Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Alexandra Uritis. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alexandra, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

My initials are AU, which is gold on the periodic table. I love that the name of our business comes from me, but it is still a little sneaky. When I think of “Goldie”, I think of JOY. I think of feeling warm and content. That is our goal – to make our clients feel that way in their space.

Alexandra, 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?

I grew up on the coast in Southern California and am a true water baby. I knew I wanted to explore another state for college and started off playing soccer at Catawba College in North Carolina and then transferred to the University of Kansas where I graduated with an Art History degree. Art and soccer were certainly my first loves, but I wanted to dive deeper into my creative side after school. After working at a lovely art gallery in Laguna Beach, I decided to look for jobs in events. My events background started with a major catering company in Pasadena and it rolled from there! I’ve planned elaborate marriage proposals, weddings, intimate ceremonies and gatherings. My favorite part of it all was the styling – really making the moment come to life. I loved chatting with our clients and really digging into their vision, feeling and needs. Whether someone needed a store window to feel cozy or giant event to feel personal – taking tiny thoughts and making them breathe is such a joy for me. After years of stying for friends, family and other companies, I am beyond thrilled to start my own firm.

To really sum it up, I want to turn your deepest joys into your interior style. Many home owners and even companies launching new businesses get stuck on what they think their space is supposed to look like. People will stress about what style they are – modern, bohemian, traditional, etc. Your space to should feel like you and you should feel like you in your space. My approach to interior styling starts with getting to know the person in front of me. We talk about their favorite memories, what makes them feel loved, their favorite coffee shop and tv show. I pull ideas and inspiration from their lives and build their style from there. I truly want my clients to feel like they had a few cocktails with a friend and their vision came to life!

Not only are we styling a space, but we are often solving problems as well. Maybe someone doesn’t know what to do with a cluttered corner or how to make their storage more efficient. Sometimes someone wants an epic gallery wall, but doesn’t know where to start. Some clients are collectors, but are not sure how to display it all. I source, collect, treasure hunt, organize and allow our clients to have fun with their styling experience. Your space can be stunning and practical, I pinky promise!

I am really proud of my wild life experiences and the many crazy and often time stressful jobs I have under my belt. It really led me to this exciting place in my life. It feels wonderful to have many worlds collide and deeply make sense in my career. Trusting someone with your home is a huge honor, but it is an even bigger honor to get to hear about someone’s life, their fondest memories, people or future dreams. Your home should reflect all those things, it should inspire you and keep you motivated – I got you.

For you, what’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative?

Two things come to mind –

1. Being able to use my brain the way it was meant to. I think a lot of creative people can relate to this, but I’ve always had side hustles and projects going on simultaneously. I am working a 9-5 and creating, building, collaborating on the side. So far, those projects were an outlet, but they were also me exploring what worked best for me. I often felt many avenues pulling me at the same time because I wasn’t being fulfilled during my day to day. The way I approach my interior styling is allowing me to connect in a meaningful way to clients, build something inspiring, be deeply creative and then do it all over again.

2. The trust between my clients and I is so rewarding. Your home, your business – it is a sacred place. When I meet someone and they feel they can trust me with THAT? It is pretty incredible. In the beginning of the styling process, I have clients fill out a form called “Find Your Happy.” It kicks off talking points for me and lets me into their life a bit. Watching a person blossom throughout this process is really special. It is incredible how a little questionnaire can turn into a meaningful gallery wall, but it really works! Makes me very proud of them for opening up and finding their great joys. Being a part of it in in anyway is the cherry on top.

Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?

So many pivots! The hardest pivot for me was closing down my clothing brand in 2019.

In 2016 I launched AU & Co. – A Made in America, sustainable, women’s clothing brand. At the time, I was working for another made in USA clothing company in California. I was very lucky to have a few wonderful resources there to learn from. I designed the clothing, built the website, ran the social media, sourced the fabric, worked directly with the seamstress to make edits and adjustments to the patterns – it was a whirlwind. I loved designing, editing and styling so much, but I had to make a really hard decision. We hit the point where we needed to invest more time, money, resources or move in another direction. I learned so much about myself and ultimately decided it was best for me (and my family) to close up shop.

I learned SO much while building that business – mostly what not to do in the future. Trial and error is certainly a dramatic way to learn, but it sticks with ya! Looking back many years later, I know I made the right decision. It was so hard at the time – I felt shame, embarrassment and very much like a failure. I was uninspired and discouraged, but I am so grateful I TRIED something. I can take those things I learned and apply them to all my future endeavors.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.studiogoldie.com
• Instagram: @thestudiogoldie & @goldiesfleamarket
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-uritis-809b1078/

Image Credits

Brooke Buck Photography