We recently connected with Jacqueline Culp and have shared our conversation below.

Jacqueline , appreciate you joining us today. Naming anything – including a business – is so hard. Right? What’s the story behind how you came up with the name of your brand?

It was so hard! I actually started off the process of naming my company by thinking about the feeling and vibe I wanted to convey with my brand. So many designers in the industry use their name in their business name, but I wanted to put the emphasis on how the client will feel at the end of the process when working with me. Although it is true that my brand IS me, I felt like my persona and energy could still shine through in how I show up every day in my business regardless of whether my name is in the company name or not.

Jacqueline , 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?

I like to describe the work I do as helping families transform their living spaces into warm, inviting, functional havens where cherished memories are made. I believe that a well-designed home is the backdrop for a lifetime of beautiful moments, so it should feel like you and your family’s personality.

My journey into the field of Interior Design was not super straight-forward. I’ve always been a bit of a creative growing up and really into Fashion (I used to binge watch runway shows on TV back in the day and at one point in high school wanted to become a make-up artist!). I eventually attended the Fashion Institute of Technology in NYC for a Fashion Merchandising degree and ended up doing the “corporate thing” for many years after that, working in eCommerce for a large retailer.

My husband is a Structural Engineer, so he knows a lot about a lot (as I like to describe him to people!). While I was working in corporate, we completed many renovation projects together, including the top-to-bottom reno. of our first home, 3 investment properties, and the custom build of our current home (which I designed and he did the general contracting work for).

Not unlike many people during the peak of COVID, I felt like I needed to do some soul-searching as it related to my professional career. When I asked myself what I could see putting my talents and skills into for other people for the rest of my life, Interior Design was the answer that kept giving me butterflies. I was ready for a career that I could be truly passionate about and make a positive impact in people’s lives. To sharpen my natural abilities, I enrolled in The Interior Design Institute and received my diploma before taking the full leap into starting my own business.

Most of my clients are families with kids still in the home, which is the exact stage of life that I’m in with my own 3 highly energetic kids (ages 11, 9, and 7). I totally understand how crazy and hectic life is for working parents with school-aged children, and that they want both beautiful AND functional spaces to raise them in. I love passing along my knowledge of design concepts in combination with my own personal experiences of renovating and building with kids. Function is always at the top of my list when I design for my clients – without it, in a few years you’ll be right back where you started and want to do everything all over again.

My services include full Kitchen, Bathroom, and Basement renovations, decorative projects, virtual projects, and most recently, new construction. I have a pretty detailed process that includes many deliverables along the way, including things like Mood Boards, Color Scheme Boards, 2D/3D spatial plans with photo renders (one of my favorite things to create for clients!), and Sample Boards with the sourced product. Basically, everything I do includes some sort of visual for my client before the purchase of any product or material even begins. These types of deliverables provide such a level of confidence and comfort knowing how every detail in the project is going to come together!

What’s been the most effective strategy for growing your clientele?

I’ve seen success in my business through a few different avenues, namely social media and local Google searches, but one strategy that I leaned heavily into last year is one-on-one networking with other local businesses in my industry. I saw the need pretty early on in my business to not only heighten my visibility with local tradespeople like contractors, builders, carpenters, realtors, etc., but also grow my list of trusted professionals to whom I could refer my clients.

I didn’t want to necessarily join in-person networking groups because I tend to enjoy connecting with people more on a singular basis, so I instead took the approach of sending emails to local tradespeople who I felt starting a relationship with could be mutually beneficial. For those who were interested, I would then set up a phone call so we could get to know each other a little better. If the call went well and I felt like our energy aligned, I’d ask if they wanted to meet in-person for coffee to continue the conversation and connect further. I’m not gonna lie, it felt a little bit like the process of dating sometimes!

I have met some pretty awesome people, though, and have received referrals from these new connections in addition to referring them to clients of mine. It makes such a world of difference when I get to collaborate with tradespeople I’ve built a relationship with already, and my clients get the benefit of working with what feels like a “team” of professionals.

What do you find most rewarding about being a creative?

I hands-down LOVE getting to create unique spaces for clients that truly represent their style and personality. It brings me unbelievable joy to hear “We spend so much time in this room now!” or “It’s our favorite room in the house!” after a project is completed. There are some designers who niche down and will only work within a few interior styles (which is totally fine!), but what sets me apart is my ability to connect with clients and pull out pieces of their lifestyle and spirit that can be translated into a home that feels comfortable to them.

Interior design is such a personal thing, and so I believe that at the end of the day, my job is to curate spaces that reflect proven design principles while still embodying the essence of the family that lives there. That’s why you’ll never see just one look or style depicted in my portfolio – my portfolio tells the client’s story, not mine.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://loveyourhomeinteriors.net
• Instagram: @love_yourhome_interiors
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/loveyourhomeinteriorsdotnet/

Image Credits

Lindsey Gaspero