GO WHERE THE WORK HAPPENS

 

Find a scene. Reach out to like-minded creatives. Get involved. Give what you can, ask questions, be humble, listen, and learn. This approach led me to Cassie Fitzke of CF Decorating. Someone whose work I’d admired from a distance and wanted to understand up close.

A modern open concept office space with white walls, large windows, and minimalist furniture arranged throughout.

I first met Cassie midway through staging a 5,000 sq ft home in Medina, MN. I’d been following her work online for a while and knew we covered the same ground. I reached out, and we lined up a day to shoot.

Professional headshot of someone wearing a brown zip-up jacket, with a warm smile and long brown hair against a light background.

CASSIE FITZKE

is an industry veteran. Equal parts home stager, interior designer, leader, problem-solver, furniture buyer, warehouse manager, mover, shaker, and thinker. She wears every hat it takes to get the job done. She’s in high demand around the Twin Cities, and for good reason: she sets up homes to sell, and they move.


Modern kitchen counter with black faucet, ceramic canisters, and subway tile backsplash against dark granite countertop.
A sequence showing someone reaching and moving across a white kitchen counter with subway tile backsplash.

Some rooms have a singular focus: bedrooms, bathrooms, offices. Others share an identity: living rooms blending into kitchens and dining spaces. Cassie’s experience shows in how she marries these areas together, building an environment that feels warm, intentional, and aspirational. She creates rooms that want to be lived in.

Person in brown sweater writes on a large whiteboard in sequence of connected images showing progressive writing motion.
Modern bedroom interior with exposed wooden beams, circular chandelier, and neutral color scheme featuring white bedding.

I wanted to see the process unfold, so I showed up halfway through staging day. The moving trucks had come and gone, and Cassie’s team was piecing the puzzle together. By the time I arrived, the bedrooms, bathrooms, and office were photo-ready. I got to work.


It was a chance to watch someone with real, refined craft do their thing. Even though it was our first time working together, it felt natural and collaborative.

Modern farmhouse bedroom features a circular black chandelier, white bedding, and exposed wooden beams.

She set the scene, and I photographed it. There’s something beautiful about that: two creative practices colliding, elevating each other’s work. Like Kobe breaking through the defense and dropping a pass to Shaq in the paint. Different approaches, shared vision, clean finish.

A modern black freestanding bathtub sits beneath large windows overlooking an autumn landscape with a small wooden stool nearby.
A modern home office features dark built-in cabinets, wooden shelving, and white decor accents against a gray wall.

VISUALLY NICE

A series celebrating the creative minds behind Architecture + Design in the Twin Cities. It’s my way to connect with people who give a damn about what they do, share their craft, practice mine, and learn something along the way.

Modern white bedroom interior with wood beam ceiling, pendant light, and large windows offering natural light.
Modern abstract landscape artwork in gray and copper tones displayed above white ceramic vases on a console table.
Hands demonstrate how to cut leeks by slicing lengthwise and removing the green parts in a kitchen setting.
A series of four connected photos showing a person stretching and exercising on a physical therapy table.
A group of people standing together wearing casual sweaters and jeans in an indoor setting.
A modern home office features dark built-in cabinets, wooden shelving, and white decor accents against a gray wall.
A series of photos showing someone stretching and reaching upward while standing in a room with window blinds.
Modern dining room table with orange flowers in white vase and circular pendant lights hanging above.
Modern bedroom interior with white bedding, coral throw blanket, and large windows offering natural light.
Modern dining room features gray upholstered chairs around a sleek table with pendant lighting and large windows.