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Staged by Design team
 
 
 
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 MEET OUR AWARD-WINNING TEAM

 
Leigh Newport

LEIGH NEWPORT

Owner and Principal Designer

RECOGNIZED AS TOP 50 HOME STAGING EXPERTS by FIXR.com in 2023.

VOTED TOP 10 HOME STAGER IN THE UNITED STATES in 2020, by the Home Staging and Redesign Alliance.

Leigh and her team have staged over a BILLON DOLLARS in Real Estate since beginning the company in 2007, reflecting an overall Days on Market Average of 18.

Leigh discovered Home Staging as a career in 2005 when the home her family was selling was professionally Staged, and then sold for $25,000 above asking price, in 9 days. Prior to Home Staging, Leigh spent a long career as a hospitality manager and trainer.  Leigh has served on the Board of Directors for the Washington, DC Chapter of the International Association of Home Staging Professionals (IAHSP®), for three years, including the Office of President. She is a sought after public speaker, committed to educating home owners and Realtors alike on the benefits of Home Staging through seminars, CE classes and other engagements throughout Loudoun County and the entire Washington, DC Metro area.

 
Wendy Palmer Staged by Design

Wendy palmer

Operations Manager

Wendy provides us with many years of experience as a Retail Operations and Management Professional in the Washington DC area.

Her extensive background in retail logistics and inventory control provides a strong foundation for her role. She coordinates the logistics for all staging and de-staging projects, has a key role in client care, inventory management and ordering.

She also maintains the company’s systems and procedures. Is there anything she CAN’T do? We haven’t found it yet. Every company has a person who’s the “glue” that keeps everyone together. For us, that’s Wendy!

 
Alison Baldwin Staged by Design

Alison Baldwin

Stager

Alison comes to us with many years of experience as a textile designer. With a degree in Fine Arts, she followed her passion for home furnishings by working for a high-end fabric house in New York. Alison also worked in the design studio for a commercial wall covering company in New Jersey, as well as various freelance color consulting roles, prior to taking time off to raise her twin daughters.

After moving from northern NJ to northern VA, Alison was eager to get back into a creative role professionally. Transitioning from textile design to home staging has been the perfect pivot, incorporating her background and experience to create beautiful spaces.

 

Curt Newport

Vice President of Operations

Curt is the behind the scenes “numbers guy”, handling most of the “non-creative” sides of the company. From Contracts and Human Resources, to IT and Accounting, Curt brings over 25 years of business experience managing hotels, and delivering training programs as a Corporate Director of Training to the business, freeing up the design teams to do what they do best.

Curt is originally from San Diego, and graduated from Northern Arizona University. He is also a volunteer Emergency Medical Technician, and is the Chief with our local Volunteer Rescue Squad, an EMS Instructor and State Evaluator, and a retired multi-sport referee. In his spare time, Curt works part time for Major League Baseball, and is licensed as an Instrument Rated Private Pilot, and enjoys flying a Cirrus SR-22.

Curt’s Spotlight on Staff Video

 
kim jones staged by design

Kim Jones

Lead Stager

Kim brings a diverse background to her home staging efforts.  She holds a degree in Education and taught high school business and technology courses for several years.  She also was a Certified Microsoft Office Trainer teaching various software to businesses all over Arkansas.

Kim found her passion for design during her thirteen years managing her family while moving six times across the country.  She has seen a wide variety of styles, having lived in every corner of the United States.   She learned from experience what improvements can sell a home and get the most for return on investment.  It’s from her experiences that led Kim to pursue her Home Staging and E-Design certifications.

 
Marlo Mackey Staged by Design

Marlo Mackey

Stager

Marlo is a Certified Home Staging Professional (CHSP) through The New York Institute of Design. She holds degrees in both Business Administration and Legal Studies. Her previous experience has been in Human Resources, and has also worked as a Legal Assistant and Paralegal.

Born and raised in the Chicago area, Marlo developed a love of design at a very young age. Instead of asking to do typical childhood activities, she would beg her mom to take her to visit model homes. She even wrote as a kindergartener she wanted to “build houses and decorate them”. Though she doesn’t build homes, she’s living out her passion through staging and making them look their absolute best.

 
Laura Montione Staged by Design

Laura Montione

Stager

Laura studied fashion and theater design, and went on to work in retail as a visual display designer before taking a position in corporate office design. She returned to her theatrical roots designing for theater and dance companies while raising her children. Upon re-entry into the professional world in 2016, she became a real estate assistant and stager helping her clients prepare their homes for sale, as well as, helping buyers find and design their dream homes. Laura currently holds multiple certifications in interior design and staging. As a self-confessed real estate groupie and lover of all things design, staging has become the perfect creative outlet. 

 


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