Today we’d like to introduce you to Melanie Rosenburg.
Melanie, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I decided to just go for it! Sounds simplistic, but believe me it wasn’t. I did a lot of praying, talking with my husband, asking friends, and then… just did it. One of the scariest things I’ve done actually, but life is short and it came down to the thought that I’d rather have the regret of failing than the regret of not even trying. We have 4 young kids and I knew I wanted to show them that it’s important to at least try for the things that are important to you. I started with bits at a time of what I knew I could do, I had experience working on our own properties (we moved a lot), investments, rentals, and friends here and there. Anytime I finished a project, I always got the question, “How did you know to do that?” My answer was always, “I just see it.” This continues to be how I approach projects. I take the family or individual, find out what their functional needs are, what they want their space to feel like, and design from there.
I felt like and still believe everybody should be able to have help making their house feel like their home. I continue to meet people that tell me they could never afford a designer. I’m here to tell them, that’s not true. Creating an environment that feels beautiful and is functional is something that everyone should have access to. It’s not just a luxury, it’s a necessity. It’s the healthy mentality a well pulled together space creates. Doesn’t everyone feel a little more relaxed, a little more clear-headed, and a little happier when their home reflects and looks the way they want it to?
Why MASH habitat? It’s created from those I cherish most, my kids, Max, Ava, Stella, and Hannah… their first initial became MASH. I liked that the word “mash” illustrates something being transformed into something new, taking a lot of different elements, and bringing them together in a new and beautiful way. Then, I came up with the acronym of what the core values of my business would be. Memorable, Affordable, Stylish, and Harmonious design for your habitat. When it comes to home design, it has to be all-encompassing with your lifestyle. Your home is where you live, make messes, lounge, play, entertain, it is more than just a home, it is your habitat and I wanted that to be represented in my brand.
Great, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
I think any new venture will always come with learning curves. For me, it wasn’t so much in the design portion, that was just a natural transition. The struggles came more on the behind the scenes elements. I think a lot of designers and creatives, in general, come across those same struggles. From creating your pricing structure, what processes to put in place, invoicing clients, all the way to hiring employees and finding people that are the right fit for your company, it all just takes time and experience. I’ve reached a point though where I’ve accepted that these are areas I’ll always be trying to improve. I welcome meeting with other designers/creatives where we can brainstorm and mentor each other through these hurdles.
Please tell us about MASH Habitat.
MASH Habitat was founded on the idea that anyone’s home could be Memorable, Affordable, Stylish, and Harmonious at any price level. Whether a client needs a little help pulling together a single room that’s just not working or they are wanting to update their entire house top to bottom, we are here to help. I really try to meet my customers where they are. I put such a high focus on that. I may not be published in some big-name magazine, but that’s just not what drives me. I love the inspiration of those magazines, but at the end of the day, not everyone can afford to purchase every single item brand new. When I first started my business, I wanted to approach it a little differently than other designers I had talked to in the past, I wanted it to be more collaborative so it felt personalized and functional for each individual family. I wanted it to be affordable. Not “cheap” or “low quality” just affordable relative to whatever that particular client’s budget is. Whether their budget is $20,000 or $200 I am able to provide quality products and designs that are affordable for them. I love being able to design something that is beautiful but still fits my client’s exact needs and budget. If I leave a client’s house and come back in three months and it still looks the same I know I’ve been successful.
Do you look back particularly fondly on any memories from childhood?
I love anything steeped in tradition. One of my most fond memories was waking my mom up at 5 am on Christmas morning so she would make us cinnamon rolls while we got to see what Santa brought us. Now, my kids do the exact same thing to me and I just love that sense of tradition. It’s funny because there was one year where I happened to not have cinnamon rolls, when I thought I did, and my kids and I were all so disappointed and sad. I love the sense of comfort in these traditions and love that they cherish them as much as I do.
Contact Info:
- Address: 4841 Keller Springs Road
Addison, TX 75001 - Website: mashhhabitat.com
- Phone: 2143256032
- Email: melanie@mashhabitat.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mashhabitat
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/mashhabitat
Image Credit:
Brooke Thomas
Suggest a story: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you or someone you know deserves recognition please let us know here.
