Meet Debbie Richard and Christy Taraschi of Blue Hen Arlington

Today we’d like to introduce you to Debbie Richard and Christy Taraschi .

Please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
Long before Blue Hen became a reality, we were happy to decorate and organize our own spaces well into adulthood. We are those people who rearrange furniture and paint our living rooms and bedrooms— a lot.

We came to know each other from our oldest boys. Our sons are, and have been, best friends since first grade. Christy and I would walk together in the morning and admire the old homes in their neighborhoods and share opinions of great (and not-so-great) decorating and color choices.

We soon discovered that we had separately been collecting tables, chairs, and assorted pieces of furniture that we loved but had no space in our own home to use. Christy had repainted her dining room set, and I had transformed a sideboard buffet for her kitchen. Individually we had been doing what we loved and it made sense to combine our talents to work together.

Blue Hen was officially launched in 2014. Word spread through our friends (and fellow moms) who gave us great support and projects. We accepted a variety of projects from dining room tables, to antique dry sinks, and even a set of upholstered chairs from a former convent. We learned the most by doing it ourselves and being critical of the results to always improve on a technique.

Today, we accept work on commission as well as curbside and attic finds to be refinished and sold locally at our workshop, and through third party sites like Etsy and Chairish.

It’s not really work if you enjoy it, and while that sounds corny, for us it’s wholly true. It’s an adventure to find the perfect dresser, choose the best color combination, repair the wobbly drawer, and deliver to a happy customer.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Overall, it has been a smooth road, but we are also rather fearless and cheerful, so we aren’t ones to give in or give up. We have certainly started a few projects that took longer than expected, or met some unforeseen, behind-the-veneer issue. We learn from setbacks and carry on.

We are lucky enough to have met carpenters and upholsterers who have helped us with repairs beyond our skill set, but we are always looking for a more permanent source.

Our biggest issue has been having adequate workspace. We are located in an urban, neighborhood setting which prices real estate at a premium. We long for a year-round location to store our materials, work in progress, and display our wares. You know those picturesque, antique red barns sitting atop a meadow? That’s what we dream of having, but close to home, and climate controlled.

Marketing and sales channels are also aspects of our business we fine tune and evaluate. We use social media to promote our work, especially since the before-and-after photos are so dramatic and tell our story best. Like any business, we balance it all from beginning to end.

Please tell us about Blue Hen.
Blue Hen is a women-owned business in Arlington. We refinish and repurpose all types of furniture and home accessories. Together, we are two dear friends and have a similar updated, classic-style which inspires our refinishing and painting.

In some respects, we have become furniture whisperers. We can look at a piece and know exactly how to bring it back to its underlying or reimagined beauty. We especially love to help a client who has an heirloom piece, and although they love its history, they wish it reflected their personal style. We try to honor the sentiments of our clients because we feel the same way.

There are some beautiful, solid, and well-made pieces of furniture out there that need a bit of attention and care. We bring that vision and knowledge to repair and refinish it.

If you had to go back in time and start over, would you have done anything differently?
We learn the most by doing. Our key lessons are:

1. Be fearless and creative.
2. Mistakes can be a good thing.
3. Glue, clamp, glue. Repeat.
4. Less is more: know when to stop.

Contact Info:

• Address: Arlington, MA 02476
• Website: www.bluehenarlington.com
• Phone: 781-838-2114 and 617-314-0836
• Email: debbie@bluehenarlington.com and christy@bluehenarlington.com

Image Credit:
Blue Hen

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