Hi, I’m Nettie.
I am the founder and principal interior decorator behind Four56 Decorating. Your home should work for you, not the other way around. Our approach is practical, creative, and collaborative. We love helping clients discover how small changes — a new layout, a few curated edits, or a fresh perspective on what you already own — can completely transform the way a space feels and functions. Design doesn’t have to be overwhelming or expensive. It just has to feel like you.
My journey as a decorator began at the home of my grandparents, Tibey and Sam. 456 College Avenue was a place filled with beauty, culture, and organization. As world travelers, business owners, and educators, their home was a reflection of their life’s work, a place of wonder, a museum of worldly treasures, and a place to gather with friends and family, shaping my lifelong love for design, creativity, and human connection.
From a pink gingham bedroom makeover inspired by Seventeen Magazine in my teens to designing storefront displays in my parents’ clothing store, The Gene Shop, I was hooked on transforming spaces early. That passion led me to become Head of Visual Display for a large national retailer, where I learned the power of storytelling through design.
Later, in the corporate world, I focused on developing people and teams, however my love for decorating never faded. I’ve styled and organized countless homes for friends, family, and myself (having lived in 16 houses across 12 cities!). I truly understand the power of creating spaces that are both functional and deeply personal.
Today, Four56 Decorating brings together everything I’ve learned — creativity, organization, education, and connection — to help clients decorate their home reflecting who they are and how they live. What began as a passion project is now a transformative home experience for new friends across New England and beyond.
Four56 is
a memory
a philosophy
a sequence
a story.
For us, Four56 is a symbol of life’s little providences.
First, it was an address.
456 College Avenue was home to our Founder Nettie’s grandparents—a space where hard work, passion, and serenity came together in visual harmony.
Their example was a key influence throughout Nettie’s life and career—from a pink gingham-adorned bedroom, to appealing displays at family-owned retail stores, to an executive role in merchandising.
Then, it was the little things: the time on a clock, the page number in a book, the total at a coffee shop.
The numbers 456 manifested throughout Nettie’s journey as serendipitous reminders of integrity, adventure, service, gratitude, and family during times of change and uncertainty.
Now, Four56 Decorating is a culmination of those experiences, inspirations, memories, connections, and feelings, all wrapped in the functionality, beauty, and individuality of your home décor.
