Team TDeez Badass Creations

TDeez Badass Creations is a company located just outside of Havre de Grace, MD and formed in April 2020 when the owners, Tom and Heather Deno, lost their jobs due to Covid19 pandemic.  In order to survive financially, they sold live edge wood slabs as well as located items that were free/cheap to flip into cool home decor. After a few months they decided to take the leap and turn it into a full tine business that now includes a 3,000 square foot retail/workshop space and 4 employees! Their mantra is repurpose/restore/recycle and create custom one-of-a-kind home furnishings that are hand crafted, sustainable and well-designed based on customer ideas/needs.  The shop also provides a DIY element where customers can purchase high quality woodworking & epoxy supplies, hardware, upcycled project pieces, as well as over 1,000 slabs of wood/32 species that can be turned into one of a kind custom project. 

Our team includes:

Tom Deno, former project manager for Boston Barricade and now business owner, shop foreman, buyer of wood/supplies, and lead mischief maker! Tom grew up on a farm in northwest Indiana (that has been in his family for over 100 years) and now lives in Perryman, MD.

Heather Deno, former lawyer/business consultant and marketing/sales specialist to national non-profits with an undergrad degree in Fine Art. She is our Business and Operating Manager, design consultant, buyer/creator of items for the retail shop and the glue that keeps the shop together (and attempts to keep Tom under control lol!)

Heather grew up 2 miles from Tom in Northwest Indiana also working on farms and now lives with Tom with their dog Copper and cat Tod.

Rhonda Rivera, retired business owner who was one of the first customers of TDeez Badass Creations and came out of retirement to work at the business starting as retail associate and now promoted to workshop assistant focusing on epoxy projects. Rhonda is originally from New Jersey and now lives outside of Churchville MD.

Chris Spence, former associate for ShopRite and frequent customer of DIY supplies from our shop who became our very first employee in 2021! Chris is our lead workshop associate, Tom's right-hand person and overall jokester of the shop. Chris is a lifelong resident of Havre de Grace MD.

Geri Wilfong is a paralegal for a local law firm who bought so many home furnishings from our shop that her husband made her get a part-time job with us as Customer Associate, merchandiser and basically keeps our shop looking pretty! Geri lives in Middle River/Essex area.

As a team, we are excited to be able to give back to the community showcasing what we do best.

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.