The Decorating & Staging Academy

I gained so much, including certifications, from courses with the Decorating and Staging Academy. I loved that there are both online and in person options for taking courses- I did a bit of each. I would highly recommend in-person classes with Sandra. She was an awesome and attentive teacher who not only shared her knowledge and expertise about staging and decorating, but also about starting and running a business. I feel that I have the knowledge and the tools necessary to get started on my staging and decorating journey, thanks to Sandra and the DSA!

Sandra was an outstanding educator. She had great slides and stories to further explain the decorating process. I really enjoyed the class!

This class gave me all the tools I needed to start my business, from the loaded iPad to the “elevator speech”, no stone was left unturned. The hands on “jobs” were the best! Nothing like actually moving everything out of a room to start with a blank canvas. The class was interactive, thorough and professional. The instructor was patient, encouraging and full of personal stories and examples that she openly shared. I left class excited and prepared to begin this new chapter of my life.

I highly recommend The Decorating & Staging Academy. I took Interior Redesign and Decorating class. Sandra Racz and Carol Bass are very professional and they way they teach is very clear, understandable and even fun. The support they offer is amazing. I took the online class, from the comfort of my home and all the knowledge I have now blows my mind. I have Bookcase Specialists class that I need to finish and more classes to take with The Decorating and Staging Academy. Sandra, Carol and The Decorating and Staging Academy thank you very much for all your support.

An amazing experience. My teacher Connie taught me so much. Her professionalism, knowledge and her years of decorating experience allowed me to fully grasp the materials and concepts. I can’t wait to take another class. Connie is a wonderful teacher and a lovely person too!

I had the privilege of training with Carol Bass in Nashville several years ago. It was a wonderful experience offering quite a bit of knowledge in a short period of time. I am now a trainer myself with the DSA and am honored to be part of this group of professionals. The DSA offers classes in all corners of the country, so there is certainly one near anyone interested. Well worth the time and investment.

I had the privilege of having Sandra Racz as my instructor for my DSA courses. She was very enthusiastic and knowledgeable with her many years of being in the business, so could easily relate real situations that she encountered along with the course material, making it very relateable. There was a great deal of material we had to cover, as well as the hands on experience applying the course material to a real home, but while moving quickly and efficiently, I left the week feeling that I had learned SO much and excited to apply all I had learned to starting my own business! I highly recommend taking the class from Sandra!

Good morning Carol, Sheila and I want to thank you so much for an incredible week . It is obvious that your rich knowledge of design concepts, colors and patterns is only exceeded by your passion to share what you know with your DSA students. My sister and I find ourselves fully equipped to create a business out of the education taught in the academy. The opportunity we had to work "hands on” in real homes was invaluable. You encouraged us with your wit and wisdom making the week of intense information overload, a doable task if we apply ourselves to the principles learned and stay focused on our personal goals and talents that brought us to the class. Thank you Carol for not only being our teacher but becoming our mentor and friend. Sheryl Ramey class of Oct 2016

Kris is a great teacher! She does a wonderful job at giving you hands on experience! She is patient and lets you try all sorts of options and helps you process what you are trying outloud. Her class is a great way to build confidence and gain experience!

In November of 2015 I received training/certification from Sandra Racz with The DSA for Decorating, Home Staging and Redesign. Sandra was well prepared each day for the classroom teaching sessions with a wealth of knowledge and information that was clearly and concisely presented. She was also most patient with the litany of questions that followed each session from others in the classroom who are new to the business, but also those of us who have established businesses and have been at it for several years. In addition, her hands-on work was exceptional. (We actually staged one home and redesigned another during the course of the week.) She was the perfect combination of teacher, instructor and guide, being careful not to do the work for us so that it was truly a learning experience. What I learned from working under Sandra for a week has given me powerful tools to take my business to the next level. In addition, she is truly delightful! I highly recommend her and The DSA.

I really enjoyed my experience taking the certifications through the Decorating and Staging Academy. I thought the course was well thought out and prepared. I learned new things about the industry that I did not know before. Great insight and knowledge was provided, as well as great recommendations for products, apps, websites and other resources to use in my future business endeavors.

The Decorating and Staging Academy’s annual Deco-Zone, held during Atlanta’s AmericasMart in July, has become a not-to-be-missed annual event. Here’s why: ➢Education and Learning from top-notch industry leaders ➢Relevant workshops that enhance and enlighten ➢The DSA Trainers & Guest Speakers are: interesting, fun, funny, creative, on-trend, inspiring, motivating. ➢Their Seminars enhance our skills and add value and insight that fine-tunes and refreshes the services we offer. ➢We leave feeling more empowered ➢Networking: The DecoZone gives us this wonderful opportunity to: oNetwork with each other face-to-face oReunite with ‘old’ friends / make new friendships oBuild new connections, share ideas/interests. oEstablish a very important support system (esp for the Solopreneur Stager/Decorator) ➢Shopping AmericasMart: We learned as we shopped; the trends, styles, colors, manufacturers, and wholesalers. I’m very fortunate (and proud) to be DSA-trained and mentored. I am in awe of their endless energy and the innovative educational opportunities they create that keep us learning, growing, interested, and connected in this wonderful industry. The "DSA" - an acronym for 'Dedicated to the Success of All' … because they are. Thanks for all you do to help us succeed. : ) Allie Milus BLOOM That ROOM! Home Staging