Today we’d like to introduce you to Shannon LaBrie.
Hi Shannon, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I grew up on a farm in Lincoln, Nebraska, surrounded by creativity and entrepreneurship. My dad was a painter and musician, my mom was an avid quilter, and some of my favorite childhood memories are of going antiquing with her. Art, storytelling, and a love of vintage have shaped my whole life, so LaBrie Spaces feels like a natural extension of who I’ve always been.
I’ve lived in East Nashville for 18 years as a singer-songwriter. In 2020, the world and the creative industry suddenly paused. My tours were canceled, and I turned to something I’d always loved: sourcing and restoring vintage furniture. It started as a way to make ends meet, but over time it turned into more opportunity.
Our first official stage was done with a dear friend and great realtor Rebekah Bell Sampson. I will forever be thankful she trusted our vision. The concept was using only vintage pieces and original artwork from local artists, and the response was immediate. The space didn’t just show a home. It told a story, and everything in it was for sale…including the house.
That moment became the foundation of LaBrie Spaces and the origin of our signature “We Stage – You Shop” model. We turn homes into fully shopable spaces, which lets us stage with high-end design pieces and original art while giving people a whole new way to shop while allowing us to also market the home to potential homebuyers.
At its core, LaBrie Spaces is about helping people experience not just the home, but the neighborhood and the creatives who make Music City so special. I’m passionate about supporting local businesses and artists and about showing off the lasting quality and character of vintage design. Our thoughtful and unique stages result in homes that feel more inviting, more memorable, and truly set apart.
Today, LaBrie Spaces keeps evolving as a bridge between real estate, vintage design, and local art. We highlight each home’s most beautiful features while inviting people to experience and shop the space in a completely new way. This year we were nominated in the Nashville Scene’s Best of Nashville 2026, which meant the world to me.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Entrepreneurship is a road full of obstacles and challenges. For me, one of the hardest parts has been constantly doing things I’m not good at. I came from music, so payroll, taxes, and learning how to manage and grow a team were all brand new to me. There’s so much I love about running a business, but there’s also so much I didn’t know how to do. I’m learning something new every day, and often it’s something that doesn’t come naturally to me. It has taught me a lot about failing, getting back up, and trying again….a lot!
The other hard part these past few years has been riding the ebbs and flows of the economy. Staging and retail depends so much on the economy. When the Nashville market slowed down and homes started sitting longer, we felt it right away. At the same time, everything from gas to insurance to moving costs kept going up. Navigating that has pushed me to get creative and keep evolving how LaBrie Spaces serves people. Business isn’t for the faint of heart. It takes guts to stare down the storm, keep going, and keep believing in what you’re doing.
Through all of it, my love and respect for my fellow small business owners has grown so much. They are some of the most impressive and inspiring people I know.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
LaBrie Spaces is a creative immersion into the neighborhoods we work in. Every stage features local artists, local businesses, and incredible one of a kind vintage story pieces that set our homes apart from all the others. We stage homes that lift up the community, and ultimately, we assist the amazing realtors we work with to sell houses and give them the spotlight they deserve.
What sets us apart starts with how we’re built. LaBrie Spaces has two pillars: home staging, and vintage and art retail. From the beginning, I wanted to create something different from what everyone else was doing.
One of the key elements of our company is cross-marketing. When we place pieces in homes on the market or in local small businesses (like our space at Session Hair) I’m not just marketing our furniture. I’m also marketing those businesses and those homes, and they’re marketing us right back. We firmly believe in true collaboration, and that “rising tides lift all ships.” When we feature a credenza in a home we staged, we’re also showcasing the home itself, the local maker of the lamps on that credenza, the realtor and the shop behind the rug in the shot. In turn, when the realtor markets the home, they’re promoting every one of those small businesses too. Everyone wins.
The other way we stand apart is our style. Most stagers use generic fast furniture with muted tones. The thinking is that a home with less personality makes it easier for buyers to picture themselves living there. LaBrie Spaces takes the opposite approach. We stage with color, lots of character, and original art, often made by locals who live in the area.
We also don’t pull from the same set of furniture for every job. Most stagers rotate through one inventory over and over. We often source specific pieces for each home, chosen to highlight its architecture and best features. Bringing in new, special inventory for every stage keeps each home feeling one of a kind, and it gives us, the realtor, and our partners something fresh to market every time.
At the heart of all of it is our deep passion for supporting real, human artists and furniture that lasts and carries history and stories. Every stage we create features work made by human hands, from sculpture and paintings to handmade dishes, fabrics, and rugs. In a world that’s filling up with mass produced and machine made everything, we believe the work of real artists deserves a place in people’s homes. When someone walks into one of our stages, they aren’t just touring a house. They’re being introduced to the neighborhood and the creatives who live there, and they’re seeing the home in its best light.
What I’m most proud of is the artists, realtors, and business owners we get to work with every day. We go above and beyond to honor the people who make Nashville the amazing place it is today. Being trusted with someone’s creative work, or with a local business’s name, is something I never take lightly. We are so fortunate.
Any advice for finding a mentor or networking in general?
I’ve been lucky to have a couple entrepreneurs take me under their wings in times when I really needed guidance. Their advice has all been consistent:
1. Don’t get distracted with clubs or groups. Trust your gut and put your time into what is most important.
2. If your profit and loss is depressing….smile. That’s just how it goes in Entrepreneur land. Obviously you want to be profitable but when you are starting out a company you need to give yourself grace. Keep working hard and it’ll work out.
3. Ask for help. Don’t let your pride or embarrassment of not knowing something keep you from being vulnerable and asking for help.
4. You are not alone! If you find yourself crying and often asking yourself “how am I gonna get through this week,” call up a buddy in business…they will remind you you aren’t alone!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://labriespaces.com
- Instagram: @labriespaces
