Meet Marlene
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Marlene Pratt
Marlene Pratt – Casa Latina’s resident home improvement expert – has over a decade of interior design and renovation experience. Marlene has served as co-host of Discovery Channel’s Fix-It Line, hosted Telemundo’s Saturday morning ” Mehorando Su Hogar” home improvement segment and appeared on FOX, CBS, WNBC, CNN and WB’s WPIX-TV as an interior design/renovation expert.
Marlene has also been featured in major magazines including Latina, Good Housekeeping, Parent and People En Español. As co-creator of Casa Latina, she is now dedicating her time, experience and enthusiasm to Casa Latina!
MARLENE’S MISSION
“My mission as an interior designer is to beautify the world and leave no room untouched by creativity. Deep down I believe everyone is capable of design, but the fear of not doing it right or not actually finding the time to do the project keeps people from living to their desired style. This works to my advantage, for if everyone had the time or were creative, I would not be able to make a living.”
Upper West Side Kitchen, NYC
“The biggest fear most people have with design is selecting new colors. I have discovered that they are wary of changing colors because it is difficult to envision what the end result will be after repainting a room for a second time. I ask my clients to be bold and to allow me add a little color into their lives; together we’ll explore how to integrate color and end up loving it”
“My job as a designer is not to impose my tastes on you, but rather to educate you. I’ll give you the best possible advice and work around any given object. I am obliged to always give you my most honest option, which may not always be the same as yours. With Casa Latina I will share my knowledge, passion for design and a lot of little secrets and tips I have learned along the way.”
DESIGN PHILOSOPHY
“I have two main philosophies as a designer. The first is that you don’t have to spend a million dollars to acquire a million dollar look. There are affordable ways to redecorate or renovate rooms in your home without having to break the bank.”
Before-and-After
“Not everyone has the budget or the desire to go out and buy everything new, but if you take a good look around your home you will be surprised that many items staring you in the face can be used to obtain a different look or function. For example, the chest that’s been sitting in your bedroom collecting dust for years can now be relocated to the living room and, by just placing a piece of glass on it, you can create a new coffee table.”
Not only does it look good, but you’ve saved yourself a few hundred dollars. “I strongly believe that your home should be a reflection of who you are at all stages of your life. A part of all the individual personalities who live in the home should be reflected in its décor and style. As Latinos, our ethnicity is important to us and we should integrate elements of our heritage into our home. This is not to say that one should completely change one’s style or preference. But keepsakes and mementos can be displayed in an orderly manner; they do not have to be eliminated to create an exciting new look!”
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