We recently connected with Angie Rowan and have shared our conversation below.

Angie , thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. Getting that first client is always an exciting milestone. Can you talk to us about how you got your first customer who wasn’t a friend, family, or acquaintance?

My very first client when I started my business was my best friend. An extraordinary single mother of three, she had reached the point where her boys were growing into young men and realized it was time to create a living room that truly reflected her own aesthetic and style.

We talked through styles that would reflect her personality while still being easy to maintain in a busy home. Because she loves the beach and the relaxed feeling of coastal living, we decided to give her living room a coastal-chic revamp.

Though we work well together and have always shared a strong connection, our personal design styles are quite different. I tend to gravitate toward darker, moodier spaces, while she loves bright, cozy environments. It was a bit of a creative challenge for me to stay aligned with her vision and not default to my own preferences. In the end, our collaboration came together beautifully, and it meant a great deal to me that my best friend trusted me with designing her sanctuary.

Angie , love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

My path into interior design wasn’t a traditional one. After a major shift in the mortgage industry, I was laid off in October of 2022 from a career I had spent years building. Like many moments of unexpected change, it forced me to pause and reevaluate what I truly wanted to create moving forward.

Design had always been a quiet thread throughout my life. Friends and visitors to my home often commented on my use of color, texture, and the way I curated spaces that felt both intentional and inviting. With encouragement from my biggest supporter—my mom—I decided to explore that passion more seriously.

In January of 2023, I enrolled in the Interior Design Institute to formally study the craft and business of interior design. I graduated in 2024, marking the beginning of a new creative chapter.

What started as a leap of faith has become the foundation for my design studio, Ārow Vision Interiors. My work is rooted in the belief that spaces should tell a story—layered, personal, and thoughtfully curated for the people who live in them.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

The majority of my clients come through word of mouth. Interior design is such a personal experience, and trust plays a big role in that. When people are able to see my work in person—how a space feels, how it functions, and how it reflects the person living there—that tends to resonate much more deeply than photos alone. Those real-life experiences often lead to the most meaningful referrals.

Learning and unlearning are both critical parts of growth – can you share a story of a time when you had to unlearn a lesson?

I had to learn to unlearn how I approached new clients. Early on, I sometimes felt pressure to skip steps in my process in hopes of securing the project or simply getting my name out there. Over time, I realized that respecting my process is what actually builds trust and leads to better outcomes for both myself and my clients.

Backstory: The lesson I learned early in my career was the importance of clarity during the initial client conversations. During one consultation, it quickly became clear that the client and I had different interpretations of the project’s scope—and I realized I had overlooked one of the most important questions: the overall budget.

That moment helped me refine my intake process and reinforced the importance of setting clear expectations from the very beginning. It ultimately made me a more thoughtful and prepared designer.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://arowinteriors.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/arowinteriors
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/angie-rowan

Image Credits

All are property of Ārow Vision Interiors LLC