Ellen Mann is the owner and principal Calgary Home Stager at Chrysalis Creative Home Staging. After many years working as a Behavior Change Management professional in Calgary’s oil patch, Ellen made a move to full-time home staging and Chrysalis Creative Home Staging was born.
“When I met my husband we both had houses, but we wanted to find a home together. In less than 8 weeks, I staged my home which sold in 8 days for the highest price in the neighborhood, and staged his home which was gone in 10 days for the highest price ever on his street. The realtor asked me why I wasn’t doing this for a living, to which I flippantly replied “Because I have a real job.”…. that was in 2013. The major oil company I worked for decided to do restructuring in 2014 and I was laid off along with several hundred of my coworkers, and all of a sudden I had to figure out what I was going to do… and here I am.
Ellen has spent the last 5 years transforming properties through staging and showcasing. She understands how to bring out the best in a property without sacrificing each property’s unique character. In addition to owning and managing rental properties in South Calgary, she has renovated two of her own homes, doing much of the work herself, from removing carpet, putting in a heated floor system, changing out bathroom fixtures, and refinishing floors to painting and design. Ellen is a Certified Canadian Staging Professional and is an active member of the Real Estate Staging Association.
“RESA is one of the biggest reasons my business has succeeded. I have found true support, camaraderie, and mentorship, and I have been able to offer all of those things to those coming up behind me. I would not be where I am without the association and the amazing people who give so much. I have belonged to 3 different associations, and RESA is where I found my place. The leadership is amazing, and RESACON changed my business and my life.”
Learn more about Ellen:
I am…
a wife, a mother, and a stepmother. I love what I do, but family is my priority always.
My motto is…
Be the kind of person who straightens another person’s crown, without telling the world it was crooked.
If you could only keep five possessions, what would they be?
My dad’s engineering ring which I wear on my thumb, my mom’s crystal because it reminds me of amazing conversations around our dinner table both with my parents but also with my husband and our kids. My wedding band because it’s a daily reminder of how lucky I am to be married to my partner. Comfortable shoes and a great pair of jeans!
My personal aesthetic is…
I love simple, clean lines and light neutral tones. I want my designs to look effortless. I want the house to shine through the staging.
I love staging because…
it isn’t the same day after day. We never know what we’re going to walk into. I have met some of the most wonderful people through my job. My clients often become the people who champion staging after their properties sell. Many have become dear friends! After working in a business where technology comes first and people second, it’s refreshing to work at a job where people come first.
In the next 5 years…
I hope to travel more. Travel is always inspiring to me in terms of design aesthetic.
My go-to staging accessory is…
Custom art. I love to do a unique piece when a property warrants it.
Would you rather stage an occupied listing or vacant?
Vacant all the way for me. I love the fresh canvas of a vacant home, especially if the floor plan isn’t cookie cutter. Finding a use for every space, and being able to convey the personality of a vacant property is just so much fun to me.
What do you think about when you are alone in your car?
If I’m driving to a consultation or stage I’m often running through what I’m going to do that day. If I’m driving home I think about what I could have done better…. but lots of times I lose myself in music. If you pull up beside me you might see me singing all alone.
My morning ritual is…
I get up early, go for a brisk walk and do a Spanish lesson before getting on with my day. At least half the year I’m up before the sun.
Right now I am obsessed with…
Black and white graphic art, and textural layers to textiles and accessories.
When I am not working I enjoy…
Painting and photography, and spending time with my family. People may need a venn diagram to navigate it but it works for us.
Who is your role model and why?
I have a few, but I would say, my parents. Both lived through the depression and made a wonderful life together. My dad was pulled out of school at 12 and still managed to skip two grades and maintain straight A’s doing correspondence school. He joined the airforce during WWII at 17, and when he came home, went on to get his degree. He was in leadership positions with several oil companies during my life, and when he was the Vice President at one of them he took his lunch at the reception desk every day covering for the receptionist. He felt that hour was incredibly valuable because he got to talk directly to the clients who were calling in or visiting. He never treated anyone with disrespect.
What does a perfect day look like to you?
A perfect day for me is to wake up in a new country, eager to get out and explore. To have a quiet cup of coffee before my family is up, and to anticipate the adventure of getting to know a new place and to taste a new culture.
You can find out more about Ellen and her company by visiting her website https://chrysaliscreativehomestaging.com/
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