TV decorator comes to Covington

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April 17, 2008

Local woman wins a room makeover

BY DENNIS BARTLOW The Commercial-News Thu Apr 17, 2008, 09:01 AM CDT

COVINGTON, Ind. — Frank Bielec of Trading Spaces got a warm welcome to Covington, Ind., this week.

From the sign off Interstate 74 to the friendliness of the people gathered at the home of Michelle and Justin Fonner on Lewis Lane, Bielec felt at home.

Michelle Fonner and Bielec, a designer on the television show who goes around creating comfortable rooms, never had met before this week, but you would have thought they were the best of friends.

Fonner was the winner of a contest sponsored by Signature Home Styles for people who served as hosts of home decorating parties in March.

More than 700 entries were received.

“They had to write on why they would want Frank to come and make over their house,” said Carole Brown of Danville, senior executive director of Signature Home Styles.

Fonner and her mother, Fran Bumpus, have been working with Signature Home Styles for 16 years.

Bielec, who lives in Katy, Texas, is a spokesman for Signature Home Styles. He stars on Trading Spaces, which appears on the TLC channel.

“She gets to pick $1,000 of products for her living room and bedroom,” Brown said. “We brought merchandise from Chicago that we thought she would like.”

Fonner was so excited as she kept up with Bielec, bringing him a hammer, a level or whatever he needed.

“We are taking the room and playing with it,” Bielec said. “Everyone has an opinion. We take everyone’s likes and dislikes.”

They moved existing furniture around and worked on wall groupings.

“We want this home to be homey,” Bielec said.

Fonner’s husband and their son, Austin, 3½, were not present, but Evie, 6, eagerly watched many of Bielec’s moves with the rooms.

Fonner couldn’t believe it when she got the call last week that she had won.

“I was so nervous and excited,” she said. In fact, she was so excited that she cut the caller off, but they called back.

“In the letter I talked about working for the company, how great it is and how awesome it would be to bring Frank to my home,” she said.

Rich Kostner, marketing and sales manager for Signature Home Styles, said more than half of the entries mentioned Bielec.

“(Fonner’s letter) had all the right elements,” Kostner said. “The fact that she grew up with 16 years experience was a factor.”

Brown said this was a neat event.

“It is rewarding experience,” she said.

FAST FACT

For information about Signature Home Styles, contact Carole Brown, senior executive director, at 442-3683 or check the Web site at http://www.signature homestyles.biz/CB69.

About 50-60 parties a month are held in the Danville area.

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