Today we’d like to introduce you to Ron + Candace Schmidt.
Ron + Candace, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
attic+earth Home started from our love for DIY projects, antiquing, building, repurposing, and interior styling. After buying our first home in 2006, we renovated and styled it ourselves, filling the space with antique and vintage finds alongside custom furniture we designed and built by hand. We enjoyed creating spaces we loved to come home to and eventually started to help family and friends with their home projects. Their encouragement and support gave us the confidence to turn our passion into a business, and we are incredibly grateful for it.
We officially launched attic+earth Home in 2013, beginning with building custom furniture for clients. That work eventually grew into a full service home remodeling and renovation business. In 2014, we purchased and transformed a neglected single family home into what is now our “little white barn,” home to our workshop and curated collection of antique and vintage furniture, decor, and architectural salvage. While the barn is typically open by appointment, in recent years we have also begun hosting Open Barn Weekends, welcoming customers to shop our collection in person.
From the very beginning, we have poured our hearts into the business, building lasting relationships with clients who often become friends. We are very proud to serve the greater Pittsburgh region and surrounding areas, and referrals and repeat business remain one of the most rewarding parts of what we do. Today, we tackle every project with the same care we would give our own home, and continue to follow our motto: leave it better than you found it.
Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
When we first started the business, we were both working full-time jobs and raising our family. Balancing careers, family life, and a growing business took a lot of time, energy, and sacrifice, but those early years shaped our work ethic and resilience in a big way.
As the business grew, so did the opportunities and the challenges. More orders and projects were exciting and overwhelming at the same time, and we had to learn and adapt quickly. There were plenty of moments of uncertainty, and there still are, but we’ve always chosen to keep moving forward. We feel the benefits of building something that is completely ours far outweighs the challenges and risks.
The decision to both step fully into the business definitely did not happen overnight and was honestly quite scary, but we knew it needed our full commitment to grow into what we believed it could be. Taking that leap certainly strengthened our confidence in the dream we are building together.
Appreciate you sharing that. What should we know about attic+earth Home?
We are a small, family owned business and are involved in every aspect of our business. We focus on quality work, excellent communication, and doing things the right way. A large part of what we do is renovation and remodeling, where we partner with homeowners on projects ranging from small repairs to full remodels. When needed, we will offer design guidance to help our clients make good decisions to ensure their space functions well for them. We also offer a curated collection of antique and vintage furniture, decor, and architectural salvage. Customers can shop our collection online at our website or visit our barn near Pittsburgh by appointment. We recommend following us on FB and IG as we share our newest arrivals weekly.
We believe what sets us apart is our willingness to do what others will not, along with our strong attention to detail, which carries through both the renovation and retail sides of our business. We approach every renovation as if we were working on our own home, making sure each project receives the care, attention, and craftsmanship it deserves. We also source our antique, vintage, and salvaged pieces from across the country so we can offer our customers a curated collection of truly unique finds.
We are incredibly proud of the trust we have built with our clients and customers, and of a business that genuinely reflects who we are. At the heart of everything we do is a commitment to excellent work, timeless pieces, and building something we are proud to put our name on.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
Some of our most valuable guidance has come from family and friends who run their own businesses, as well as from other small business owners, contractors, and vendors we have connected with over the years.
Our biggest advice is to ask plenty of questions and never be afraid to admit what you are unsure of or do not yet understand. So much of what we have learned has come from everyday conversations with people we interact with regularly.
What has worked best for us is simply showing up consistently, supporting other small businesses both in person and through social media, and taking the time to build genuine relationships. All of these experiences have helped shape us into the business owners we are today.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://atticandearth.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/atticandearthhome/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/atticandearthhome#
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/atticandearthhome/attic%2Bearth-home/
