Team DCG Designs and Friends

Meet Dora and her amazing team. Dora is the founder of DCG Designs & Co. A small local Harford County business that focuses on restoring and upcycling existing furniture into something new but keeping some of its original charm. From a furniture piece that is outdated into something modern or restoring a family heirloom by giving it the love it needs to remain in future generations.  

Where did all this start? A complex but yet simple answer. It all started with the love of art, creativity and lots of support. Often finding myself spending my weekends or any free time on transforming home goods or furniture into something new for my home. Often being asked, where did you get that from? And I having to explain myself that it was something I already owned or thrifted and saw some potential in changing it. It was all a hobby! But man, does life push you to expose your skills!?

I have lots of loved ones who inspired and pushed me to see it as something more than a hobby. A loving daughter & husband who kept up with the craziness, the messes and never once questioned me.

A special friend who always took the time to listen to my crazy ideas, always asking what I was up to and in some ways pushing me to my limits to try things out of my comfort zone. A friend who I am honored to have her as part of this team. Meet Tiffany Tsay! I met Tiffany in 2018, when she came to work where I worked at that time. We worked closely for four years. Throughout those years along came the other two members of this team. Abby Smith and Lee Brandeau. Abby, Tiffany and I worked together for a couple of years, then Lee came along and thankfully took my position when it became available once I resigned. We all clicked and cherished each other instantly.

With the support of my little family, in 2022 I decided to purse DCG Designs as something more than a hobby.  Tiffany, Lee, Abby & I have kept in touch with each other even after not working alongside anymore.

We got together for dinner around Christmas time last year and I decided to mentioned to them that I had been invited to participate in this competition and  Fundraising event but that I was going to pass up participating because somehow I had talked myself out of it. But here they came again!

Because of them volunteering themselves to be part of the team despite their busy lives and pushing me to sign up, that is the actual reason we are here together working as a team again.

If there’s something that this hobby has to teach me, it’s that community plays a big role.  I feel that the least I can do it’s to give back to the community by participating in this competition and to try to fundraise as much as possible to give to those in need.

Fresh Start Furnishings is hosting a furniture and décor upcycling competition, inspired by the HGTV show Flea Market Flip. Teams will compete in multiple categories, and the items created in the competition will be featured in our live and silent auctions at our 1st Annual Tapas and Treasures Signature event on Friday, April 26, 2024, at Mountain Branch Golf Club.

To learn more about the competition, click the button!

Your donations help Fresh Start Furnishings provide a dignified and respectful "shopping" experience for program participants at our furniture showroom located in Aberdeen, MD. Clients who are approved for program assistance are scheduled for a confidential, one-on-one appointment and receive personalized and compassionate service from our volunteer showroom attendants.  Fundraising also helps us offer donation pickup and delivery services, a quick and easy application and approval process, and supports our outreach efforts to reach more people in need.

Fresh Start Furnishings is a 501(c)3 nonprofit organization in Maryland.  We provide furniture and home goods to families and individuals that financially qualify for our program.  Our current focus area is Harford County, Maryland but are happy to give referrals to resources in other counties when possible.  We are currently the only organized furniture and home goods resource in Harford and Cecil counties.

Formerly Found in Faith Ministries, Fresh Start Furnishings was established in 2016 when three dedicated women from three local churches convened to address a pressing community need that each of them had been serving independently. While several organizations in Harford County were helping underserved individuals find shelter and housing, there was a noticeable gap in assisting these families in furnishing their homes and transforming them into safe and comfortable living spaces. Since that time, the Fresh Start Furniture Program has provided essential furnishings to over 1,368 families, delivering goods valued at over $267,317. Our program takes great pride in diverting these items from an otherwise destined landfill, demonstrating our commitment to sustainability.  The program regularly serves a diverse population of people including seniors, people with disabilities, those in recovery, domestic violence survivors, single parents, and more.  

Join us April 26th, 2024, to help Fresh Start Furnishings increase the number of people we serve in our growing community.  In addition to helping transform empty houses into homes, you will have the opportunity to bid on my team's newly transformed piece of furniture.