Fishtrap Creek Interiors

Many view the approaching new year as an opportunity for a fresh start. Whether it’s setting fitness goals or changing up your living space, the winter is a great time to hit the reset button.

If you’re looking to make some improvements around your house, head to Fishtrap Creek Interiors in Lynden, where owner and head designer Shelley Versteeg-Smit brings more than 30 years of experience into her top-notch retail space. From small projects to HGTV -worthy renovations, Fishtrap Creek Interiors does it all. Clients can peruse hundreds of hardwood, carpet, countertop, and lighting samples to create their perfect space.

Versteeg-Smit opened her business in November of 2006, after working in a variety of capacities within the design industry. “I also had another retail store that sold. That was lovely, but this is just part of the package,” Versteeg-Smit says of starting her own store that caters to a wider variety of clients.

“It just evolved that I wanted to do more with lighting and the full design package, and I wanted to work with builders and contractors and residential clients and do-it-yourselfers, and everybody. I just had a vision for a different type of store.”

As Versteeg-Smit was getting ready to start her own business, things started to fall into place. She lives in Lynden with her grandkids, and when the building on Kok Road became available, she jumped on it. “This building came up for sale and I thought it looked like a fishing lodge, and I thought, ‘I can do something with it.’ I got it [as] a shell—it was empty. I stole the name! We had to take out waterfront rights from the creek.”

Several events are on the horizon for Fishtrap Creek Interiors. Versteeg-Smit says she’s considering hosting color seminars, as color is the basis for the entire business concept. “I’m passionate about color and so that’s something we always start with when we put homes together…I love [color]. I have 50 colors that I’m passionately in love with at any given time.”

Whether you’re a renter or a buyer, the store offers merchandise and guidance to help you personalize your space. For renters, who may not be allowed to make permanent, drastic changes, Fishtrap Creek offers flooring and easy-to-remove wallpaper options that go on top of existing materials.

If you’re ready to build your own home or freshen up your existing one, Versteeg-Smit is excited to help. “I feel good because I like to see [a customer’s] taste and bring that out. Sometimes they can’t tell me what they like until we put it together…It’s just an amazing experience. I think that’s called passion in what you do. I love having that passion.”

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