We recently connected with Rebecca Bridges and have shared our conversation below.

Rebecca , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I started House of Drennan, a full-service design firm specializing in residential renovations + new construction projects, in 2018. LOTS of folks inquire about the name of my business, and the specific packages that I offer (each with a female name), and I am always eager to tell the story: it honors the three most influential women in my life; Martha Drennan, my grandmother, Jane Mahaffey, my aunt, and Kathy Raines, my mother, all of whom instilled in me a love of antiques + classic design, an appreciation for quality, heirloom pieces and taught me the importance of family + Southern tradition. House of Drennan was coined in their honor.
It is my hope that our firm can help create the same warm, inviting and beautiful interiors that the three women above created for me, our family + friends.
My love for design and décor has been a constant for as long as I can remember – from selecting bedding sets from the Sears catalog as a child to decorating a dollhouse to collecting mid-century lady head vases as a teen, to learning about architecture + design styles throughout my extensive travels. Design, art, and décor have always been a constant.

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

I am not a typical small business owner. I started House of Drennan when I was almost forty, while raising three small children, with no business background. But, with the help of a great friend, who happens to be an attorney, a personal loan from our family bank account (that was paid back within the first year of business), and my husband, who is a fellow small business owner as well, I did it! It is a reminder that it’s never too late to do something that you LOVE and I hope my children look back one day and realize the importance and power of that. Here at House of Drennan, we are a small firm. It is mostly me and my mom, Kathy, behind the scenes, along with our newest team member, Heather. I lead the creative end of things and my mom handles client communication, orders and invoicing. Heather helps keep our studio, systems + processes in order. I think clients appreciate our close-knit relationship and how we balance each other out. I am a list maker that forgets where I put my lists and my mom is the list maker that sends you daily reminders of tasks on the list. Lol. Heather organizes products + items that I didn’t even KNOW could be organized. lo. We couldn’t not run House of Drennan without each other.
I think, and hope, our clients appreciate the authenticity that we have here. We genuinely love what we do, enjoy working together and with our talented trades, and appreciate the opportunity to get to know our clients. There is nothing we love more than helping turn a house into a home. It is the greatest honor.

Have you ever had to pivot?

Honestly, starting House of Drennan was a HUGE pivot for me + my family. After staying home with my three small children for many years, I had the opportunity to intern for a local decorator. Once I completed a year-long internship, I worked as a design associate and quickly realized that this life-long love of design + decor was a fulfilling passion. I started House of Drennan shortly afterwards. I thought I would solely decorate for clients when I started House of Drennan. What I’ve learned along the way is that construction is a true passion of mine. I love the planning behind construction, working with local contractors, and I especially love working with the trades — it’s really a lost art! So, our firm has transitioned from decorating and e-design to solely full service renovations + construction. It has been a great niche for our area!
Being a mother, wife and small business owner is a constant juggle with many, many balls in the air! It is all a constant pivot — when to put family first, when work is the priority, etc. I am grateful to have my husband, a fellow small business owner, for guidance + support — especially with the financial end of things And, one of my best friends is in a similar design-related industry. We “talk shop”, bounce ideas off one another, and give differing perspectives in terms of our industry.
But mostly, I am figuring it all out and pivoting as I go. I ask questions. I’ve taken classes. I’ve gotten certifications. I read and read some more. I am constantly learning and pivoting… and that’s a really good thing.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

Around the time I started House of Drennan, I discovered Luann Nigara’s podcast, “A Well Designed Business”. The podcast is geared towards interior design professionals and it is a GEM! The series served as a roadmap of sorts when starting my own business. From various episodes, I have taken classes through her online forum, discovered a business attorney, listened to learn business strategies, marketing skills and so much more — you name it, and it’s there, waiting for Luann to dive into the details.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.houseofdrennan.com
• Instagram: @house.of.drennan
• Facebook: @houseofdrennan

Image Credits
Photos by Christian Hussey and Lanai Collective