![\"caroline-von-litnel\"](\"https:\/\/media.arizonafoothillsmagazine.com\/in-house\/wp-content\/uploads\/2009\/12\/25092823\/caroline-von-litnel-80x114.jpg\" "\\"caroline-von-litnel\\"")
<\/p>\nIt\u2019s a widespread belief that the holidays are a time to give back to those less fortunate, and local interior and furniture designer, Caroline von Lintel, is doing just that and more. Rather than just giving back during the winter months, however, von Lintel has taken on a project that will continue give to back for years to come. Already having renovated a Mesa-based shelter, von Lintel is currently in the process of refurbishing and renovating the Northwest Kansas Domestic & Sexual Violence Services\u2019 Shelter House facility in Hays, KS for families and abuse victims in need.<\/p>\n
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While some folks dream of installing expensive wine cellars or large-scale movie theaters in their homes, others simply wish for clean water, a working kitchen and a safe place to sleep each night. That\u2019s where nationally acclaimed interior and furniture designer Caroline von Lintel\u2014whose business, dv8 Design, is based in Carefree\u2014comes in. Through her Save The Family program partnership and with the help of 100 volunteers, von Lintel has lead the Northwest Kansas Domestic and Sexual Violence Services Shelter House to an almost 50 percent remodeling completion this holiday season.<\/p>\n
Local businesses and volunteers have worked for more than 2,000 hours in transforming the shelter, which serves victims of domestic and\/or sexual violence in 18 counties in Northwest Kansas and houses 15 families at any given time. Now, the NKDSVS will celebrate the holidays with a brand new kitchen, career center and children\u2019s art center. Prior to von Lintel\u2019s assistance, the NKDSVS struggled to pay for plumbing and electrical maintenance. Now, they are able to make repairs and pay for these essentials, as well as enhance the living quarters with attractive design elements. The scheduled completion for the project is early 2010, and a variety of finishing touches such as new windows, flooring, new painted walls, a built-in media center and a new landscaped background featuring a new barbecue, picnic tables and a children\u2019s play area will all be included in the final product.<\/p>\n
In addition to providing a comfortable place for families to live and heal, von Lintel has also been quite resourceful in her remodeling, using recycled materials and maximizing cost whenever the opportunity presents itself. \u201cI\u2019ve been saving leftover paint from other clients for years. I even have an extra storage unit for items I may need someday to help others,\u201d von Lintel says.<\/p>\n
This Kansas-based shelter will be the fourth \u201cSave The Family\u201d project that von Lintel has helped to raise money and volunteer her time for. Most recently, von Lintel helped to refurbish the Valley\u2019s Family Crisis Center in Mesa. \u201cCaroline is an innovative woman who was able to blend our needs for functionality with the desire to create a warm and inviting space for our clients to heal and rebuild their self-esteem,\u201d says Andrea Sok, director of community relations at the Valley\u2019s Family Crisis Center.<\/p>\n