Last modified: Wednesday, December 17, 2008 9:51 AM EST Jenna Crovo hangs drapes as part of a redesign in Sally Hillman's North Attleboro home. (Staff photo by Mike George) Recycle, reuse, redesign BY REBECCA KEISTER SUN CHRONICLE STAFF Did you know that a brand-new living room might actually already be in your house? Say you’ve been staring, and staring, at your furniture, picture frames and accent pieces long enough you’d swear you can’t imagine any other way to arrange them, and you’re sick of feeling unsatisfied with the way your room looks. Before you start throwing things out or hiring an interior decorator to revamp your room with a new furniture set or carpets, keep in mind that there’s someone out there who feels your pain and can ease it — without breaking the bank. Meet Jenna Crovo. She’s here to help you turn what’s old into new again and she’ll help you do it with a giant smile. “This is what I love doing,” Crovo said. “This is the one job in my life I’ve found — and I’ve done a lot of things — where this is what I know I should be doing.” Redefined Designs is Crovo’s redesign business she started about four years ago to compliment her creative needs and tendencies while fulfilling her wish to own her own business. A redesign is exactly what it sounds like. Much like the popular TV show reDesign on HGTV, Crovo works with clients to create the room of their dreams (and it can be any room in their house) mostly using their existing furniture and decor. “I think I’ve always had an interest for interior design and having people love where they live,” Crovo said. “I’ve always had a flare for creativity and making people feel good by doing something or making something for them.” Her interest in the field stemmed from her tendency to recreate her own rooms each time the seasons change. She thought a career in interior design, after years of not finding her place in other fields, would satisfy her personality but a course changed her mind. Instead, she received a certification in interior redesign at the School of Interior Redesign in Connecticut. She’s also utilizing her bachelor’s degree in marketing, from Stonehill College, to help run her own business while she works part-time at a day job she’s held for over six years. (If that’s not a schedule to be wondered at, she’s also a mom to 2-year-old Lucas with husband Michael.) She describes the process of her redesign as “mostly sprucing up what you have,” but it’s actually a lot more than that. To illustrate her talent and process, she and her client Sally Hillman invited The Sun Chronicle into Hillman’s home during a redesign process of the Hillman’s living room. Crovo begins every project with a consultation, for which she does not bill, and Hillman’s ended with an agreement that Crovo would do some personal shopping on a budget to add new items, including curtains, storage units and photo frames, to the room. The room challenge centered on the fact that besides their living space, the Hillman’s living room doubled as a playroom for Hillman’s two granddaughters, whom she cares for during the work week. For the actual redesign, Crovo prefers to work when the clients are not home, mainly so they can see the entire before and after effect. Redesigning Hillman’s living room took place over four hours, during which Crovo took everything out of the room, found the focal point of the room and decided where to replace the furniture based on that. “One thing I knew was that she didn’t like all the toys,” Crovo said. “So I found ottomans that had storage inside of them. Then the girls could have all their toys in one place.” After that, she replaced some of the wall items, including a mish mash of different style picture frames with matching ones that made the Hillman’s walls look more cohesive and rearranged other artwork in appropriate places. “With the pictures, I gave her a new collage that was clean cut and not as overwhelming,” Crovo said. “There wasn’t as much clutter as their was before.” And Hillman’s verdict after the redesign? “I was overjoyed,” she said. “Right away I liked Jenna. She was very perky and upbeat and positive. She also was very confident. My room now is very calm and soothing, when there was a little prickly atmosphere before. I’m very pleased.” Hillman selected a redesign, rather than an outright interior redecorating, to fit her household budget. Crovo charges $75 per hour for the redesign, and the total bill averages between $250 and $350, dependent upon the room size. She doesn’t charge for consultations because she realizes not every room will benefit from a redesign and isn’t afraid to tell clients that after an initial meeting. She also provides other decorating services, including getting homes ready to sell. “I’m able to give clients that quick turnaround on a budget,” Crovo said. “Sometimes people just don’t know how to make things work and I think they should be proud of what they have in their home. I think you should feel comfort and peace when you’re in your home.” Hillman’s main problem, what to do with all those toys, was easily solvable by Crovo, she said, when she had no idea what to do herself. “She just rearranged things and put them in a different way that I would never have considered,” Hillman said. “Now my granddaughters can come and feel comfortable without disturbing the room. Their toys are incorporated and hidden. I would recommend it to anyone.” For Crovo’s part, hearing that kind of satisfaction is rewarding. And it’s what keeps her from driving her husband crazy with all those wants to redo every part of her own house. “Where I get my gratification and inspiration is my clients,” she said. “I know that it sounds corny, but it’s true. When I know that I’ve done a good job, I feel like I’ve made a difference.” To see a photo slideshow of Hillman's redesigned room, visit http://www.thesunchronicle.com/photogallery/