We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Andrea Kartley. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Andrea below.

Andrea, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

My mission is centered on the idea that our spaces (aka the places where we live/spend time) are a BIG deal. So what do I mean by this? The impact of living in a home that is aesthetically pleasing to you and well-organized can improve your quality of life. You may be saying to yourself, right sure that makes sense, but there is in fact data (see below) to support this idea of environmental psychology and the impact on your physical and mental health.

Additionally, I believe that this can be addressed in a variety of ways and at varying budget ranges. As all people are different, all spaces are different too. I believe your home should reflect who you are and how you live. Not how a designer thinks you should live. I enjoy getting to know my clients, figuring out what makes them tick, and then working together to create spaces that are completely customized. And believe it or not we spend a lot time creating a “feeling” vs a “look.”

My view is that if everyone lived in a space that made them feel great then they will be the best version of themselves. And this world is in desperate need of that right now.

The data
(https://www.vogue.com/article/environmental-psychology-cleaning-decorating-happiness)

In the early 20th century, Swiss theorist and psychiatrist Carl Jung proposed that the home is powerfully symbolic—and psychologically significant. Far more than shelter from the outside, our homes are a reflection of ourselves, our identity, he argued. How we construct this space is, therefore, closely connected to our inner narrative and mental state of mind. A large body of modern research supports this idea, laying the foundation for environmental psychology, or the study of how the built environment influences our mood and behaviors. Surprisingly, everything from how you arrange your sofa to how much sunlight filters through your rooms can have an impact on your emotional and physical health, whether you’re aware of it or not.

Andrea, before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

It’s funny, when I think about my business (All Things Home) it officially became an LLC in 2022, but in all reality I’ve been the owner of this business in my head for much longer than that. For nearly a decade I had been updating a historic workers cottage in Chicago (Chicago’s OG family home) bit by bit. I was still working full time in pharma advertising, but I was spending nights and weekends scheming and dreaming up new spaces. But if I had to identify one starting point, I can remember watching This Old House and dreaming up my own projects long before HGTV was a thing.

I am design and organization obsessed. I love a transformation. I love the potential. And I love helping people create a space that brings out the best in them.

I am a roll-up my sleeves and get to work kind of person. My clients are at the center of my universe. This is your home we are talking about, so let’s make it the best possible space it can be for you!

I have 3 service areas that are outlined below. But one thing to note is that many designers will only do larger projects where they control everything and there is a substantial budget. I will take on smaller projects with smaller budgets because I believe all people deserve to live a great place. My secret sauce is mixing and matching. I will mix styles, patterns, eras, budgets, just about anything, which creates a homey and unique aesthetic.

Services
Interior design: It’s more than just how your home looks, it’s how your home feeeeels. I enjoy getting to know my clients, figuring out what makes them tick, and then working together to create spaces that are completely customized!

Finishing touches: Never underestimate the power of a few carefully chosen finishing touches to transform a space. I am always on the hunt for treasures that are just waiting to make your house a home! If a larger project isn’t in the cards right now, this is a great option.

Organization: We all have a lot of things. But when things get in the way of living it’s time to call for reinforcements. A strategic approach (categorize, purge, and systematically put away) means you can spend less time wandering around wondering where to put things and more time doing the things you love.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Word of mouth recommendations have been a huge source of new clients for me.

Interior design and organization are vulnerable and invasive services. I have to learn about how someone lives, what they like to do, etc. And on the organization side I am in someone’s home literally touching all of their things and helping them to determine how to store items and get rid of things.

That friendly recommendation is really helpful to break down some of the barriers and make clients feel more comfortable during these vulnerable and invasive discussions.

We often hear about learning lessons – but just as important is unlearning lessons. Have you ever had to unlearn a lesson?

Perfectionism.

This one is tricky because I love to be perfect so much! And when I am not, I don’t like myself all that much.
But when you are starting a new business in a new field and you are working with various tradespeople it’s just not very realistic to be perfect all the time. So you just go through the painful process of making mistakes, owning up to them and learning from them. I have had to reframe the way that I think about mistakes. Rather than being all negative about a mistake you have to make the mistake work for you. What will it teach you? How can you process improve to not make that mistake again? How can you be honest about what you know what you don’t know. And then just admit that you didn’t know enough about something (yet) to not make that mistake. And then most importantly, move on. Leave the past in the past and focus on the next challenge. SO. DAMN. HARD.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.allthingshomechi.com
• Instagram: @all_things_home_chi

Image Credits

Jenn Winter