About Carolina On A Dime

Hi, I'm Alyssa Williamson, founder of Carolina on a Dime.

I relocated to Columbia, SC from a small town called Aurora, OR- which happens to be the capital of Antiques on the west coast. I have always had an affinity for “pretty little things” as my Grandma Izzy used to call them and I grew up in a home that was frequently full of family and friends. I had an “Aunt for Everything”- from learning to negotiate well at a garage sale for an antique punch bowl, to fanning out the cocktail napkins just so and curating a mean charcuterie board- I have been indoctrinated into “hostess with the mostess” from the best of the best. 

Being the youngest (by far) in my family at large- I was the tag along- and I was always watching and learning. My mother was frequently asked to help friends and family with design in their homes- and being the chatterbox that I am, I made friends quickly with her painters, wallpaper hangers and Landscape designers. I have the memory of an elephant- I can recall specific paint colors and the way my mother used a “strie” technique to give my sister the “shabby chic” look that was so popular then. I remember watching endless episodes of “House Beautiful” with Bob Villa and working with my uncle in his woodshop. Another uncle and my father went into the commercial real estate business when I was a teenager- and conversations of flips, rental income and HELOC’s became the norm at our family gatherings. In my own adulthood I took these memories and lessons into renovations, home building, short term and long term rentals, air bnb’s and even an RV rental business. I became known for hosting- and the person folks called when a special occasion arose. 

Why it did not occur to me until COVID that maybe I should do this for others professionally- I truly cannot tell you. When I take the time and look back on my life- all the things that lead me here, to this place and doing these things- it just makes all the sense. It combines everything I have ever been good at- everything I have ever loved- and I believe whole heartedly that it is God’s calling on my life. I think it is because I never gave myself the space or permission to dream. Life, marriage, kids- it all happened and I was doing whatever it was I could find a job doing when I graduated college. It wasn’t until a literal shut down of the world happened where I was able to really pause and pray about what my dreams really were. 

And that’s what I hope to do for my clients. To give you the space to pause and dream- to give you the space to cherish the seasons of life as they come, and to create the space (or spaces) that will hold the memories of your friends and family- for generations to come.