Hanging on the wall in Thérèse Clemens' home is a patchwork quilt with threads going back several generations. It is one of her most treasured possessions. The leftover fabric scraps from her grandmother's dress-making were pieced together by her Aunt Julie, and later completed by Thérèse. Each panel of fabric tells a piece of her family's story, and she knows them all.
The domestic arts have always been an important part of Thérèse's life. She learned to sew as a young girl, and later majored in costume design in college. Now her creative skills are used to do what she loves to do most -- make her home a place of beauty and tranquility for her husband, Hunter, and their three children.
A Common Thread
With the warmth of her Savannah, Georgia upbringing, celebrating home and the lost art of hospitality is woven deeply into Thérèse. The youngest of a close-knit Irish-Catholic family, she grew up in an atmosphere where family mattered most. All her life she's been a gracious and creative homemaker.
When she married her friend and childhood sweetheart, two common threads came together that have defined the Clemens family and its desire to help others. Though Hunter's family roots are different, his service-oriented upbringing was the same. He worked his way up from hotel desk clerk to the top of the hospitality industry, and shares his wife's passion for connecting with people.
The Clemens have called the Washington, D.C. community home since 1994. And though you will find no shred of Georgia in their speech, it is entwined in their love of gentility, sincerity and kindness.
The Pattern Emerges
When Thérèse's elderly mother became ill, it was natural for her to take her into her home. For six years she was a full-time caregiver. Thérèse would not trade those final years for anything in the world. Taking care of Grandma was a blessing to her entire family, and a lesson in love and service.
It was during this time that a new thread was emerging in the design of her life. Once interested in architecture, Thérèse found that she excelled in the process of converting her home to accommodate her mother's physical needs. Modifying the house without destroying the integrity of the structure was a challenge that gave her great satisfaction. Designing the space to meet the architect's standards, keeping the project to a tight, four-month schedule invigorated her. While making myriads of decisions and overseeing the construction progress, Thérèse realized the value the renovation added to the property, inspiring her to consider a new career path. Pulling together her natural sense hospitality, love of homemaking, family and artistic expression, the new path became clear.
Putting Pieces Together
Today Thérèse brings a rare combination of talents and natural leanings to her career as a real estate agent. She finds it easy to connect with her clients, to pull together the pieces for them that will give them the happy home she has always treasured. Hunter, a part-time agent, brings his decades of sales and service experience in the hotel industry to the clients Thérèse and he serve. Their approach is unique in the bustling and sometimes impersonal metropolitan mindset.
"You don't have to be harsh or pushy to be an effective agent," Thérèse says confidently. "You just have to be tenacious and consistent. One thing I've learned from sewing is that patience, attention to detail and care are important parts of putting any project together."
As a real estate agent, Thérèse Clemens loves helping people line up each stitch in their family's plan. If you're buying or selling a home, call Thérèse today!