baltimore real producers magazine: february issue
Using Creative Talents to Help Others
When most people think about home staging, they visualize furniture and accessories. Kerry Whippee, founder and creative director of Shamrock Hill Design, visualizes how many ways her business can help overwhelmed sellers and their realtors.
“We’re in a unique position where we have the chance to help people get through what’s often an emotional, high-stress situation”, Kerry said. “Everything we do is for the welfare of our clients.” Kerry, who started the business in 2021, focuses on how she and her team are creating an inviting space that help buyers feel like a house is their future home. “Keeping track of the number of houses we stage is great, but the real bar set is how many hands did we hold; how many lives did we change?”
Kerry, who was born and raised in Northern Virginia and has lived in Maryland since 2009, resides in Catonsville with her husband Mike, and two children. Mike is a Project Manager at Palmer Brothers, a painting and contracting firm in Silver Spring. “Mike is my best friend. I wouldn’t be able to do this without him. He’s done everything from building the racking in the warehouse to installing flooring, and painting walls. He has supported me from day one and I’m so appreciative of all he does,” Kerry said.
Her children, Michael, age 8 and Charlotte, age 5, view the warehouse as their second home — their coloring books and videos are in the conference room and there are always snacks for them in the staff kitchen. Their giggles can often be heard in the pillow room which, they’ve discovered, is a great place to make forts. Kerry’s parents instilled many of her currents business values, especially a strong belief in the Golden Rule, “treat others how you’d like to be treated.” That focus — running a customer-centric business — has stuck with her. The design instinct kicked in early too. “At age 12, I was holding Sherwin Williams paint fans in my hands.” After college, Kerry worked retail at South Moon Under and Nordstrom designing window displays.”
When she and Mike outgrew their Arbutus home in 2020, Kerry staged it. IT sold on the first day and ignited a new fire - the power of home staging. They moved during Covid and people in their new neighborhood took turns holding outdoor get-togethers. “When it was my turn, people were complimentary about the decor, lights and pillows. I was very appreciative, but I thought they were just being nice.” After those friends hired her to decorate rooms in their homes, she realized she may be onto something. Something that could grow from a passion to a business.
In the beginning months of Shamrock Hill Design, Kerry ran the business solo, storing her limited inventory in her garage. She soon needed a 300 square foot storage unit. Now, the team works out of a 3,600 square foot warehouse and includes lead stagers, a warehouse manager, movers, an interior decorator, and a client care coordinator. “Our team is incredible and so much of what we’ve accomplished is due to them,” Kerry said. “Everyone is always willing to jump in and do the hard work to get a project complete. They make sure even the tiniest detail of a stage will impress buyers.” Something else Kerry is proud of is that she doesn’t micromanage her team. “They’re each so creative and should have the freedom to put their personal spin on projects.”
“Buying and selling a home is one of the most emotional things someone goes through in their life. We understand that stress and emotions. Empty houses produce empty feelings,” she said. Kerry and her team love to turn dull, empty spaces into beautifully inviting homes. Kerry’s fast track to success hasn’t come without challenges. Many times, she and her team had to shop last minute for stages because there wasn’t enough inventory. She continuously outgrew storage space. Managing requests and timelines also caused challenges. “I hate to say no, so learning to balance what we can do without causing burnout has been a valuable lesson,” Kerry said.
The challenges are easily overcome by the great parts. “Sellers are so inspired about the way we styled their house that they often ask us to help them style their new home,” Kerry said. “It’s not stuff. It’s what makes memories.” Kerry has also had requests from buyers to purchase the staging inventory. One client wanted to buy everything in the house and said, “my wife will divorce me if she can’t have every item. She loved it exactly how it was!” Despite all the fast sales, there are two compliments Kerry values most. The first is after staging when the sellers almost don’t want to sell their house anymore because it looks so good. The other compliment is when realtors partner with Shamrock Hill Design not only for their sellers’ houses, but for their own personal homes, too.
Kerry strongly believes in giving back to the community through Shamrock Cares, an initiative she started in 2022. In 2023 they donated to many local charities including Boys & Girls Club of Metropolitan Baltimore, Fisher House Foundation, One Love and more. Recently, she and her team cooked and served dinner for children and their families at The Children’s Home of John’s Hopkins. Giving back is one of the reasons Kerry joined Baltimore Real Producers. “I believe in what Colleen and Jill stand for and their vision, which is business based, and also focuses on charitable causes. I saw an opportunity to collaborate with like-minded people on a bigger level,” Kerry said.
As exciting as the fast growth is for Kerry, she’s not planning to sit still. She’s passionate about expanding her vision of helping the most people possible. In 2024, she’s adding new course offerings, Continuing Education classes for realtors, color consultations and more. Quality over quantity is important to her. “We’re not just a staging business. We care. I want people to feel that our creative talents are being used to help others.”