"I'm ready for my close-up, Mr. DeMille…"


So maybe they’re inanimate object, but for Align™ work stations and #19™ seating, both from Allsteel, it’s still 15 minutes of fame. Last Sunday (January 29, 2006, 8:00-9:00 p.m. ET) featured the television debut of both products in ABC’s reality show, “Extreme Makeover: Home Edition” (EMHE), hosted by Ty Pennington.

For another makeover story that hit the airwaves, see “Exchanging Wacky Washrooms” from the TFM archives.

“Last fall, Allsteel worked with the show’s design teams to provide contemporary, comfortable seating at the EMHE makeover project at the Los Angeles Free Clinic. The entire design team was really impressed with our products,” said Julie Zielinski, vice president of marketing for Allsteel. “When ‘Extreme Makeover: Home Edition’ contacted us to assist with the larger, DeAeth home makeover, we were more than willing to help.”

Why was an office furniture manufacturer contacted for a home makeover project? Because the DeAeths aren’t your average family in need of a remodel. In fact, animal lovers Dale and Melanie DeAeth run an animal rescue organization out of their home.

The True Blue Animal Rescue organization, which provides a safe haven to horses, dogs, and other animals that need loving care, is the first place Texas law enforcement officials call when they find abused and neglected animals. Since the DeAeths started the organization, they have taken in more than 90 dogs and 40 horses – many of which are now living in adopted homes. But they still had 30 dogs and 15 horses on their property and several cats that are in temporary foster homes. Between vet costs and nutrition, the DeAeth family was in need of a rescue themselves.

In addition to running the True Blue Animal Rescue, Dale and Melanie have full-time jobs. Between rescuing, nurturing, and adopting out animals, raising three children, and working outside of the home, the DeAeth’s own home was neglected. Its foundation had shifted, the walls were cracked throughout, and termites had invaded. In addition, the family desperately needed a home office in which to run its animal rescue organization.

Enter the EMHE design team and Allsteel. “Ty chose the home office as his ‘secret project’ and had his production team contact Allsteel to provide assistance in its layout and design,” said Kary Minehart, manager of Allsteel’s Dallas Resource Center. “They reviewed our Web site and selected our new Align work stations as well as #19 chairs for the office.”

But Pennington didn’t want a standard office design – he requested special order fabrics and custom materials for his secret project. Normally, special orders take weeks to manufacture, but Allsteel was able to fulfill Pennington’s request in just four days. “Everyone in our organization – from the Dallas Resource Center to our manufacturing facility in Muscatine, Iowa – was inspired by the DeAeth family story and we were willing to do whatever it took to make sure they had a beautiful office to come home to,” explained Zielinski.

Within days of the first EMHE call, Allsteel had the requested product packed on a company truck and on its way to Washington, Texas. Once it arrived, an Allsteel team assisted with the install. The result? A home office unlike any other.

The Align work stations, manufactured in just four days, were created with translucent Pantone color-matched materials to coordinate with the colors in the True Blue Animal Rescue logo, which Pennington had painted on the floor of the home office. Both Melanie and Dale have separate work stations, each with their own #19 chair.

“We were really pleased with the way the office turned out, and couldn’t wait for Melanie and Dale to see it,” said Zielinski. “The project was a true team effort – one which every Allsteel member can be proud.”