We were lucky to catch up with Caterina Sullivan recently and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Caterina thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Learning the craft is often a unique journey from every creative – we’d love to hear about your journey and if knowing what you know now, you would have done anything differently to speed up the learning process.

I started my journey of becoming an Interior Designer by earning my bachelor’s degree in interior design from an accredited school. It was at the New York Institute of Technology that I gained a strong foundation. There I learned the basics, but it was residential construction where I really learned most of my knowledge and skills. While working at construction companies, I was exposed to every phase and trade that brings your design to reality. This gave me a deep understanding of everything that goes into a build or remodel from different perspectives. My recommendation to anyone looking to go into this field is to start small. Focus on learning from a variety of people because you will gain a lifetime of knowledge and experience just working directly with clients, contractors, and other trades you may not see at a larger company. Knowledge in any business setting is priceless. Knowing how each hand plays a part in the final execution of your design will give you the ability to articulate the details clearly. Learn from all your experiences, good and bad, as well as everyone else’s that you interact with because any experience can be used in the future.

Caterina , 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?

Sure! I am originally from Long Island, New York but now I live in South Texas. I am a mom to an amazing little boy and adorable pup, and a wife to a great husband who is a pilot in the Navy. To be honest I never knew the dream of The Bella Casa Interior Design Studio could become a reality, but with the support of my family and confidence in my skills that we took the leap of faith. Not to be cheesy, but I truly love what I do. I genuinely love creating homes that are not just beautiful but function effectively as they should. As a wife and mother, I understand the value that a functional house has on your everyday life. My goal with my clients is to make sure their space impacts their day for the better in every sense – from how you make your morning coffee to how your family spends quality time together. No moment is too small. Not only do I pride myself on creating beautiful and functional spaces but giving my clients a positive experience. Remodeling can not only be stress-free but fun at the same time. This is done by leading the design process with simplicity, transparency, and clarity. At the end of the day, I am your advocate, and my goal is to give you a space you love.

In addition to our in-person interior design service, I also offer e-design packages that range depending on the level of assistance you need on your space. E-Design is 100% online and allows you to get a turn-key experience from anywhere. We have design spaces from Hawaii to Florida and many places in between. Our design packages make design accessible for everyone’s budget. My goal is not only to offer my clients a beautiful design, but to give them all the information they need to execute with confidence.

Any thoughts, advice, or strategies you can share for fostering brand loyalty?

As an interior designer, you are trusted with a person’s most sacred space – their home. Trust is the deciding factor that can take the overall experience from a nightmare to a dream. Something I have learned is that committing your full time and attention to clients right from the first interaction allows us to establish a trusting relationship that we can build on. Being consistent, transparent, and a clear communicator through every step of the process allows that relationship to thrive. My clients know they will always be up to date on every detail and what is coming next. Giving weekly updates, meeting recap emails that include notes and an overview, along with a list of next steps always keeps them in the loop. This allows my client not only to trust me, but the entire process.

How about pivoting – can you share the story of a time you’ve had to pivot?

It is no surprise that everyone had to pivot during Covid. In my experience it was the best thing that could have happened. When Covid began, my husband and I were stationed in Virginia, and I was working from home for my previous employer. I was shocked at how easy it was to adapt the design process to a remote setup and began to think of ways we can use this to reach out further than our local area. It was in May of 2020, that we received new orders to Florida. Due to military life, I would have to pivot my career again, but this time I was going to use the knowledge and experience of working remotely to bring my designs directly to people through Bella Casa. I believe being able to adapt to new and different situations is one of the best qualities a business can have. Pivoting is a natural occurrence in the business world as times change and technology improves, being able to overcome those new obstacles and learning to use them to your advantage will allow the business and your career to thrive in any situation.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.thebellacasadesignstudio.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bellacasa_designstudio/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/bellacasadesignstudio
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/caterina-sullivan-351647270/

Image Credits
Captured by Nic