20 Questions with Mallory

20 Questions with Mallory---

No we are not a revolving door of design assistants!  Lol, we have had our share of resent design graduates work for us in the past three years, but we hope we’ve found someone who’ll stick with us in Mallory!  Her background in event planning is just what we needed to keep us on track and if a home renovation isn’t a major event I don’t know what is!  Since joining the Red River Remodelers team as a design assistant she has helped us in just about every facet of our daily routine. Now let’s find out what the big deal is all about!  

"Where do you come from?" Give us some back ground -

Born and raised in teeny-tiny Magnolia, Arkansas, I headed to Louisiana Tech in Ruston after graduating high school. Four years and a bachelors in Merchandising and Consumer Studies later I moved on over to the “Big City!” My concentration with my degree was event coordination and that has been my main focus the past four-ish years---weddings and special events have been my jam. I have worked at Our Wedding Library for the past, almost four years as the bridal consultant and website manager, I was the events coordinator and assistant designer at The North Market in Shreveport and I’ve been the leasing manager at the Taylortown Store and Reception Hall since January of 2014. I still LOVE weddings, but I’m so excited to dive into this industry and learn a whole new side of making things aesthetically pleasing! I’m a free spirit, an outgoing-introvert and quirky in every sense of the word. I’m obsessed with animals, live music and all things pretty.

“What do you love at about living in Shreveport?”When I first moved to Shreveport I thought there was a ton of stuff to do! After living here for a while I fell into a rut and started to listening to the long-time locals about how there is “nothing to do in Shreveport.” If you look, you will find cool new things to do in this steadily-growing city all the time! My favorite thing about living here is that I can get the perks of a small town if I want them, but I can also enjoy the amenities of living in a city, too. Plus, my best friends live here, so that makes it even better!

“What else do you have on your plate right now?”

Along with my new gig at Red River, I also have my own events coordinating business, MASH Events, I remain the bridal consultant at Our Wedding Library, part-time, as well as the leasing manager at the wedding venue, Taylortown Store and Reception Hall in South Bossier and I just started my second term on the board of the Norla Preservation Project!

Stay busy, stay out of trouble, right?

"What’s your favorite room to decorate?"

My living room---the only room in the house I spend large amounts of time awake in! Totally eclectic and filled with records, and teacups, and pictures galore; I love finding new things to add my cozy little living room! I wish I had a picture of the look on my face when I brought this gem home to hang up:

It’s strange and tacky my favorite thing, ever!

How do you think your experience as an event coordinator will be useful at Red River Remodelers?

I’ve been trained to pay attention to the details. Question everything and double and triple check, even when people assure you things will be/have been done! Making things look pretty is just a small part of event coordinating AND remodeling. Some people may notice if something looks great, but everyone notices if something goes wrong! The logistics really make it or break it. I hope to be an added, analytical set of eyes and a completely different perspective as the new member to the team.

"Ever met anyone famous?”
As I used to frequent downtown, I would always spot celebs who were in town filming movies, but I never really stopped to talk to them. These days, I’m convinced that Shane West is stalking me because I see him EVERYWHERE. I think it’s cool that celebrities are running all around Shreveport, but don’t really think much of it anymore. The 8^th grade me, on the other hand, would be FREAKING OUT if the heartthrob from “A Walk to Remember” was sitting next to her at Rhino Coffee.

   

 "What’s the one store you could spend hours browsing?"
One? Ehh..I don’t think I could pick just one! I have recently fallen in love with cb2, I’ll never let go of Urban Outfitters and my rich alter ego shops at Anthropologie and Restoration Hardware. So I guess if I had to narrow it down to one “store” or website it would have to be….PINTEREST! The land of inspiration and the black hole for time.

"Do you believe in Big Foot?" 

Well, duh.

"If there was a movie produced about your life, who would play you, and why?"

Emma Stone! I would make her gain 25 pounds and dye her hair! She seems so genuine,  non-controversial, and weird. Plus, she’s hilarious and I love it.

"What was the last gift you gave someone?"  

Matching bracelets for myself and a friend that read “CHAMPAGNE EVERYDAY,” because I like pretending I’m fancy and celebrations are fun!

"You're a new addition to the crayon box, what color would you be and why?"
I would be some crazy combination between Fuchsia and Magenta. Fuchsenta? Magensia ? A mix between classics---a little loud not always for everyone!

“What’s the weirdest thing Sean or Angie has asked you to do since you’ve been at Red River?”

Well, as of today, I can say the weirdest thing ANGIE has asked me to do is post film slides of old podiatry xrays and fungi to sell….I’ll leave a picture of reference off of this answer. 

"What one thing you’ve learned since being here?"

There is a LOT of work that goes into a remodel. SO much planning; planning down to the very 1/8^th of an inch! I’m slowly but surely learning the lingo and picking up on short cuts and the process of it all. I’m still pretty wide-eyed so far, but I’m catching on. Writing EVERYTHING down! But if I’ve learned anything for sure it would be to not let Angie run out of Coke Zero!

"Favorite place to eat?"

Well if you asked my bank account, it would say, Wendy’s, but sometimes convenience just wins. I LOVE Sushi Gen, Sevendipity, Frank’s and almost any place that serves Mexican---and brunch from Marilynn’s, of course.

"What was your high school jam?"

I totally wish I would have appreciated the music my parents and their friends made me listen to when I was a kid, because my “high school jams” were terrible. My love for music didn’t really come until I moved out of my small town, so I’m sure ALL of my burned CDs from the mid-2000s were filllllled with trashy rap; nothing at all what I listen to now. BUT, I be lying if I said mid-2000s trashy rap wasn’t a guilty pleasure now!

"What shows are you ashamed to admit are on your DVR?"

I don’t have DVR, but I am ashamed to admit that I am a slave to Pretty Little Liars---A show about 4 high school girls who are always in the craziest kinds of trouble. I have seen every episode and look forward to it every week….because, clearly, I’m a tween living in an adult body.

"What's the most over-the-top request you’ve ever received when planning a wedding?” Because I just want to know!

I once had a bride cancel her florist without telling me…I didn’t find out until a couple weeks before the (out-of-town) wedding when I was calling to confirm with vendors. When I asked the bride she nonchalantly said, “Yeah, I figured you could just do the flowers?”

P.S. That’s now at all how that works.

My other fun, pretty out-there requests have included things like, a “Dr. Who” themed wedding, a song off the soundtrack of “Muppets take Manhattan” in place of the wedding march, and very literal take on a “bridesmaid” dress where the sister of the bride dressed in a French maid’s costume!

"What’s the coolest thing you’ve seen in one of our remodels so far?"

It’s not the prettiest, because it’s super dude-ish, but the coolest thing I’ve seen so far has to be the hidden gun room! I’ve never seen anything quite like it!

"What’s in your bag after you leave the Farmer’s Market?"

Spicy pickles and pepper jelly!

I have do have to talk myself out of a Bonsai tree almost every time I go, though…

Finish this sentence: Every room needs....

This was hard for me, I got to read Sarah’s questionnaire before I answered my questions and I tried to make them different, but I can’t! I completely agree with her that some sort of incorporation of an animal needs to be in every room. I mean, you saw my bedazzled skull head, right? Whether it’s graphic art, taxidermy, prints or otherwise, I think touches of animals make things feel organic and funky. Which brings me to my next point: I think we need these weenie dog book ends for my office, don't you??

And this is not part of the questionnaire, but you can’t fully get to know me without meeting my pup.

This is Fancy. She’s 5 and a snuggly little mess!

-Mal