Business Spotlight: West Edmonton’s Bella Casa makes beautifying homes its business
- An assortment of teapots and prints are displayed near the entrance of Bella Casa. Photograph by Chelsey Smith
By Chelsey Smith
Business: Bella Casa
Owner: Karen Visser
Fun fact: The in colours right now are citron and aubergine. Grey-blues to make a comeback.
Quotable: “Everything imaginable and more.” –Karen Visser
Background
Bella Casa is located on 9646 142 St. in Crestwood Centre. Before she started Bella Casa in 2007, Karen Visser owned Expression Interior Decor where she specialized in textiles and upholstery.
She expanded the space and brought in home décor, bedding, bath, and kitchen products and renamed the business Bella Casa, which translates to beautiful home. Visser has a background in business and marketing, and interior design.
(Bella Casa was recommended to West Edmonton Local by Rod Matheson, president of the Crestwood Community League. Matheson said the high-end design and décor shop is unique and a popular place in the plaza.)
Story
CRESTWOOD – This family business offers design expertise, unique home décor, and the tools and services needed to make a house a home. Correction; to make a house a beautiful and elegant home.
Karen Visser staffs Bella Casa with six employees, including her daughter, Elysia Kent. Kent will graduate this year from the University of Alberta human ecology program with a major in textiles and minor in interior decorating. Kent says the experience her mother has given her has positively affected her education.
“It’s good that I’ve grown up with it and seen how it works,” Kent said. “That’s been a huge help in me learning school-wise.”
Kent says that she enjoys all aspects of the job, including the opportunity to work closely with customers.
On profitability and location, Visser is confident Bella Casa answers a demand in Edmonton, saying the store is very well received and supported by the community.
“I felt there was a niche in the market,” Visser said about her expansion.
- Mother and owner Karen Visser and daughter and budding designer Elysia Kent stand proudly in the Bella Casa’s Design Store Tuesday, Feb. 15, 2011. Photograph by Chelsey Smith.
Special orders and unique products are what set Bella Casa apart from other home or kitchen stores, they said. Visser is constantly striving to order in exclusive materials and merchandise for individual clients.
Cal Bursey, who recently discovered Bella Casa, says he likes to help out friends with decorating and painting.
“(Bella Casa) always has a great assortment of fabric and it’s always very current,” he said.
“The service is always good.”
In addition to good service, the store focuses on the design process and the creation of a room.
“From the floor up, we can put the look together,” Visser says.
What’s next
The women are confident Bella Casa will continue to evolve and grow. Visser and Kent are excited to expand the design centre and to bring in more products. Kent looks forward to graduating and building her own client base.