Since 1958, Goodwill Industries has been in the business of changing lives in Austin through the power of work, and in the fall of last year, it took a new approach when it launched Brand U (be unique, be creative, brand you), a shopping campaign that awarded a lucky Goodwill patron a complete personal shopping spree with a professional designer, along with a complete hair and make-up transformation. For the winners, few of whom ever dreamed of the luxury to dote on themselves, the promotion gave the opportunity to brand their own unique styles at a nominal cost, giving them the personal confidence to open doors in all areas of life.

This year, Goodwill Industries, which will be celebrating 50 years of service in Central Texas, teamed up with Your Address Magazine and Interior Designer, Rubi Kaur, to take it a step further with Brand U – Home Edition, which aimed to improve lives by improving a living space with the use of furniture and accessories from Goodwill, Rubi’s design expertise, and some fabulous final touches from local sponsors.

“When I was first approached about this project, I knew instantly that it was something I wanted to do,” said Rubi, principle designer of Interior Motives. “I love the city of Austin. It’s been really good to me, and I wanted to do something to give back to my fellow Austinites.”

After meeting this year’s winner, John Rodriguez, Rubi was eager to start the design process. The home was “rife with potential,” with a lovely stone fireplace and an eclectic mix of furnishings and accessories. The bold pallet of the interior walls encouraged Rubi to make a few bold choices of her own, knowing that John wasn’t afraid to make a statement to express his personality.

The first step was repainting the walls – the easiest way, according to Rubi, to transform a room and your attitude. The eye-catching striped accent wall in the living area exemplifies the “splash of fun”Rubi wanted to incorporate into the home.

“John had such a true Austin personality and spirit, and I wanted the room to reflect that. This led me to begin with a wall that mimicked bead board. We painted it a neutral gold (to complement the cool and inviting Mediterranean blues we chose for the adjacent walls) and added four colors in strips of varying thickness to create an effect that really popped.”

A few trips to Goodwill resulted in some amazing finds that made the room come together. Rubi’s favorite piece, a microfiber chair and ottoman, served as the perfect accent to the contemporary blue sofa selected to anchor the room.

“It was actually a lot of fun shopping at Goodwill, and I was amazed at what I found! Of course, I usually work with new goods, and I was excited to work ‘out of the box’ on a project like this that inspires creativity.”

Thanks to the generosity of local retailers who were inspired by the Brand U goal, we were able to make dramatic home improvements from the ground up. Rich hardwood flooring in the living room, gorgeous ceramic tiles in the kitchen, granite countertops, and a state-of-the-art range turned a humble home makeover project into a jaw-dropping before and after that one very lucky homeowner will enjoy for years to come.

Meet the Designer: Rubinder Kaur
Rubi Kaur is the owner and lead designer of Interior Motives, an Austin based interior design firm. Rubi received her bachelor’s degree from the University of Texas at San Antonio, where she triple majored in Business, Finance and Interior Design. As the lead designer for Interior Motives, Rubi has worked on several commercial and residential properties, including apartment complexes and model homes in both Austin and San Antonio, bringing out the best each property has to offer. Rubi’s work on residential homes in Austin focuses on highlighting the unique character of each home and homeowner to express their true individuality. Designing is Rubi’s passion and she is constantly looking for inspiration from Austin’s unique mix of people, cultures and architecture.