We were lucky to catch up with Isabel Ladd recently and have shared our conversation below.

Isabel, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Can you talk to us about a risk you’ve taken – walk us through the story?

My business started out as a little seedling — just a girl and her small stash of fabric and wallpaper samples, tucked away in a basement closet. I slowly expanded over the years, as both my library and clientele grew. My mom was my first hire, helping me with receiving packages, deliveries, installations, and whatever other help I needed. But the biggest risk I took in my business was when I hired my COO. I thought I needed an assistant to help me as I instructed, but it turns out, hiring a BIG hire, someone to truly manage this operation, that was the biggest risk I’d taken so far, but one that has been truly beneficial and prosperous. Happy to report my business has grown to a fourth employee this month.

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.

Isabel Ladd Interiors is a full service interior design studio based in Lexington, Kentucky, but with projects nationwide. Working mainly on residential homes, we have completed some jewel-box commercial spaces including the “Queen’s Gambit” suite in the 21C Hotel that garnered incredible media attention. Our firm caters to people who want color in their spaces and we have an effortless way of making our clients feel comfortable pushing past their comfort zones to adapt and fall in love with our creative and unique take on Maximalism.

I thrive on creating homes saturated in a kaleidoscope of meticulously layered patterns and colors. A girl of many mantras, I love to preach: Beige is not a color. More is More; Less is a Bore. And above all else: Mix. Don’t Match.

Can you tell us about what’s worked well for you in terms of growing your clientele?

Getting national recognition for my work has been the most effective way to grow my clientele. I have these over-the-top, colorful, and vibrant design ideas for projects, so when they are nationally published, it’s like I have “proof” that my ideas work. New clients come to me having seen these projects published, that they trust me to do a great – and very colorful – job!

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey

I joke – though it’s true – that I built my business with the help of google, just googling away what I didn’t know. I didn’t have money in my business when I started, so I would use my mom’s credit card and my first clients would write her a check for reimbursement. Humble beginnings. But I stood with it, and started saving whatever profits I could, and ultimately moved my library of textiles, wallpapers, and collected home accessories out of my basement and into a highly visible building downtown. Seven years later (and counting!) I have a successful business I am very proud of, but am so grateful for the resilience it took to get me to where I am.   

Contact Info:

• Website: [email protected]
• Instagram: IG: isabel_Ladd_interiors
• Other: Isabel Ladd Interiors

Image Credits
Isabel Ladd Interiors. Photo: Andrew Kung Isabel Ladd Interiors. Photo: Katie Charlotte Isabel Ladd Interiors. Photo: Andrew Kung Isabel Ladd Interiors Office. Photo: Andrew Kung Isabel Ladd Interiors. Photo: Andrew Kung Isabel Ladd Interiors. Photo: Andrew Kung Isabel Ladd Interiors. Photo: Katie Charlotte Isabel Ladd Interiors. Photo: Katie Charlotte Isabel Ladd. Photo Cred: Andrew Kung