We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Ali Nolan a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Ali, appreciate you joining us today. Have you been able to earn a full-time living from your creative work? If so, can you walk us through your journey and how you made it happen? Was it like that from day one? If not, what were some of the major steps and milestones and do you think you could have sped up the process somehow knowing what you know now?

I launched my business after 10yrs of being in the industry working for other design firms. In my last role before going off on my own I had more of a peak behind the curtain as far as selling your services and goods. In that experience I was able to see a strong female business owner who knew her worth and the confidence she had when sellingg. That experience helped shape me feel more confident in my own worth and value. If a potential client feels my services are too expensive, then they’re not the client for me. Though interior design is seen as a creative career, it is still a business. I’ve learned it’s important to have confidence in your rates, as that will give your clients more confidence in you and have trust in the value you will bring to the project right out of the gate.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I have an undergraduate degree in Architectural Studies and I am NCIDQ certified, meaning I’m a nationally licensed interior designer. I worked in this field for hospitality and residential design firms for 10 years before launching my own full service interior design studio firm January of 2023. I ended up launching my firm far earlier than I was expecting–a past client reached out about doing some work together, and I knew that was my sign to go off on my own. Having that vote of confidence from a respected professional who believed in me and my work was what I needed to take the leap and bet on myself.

Since launching, I’ve done a lot of thinking about what I want to build and create. Burgoon is my maiden name so while my business is named after me, I put the word ‘Studio’ in front of it because I want my employees to feel just as much a part of what I am building. Our philosophy is grounded in respect for historic architecture & design, aiming to infuse spaces with soul and a nod to the past, while staying true to the original character of a space. We have a holistic approach to design such that a building’s history and architecture are the North Star in our process, informing the styles, hardware, and colors of our selections. Our aesthetic mixes old and new, layering with pieces that feel traveled and have patina. Our design firm’s ethos is rooted in humble interior architecture balanced with intentional furnishings and finishes. We aim for each space we design to evoke curiosity as a result of our innate ability to curate a beautiful collection of heirloom-quality pieces and a mix of styles that bring resonance to our clients.

What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?

In my first year of business I wanted all my clients to have fun with the process of designing their home, so I let them bend my process a bit more than I should have. I thought by letting them drive the bus and run the process in a way they thought they wanted, they would enjoy it more. I quickly learned there’s a reason why I have my process and order I do things in. I’ve been doing this work for a decade, I know how it should be run for the most successful outcome. Since, I have started to educate clients at the onset of a project regarding how the process will go. I’ve found educating them right out of the gate as to how we do things helps keep the train on the tracks and has them trust in you more.

Do you think there is something that non-creatives might struggle to understand about your journey as a creative? Maybe you can shed some light?

Interior design seems very lighthearted and creative–I think most people think we pick pillows and style shelves all day (which is why you’ll never see me post myself doing that on social media). In reality, that’s less than 1% of the job. There’s a ton of technical computer work–from AutoCAD drawings and renderings, to schedules and spreadsheets, to expediting reports. A project typically has at least if not more than 100 different vendors to coordinate, in addition to all the construction details materials and budgets. An incredible amount of time goes into 1 pretty picture. Getting every detail just right aesthetically and functionally is an exorbitant amount of time–often multiple years and hundreds of hours of work. Our job is to make sure the contractor executes our design intent correctly. When working with a qualified team–the goal of hiring the right designer, contractor and architect should result in saving you time and money to avoid costly mistakes while making a project better than you ever could have dreamed of. The key is entrusting your team to do the job.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.studioburgoon.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/studioburgoon/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ali-burgoon-nolan-ncidq-ba493652/

Image Credits

All images taken by me, Ali Burgoon Nolan