"When COVID hit, like so many people, I found myself reevaluating everything. I’d always had a passion for making spaces beautiful — friends would often ask for decorating advice, and I couldn’t walk into a room without mentally rearranging the furniture!” Amy Storlie begins.

 

While everyone else was binging Netflix, Amy was getting her online certifications and taking interior design classes. That dedication during lockdown turned out to be the start of something special in June 2020.

 

Today, Amy is the proud owner of Storlie Design and Staging, a boutique home staging and interior design company. Based in Morgan Hill, Amy’s thriving business helps homeowners and REALTORS® turn properties into jaw-dropping showpieces — from vacant homes that need soul to lived-in spaces that need polish.

 

With a degree in nutrition from San Jose State, Amy launched into hospital work before pivoting into healthcare foodservice sales with Sysco. But when motherhood and the 9-to-5 grind collided, Amy found herself chasing flexibility. That spark turned into Super Suppers, a meal-prepping business she launched with her sister-in-law.

 

"We were way ahead of our time with the meal-prep trend," she laughs.

 

Though the business was eventually sold during the economic downturn in 2009, that entrepreneurial seed never stopped growing. Amy spent the next 14 years teaching part-time nutrition classes at her children's charter school while supporting her husband’s demanding police schedule.

 

But her thoughts often returned to scratching the design itch when the timing was right. And when the world hit pause during the pandemic in 2020, Amy finally hit play.

 

"Teaching online during COVID gave me a bit of flexibility, and I decided it was finally time to do something for me," she recalls.   

 

Amy’s service area spans a 30-mile radius north and south of her warehouse in Morgan Hill. She’s also an HSR Certified Home Stager and Redesigner, accredited through the Real Estate Staging Association (RESA).

 

Her design motto is simple: "I want people to love where they live," she emphasizes. “I want to spark that emotion to support their lifestyle and lift their spirits.”

 

Amy also doesn’t do cookie-cutter staging. Each project is designed from scratch for full customization, something that truly sets her business apart from other designers.

 

"We visit each space, take plenty of photos, and then go back to our warehouse to individually curate every single piece in every room. There is no one-size-fits-all approach with us," she notes proudly.

 

And Amy is the first to acknowledge she doesn’t do it alone either. Her right-hand woman? Assistant Cristy Gieg, a longtime friend, fellow mom, and co-creative force.

 

"Cristy and I met when our kids were in preschool. She has been by my side since day one. She grounds me, brings amazing ideas, and makes even the longest staging days fun," Amy acknowledges.

 

And with plenty of muscle courtesy of a trusted moving crew, Amy credits her wonderful team as a strong contributor to her business’s rapid success.

 

Amy's edge goes beyond just good taste. Her background in sales, business ownership, and teaching all contribute to Storlie Design and Staging’s continued growth. And in a tight real estate market, that competitive edge of a well-curated space matters.

 

Her hard work and keen eye for details continues to pay off: In 2025, she earned a Q1 Leaderboard spot in RESA’s “Sold Over List Price Club,” coming in as the #2 Overall Top Performer and held 4 out of the top 10 listings nationwide.

 

She was also nominated for RESA’s “Most Influential People in Staging” — and locally, she’s been voted South Valley REALTORS®  Association’s “Home of the Week” on eight separate occasions.

 

“Those ‘Home of the Week’ nods actually meant the most to me,” Amy remarks. “These are my neighbors, the REALTORS® I work with and the parents of the kids I used to teach. Being recognized by my people means everything.”

 

A San Jose native, Amy and her husband, Craig, have been together since high school. They met in 1991, married in 1998, and recently entered a new chapter. Craig just retired after 27 years with the San Jose Police Department and is now thriving in a second career at Google.

 

The couple have also raised three wonderful children: Cameron, 23, who works in recruiting in Boise; twins Kyle and Kendall, 21, a welder and a college student in Boise, respectively.

 

"We used to vacation with the RV and the boat in between the kids’ sports,” Amy recalls. “These days, we’re entering a new season with more travel, more cooking, and more time together."

 

Her favorite ritual is hitting The Morgan Hill farmers market on Saturday’s with her husband.

 

"Craig’s an amazing cook,” she shares. “We walk the stalls, talk to vendors, run into friends, and plan our meals. It’s my favorite way to stay connected."

 

As a self-described foodie, Amy also has a few local gems she swears by: "Downtown Morgan Hill is always hopping! Craft Roots is all vegan, but you don’t even miss the meat — it’s that good and they have great cocktails, too. And The Running Shop and Hops has over 80 beers on tap.”

 

As for what’s next? Amy sees plenty of growth opportunities ahead.

 

“I want to keep evolving, offering new services, mentoring others, and staying inspired. But at the end of the day, my biggest goal is to keep loving what I do — and keep doing it well,” she smiles.

 

Personally, she and Craig dream of that “coffee on the porch” life someday with a large yard for future grandchildren to play. But she’s not slowing down anytime soon.

 

“To me, success means waking up excited about what I get to do, not drained by it,” Amy concludes. “It means having the freedom to choose the projects I’m passionate about, while still having time to be present for the people I love.”