Every family, every person, every home has a centerpiece, that one place where everything and everyone comes together. For some, it’s a playroom filled with kids’ laughter. For others, it’s the backyard where memories are grilled into every summer day. And for many, it’s the kitchen – where stories are shared, meals are created, and memories are built.
At The RTA Store, our people are that centerpiece. As a family-owned and operated company, the team behind the scenes is what truly builds the heart of the home for every customer we serve. And really, what’s more important than that?
In this month’s The Heart of Our Home spotlight, we’re featuring Christina, our Design Specialist, so you can get to know the heart of The RTA Store.
Christina: Hey!! How’s it going?
Melissa: It’s going! (both laugh) How about you? You just had your anniversary too, congrats on 8 years my gosh!!
Christina: I tell everybody I feel so crazy because I feel like I’m in such a minority sometimes… I love my job and I don’t know why sometimes I have no desire to go out or anything. I just love RTA.
I have always been so gung-ho about them because they said they’re family oriented and mind you, I got hired off of a Craigslist ad 9 years ago and was like, I’ll give it a shot. I wanted to get out of the film industry and I was like, my God, interior design, something in design that’s creative that isn’t in film and TV and I can leave and try it out. And we would work weekends and Monday nights until 8:00 cuz that was the sale time and they were the craziest different hours. You could see that they cared so early on because they said okay we’re noticing this and it’s hard for you guys so we’re going to switch off weekends or we’re going to give you guys the holiday turnover for missing holiday.
They cared and things are always evolving, and so it reflects it. They’re not just kind of talking about it. They actually care about the designers and they let us still be creative in the constraints of how uncreative our job has become over the years.
Melissa: Agreed, and we’re not only just family oriented. They also trust their employees, like if you’re the expert in this then I’m going to trust your guidance, versus I used to do it and so I know everything
Christina: No, they have so much confidence in us as individuals and that’s so cool. Also, I feel like we have the best HR I’ve ever seen.
Melissa: I know!
Christina: Is it just me? But I feel like we have the most darling HR. I get their emails and I’m just like, my God, you guys are so cute. They’re doing the best stuff and whatever they’re doing always makes me smile. They just are so charming.
My favorite part would be just getting to be creative every day. I get to do something creative every single day, how many people get to say that?
Melissa: It’s not just you! We do have a fantastic HR and it once again kind of shows, it’s not just saying we’re a certain way like HR is actually for the people in this job.
Christina: Mhm. Yes. I always thought HR was a trap. I always did.
Melissa: Because at a lot of jobs it’s like, we’re for the people but only if the people are doing what we want. And where are you located again?
Christina: I’m in NY by the Bills Stadium, Orchard Park over by Buffalo. Remote work is just the way to go. I don’t know why people want anything else. It’s so weird to me.
Melissa: Oh 100% agreed. My life has changed in so many positive ways because of remote work. Wait so you said you were in film before design??
Christina: I did film and television for my God, 15 years.
Melissa: What did you do in film and TV?
Christina: So I started truly the day after I got out of high school. I graduated high school and because of the union applications in Chicago, my family is big in the union there and based on the cut off time frames, my sister and three of my cousins all got into the union and I missed the cut off because of my school graduation date. So, I did production for that entire summer and I worked on The Dark Knight and Wanted, and I did a lot of the pre-production.
Melissa: That’s awesome!
Christina: I went through a lot of really cool movies that I got to do. I got to do Public Enemies and then I started working in the union and did some painting for that and craft service. Kind of bopped around, did some set stuff and then I went to beauty school and I got my license to do hair and makeup so I could do hair and makeup on the sets, and I did that for a bit but kind of just still prefered doing the set stuff. So, I fell back into doing set work and then I went to college and did an acting degree. And then my minor was in design.
And then yeah, when I graduated I did another 10 years or so. I was in for a really long time. And it grew to be a TV town.
Melissa: What made you leave?
Christina: I want to say that after Dick Wolf started Chicago Fire, it transitioned a lot out of being movies and it went into television. And then they had Empire and then they did another Chicago…
Melissa: PD, then Chicago Med.
Christina: That was it, Chicago PD, and then they went into Chicago Med. And so I did a year of props on Chicago Med for its first season.
Melissa: Yep. I watch them all. (both laugh)
Christina: And then I did this TV show, The Exorcist, on Fox.
Melissa: Yep I know that one.
Christina: And so that was my last show that I did. Did set dressing for that, and I loved it. I actually worked with my dad and my brother, they were on it as well and it was really cool. And then I just couldn’t hang though. It became so political and it was a lot of, if you don’t go out to drink with everybody this one night, maybe then on the next episode this girl that goes out with them will fill your spot and you’ll day play. And I just couldn’t deal with it.
I’d never want to be out late. I grew out of all that and so I kind of just didn’t want to continue doing all of it. And when I met my husband, I saw the opportunity of normalcy because I grew up in the film industry. And so I was used to such an erratic lifestyle. Then I did theater and I acted my entire life up until when I moved here and started having the girls. I just did acting. Like that was it.
And then I would do decorating on the side. And then I don’t know, I just was like, my God, you guys are going to dinner at 5:00 on the weekdays. You’re hanging out together. It just blew my mind. They had a steady income. What is that?? (both laugh)
That was weird. So then I was like, I could give that a try. And then I saw the ad on Craigslist when we were just kind of toying with the idea of moving out here because we were so over the city, and just kind of felt meant to be. So I just went with it.
Melissa: That’s awesome. I love seeing that whenever I have the anniversary posts and stuff with The RTA Store. I’m like, I love seeing five plus years because even three years and up is not easily found in today’s day.
Christina: It is so cool. And I just watched so many people in my family just struggle to do the arts and to find a way to be, and to see that it was an opportunity to do design and to be creative and that was the forefront of it, my prime thing because I feel like I’m perpetually Liz Lemon.
I’m like why did I major in theater? Why did my parents let me do that? What happened? and it’s cool because they gave me this I feel like a whole different being 9 years later, and I’m now looking at getting back into acting and performing and I feel like this whole different person and The RTA Store here for all of it.
It really is like a family coming home when you go to work. I feel like a relief when I’m at work, I’m like okay I’m just doing my thing just like my usual.
Melissa: Yeah. You feel that connection because The RTA Store does support. So this question is always fun. But what is it about cabinetry that you love?
Christina: I love storage. I love how it completes a space. I mean, when you have anything that’s really basic cabinetry and talking shelves or doors, you’re kind of like setting up your space. You’re creating a focal point and you’re starting a space.
So, I just love the intention behind it because that was my core thing in designing is your things, like your personal stuff, how you’re creating your own individuality in a space. So, that’s where it starts, shelves, what’s behind them, the storage… I also love a set of doors. I should have bought more for myself. But I’m like a sucker for just open shelves with kids. It’s so easy.
Melissa: That’s funny because it’s something that we’re seeing with the open shelving. There are so many mixed opinions! Some people absolutely love it and other people are like, too many shelves. All your stuff is going to get dusty and dirty and it always has to look exactly exquisitely clean. Same thing with glass doors on cabinets. So, it is a very big piece of contention for everybody online.
Christina: I know, but then they also have to think, right because you’re thinking of it from which side of it. I love the concept of the open shelves because I think it displays the personality I have and I can show you, I legit have all of my kids stuff on display and then I just get cheap acrylic containers. They’re all interchangeable and I think it can add some charm.
I also am trying to redo my kitchen and I am going to have glass cabinets or shelves. I want to display all my Disney mugs! (both laugh)
Melissa: I love the glass cabinets!
Christina: I am obsessed with Disney mugs and I get one every time I go on a trip or for any holiday. That’s really like what my husband will give me because he is a very smart man and so he knows where my niche is, and so I just want to display them all.
Melissa: I’m super organized at work, not at home, but one of the reasons why is because I don’t have money to spend on all these different organization solutions. I would love to but can’t.
Christina: I don’t think it’s practical when kids are little because it’s all fluid.
Melissa: It’s too much.
Christina: I see people like renovating their place and stuff with little kids and I’m always like you should wait until this is permanent because it’s not worth it.
Melissa: You’re going to change it 20 times within the course of two years.
Christina: They’re going to break it. (both laugh) They’re going to color on it.
Melissa: My God, the coloring, yes! (laughs)
Christina: It’s the same way I feel about activities with kids with things around your house. I do not invest too much money because I think that it puts way too much pressure on me and then inadvertently on the kid. I’m never going to take them on a $300 dinner outing cuz I would be so high strung if they hated it. I’d be like, you better enjoy this. And they would be like, oh no I have to enjoy this. And it’s the same stuff at home.
If I buy holiday decorations, it’s usually from the Target $5 spot because it gives them the opportunity if they break it, it’s not like a scorched earth situation.
I tell everybody I feel so crazy because I feel like I’m in such a minority sometimes… I love my job.
Melissa: That’s why I shop at Old Navy because Old Navy I genuinely love the quality. I love the styles and the different characters and stuff that they have for kids. Yhey genuinely have cute stuff, but also $5 t-shirts.
Christina: You knew they had it right with the flip-flops.
Melissa: Yes!!
Christina: My God, the dollar flip-flops when we were growing up.
Melissa: I literally had duffel bags full of flip-flops. (both laugh)
Christina: This is it. It was the thing to do, to go get the dollar flip-flops.
Melissa: And the American flag bathing suits! (laughs) Yeah, it’s great. So, I mean, there’s probably a lot of different answers for this for you, but what is your favorite part about working at The RTA Store specifically? Pick just one, Christina. (both laugh)
Christina: My favorite part would be just getting to be creative every day. I get to do something creative every single day, how many people get to say that? You know what I mean? It blows my mind consistently.
Melissa: No, not a lot. Especially because I feel like, and this is something that I see all the time with social, we’ll post images and obviously everyone has different opinions. But you’ll get opinions where it’s like, why would you put this here and that there, etc. And at the end of the day, you’re going to be doing a design that works for your client, not what you think should be done in that room. That’s the whole thing that a lot of people don’t realize when it comes to design work. When you’re trying to make this dream for what the client is envisioning. You’re bringing it to life for them and you’re going to give your expertise on what will and won’t work, but it’s hard to explain… do they have the reins and you’re guiding them, or do you hold the reins and they’re just asking you where to go?
Christina: I would say that they hold the reins and I’m definitely guiding them. I always try to think from the outside perspective of who I’m designing for. And I think that that is just something I’m really blessed to be able to do from working in film and television, just the stuff that I did happen to be in a lot of genres from working on The Dark Knight to doing Playboy Bunny and doing The Exorcist. These are all such different aesthetics. And so then in going and studying my major really a lot of doing my minor was kind of working in the background of the other productions that the BFAs actors were performing in, and still learning conceptually how to execute something in a wide array of aesthetics, different time periods, different points of view, different concepts for shows.
And so I just happened to do that for such a long period of time that it’s really natural for me, just a second nature to kind of see that they’re going for a certain aesthetic and be able to help them to achieve it, versus it ever defaulting into something that’s more in my preference. So I think that I’m really lucky that I can kind of help to guide them to achieve exactly what they want. More so than kind of being at the forefront of it.
Melissa: No, that makes a lot of sense. And I mean, I feel like that’s something that is important in the designer-client relationship, to be able to know that your designer is going to be trying to help bring your vision to life versus doing what they think would look nice in the room.
There’s a lot more that goes into design than just, this color doesn’t match that color. Especially when it comes to cabinetry, it’s a puzzle at the same time because you have different cabinets that have to fit on different walls and you might need fillers. You might not have room for fillers or there’s too much of a gap here. So that filler should really become one of those pull out fillers so that you can at least utilize the space, and then you have the blind corners that I had no idea what that was until recently. So it’s not just simple.
Christina: There are these subtle nuances to having cabinets that are in the more modern style. And that was a lot of what I learned cuz when I started, my primary experience was in AutoCAD and then just doing kind of on design work versus working in 2020. So that was my big curve when I started here, learning that and learning Windows versus like Apple stuff. And so that was a huge transition for me, learning the subtle things and there you have to kind of be educated in the construction of them in that way. And so that’s where it is beneficial to have the designer help you because it is a little bit more than that kind of the overall aesthetic of it and how to get the space to look good but also how does it become functional.
Melissa: Yes. Yeah.
Christina: Yes.
Melissa: Cuz that’s a big thing too, especially when it comes to kitchen stuff. The cabinets need to function the way that customer needs, and everybody functions differently in a kitchen. But that’s why it’s always the most important room for cabinets.
Christina: I have done so many things and sometimes I still think, why did I do that? (lauhgs) And then for other people they loved it. I have had so many clients in the last year that wanted to increase their countertop height, and they’re putting their cabinets on platforms and increasing the overall height so it aligns taller to them when they’re at the working space, and I am 5 foot tall. Every time I design it for them it blows my mind. I’m like how are they increasing this? I can barely reach my countertop. I go the opposite, right? But for some people, they’re just like, I need this.
And they’ll have these grand ceilings and all this extended stuff and the opposite way where they want increased countertop space, and everyone’s kind of I think in an increasing trend where they’re customizing it really specifically to themselves rather than keeping it generalized. And same alignments, same kind of general colors in thinking about resales and future sales down the I think more people are thinking, this is probably my permanent house. How am I designing it? I think that’s really a big thing that’s changing right now, too.
Melissa: I would agree. So this question actually might be fun for you. I’ve gotten different answers from this and some really fun ones. If you had a nonobvious choice of cabinets in any room, so a hidden speakeasy or I know the hidden pantries are big right now, a toe-kick drawer in your bathroom, any non-obvious cabinet. What would you do?
My girls are the heart of our home. My daughters are the center of all of it. They make my whole world go around for sure. I do everything around them.
Christina: Mine would probably be a hidden kind of like Murphy situation in a library. My dream would be to be able to have a hidden entrance, and I have a small scale that I gave to my little ones because I have a split level so our staircase overlaps, and when we moved in the people that were here they had it be like a coat rack and behind it there were a couple shelves.
I ripped it all out and then I paneled underneath the whole stairwell and gave them kind of their own little Alice in Wonderland thing. So if you go behind all the coats you see it’s hidden and it goes all the way underneath. And so I gave them their own little kind of sensory space there. And I would just do my own grown version of it, where behind it you’d be able to get into a whole library, just a built-in area to draw or play music or something. It would be so cool.
Melissa: I love that. A lot of the hidden stuff is in and it’s cool. It also lends to less clutter depending on the space because there’s one less room that is all out in the open.
Christina: Yes! I have every intention to one day have this whole hidden little dark academia kind of space. It’s going to be like Belle’s library. ivory, but very moody.
Melissa: Please do it! I’m all for the moody stuff. I love the dark colors. I did a dark burgundy bathroom once and everyone thought I was crazy because it was a small room, but I adored it.
Christina: I love a burgundy. And I love a dark green. (both laugh) I’m really waiting for a taupe though. And I think for two years I’m like the girl who cried taupe (laughs) because we don’t have anything that has a purple hue in the depth of its tone. We have all the grays pulling blues, grays pulling greens. We got them all. Where’s the purple?
Melissa: And when it comes to neutrals, I’m a gray person. versus white or brown. I’m not a fan of the neutral browns all over the place. You walk into a room and everything’s beige. And I’m like, no, I’d rather it be gray walls, but I agree, I like the gray that has the purple undertones. That’s my favorite kind of gray versus like the green undertones or the blue.
Christina: Yes!
Melissa: Ok desert island food of choice.
Christina: Okay, so this is really hard for me because I love food so much. I just love specifically eating. Do I love to cook?No, I’m terrible at it. (both laugh) I just love to eat the food. I would have to say probably Chinese food. I’d have to get Chinese food like egg foo young or egg rolls. But I can’t imagine my life without pasta. So I don’t know. It’s hard to imagine not eating pasta.
Scratch all of that. I would eat just fettuccini, me on my desert island with my fettuccini.
Melissa: I am also a big pasta fan. And it’s not even one particular dish.
Christina: I just love it.
Melissa: I love all different pasta. My comfort food, if my stomach hurts, no, I want a spicy tomato sauce. That’s my comfort food. (laughs)
Christina: I just can’t help it. Pasta and potatoes.
Melissa: My God, potatoes. There are so many different ways to make potatoes, too. I love potatoes so much in every form. I say that all the time whenever people bring up potatoes.
Christina: Yeah. Mhm.
Melissa: I’m like, you can’t there’s no type of potato I dislike. So, yes.
Christina: Yeah. That’s how I feel about potatoes. Love them anytime.
Melissa: Yes, I agree with you. And if you could live anywhere in the world, anywhere, where would it be?
Christina: Probably fantasy land at Disney World for real.
Melissa: You said you’re a huge Disney fan…
Christina: I love Disney and all things with the fantasy of it all. And we’ll go over to Disney. We usually go once a year. Now that it’s gotten so expensive, we probably won’t be able to go next year, but we went this year. And we just always have just the best time, and my girls are beyond happy there. You can see that they’re part of all the magic of it, so I’m just such a sucker for it. So I’ll take them there hands down. I love that.
Melissa: I love that answer. It’ll probably merge in with our last question now.
Christina: My girls are the heart of our home. My daughters are the center of all of it. They make my whole world go around for sure. I do everything around them.
Melissa: It kind of can’t be any other way. When you get married, your spouse becomes your whole world because you two are now a unit, right? I’m Greek Orthodox and so we have a pre-Cana type of version but it’s a one-day course and it’s with a licensed marriage therapist who also brings in a religious aspect to it. But it literally teaches you that when you become married you are one unit now, the two of you aren’t separate people. You are one and how you need to go into everything in life.
Because it’s the same kind of thing like when you have kids, you two still need to be your own unit versus the kids and it helps to keep the marriage strong and it helps to create the parental unit versus the kids etc. So when you get married your spouse becomes your world… but then once you have kids, they become the family world for both of you.
Christina: It’s so true. They become the center of everything.
Melissa: It truly has been such a pleasure Christina, it always is!
Christina: With you too! We’ll talk soon!
