We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Ashley Fiocco. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Ashley below.
Ashley, thanks for joining us, excited to have you contributing your stories and insights. To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.
A key difference between Ashley Fiocco Designs and most other interior designers is that I work with clients on budgets, and volunteer my time to design for those who have very little money to even purchase furniture, let alone afford to hire a professional interior designer. Not everyone has the means to afford all high-end finishes and completely custom homes. Those projects can be fun as well, but a well-designed room should not be a luxury. Enjoying coming home to a welcoming, safe, warm and functional space is something everyone should experience. I volunteer my time and years of experience to design meaningful and intentional spaces for people transitioning from living on the streets or homeless shelters. A sense of home is life-changing, to the point where the cycle of homelessness in that person’s life is 99% of the time ended when they have a true home to retreat to, vs. an unfurnished empty apartment. The actual paying clients I work with have budgets as well, which in the end pushes me to grow and be better at my job, get more creative, use more repurposed secondhand/vintage items, and, in the end, still create unique and lovely spaces specifically for them. It’s important to me to help others, regardless of income, to live in spaces that make them feel their best. Obviously, sustaining my business is a goal, and I am fortunate I have an employed partner and I’m not the sole breadwinner in my family, but the benefits of assisting anyone and everyone I can to realize their visions of homes that will bring them joy, confidence, and serenity are so much more fulfilling to me.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I am a former chef who started anew in the design industry after my 2nd son was born. I went back to school to become an interior designer, which has always been interesting to me (and, in a way, is not all that different from cooking and creating recipes!), passed my certification exams, and started up my eponymous business at the onset of the pandemic, so the timing was right as the design business at that time was booming as we were all spending so much more time at home. I am a 1-woman show, work from my home office, and only work part-time hours when my young kids are in school, so there is a lot of planning that needs to happen at all times to get anything done (as any mom knows). Travel is very important to us, and as a family, we go away every summer for 2+ months to experience some new place(s). I have had to set up my design projects to take place when I am physically around, or the clients and I work virtually over the summer months, which means as well that I have to turn down a lot of jobs or clients choose to work with someone else who can give them full service year round. I am an insanely organized person, so the dance of juggling multiple projects and to-do lists at once is fun for me. I have loved being able to meet different people, most residing in my own community, and all through word of mouth &/or referral. I mainly hire out under-represented sub-contractors and tradespeople, and always design in an environmentally-friendly way, using a lot of vintage items, planning demo. so materials can be reused, and sourcing domestic products, as locally made as possible for every job. With each project, I learn something new, am introduced to new vendors, new personalities, new design styles and always try to push the clients, and myself, to create something unexpected and fresh. Personally, I’m not quite a maximalist, but I love contrasting colors, patterns, textures alongside aged wood and overall patina – this sense of distress and decay I think is so elegant, alive and what is most beautiful and comfortable to be surrounded by. I look forward to working on my own home, designing it top to bottom as a showcase where I can completely let loose!
What’s been the best source of new clients for you?
Having a solid work ethic and providing high-quality results, where clients refer you to their friends, is the best compliment and how I have sourced all my clients so far.
Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?
Not so much media, but there are definitely other designers & creatives who inspire me for their willingness to do something totally different and not be deterred or discouraged knowing they will not please everyone. Not everyone will think the spaces I design are attractive and that’s OK so long as the client and I are happy! Some of these noteworthy artists are Yvonne Modupe Telford, Natalie Papier, Sophie Robinson, Jacqueline Marque, and Beata Heuman.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://ashleyfioccodesigns.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ashleyfioccodesigns/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ashley-fiocco-64b4314
- Other: https://www.houzz.com/pro/webuser_499658119
Image Credits
Oliva Katz Photo