Featured photo: Anelio Conti and Jessica Land Conti
Written by Tanya Terry
Jessica Conti, 40, of Sterling Heights; an administrator for an elementary school, is one of the many Americans who found themselves working remotely as a result of the pandemic. Because of this, Conti also found herself with more free time than she had previously because there was not a commute to or from work. In addition, she was able to spend lunchtimes working on home projects.
“Spending so much time in the walls of my home made me kind of reevaluate what I wanted to do with my house and gave me all these ideas for projects to do,” Conti said.
Conti has four bedrooms in her home and moved them all. She switched the guest room and her daughter’s bedroom. She swapped the playroom out for her room.
“I just kind of switched all of the bedrooms around and it actually made more sense for us,” she said. “I painted them all. I gave them all a different theme…I also painted my dining room. I redid my sunroom. I just kind of had all these projects I wanted to do or rooms that I just always had in my mind…I brushed up one of my bathrooms. I just kind of went room by room and made it what I wanted.”
In addition, Conti remodeled her kitchen and family room.
Conti’s favorite room was formerly a playroom full of toys her daughter no longer plays with. The room was “purged” and made into Conti’s “she shed.”
“It’s full of all the things I’ve gathered through my traveling and crafts-and it’s like my walk-in closet and it’s just like ‘my area.’ I of course love it!”
Since Conti’s 9-year-old daughter has grown up a bit, she let her daughter design her own space. Her daughter was able to go to Home Depot and pick out the colors, furniture and lighting fixtures. According to Conti, her daughter loves having “her own place” and doing the project together was “fun.”
“Having months at home kind of kicked me into gear. I’m usually a busybody. I don’t usually sit at home ever. So, I think that was the hardest part of the pandemic to me. Usually every day after work I have an activity. All weekend I’m traveling somewhere, going somewhere, doing something, experiencing something; and I love my little girl to have that.”
So, naturally, Conti wanted to accomplish what she could while “stuck” at home. Since when she moved into her house five years ago and the house was very dated, she has had a list for five years of projects she’s wanted to do.
Also, Conti is normally a frequent traveler. She tends to bring unusual objects home and hadn’t been doing anything with the objects. She took her “COVID-19 downtime” as an opportunity to decorate her rooms around these beautiful and precious objects. This helps her remember trips she has taken.
“I also really wanted a colorful room. My home before was kind of bland. I’ve really been using a lot of color. I love it! It makes me feel like I’m living in my own little art gallery instead of just this neutral space. For me, I want my home to be a reflection of where I’ve been, what I do and who I am.”
Conti’s 92-year-old father-in-law, Anelio Conti, has lived with her for years, but in the last year has moved into a retirement community a mile from her house. An immigrant from Italy and former Ford factory worker; he became the writer of two published books upon retirement: “The Lonesome Cobbler” and the “Chestnut Groves.” Conti has not been able to see him since the pandemic started. She sees him every day through a window. Sadly, he contracted COVID-19 right before Christmas and has been hospitalized since December.
Decorating has been a distraction from having a family member that’s been very much affected by COVID, seeing her kids unable to interact with other kids, navigating working at home by herself & home schooling and seeing the politics going on in the world most of all. She moves her furniture around once a month and likes to turn on music sometimes, watch podcasts or read books. According to Conti, this has all absolutely prevented her from going stir-crazy.
“I am never done with something. Once I’m done, I have a new idea…My aunt is probably by biggest fan because we have very similar tastes. We love art and learning about other cultures. She’s like my mom…There are many people I have connected with a little more because of the pandemic.”
Conti will continue her projects, but move outside to her yard and garden although she recently returned to the office and the students will be back in class, and she is readjusting to “normal life.” For those who continue to be at home, she advises they make sure they find something fun because they may never be asked to stay home this long again.
