Guten Tag, I’m Julia.

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