But tact is what defines Raines, summoning all the charm and diplomacy she could muster from her Junior League volunteer days to guide the young woman toward a few more muted accent colors that would soften the Technicolor punch to the gut.
It's all in a day's work for Raines and her husband, Billy, who have been hosting weddings and other celebrations at the Ranson House on Old Statesville Road for a little more than four years now. They've owned the house since 2006, but its advanced state of disrepair when the Raines purchased it as both a future residence and event venue meant about 18 months of extensive repairs and upgrades.
Built by W.J. and Ellen Hunter Ranson in 1913, it was the centerpiece of a 3,200-acre dairy farm and the home in which the Ransons raised 10 children. For decades, it remained the focal point for the extended Ranson family as well as a social landmark for the town, hosting for years an annual New Year's Eve celebration that became legendary.
But by the time the 1970s rolled around, it had been converted into apartments and nearly all of the accompanying acreage had been sold. The home's modernization to divide it into apartments meant that its eight fireplaces had been sealed with either bricks or boards, the original heart pine floors got the shag carpet treatment, the beautiful original tin ceilings were missing, and, to add insult to injury, a lightening strike and ensuing fire in 2005 had caused heavy damage to a good portion of the house.
The Raines family knew they were facing an enormous restoration project to turn the Ranson House into the home and event destination of their dreams.
They also knew, venturing for the first time into the world of being small business owners, they'd be facing some challenges there as well.
"It's been harder, definitely harder, from the standpoint of the learning curve of what we're doing here," says Rehnea Raines about the reality of starting a business. More than four years into it now, she says she's comfortable with their progress, but it hasn't been easy.
"I envisioned parties every weekend and lots of weddings and being sort of Huntersville's place to have something special locally, and I feel like we're becoming that. That's very gratifying, that part of our vision is coming to be."
Raines says, however, the reality of getting to that comfort level was what they weren't prepared for.
"There are just so many other pieces that you didn't realize how hard it would be to get to this point," she says. There were several facets she hadn't considered, from having to essentially learn event planning from scratch down to the small matters of privacy that escape someone living in the same place in which they conduct their business.
"One of the first things I learned is that I can't lay around in my bathrobe," Raines says. "I have to be ready, because people do come to the door all the time."
Inconvenient, yes, but those constant visitors are telling of a small business that she says has grown bit by bit, year after year.
