On the blog, designer interviews win the “favorite content award” every single time. They are an opportunity for us to get to know the real person behind the brand and understand the path that led them where they are today. In 2021, we were lucky enough to interview seven incredible women, all of whom built an interior design business on their own terms. They redefined tradition with unconventional career paths and often lucked out with serendipitous timing along the way. But make no mistake—each one of these women was driven by the winning combination of talent and passion necessary for success. As we head into the new year, there’s never been a better time to revisit all our interviews and jot down some key takeaways to carry into 2022.
best of designer interviews of 2021
Design: Studio McGee | Photography: Lucy Call
Shea McGee of Studio McGee
“My family and career are my greatest joys and I feel very lucky to juggle both. I have found that waiting for the perfect timing in life or business rarely happens, and that often I need to listen to my gut. When I follow my instincts things tend to fall into place – not always how I intended, but for the best.”
Read Shea McGee’s Full Interview
Interior Design: HAUS LOVE | Photography: Ash & Co. Creative
Heidi Woodman of HAUS LOVE
“I find my aesthetic changes a bit every year because I love to learn and grow in my craft. Currently, I’m VERY into color. One thing that will stay consistent, however, is my love for mixing styles and genres. Vintage art and vintage accessories will always be placed in a project, as well.”
Read Heidi Woodman’s Full Interview
Interior Design: Candace Mary Interiors | Photography: Kat Stevenson Photography + Headshot Photography: Malaika Hilson
Candace Griffin of Candace Mary Interiors
“I like spaces that feel polished but approachable. I like pairing neutrals with pops of color, and I love using greenery to incorporate a botanical feel. I want the room to feel reflective of the people who live in it.”
Read Candace Griffin’s Full Interview
Interior Design: Asha Maía Design | Photography: Jenn Verrier Photography
Asha Maxey of Asha Maía Design
“One piece of advice I wish I had when I was just starting out was that it is okay to enter this industry without a degree in interior design. I felt like a fraud for so long until I found my tribe on Facebook. I am a constant learner and am always trying to better my industry and business knowledge. I say if it’s your passion, go for it and do it well!”
Read Asha Maxey’s Full Interview
Interior Design: Katie Monkhouse Interiors | Photography: Bess Friday
Katie Monkhouse of Katie Monkhouse Interiors
“Things come to you when you are ready—don’t worry and don’t rush it. I find the universe serves you only what you can handle. I was always looking at other designers’ projects, wondering why mine were smaller scope, why I never had those larger budgets to work with, or why everyone came to me for furnishings and not renovations. But, the reality was that I wasn’t ready for those things at the time. Those ‘level up’ projects always arrived just when I was ready for them. So with that in mind, enjoy the learning and growth.”
Read Katie Monkhouse’s Full Interview
Interior Design: Peggy Haddad Interiors | Photography: Kara DeYoung
Peggy Haddad of Peggy Haddad Interiors
“I saw a need for more affordable and accessible interior design. I also wanted to work from home so that I could be with my small children as much as possible. When I considered my vision and goals, virtual design (or e-design) was an obvious route to launch with.”
Read Peggy Haddad’s Full Interview
Interior Design: My Cozy Corner
Eureka Haney of My Cozy Corner
“I gather my design inspiration from nature. For me, decorating is a feeling. Colors of the season, wood tones, textures and fabrics—all these elements give you a different feeling based on where they’re placed or how they’re used. I’m a huge spring and summer fan, so naturally, I feel like some of the best inspo for my decor comes around this time.”
Read Eureka Haney’s Full Interview
A special thank you to each designers who shared their story with us this year! Have someone we should interview in 2022? Leave us a comment to share who you’d love to see stop by the blog.
For more industry interviews, check out these posts:
IDCO Studio is a full-service creative studio for interior designers and boutique lifestyle brands. Offering bespoke branding, web design and social media content creation, we help brands built around beautiful living elevate their digital presence to represent the physical spaces they design. Our recently launched limited-release website templates are the perfect way for interior designers to get a luxury website on a budget. These templates allow designers to maintain control of their content. Want to work together? Shoot us an inquiry here.
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