Does your attic really want to be a bedroom?
All My Life, I've Imagined Spaces
As a kid in the woods, I built homes for critters out of whatever materials I could find, painted watercolor cities for mice and bunnies, and designed a dollhouse so thought-through it had a rooftop deck. As a teen, I rearranged our apartment's furniture endlessly until every room hit its potential. To this day, I walk through invented houses in my dreams, discovering new rooms.
I spent most of my career as a Creative in advertising — which means I'm also good at figuring out what people actually want, whether that's a client or their client's client. (Designing a short-term rental is its own game: it's not about your taste, it's about what's trending.)
I've designed and led substantial remodels of two older homes — one in Marin, CA, and one here in Central Vermont. This year I took it further, turning a property into a luxury short-term rental that's earned five-star reviews across the board, with guests calling it "the nicest place we've ever stayed."
Vermont has a housing shortage — and a lot of people sitting on space they could put to better use. Let's find yours.
What I offer: ideation, feasibility, design, logistics, project management, and moral support from start to finish. I'm not licensed for plumbing, electrical, or carpentry, and I can't advise on your town's short-term rental regulations — but I work hand-in-hand with trusted contractors throughout every consultation and build, so you get expert execution alongside the vision.
— Julia Thiel, Founder & Head Design Consultant, Untapped Spaces LLC
Past Projects
I envisioned and meticulously designed each of these projects, sourced the materials, and oversaw execution.
Modernizing 90’s bathrooms
Transforming basic older bathrooms into spa-like experiences with luxury finishes and ideal use of available space for more varied use cases.
Maximizing outdoor living
Modernizing a deck for durability and optimizing for the best view, as well as adding a 3-season bug-proof porch to extend time spent outside in 4-season climate.
Turning two decks into outside living spaces by maximizing the available space and optimizing for comfort, privacy, and connection to nature.
Bringing the inside out
Attic Conversion
Tapping into the incredible potential of a large, dark, unfinished attic above a two-car garage. First it became a gym, now it’s a bedroom / office.
Transforming a utilitarian bathroom into a veritable spa
This bathroom was gutted entirely and completely reimagined to utilize every inch of it for maximum comfort and beauty.
Recognizing the full potential of a dining room with a view by opening up the walls as much as possible, to give more of a feeling of sitting outside.
Bringing the outside in
From dirt hill to lush garden
This steep, hillside yard went from an almost inaccessible, slippery, and dry dirt hill, to a lush paradise via installation of a stairway and native landscaping.
Converting a bedroom into a 5-Star short-term rental
In a walkable town, providing a serene sleeping space with a mini-kitchen and en-suite bath was all it took to get this place fully booked on AirBnb.
Turning a home into a 5-Star luxury vacation rental
Starting with its very first guests, this place has been collecting only 5-star reviews. The space has been designed for ultimate relaxation.
Creating Sensory Enrichment Spaces for Dogs
As a Certified Sensory Enrichment Coach, I also design spaces for dogs to have a good time sniffing and exploring.
Ready to Tap & Sap?
Fill out the form, hit send, and we’ll start translating your wish list into actionable plans together.