We were lucky to catch up with Ashley Ostrander recently and have shared our conversation below.

Ashley, appreciate you joining us today. So let’s jump to your mission – what’s the backstory behind how you developed the mission that drives your brand?

Our mission is “to break cookie cutter interiors and tell our clients Authentic Story while curating a design specifically for them and their family”. Being in Utah I noticed that a lot of people have become accustomed to having white walls and designing their home in a way that feels so safe it doesn’t tell their story, let alone feel like a unique space that’s different from their neighbors. Design is like fashion. It’s meant to be a representation of the individual person. We feel that people have become so afraid of color and their own creativity because they worry about two things, 1. what will my friends or family think and 2. resale. Our passion grew from wanting to help design a space for each client that is a place they love, a place that feels like the ones living in it, while also daring our clients to be bold and bring to life their wildest design dreams and desires.

Great, appreciate you sharing that with us. Before we ask you to share more of your insights, can you take a moment to introduce yourself and how you got to where you are today to our readers?

I’m Ashley, owner of Authentic Design Studio and ever since I can remember interior design was always that big dream I had and wanted to do for a living. Like most creatives it creates this feeling of “how do I do this”, “how do I get started”, “HOW”… I have always been a big dreamer and felt like I was destined to do more with my life so when I graduated high school I decided to go to school for business with the goal of owning my own clothing boutique store. I graduated high school in 2010 and like everyone knows 2008 was a game changer for the economy. After taking a few classes I let fear get in the way and decided to play it safe and get a position in the banking industry. After moving to Utah with my husband, and being away from all of our family and friends I found myself needing something to be passionate about. I was still very passionate about interior design but moving to a state where I knew no one I hadn’t the slightest idea of how to find people to let me design or decorate their home. After my grandmother passed I fell into some hard times and told myself I couldn’t keep going to the store to redecorate our home and thought maybe what I can do is pull out the sewing machine I got for Christmas a few years back (that was still in the box) and teach myself how to sew pillows because they make a big impact on a space and making them would be more affordable than buying some. After teaching myself how to sew and many trips to the fabric store people at work heard about them and wanted me to make some for them as well. It started out as a simple poly filled pillow and then evolved into a pillow cover with a zipper and that was a game changer! From there I started making pillows for people in Maine, California, Tennesse and also made custom pillows for interior designers. I built a website and would stage my pillows in my home and before I knew it I was making a portfolio for myself without even realizing it. About 6 months later I decided to just look online for an interior design position and got an entry level position at a furniture store. I remember taking that leap and risk, leaving my very secure job with the bank working only mon-fri, making decent money, to a big pay cut and working holidays, nights and weekends. From there I gained a lot of experience and knowledge specifically with fabrics and furnishings and took it as an opportunity to learn about vendors and space planning, and even had the chance to reonvate an 1800’s cabin. I will always be grateful to that company who took a chance on me, a girl with nothing but banking corporate experience on her resume but a heart full of passion for the industry.

After being there for about 2 years I got an opportunity to work for the number one home builder in the state and that’s where I learned more about finishes, redlines, new construction, and much more. Fast forward years later and Authentic Design Studio was born!

Authentic Design Studio is a full-service design firm and we do it all from remodel projects to furnishings, virtual design for out of state clients or new construction. The problem we solve for our clients is taking their house and making it their home. We learn as much as we can about our clients so that we can tell their story through their design, and I believe that is what sets us apart from the rest. We care and treat each project as if it were our home. In a time where it seems like everyone is moving so fast, and the quality of work or customer service lacks we pride ourselves on not conforming to that mentality and treating each project as if it were our first. We understand that hiring someone to help you with anything is an investment and don’t take that lightly.

One thing I am proud of is our mission. We came up with Authentic Design Studio when talking about how beautiful it would be if you went in every person’s home on your street and they all told a story. Some were bright and colorful on the inside, and maybe others were a little moodier but regardless, it told a story, it was authentic and not just a copy and paste of what we see everyday. We want to empower our clients to do more of what they love, to make their home a reflection of the things that make them happy, and says who they are. In a time where everyone is doing white they’re doing green, in a time where everyone is doing the same thing they are doing the opposite, and most importantly in a time where everyone is concerned about what their family and friends think our clients could care less. We want our clients home to be an experience not just for their guests but for them, the ones living in it every single day.

What’s been the best source of new clients for you?

The best source of new clients has been referrals from current or past clientele as well as realtors. When you make building a relationship with the ones you work with a priority, I believe trust follows. Learning about their family, what they’re doing over the weekend, their children’s names, how their holiday was, etc. When working with someone on their home it’s one of the most personal jobs you can be tasked with. If there’s no connection or no effort to try and connect with them throughout the process, then what’s the point? There’s nothing I love more than building friendships with my clients. Getting invited to their baby showers, or basement for game night when the project is complete, the comments of “I told my husband I wanted to hire you as my Christmas gift”, those are all so priceless. Second to that is building relationships with realtors that you can form a partnership with. Being their “go to” for anything their clients need help with, or if the realtor needs last minute stagging, etc. I always try to make myself available for them while providing a VIP experience as my way of showing my appreciation to them for the business they send our way. I hope to continue with our business for years to come with referrals being at the center of our business. There is nothing more flattering than hearing someone you worked with that they trusted you enough and enjoyed working with you enough to refer you to their friends and family.

Have you ever had to pivot?

The biggest time I had to pivot in life and business was leaving my stable job in banking to quote on quote “start over” when taking an entry level position (as mentioned earlier).

Another example is leaving the number one home builder to start my own business last year. During this transition I knew what I had to do and what I wanted to do. However, I didn’t know how I was going to do it or if it would even be successful. When I was starting my business, I not only needed to find ways to get clientele, but I also needed to learn how to create and implement processes, find the right software to help me with those, give clients an amazing experience, find the subs I wanted to use, look into the vendors I wanted to use, and really sink or swim. I remember having days where I questioned if I should be doing this or not and the overwhelming feeling and pressure of having to have it all figured out. In hindsight now I can say without hesitation it was the right choice, and sometimes you have to take that big leap of faith on yourself to pursue a life you love. As Ross would say “Pivot, Pivot, Pivot”, and as I would say, “Make it worth it!”.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.authenticdesign.studio
• Instagram: @authenicdesignstudios
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100072142610293

Image Credits
Rachel Green,  Dining table setup: Brianne Dela Cruz