Eagle Point decorator brings holiday spirit into homes
Many people enjoy spending time decorating their homes for the Christmas season. Others would rather hire someone to take care of that for them — that’s where Lisa Lester comes in.
From the beginning of November until the week before Christmas, Lisa Lester — Eagle Point resident and mother of three — spends much of her time making other homes beautiful for the holidays.
The other 10 months of the year, Lester works as an interior designer and stages homes for real estate agents.
After graduating from the University of Alabama with a degree in fashion and marketing, she spent several years working with retailers Parisian and Gap. She said her background in these industries goes hand in hand with her current career.
“I’ve always loved interior design, even when I was little,” Lester said. “I like details, that’s my thing. People would ask me to help them decorate their homes because they liked the way mine looked, and I did that sporadically.”
After her first child, Lester took a 10-year break from working. It was during her third pregnancy that a friend asked her to decorate a beach house. She enjoyed that opportunity so much that she decided that’s what she would do when her kids got older.
“When my youngest daughter was 3, I began working full time,” Lester said. “That was five or six years ago. I don’t have a storefront, but I do have contacts that do my custom bedding, painting, upholstery and electricity.”
Lester said Christmas decorating came naturally, and she gets to be creative.
“I love Christmas decorating. It’s my favorite thing to do,” she said. “I think the little details are what make it. First impressions are everything, and little details can make the first impression.”
Lester says each of her 20-plus clients have different personalities, so she can personalize the décor for each home. Most of the homes are on the U.S. 280 corridor, and she decorates mailboxes, front doors, entryways, mantels, tables and trees.
For one of her clients, she sets up a 200-piece Christmas village.
She has several repeat customers who schedule her year after year. Some use items they already have, and some want her to bring in new items. Lester said she likes to shop at Greystone Antiques, Hobby Lobby and At Home in Homewood and also loves to decorate with natural items such as magnolia and holly, so it looks realistic.
Her favorite parts of the room are the mantel and the family tree. If clients want to decorate the tree as a family, Lester will come in and enhance it later.
Despite her busy schedule with other people’s homes, Lester won’t be doing much decorating at her own house this year. Her son is playing in a basketball tournament, and her family will be going to that and not returning until after New Year’s Day.
After the holidays, Lester focuses on her interior design business and decorates for corporate events.
To contact Lester, call 965-2491 or email llesterbama@netscape.net.