Chaletmomma

This month’s interview is the ever-busy multifaceted Mathew Allegretta. We met through the lovely world of Instagram.

Mathew I’m thrilled you said yes when I asked - Tell the readers a bit about yourself!

Hi I’m Mathew Allegretta I live in Madison, NJ with my pup Piper. I come from a very large and loud Italian family. We celebrate every little occasion with food and themes and laughter. My cousins are as close as siblings and Aunts like mothers. Growing up with this tight knit group makes "home" that much more important. It is a place to gather and have togetherness with the most important people. We always say how lucky we are to be so close to each other.

Mathew this is one of the loveliest description of family I’ve ever heard!

the cabinet is a favorite facebook market find

Let’s chat about your love of vintage! My love for things comes from my Grandmother. I love how she cherishes items as memories to make stories of her past come to life. The sentiment behind things doesn't have to mean clutter. That being said though...We also LOVE a good deal. Thrift shops, garage sales, and of course Marshalls, TJMaxx, and Home Goods are frequent weekend activities. When complimented on something we can't just say "Thanks" we have to include where its from and the deal we got. For Example - "I love that shirt" Reply - "$6.99 Target" HAHAHA

I find most creatives regardless if they are in the world of interiors or not designed or helped with the spaces of their youth - did you? My mother was pretty involved in my childhood bedroom which was kinda incredible looking back. 90s Sponge wall treatment in a terracotta color with a western cowboy border! I loved LOVED horses growing up so I was thrilled. Once I got into middle school/high school I would constantly rearrange and change my room. I had NO style back then. Lime Green walls were a thing for a while. Maybe we should change the subject HA!!! I feel as though I just recently found my "Style”
I was not the most popular kid growing up. I was chubby, outspoken, and beat to a very original drum. It wasn't the easiest to have a wandering creative mind so young in life but I believe those years are mostly meant to build our "now."

How long you’ve been in your home and what is your favorite space? I‘ve been in my apartment for a little over 4 years! When I first got this new place I rushed to fill it. A year later...I HATED everything. I went too fast and didn't think of the big picture. I was ready to redo and now I love this place because I found my style here. I discovered the layers that make my home mine. I met challenges for space and design head on and conquered them. I've learned more about myself in these small spaces. My favorite space in my apartment... impossible to say. All the spaces kind of flow into each other being that it's so small. If I have to say... I think it would be my landing. Its a room that all the other rooms branch off of. It feels like the heart of my apartment. And it is full of some of my favorite secondhand finds.

Can you share with the readers a bit about your design philosophy is and how it’s evolved. I think of every room like a story. I find the main idea/purpose. What am I doing in this space, what is it for. From there I find one special piece (it can be anything - a pillow, a rug, art) that will be the "narrator" for the story. From that piece I will draw color and elements that pair back. The story just evolves and evolves, most the time naturally, to become a fully bound book. Something I believe in the most is...if you love it, it will work in your room. Surround yourself with things you love. In finding those pieces...its all about time. Home takes time. A room is not bought from a catalog or a vignette at a store. Its collected. Its found. Its you.

Where did you attend school and what did you study? Please tell us about the journey to your career. I went to Rowan University for Fine Art. I studied graphic design, printmaking, and photography. I had a Minor in Advertising and spent a ton of time in the Musical Theatre/Music Department. The summer before my Senior year I had an internship with Anthropologie which completely derailed my life plans. I fell in love with working in display and design. Before graduation I was offered a full-time position creating In-Store and Window Displays for Anthro. I moved up through the company assisting in the Rockefeller Center Holiday Windows, as well as heading to their Home Office where I prototyped company wide In-Store displays. Although I loved my work...it was time to move to something different. I started working for a mom and pop Antique, vintage, and artisanal home decor store in Summit, NJ called GreatHouse (@greathousenj) where I became the visual manager of all merchandising and display. Through the store I would offer interior design services and travel to client homes giving them a full start to end experience. That was until a random Thursday morning when I got an email from the CEO and founder of Boll & Branch asking me to help them with their pop up location in the Mall at Short Hills. After some freelance work with them I was recruited to be their Visual Merchandising Manager and oversaw the visual elements of the retail stores and physical presence of the brand. After opening a few stores around the country for them I was ready for something different within the company. I am now the Sr. Prop Stylist and design, prop, and set up all of our brand photography. This new adventure encompasses all my past jobs in one fulfilling career. During this whole career journey I also started my own business of finding and selling Antique and vintage home decor.

AND on top of that during the pandemic my friend and I started our own theatre company call RoundTable Theater Co. where I am the Visual Director. Woof. That’s alot. haha!

Your shop Matt Made Market is Vintage. Antique. Unique and it’s located at The Summit Antique Center 511 Morris Ave, Summit, NJ and I’ve been there! After overbuying for my very small apartment...I needed an outlet to get rid of the wonderful things that I have fallen out of love with. BOOM! Vintage booth. I've been in the Summit Antique Center for a year and a half. Bringing people a little piece of my style in an affordable, sustainable way.

Have you seen thrifting and selling change over the last few years? I do feel that thrifting and antiquing is making a HUGE comeback. For a while you would swipe through Instagram and see the same home over and over again all brought you by the newest collection at Target. There was no originality and people lost their individual design voice.

“Home takes time. A room is not bought from a catalog or a vignette at a store. Its collected. Its found. Its you. ”

— Mathew Allegretta

The never-ending treasure hunt for unique items is becoming more and more appealing as much for setting people apart...and bringing something thumb stopping to their scrolls. For me personally...I love things...and my wallet and small apartment couldn't handle the intake. Sustainable and affordable design is so important to how I approach my style and home.

You mentioned you and a friend started a theater company. How long has singing been a passion? All the way back to Sing-A-Long-Songs I knew I loved to be in the spotlight. (On stage that is - not so much in the real world) I’m like Tinkerbell and I need applause to live. I found my biggest passion in years of theatre camps, conservatories, countless productions and musicals. Nothing brings me more joy than belting out my favorite songs. The shower and the car are my usual spots but, every once in a while I get to set foot on a stage and let it all out. I’m the Visual Director of my own theatre company RoundTable Theater Co. where I get to be involved on stage and off creating productions to share with our community.

I found this image of you with these amazing Jellyfish you created! I was blown away Mathew. These were for my sister in laws Under the Sea Theme Bridal Shower. I was trying to keep it sophisticated and whimsical. The jellyfish are made of hand dyed shear fabric that I stitched and hand coiled. The heads are paper lanterns I cut in half. The perfect shape and structure!

Jellyfish Mathew created for his sister in laws bridal shower

How has Social Media specifically IG impacted you? Let it be known..I have a love/hate relationship with Instagram. There are too many pressures that come with sharing your life. Its a choice, yes, but its vulnerable and raw too often. Too many judging eyes and harsh words. On the flip side of that... I've met and connected with so many incredible people through this app. I have friends across the world that I have more of a connection with than my neighbor down the street. And not only surface level likes and comments. I have flourishing relationships with true friends thanks to sharing a silly image of my living room - and I don't take that for granted in the slightest.

As you know Meryl I was recently hacked and had to start all over again. This was some of the most difficult and most incredible times I've had on Instagram. I worked so hard to build a community through my account and in a blink it was all gone. In starting fresh with @matt_made_home I really saw the true beautiful colors of the connections I’ve made here. Regaining more than half my followers in 3 days. The army of people in support of me and my content brought actual tears to my eyes. Making social media actually social... and that’s really special.

Any plans for 2022 you’d like to share? This year I have a bunch of projects I'm excited to finish and start a few new ones too. A home office redo, bathroom updates, TV console makeover, lots more in the que. I’ve also been house hunting. AHHHH!!! Wouldn’t that be amazing or what! But mostly I want to continue to inspire the community with secondhand and sustainable design. To share thrift trips, hauls, and tips. Building a stronger group of like minded individuals to have a safe and inspiring place to share and settle.

Thank you so much for letting me share with you and your readers. Mathew you are seriously the busiest man I know - Thank you so very much for taking the time to pop by the the Chalet!

Follow Mathew on Instagram:

Til next time friends be well!

Images: Mathew Allegretta

Friends, today I’m happy to introduce Michele Wesdock - she’s a creative who is an Interior Designer and proprietor of an on-line vintage shop Emma and Jean Studio - that soon will also be a brick and mortar. We met through the Instagram and I think you all know I’ve purchased quite a number of sweet treasures from her.

Michele welcome to the Chalet! Can you share where you live and with whom for the readers: Thanks Meryl for choosing me for your February blog! I'm thrilled to pieces! I live in Smithfield, Virginia, which is the sweetest little town and home of that delicious salty ham. My husband Brendan and I moved here when our oldest son was two years old. It's less than 20 miles from where I grew up in Hampton, VA, but it's like a world away. We had another son a year after we moved and both are now teenagers. I honestly wasn't ready for two teenage boys. As they say, they do actually eat you out of house and home :-) ! We also have another boy, our sweet rescue pup, Ethan. He came with a "people" name and it stuck! He's five now and such a snuggler. He sheds like mad, which used to drive me nuts, but now I love him too much to care.

Please tell us about your youth: I was pretty shy growing up and a HUGE reader. I still revisit my favorite books sometimes. The "Betsy" books by Maud Hart Lovelace were my favorites but I also fancied myself as Laura Ingalls Wilder. Yes, I had a prairie dress and a bonnet! These books may have been the beginnings of my love of vintage! Speaking of vintage, in Middle School I graduated to the Sweet Valley High books and had hair-band posters on my walls. Bon Jovi, specifically. Later, I moved on to floral borders and sage green and mauve floral bedding. Not my best design decision but we've all been there! My parents Nancy and Edward still live there - in my childhood home.

Where and What did you study in school: I majored in English at Christopher Newport University where I banged out lots and lots and lots of papers. I went on to run the community relations department at my local Barnes & Noble where I scheduled author events and children's storytimes and wore lots of book character costumes! After that, I worked in the children's department of the Hampton Public Library.

“Vintage Style for the Home - is my tagline and what I love to share with my customers”

— Michele Wesdock

How did your vintage shop start? I started my vintage shop about a year ago. It’s named for my maternal grandmother Jean and her mother Emma. I’m happy to honor them in this way. Covid gave me lots of time to think, and I realized that I really love scouring for vintage pieces more than anything else. Since I only have so much room in my own house (and the husband complains about hoarding - ha!) I decided to sell some pieces on Etsy. I quickly realized I wanted more control and transitioned to selling pieces on my own website. This is really where my passion lies now. You asked me to share interior design work with you and your readers, and I loved helping clients achieve wonderful spaces but at least for now I will be focusing on Emma & Jean Studio shop.

Let me ask you about your home - how long have you lived there? We've lived in our current home for 15 years. During that time, I've painted every wall at least three times and painted my kitchen cabinets twice.

Which space in your home is your favorite? My favorite room is the front living room because the rest of the guys usually hang out in other areas of the house. It literally holds all of my favorite things. There's nothing in there I don't love and so much is personal. I keep my great-grandmother's quilt in that room and my grandfather's Scout books, a small painting by my grandmother, a wooden stool handmade by a neighbor when our first son was born...It's the most special collection of "stuff" that's just loved for many reasons. There's also lots of plants and books so it's a room that I like to keep "pretty" but is also full of life and pleasing clutter.

How long have you been an Interior Designer? After I got married, we basically had a honeymoon baby and then another. It was during all that downtime (feeding, naps, etc.) that I discovered design blogs and really became interested in that world. I took some courses and started my business seven years ago.

Michele can you share a bit about your process of decorating: My process with clients is different than how I decorate my own home. The first priority is always practicalities. I'm definitely not as practical as I should be in my own house! How they use the home, where they drink their coffee, whether they have pets or small children... All of these questions are so important in helping a client be comfortable and use their home efficiently. After we establish those answers, I focus on their personal style, which is always different than mine in some way. I try to keep a balance of good design practices while giving the clients what they want. Sometimes they feel very overwhelmed so I show them different fabrics and how they work together. We'll usually pick a "main" fabric and then add in other fabrics and upholstery pieces to complete the room. I do like using clients' personal pieces if they have some special things. I always want a room to look "collected," not like it was chosen from one furniture store!

Client Work

Social Media specifically IG tell us about the impact on your brand: While I don't have influencer-level followers on my Instagram account, I do have loyal ones! Most of my shoppers have come from Instagram and it's been key in showcasing my pieces and how I style and use vintage and "found" pieces in the vignettes I create around my home. I've met some fabulous women through Instagram that have been so supportive both personally and in this vintage business journey. Especially during the isolation of the past couple years, I've really relied on social media friends in a way I hadn't before. Scrolling through my favorite feeds and seeing my virtual friends has given me a real boost when I've been frustrated with the actual media and home schooling and everything we've all experienced. And the inspiration and creativity I see in those squares always feeds my soul!

Items from the Shop

What’s on Your To Do List for the rest of 2022: I'm very excited about my plans this year! I'm prioritizing the shop in a big way by adding more antique and vintage items as well as new (not vintage) things. All of the new pieces will still have a vintage flair and will fit right into my tagline "vintage style for the home." I'm adding art prints, table decor, pillow covers and more.

I'm also preparing for a physical location in the spring which I am absolutely thrilled about! I'll be one of several vendors inside the Hamtown Mercantile but I plan to have a larger space where I can pack in all of the same types of vintage and new pieces that I sell in the online shop.

Michele thank you so much for saying yes when I asked if I could interview you! I am over the moon about your soon to be open brick and mortar - I wish I lived closer but, thank goodness for me and your other customers you’ll continue your online shop.

Speaking of which - in next weeks post I’ll share all the fabulous treasures here in the Chalet from Emma & Jean Studio! You won’t want to miss it friends!

You can follow Michele on Instagram and visit her Website.

Til next time friends be well!