This month we are celebrating VENESHE, Lori Blomstrom of Easton PA
Since 1984, Lori has been remodeling, restoring and refurbishing buildings and homes in the Lehigh Valley, with projects as diverse as a sporting goods store in downtown Bethlehem, an Allentown beauty salon, a circa 1700 stone cottage, and a vacation home at Hawk Mountain. In 1988, she and her father established a small construction company where they installed bathrooms and kitchens, finished basements, and built decks and additions. A few years later, she left the family business to work at the local utility company, and for 15 years worked in various capacities including an emergency service dispatch, nuclear plant maintenance, and systems operation, while picking up occasional painting and light construction side projects. Anticipating an immanent corporate downsizing, she established ShePaints,Etc in 1996, and immediately discovered a demand for female-run contracting services. There seemed to be no shortage of customers interested in painting and wallpapering services, as well as a ready supply of other professional women who enjoyed working on ShePaints,Etc projects with Lori. Although she was able to maintain her employment at the utility company, the satisfaction of running her own business that drew upon her practical trade skills and aesthetic talents was immensely rewarding, as was the delight in satisfying her customers as their homes and businesses were transformed.
A trip to Italy in 2002 was a defining moment, in which the textures and palette of the Tuscan countryside ignited Lori’s interest and enthusiasm for Italian artistry and design. “I fell in love with the old world, European aesthetic which was both rustic and refined,” she recounts. “I was especially drawn to construction and design in which you could really see, touch and feel the work of individual craftsmen, combining artistry with their physical labor, and this resonated with my own experience. This was a medium that could allow me to express my creativity and artistry along with my practical skills. Having a background in construction trades would give me the freedom to focus on the artistry of color, texture and design.” She adds, “When I built an addition to my farmhouse a few years later, I began experimenting with plaster finishes, and my research led me back to Italy and the authentic Venetian plasters I recalled from the places I’d been.”
Lori’s research into authentic Italian decorative stuccos led her to the School of Italian Plasters in Atlanta, where she trained in 2005, and then to the Safra manufacturing plant in Villa Franca, Italy, where she obtained her certification. She returned from Italy with a passion for plaster that could not be contained, and established Veneshe as a division of ShePaintsEtc., to focus on bringing these finishes and techniques to her clients. She also made the momentous decision to leave her corporate job, and focus full time on running her own businesses.
Clients that may have started out requesting paint or wallpaper often choose Italian plaster when they view her samples and experience the infectious enthusiasm and knowledge Lori conveys. Being able to offer clients bid packages that include both painting and surface preparation along with custom plaster finishes offers several advantages, as well as the peace of mind knowing that twenty years of experience is guiding all phases of the project.
“When I began applying Italian stuccos, a whole new world opened up for me personally and professionally, where artistry, client services and hands-on application brought a new level of inspiration and energy to my work," says Lori. "Veneshe is not just my Italian Plaster business; it is my passion, and working with my clients to create places of beauty and self expression, my vocation."
VENESHE, Lori Blomstrom of Easton PA
City Listing: Easton (PA)
Cell: 484-894-5048
Phone: 610-253-3539
Email:lori@veneshe.com
Website: www.veneshe.com
