Biography

Elisabeth was raised in an unabashedly “artsy” home. Her father, James Trissel (1930-1999), was a professor of fine art and art history at Colorado College for 35 years as well as an internationally acclaimed printer who founded The Press at Colorado College. He is widely recognized for the excellence of his handmade books and broadsides, featured in rare book rooms and libraries around the world, including the New York Public Library, The Library of Congress and the Newberry Library in Chicago, IL. Jim had works commissioned by The New Yorker Magazine and the Arts for Nature Trust as a 75th birthday gift for Prince Phillip, Duke of Edinburgh.  Her mother, Deborah Trissel (1934 - ), is a retired stage actress, vocalist and teacher. She continues to demonstrate daily the importance of doing what you love and living with integrity - two things Elisabeth strives to accomplish every day.

Elisabeth fell in love with the art of design and construction at a very early age - only she didn’t really know it. When she was 5 or 6, her best friend across the street had a small, dilapidated playhouse in the back yard she felt compelled to try to rehabilitate with found rocks, bricks and mud from neighboring yards. Her obsession with tidying and beautifying spaces continued on the attic clubhouse in her girlfriend Julie’s garage when they were in the 5th grade. This space served as home of the PTS’s (Pre-Teen Sensations for anyone who didn’t read Judy Bloom). Many an afternoon was spent sprucing up, rearranging furniture, and plastering walls with various items and goo to provide the perfect homage to David Cassidy (or whomever was the heart throb of the month.)

So, while all the signs pointed toward a career in the field of art and design, it still took Elisabeth several years of laboring in the corporate world and dallying on the side to finally follow her bliss. After 10 years as a Project/Program Manager for hi tech companies such as Sun Microsystems and Qwest Communications, she took the plunge and started DBE (Designs by Elisabeth) and Fauxlicious. Beginning in 1998, with the purchase of a 100 yr. old home, Elisabeth began to study and learn about implementing renovations and design techniques in her home. After some success, she started to get requests from friends for help with their projects and what began as a hobby soon became a passion and with some prodding (in the form of a layoff) a vocation. Over the last several years, Elisabeth has had the pleasure of working on a number of commercial and residential projects including Paris Nails, Arvilla Skin Care and Spa, and homes in Lowry, Stapleton, Cherry Hills Village, Castle Pines Village, Bow Mar, Lafayette, Ken Caryl and Denver to name a few. Elisabeth served as the President (2006 & 2007) of the local chapter of SALI (www.SALI.org) - Decorative Artists of Colorado - and is currently the Vice President of this non-profit organization committed to the promotion and preservation of the art of decorative painting.

Elisabeth has studied decorative painting techniques and Italian plaster application under industry leaders such as: Gary Lord (author and owner of Prismatic Studios), Helen Morris (author and owner of The Stencil Library), Marty Wiesenhahn, Sheri Hoeger (The Mad Stencilist), Nancy Jones, Cynthia Davis (creator of Wallovers), and Elias Benalloun with Oikos Italian Plasters. She has taken classes in Denver, Chicago, and San Francisco. and has plans to take additional courses in North Carolina and Miami this year. It is her philosophy that a good artist is constantly learning and expanding her portfolio.

Additionally, Elisabeth spent time working as a closet designer for a well-known organizational company and received extensive training in space planning and design. Combined with her years of experience in project management (organizing lots of little things into one big cohesive thing) and her eye for design, Elisabeth has a real knack for helping her clients de-clutter, streamline and beautify their spaces.

So, whether you are trying to beautify your home with a unique wall finish, make your office or garage into a comfortable and useful space, or trying to sell your home and need a little help de-personalizing and simplifying so the house can show itself off, Elisabeth has the key.