Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Elizabeth Joice. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Elizabeth, appreciate you joining us today. Do you take vacations? Why or why not?
Yes! Vacations are such an important part of my creative process. It allows me to step away from the work and be inspired by what’s around me and to move slower. I love the discovery of vacation. Days unplanned bring fresh and new experiences. Often times, these experiences lead to finding new artisans, textiles, and materials that I want to incorporate into my work. Burn out is real and I’ve had the unfortunate pleasure of experiencing it deeply. It never leads to better work or better attitude. Taking time off is essential for success and well being.
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
I grew up in then Midwest on a fruit orchard. My parents were third generation farmers who also owned their own food market. I literally lived in the business as our home was on property, and eventually became a part owner. I was lucky to experience what owning your own business looks like from the perspective of a young child and then as an adult. All of my own children came to work with me daily from birth on. I flipped the script on what taking your kids to work looks like. When I say it takes a village, I really mean it. Employees, community members, customers, grandparents…they all had a hand in shaping me and my children from day one.
Right after high school, I began pursuing a degree in Interior Design but left college after two years to return home and care for my aging grandmother. During that time, I trained under her and learned how to manage the bookkeeping for the family business. Around then, I reconnected with the love of my life—we had actually gone to elementary school together. We married in 2000 and welcomed our daughter that same year, followed by our two sons in the years that followed.
During that time, we built our first house from the ground up. My husband was the acting GC and I was the designer. We loved the experience and we were really good at it! When our youngest was 3 we followed his career to Chicago and we sold that house for a large enough profit that we were able to use it towards a down payment on our next. We moved into a beautiful property with excellent bones that needed some love and updating.
I found myself consumed with remodeling projects and really fell in love with design. I could tell I had a good eye for it and started to see the potential for turning a hobby into a career. In 2015 we moved to the Atlanta area and again turned a large enough profit on our Chicago home sale to upgrade in real estate and invest in another fixer upper again with amazing bones and a great location. We were there three years, through renovations, and again sold high and bought low where we currently reside.
Shortly before our last move in 2018, I formed an LLC and became owner and proprietor of Joice Consulting DBA Elizabeth Joice Interiors. At 40 I went back to school for Interior Design and graduated two years later. Three months before my graduation date I landed a job as the lead designer on a 15,000 square foot new construction residence with a 5,000 sq ft collectors garage. It was all consuming and all at once. I had to learn so many things about myself and about my business on the fly. I was a one woman show and was quickly employing my kids, my husband, neighbors, friends, really anyone that was looking for work. Eventually I was able to contract others in the design field to assist, and we took 15,000 sq ft from sticks in the ground to a fully furnished family home in just under two years.
That was two years ago and Elizabeth Joice Interiors has been project heavy ever since. We specialize in creating luxury spaces that embody sophistication, comfort, and individuality. Our firm is dedicated to transforming interiors into works of art, blending the finest materials and custom furnishings to create environments that reflect the unique lifestyles and tastes of our discerning clients. From concept to completion, we are a full service design team.
Our portfolio spans high-end residences, luxury estates, exclusive commercial spaces, bespoke remodels, showcasing our versatility and expertise in handling projects of any scale. I believe that great design should not only reflect how our clients want to live, but elevate it. We bring fresh perspective, imaginative solutions, and a refined eye for detail to every space.
I’m a big believer in the universe will lead you in the right direction at the right time. You just have to be ready even when you aren’t and you have to be willing to lean into your fears. I do this thing where I dream out loud and then I write it down in a note book that I keep open for all to see. A bit intention setting, a bit wishing into the fountain with a copper penny. So far so good!
What’s a lesson you had to unlearn and what’s the backstory?
I think the biggest lesson I had to unlearn was if you aren’t working 25 hours a day 8 days a week then you aren’t working hard enough. Yes, owning your own business means you are always on the clock, but it’s up to me to set the boundaries that work for me and for my family.
Have you ever had to pivot?
When my husband and I found out we were going to be parents much earlier than planned, it hit us—every decision we made from that point on would shape another person’s life. Life is full of surprises, but I’ve come to believe that the ability to pivot is one of the greatest advantages you can have.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://elizabethjoiceinteriors.com
- Instagram: @elizabethjoiceinteriors
Image Credits
Marc Mauldin
Adrienne Louise