In this week’s installment of the 50 States Project, Santa Fe, New Mexico–based designer Erica Ortiz of NeuBleu Interior Design tells us why she has mixed feelings about local showhouses, why she prefers custom upholstery and how a stint growing someone else’s business as a contract worker inspired her to launch a lucrative side hustle of her own.
By working for design greats, Los Angeles–based Jaqui Seerman learned how to structure her business while gaining an understanding of how much a seamless design experience is worth.
Believe it or not, lead times are rebounding in certain corners of the industry—some manufacturers even expect a return to “business as usual” by fall. But the reason for the bounce back might give you pause.
Susan Bohlert Smith and Bo Massey, who operate a design firm and home goods store in Inlet Beach, Florida, chat about the peculiarities of their region, how they’re battling its typical aesthetic and why their customers are cuckoo for coconuts.
In this week’s installment of the 50 States Project, New London, New Hampshire–based designer Cicely Beston tells us how family has shaped her business, why she believes money is only uncomfortable when it’s not discussed, and the charging formula that saves her time and money.
Eschewing hourly rates or flat fees, New York designer Alvin Wayne simply charges a percentage of the total project budget, ensuring he’s in control of where to save and splurge.
In this week’s installment of the 50 States Project, Manasquan, New Jersey–based designer Christina Kim tells us how a stint in retail gave her an industry crash course, why she’s growing her firm so that she can keep designing, and the biggest misconception about second homes.