Today we’d like to introduce you to Allison Bonifay.
Allison, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
I graduated from Florida State University with a degree in Fashion Merchandising. I’ve always been drawn to textiles and piecing together patterns. After college, I spent a few years in NYC working in fashion. I loved helping these companies design new washes and looks for garments. My husband and I eventually moved to Dallas in 2012. We bought our first home, and my love for design manifested itself into something new. My passion for sourcing vintage furniture and home decor had begun.
I would spend hours upon hours searching craigslist and various resale apps for vintage items. A true labor of love. Fast forward five years and I had collected so many pieces – and had so much fun doing it – that I decided it was time to transform this passion into a business. Modified Home was officially born in the Spring of 2017 with a focus on selling Mid Century Modern, Boho, and Modern Desert home furnishings and decor accessories.
I love that on top of being really well-made, these old pieces have a story to tell. I handpick every item and always try to find out if they have a unique background or origin. I look for retro pieces that can bring some funk and history into your home at affordable prices. Our customers want to curate unique items for their homes that are an expression of their style.
We source and sell everything from glassware, wall tapestries, vintage rugs, peacock chairs, credenzas, table lamps, and so much more! When our customers are looking for a specific piece, we offer a “Personal Picking” service. You tell me what you are wanting, the style, the dimensions, your max price and then I find it! We charge a finders fee vs a retail price. It takes all of the time and stresses out of finding that special piece.
We sell most of our finds on our Instagram page, modified_home, and also at some pop-up events around town!
We’re always bombarded by how great it is to pursue your passion, etc. – but we’ve spoken with enough people to know that it’s not always easy. Overall, would you say things have been easy for you?
Starting your own business always has its challenges. The initial hurdle is to believe in yourself and get over the fear of getting it off the ground. I toyed with the idea of starting Modified Home for some time and there was always a reason to put it on the back burner. Can I compete with the talented people already running a similar operation? Can I turn a profit and continue to help support our family? All logical things to consider when starting a business, but ultimately, they were just excuses. I worked a full-time 55hr/week job when I started Modified Home, and 6 months in, I was able to leave that job and commit to Modified Home full time. There were and continue to be a lot of sacrifices to keep things running smoothly. Although I’d love to say the long hours stopped after I left my “day job”, they didn’t. I started Mod on a limited budget as the sole employee with an unpaid intern (read: husband). We work nights and weekends doing inventory, moving furniture, taking pictures and the myriad other things that go along with it. All of that being said, the hustle and the hard work eventually pay off. If you are starting a new journey just know there is no perfect plan or way to execute success. You learn along the way, and as long as you stay true to your goals and work hard, it will blossom!
We’d love to hear more about Modified Home.
Modified Home specializes in the sourcing and selling of vintage furniture and home décor at affordable prices. I want our customers to have the opportunity to acquire unique, quality items for their spaces without breaking the bank. While decorating our own home, I would find myself frustrated with pricing whether new or vintage and genuinely felt like I was going to need to win the lottery to get our home the special pieces that I loved. The memory of that personal frustration is the driver to keep our prices down, and we believe this will manifest itself in happy, repeat customers. Yes, we could make better margins by charging prices commensurate with the industry, but then we would lose what I believe sets us apart.
In addition to our pricing, I try to keep things local. When I source pieces for the business or directly for customers, we are usually purchasing within Dallas and the surrounding cities. I love being able to support the local community when possible.
Another element of our business that I am proud of is that we are many times finding a piece that would have ended up in a dump and breathing new life into it. Sometimes all it takes is a coat of paint, some polish or new upholstery to turn something into the stunner it always was. And in comparison to the mass-produced furniture of big box stores, vintage items are generally of much better quality. We think of it as the way to “adopt don’t shop” when buying furniture and accessories. Less waste and better quality. You really can’t argue with that.
We also have the capabilities of giving vintage items a new look if a customer desires that. We offer re-upholstery services and painting services for furniture allowing a vintage piece to be customized perfectly to your space!
So much of the media coverage is focused on the challenges facing women today, but what about the opportunities? Do you feel there are any opportunities that women are particularly well positioned for?
I always cringed when I heard people say, “find a job you love and you’ll never work a day in your life.” BUT – my cynical side will concede – that isn’t the worst piece of advice for a young woman who is starting her career. You spend so much time at work, away from loved ones, that you will eventually burn out if you aren’t doing something that interests and engages you. Dead-end jobs are just that.
Now I understand that young women aren’t always given the easiest of routes to their dream job. This is where laying out a plan to get it is paramount. Figure out what it takes and then be prepared to make sacrifices and to suffer some defeats along the way. Learn from it all and just keep moving forward with a good attitude. Your persistence and work ethic will not go unnoticed among your peers.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://modified-home.com
- Phone: 678) 938-8548
- Email: allison@modifiedhome.net
- Instagram: modified_home
Getting in touch: VoyageDallas is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
