past year.  Although I was sometimes overwhelmed with the schedule that came with the success, I’m SUPER grateful for Every. Single. Client. AND the fact that each project has led me closer to finding an amazing superstar team that I can’t wait to introduce to you!

NEW VIRTUAL INTERIOR DESIGNERS AT ORANGETREE INTERIORS

Our first team member, Brooke Visco, has been such a welcome addition to the team and due to our busy schedule, I’m WAY overdue to introducing her.  I feel so lucky and thankful to have had Brooke on our team since November of last year (like I said, this intro is SUPER late).  Brooke is….well…..FREAKING AWESOME!  I can’t express my gratitude enough for all of her help and trustworthiness over the last seven months – not to mention the special talent that she has brought and continues to bring to Orangetree Interiors.

Next I’d like to welcome Irah Acaban and Alyssa Wright. Both joined Orangetree Interiors originally as a field placement from Conestoga College but they impressed me so much that I had to invite them both to join the team.  Irah and Alyssa officially joined the team in April of this year and have been AH-MAZING so far.  I can’t believe how quickly they’ve been able to learn our processes and use all of our tools.  Although still new, Irah and Alyssa have been exceptional with the help they’ve been able to provide in such a short time. They are both incredibly talented and I’m so excited to see them evolve as designers. 

BROOKE, IRAH & ALYSSA SHARE A LITTLE ABOUT THEMSELVES.... 

BROOKE VISCO | Certified Interior Decorator & eDesigner

Hi, I’m Brooke and I was born and raised in Abbotsford, British Columbia. My fiancé plays professional hockey so we lived in Montreal, QC for three years, Syracuse, NY and now live in Fort Lauderdale, FL! We travel home to British Columbia in the offseason and live in a tiny lake town near my parents.

I love interior design because I can be creative and I love seeing a client develop their style throughout the process - it's cool how different each client is. I also love seeing a design come to life and how happy a beautiful space can make someone. When thinking about interior design styles, I find myself drawn to several, but my favourite is probably Modern Contemporary, with a little Coastal & Eclectic mixed in.

FUN FACTS ABOUT BROOKE

Designer Influences
Leanne Ford & Becki Owens

Fave Song
Anything James Taylor or Zac Brown Band! I really like all country music I guess.

 Fave Drink

Coffee, craft beer or if it's a mixed drink kinda night a Paloma (with vodka instead of tequila).

Fave Way to Spend Free Time

My family loves boating and the lake! So I love to go out on the boat and go wake surfing. My fiancé and I have a Mini-Goldendoodle, we like to take him for walks or to the park. I'm also a big fan of cozying up on the couch and watching TV or YouTube.

Catch Phrase

 "Omgosh so cute" or "Sooo good!"

Life Aspiration

I would want to travel all the time! In this hockey life, I have met so many people from all over the world and they always talk so highly about where they are from. Sweden, Scotland and Spain are at the top of my list. Oh, and the South of France!

IRAH ACABAN | Certified Interior Decorator & eDesigner

Hello, I’m Irah. I'm originally from the Philippines but I moved to Canada in 2015. Been living here ever since and I love it!.....Not so much the winter though. :)

I love interior design because it allows me to show my creative side. I love that every task and project is completely unique. It keeps things unexpected and interesting. My absolute favourite design styles are Mid-Century Modern, Scandinavian and Contemporary and bonus points for anyone who likes minimalist versions of these design styles! 

FUN FACTS ABOUT IRAH

Designer Influences
Karin Bohn (House of Bohn) & Svetlana Tryaskina (Estee Design)

Fave Song
I always have a hard time picking favourite songs because I can think of so many but to sum it up, my absolute favourite artists to listen to are LOONY and Bruno Mars.  My favourite songs are Be Cool and Some Kinda Love by LOONY and of course, Leave the Door Open by Bruno Mars.  Such great artists!

 Fave Drink

I love bubble tea/boba and everything about it :) Ice tea is very much a go to as well. 

Fave Way to Spend Free Time

During my free time and when it's sunny out, I like to rollerblade around town. I also LOVE playing tennis and can get quite competitive. I have also recently taken up hiking so I'm constantly looking for great places to hike to! 

Catch Phrase

"That's sick! That's sooo cool!" 

Life Aspiration

I'd like to help my parents be completely debt free. They've worked extremely hard to get us to where we are today, so this would be my way of showing my appreciation, love and support. 

ALYSSA WRIGHT | Certified Interior Decorator & eDesigner

Hello, I’m Alyssa. I was born and raised in a very small town in the Kawartha’s in ON, Canada which quite literally had nothing extravagant about it…… not even a Walmart. This was very challenging as a creative since doing interior design was never a great option as a career choice in the area.

As a young kid, I would always watch HGTV as a pastime which sparked my passion and dream for helping others to create a home that feels beautifully authentic to them.

I love all things to do with interiors (and exteriors for that matter), but I definitely have a special love for Classic Contemporary designs that are infused with Rustic, Coastal or Mediterranean elements. So basically……a big mixture of design styles all rolled into one that I like to call Classic Rustic Contemporary.
 

FUN FACTS ABOUT ALYSSA

Designer Influences
Studio McGee, Aly Morford & Leigh Lincoln (Pure Salt Interiors) and Restoration Hardware

Fave Song
This is one of those questions that I never have an answer to. There are simply too many songs and I feel it’s unfair to pick just one! I’m constantly changing my favourite songs. I often find myself listening to something on repeat until I get sick of it. To answer the question though….. right now I’m really enjoying Afterglow by Ed Sheeran and anything by Rex Orange County.  Ask me in a few weeks and my answer will probably change!

 Fave Drink

I’m definitely more of a foodie than I am a drink enthusiast, so I will have to stick to a classic – water. If I want to spice it up, I love a cold glass of sparkling Moscato!

Fave Way to Spend Free Time

One of my favourite pastimes is finding beautiful places and exploring them with my friends, family, or significant other! There is just something so rejuvenating and lively about hiking a trail and finding hidden beauties! I’m also interested in photography and use it as a creative outlet! I use this interest and incorporate into other hobbies like social media and to keep memories with friends and family.

Catch Phrase

"Oh my goshhh!!” or “Omg!.”

Life Aspiration

I have always felt my purpose was to lead and educate people by example and I’ve always wanted to inspire people to believe in themselves enough to pursue their dreams. I truly feel that anyone can achieve what they believe, but often people don’t have the support they need to motivate themselves.  If money or failure weren’t a factor, I would own businesses in interior decorating and social media and use those experiences as examples to speak and reach impressionable people who have a dream of being an entrepreneur.

VAL MALNAR | Certified Interior Decorator, eDesigner & Founder of Orangetree Interiors

Hey there!  If you don’t already know me, I’m Val! I was born and raised in Kitchener, ON, but moved to Wellesley ON in my thirties to build a family in a small town that values family and community. Creativity is my passion...whether interior design, graphic design, writing, music, ideas etc.  “Creating”  fuels my soul.

I created Orangetree Interiors almost four years ago out of necessity for a CONVENIENT interior decorating solution for busy professionals that desire and appreciate the value of a beautiful home.

Orangetree Interiors was created so that I could offer a virtual interior design experience for busy families that would be easy, enjoyable and convenient while allowing me to be home more with my young family.

While I can appreciate almost any interior design style, I would describe my personal style as Contemporary Coastal with a hint of Farmhouse. I LOVE being at the beach, appreciate minimalism and crave the comfort of familiarity  -  these three styles encompass exactly that.

FUN FACTS ABOUT VAL

Designer Influences
Studio McGee, Leclair Décor & Joanna Gaines

Fave Song
OMGosh....WAY too many to choose.  Depends on my mood….some favourites are....Me & Bobby McGee, Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin', Free Fallin,’ We Found Love, Uptown Funk, 80s Mercedes, Tennessee Whiskey, Takin' the Long Road, Could You Be Loved?...I could literally be here all day!

 Fave Drink

Hands down ice cold water in the day and wine in the evenings after the kids are in bed and work is all done.

Fave Way to Spend Free Time

Hanging with friends. Laughing, telling stories and “deep” conversations truly rejuvenate me.

Catch Phrase

"AMAZING!!!!, Awesome! & Love it!!!” 

Life Aspiration

To have a super successful virtual interior design business by helping as many as people as possible to love and feel comfortable in their home. THEN...use that success to inspire and lead other women to greatness by helping them realize their talents and worth while empowering them to take charge of their own destiny.

So that’s us -  the team at Orangetree Interiors. I'm so proud of the design team we have and I’m filled with gratitude for the opportunity to work with these wonderful women.  I genuinely cannot wait to see how we all grow together!