We recently connected with Alyssa Hill and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Alyssa, thanks for joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.
Well, I guess you could say that Hill Interiors is, in some ways, entirely backward from the industry standard. (Hah!) The most recent backward thing about this business is my transition from functioning as a traditional in-person design firm to an entirely online virtual design firm (AKA E-Design). I’ve received lots of questions about why I “took a step back” but I really don’t see it that way. I actually see this as a wonderful pivot for my business to allow me to directly meet the needs of a much wider client base (now nationwide) with much more ease. The traditional brick & mortar design firm model just doesn’t fit with my own current needs & desires or my clients’ needs & budgets (at least for now!). I love the remote nature of a virtual business and the schedule flexibility it affords me now! If there’s one thing the pandemic gave us, it’s that “YOLO” mentality that pushes us to spend the time we have making great memories with our loved ones and pursuing our passions. Virtual design definitely helps me to check those boxes. This business (& industry in general) is ever-evolving and that’s something I really love about it.
I started Hill Interiors in a fairly unique way, as well, when I set out into the design world with an online design course certification from the British Academy of Interior Design in 2017 instead of a standard degree from a US university. Right after graduation, I started my business in order to provide contract design work to a local remodeling/custom home-building company. I gradually started taking on clients of my own, worked on my own home as a long-term flip, and learned as I went while maintaining contract work on the side. I was exposed to so many different aspects of the industry early on because of this, from remodels to decor consultations to staging & styling for interior photoshoots. Experience really can be the best education, in my opinion. I love looking back at how far I’ve come since those early days, and how I’ve really honed in on my brand and design aesthetic over the years because I didn’t go the traditional “college degree, then onto the corporate ladder” route. (Not that there is anything wrong with doing it that way! Truly, to each their own!).
Alyssa, 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 was one of those kids constantly rearranging their bedrooms and sketching cozy imaginary spaces. One of the highlights of my childhood Summers was walking through the Parade of Homes in Colorado Springs. I’ve really always been fascinated with interior spaces and the way people live & work within them. The glove just fit!
Again, I now proudly provide virtual interior design services across the USA (though I’m still based in Colorado Springs, and even work out of my childhood home here. Wild, right?!). I recently transitioned from a traditional interior design business model to virtual design to be able to meet the needs of way more people, across more budget ranges. I’ve always had the mantra that “everyone deserves a haven”, and I still really stand by that. I’m now able to offer high-end design packages for a fraction of the cost of traditional in-person design projects.
I love to design residential homes as well as small business spaces and vacation rentals. Aesthetically speaking, I can design in pretty much any style, but overall, I do love to keep things clean-lined, classic, and a touch organic to maintain that Hill Interiors “stamp” on my projects.
My services now break down into three virtual options:
1. Virtual Consultations: These meetings are typically 1 – 2 hours long via Zoom or Google Meet, and they help to solve smaller design conundrums and answer quicker questions.
2. E-Design packages: For a more immersive design experience, these packages are geared towards cosmetic interior upgrades, and you’ll receive full furnishing & decor design plans for your room(s) of choice, including; 1 mood board, 1 floor plan, 1 or more 3D renderings, 1 linked & labeled shopping list (all sourced according to your specified budget), and all of my installation notes and instructions for a super smooth project experience.
3. “Plans Only” packages: This package includes full plans from floor plans & elevations to 3D renderings to an organized materials shopping list for remodels. Those plans can then be easily handed off to my clients’ contractors or architect of choice, OR for more basic renovations, they can DIY their spaces themselves by following my detailed instructions & tips. I love how much money people can save by going this route (creating more room in the budget for the actual materials, and spending less on design & PM fees)! It’s the perfect hybrid for someone who needs design help but is willing to DIY or manage the actual installation themselves.
By stepping out of the project management & installation phase, I’m able to save my clients a ton of cash, but I’m also still available to them for a virtual consultation or to answer a quick chat at any point if they do need extra guidance during the installation process. I’ve had several clients successfully put together truly stunning spaces with this package for kitchens, bathrooms, & beyond.
I love empowering people and partnering with them to create high-quality spaces in their homes or small businesses that they’ll be able to enjoy for years to come.
How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?
Hard work, transparency, and kindness in relation to every person you come in contact with from your clients to your vendors are absolutely key to a great reputation in this industry.
When I was in my early twenties, I worked a retail job, and a woman I deeply admired and had seen speak at some women’s seminars came into my store. Long story short, she turned out to be less than kind to the entire store staff, including me. That day, she cemented the lesson into my brain that absolutely everyone deserves to be treated as the valuable human being they are, whether it’s the person you’re buying your coffee from or the person you’re getting your paycheck from. You never know what the person you’re interacting with is going through or if they could be your next client, friend, boss, etc! Be the same person to everyone and bring kindness and authenticity wherever you go. It’ll pay off. I promise.
What’s the most rewarding aspect of being a creative in your experience?
The most rewarding aspect of design work is, by far, seeing my clients enjoy their new spaces and thrive within them. The creative process in interior design (or any creative pursuit) can be a tricky one at times, but once you see the way it tangibly impacts people for the better on a daily basis, it’s all worth it.
I recently read this quote from Maya Angelou that kind of sums up why I feel living our best lives in beautiful, creative spaces is worth the effort. She said, “Because of the routines we follow, we often forget that life is an ongoing adventure… and the sooner we realize that, the quicker we will be able to treat life as art; to bring all our energies to each encounter, to remain flexible enough to notice and admit when what we expected to happen did not happen. We need to remember that we all are created creative and can invent new scenarios as frequently as they are needed.”
Creating and shining a light on beauty in this world is an absolute honor and, I believe, a necessity.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://hillinteriorsllc.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hill.interiors/?hl=en
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/hillinteriorsllc
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alyssa-hill-hill-interiors-llc/
- Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/hillinteriorsllc/
- Email: [email protected]
Image Credits
Karen Mitchell of The Elan Studio Hill Interiors LLC (Renderings)