We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Jasmine Benton. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Jasmine below.

Hi Jasmine , thanks for joining us today. So, naming is such a challenge. How did you come up with the name of your brand?

When I was 11 years old, I came up with the name for my firm. I called my business Precious Designz to remind myself to appreciate the simple things in life. When I see interiors and furnishings, I imagine how a family would create memories there. I like to envision people living and functioning in the interior. After all, that is what design is all about. It’s not about owning nice home décor only for the purpose of having pretty family décor. It’s all about providing a safe, stunning, and sustainable environment that is personal to you and reminds you of your identity. As a result, you’ll be able to make beautiful and irreplaceable memories in a place that means a lot to you. Precious Home Designs is the name I’ve given my company now as of 2020.

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

Can you please tell our readers about yourself?

I am a rising senior at Stephen F. Austin State University, where I am pursuing a BFA in interior architecture and design. I have nine years of experience and have been recognized as a local and national success story, having achieved success at a young age. At the age of 11, I began my interior design career by creating my own small shop. I’ve been featured on ABC, INC. Mag, HuffPost, CW33, and a variety of other outlets. I am a trained Interior Decorator with a background in Interior Design and Home Styling (2018).

In addition, I am a STEMpreneur (2016) and a SCAD Rising Star (2018). I’m a co-author of the Amazon Best Selling Book “kidCEO: Amazing Kids Share Their Business Success,” which has sold over a million copies worldwide. In October 2019, I competed in the 2019 NFTE Youth Entrepreneurship “Shark Tank” Competition in NYC as Texas’ sole female entrepreneur and was selected for the 2019 Business Venture of the Year!

Right now, I’m most proud of a future project that I’m working on. Building a tiny home community for orphans who have aged out of the system. This is something I have been passionate about for years. Our foster care system astounds me, and it saddens me to think that children are growing up without the resources and atmosphere that I enjoyed as a child. Therefore, I want to provide a secure environment where they may be adequately prepared for life and get back on their feet. I plan on completing this project after receiving my master’s degree in two years. If I stated I just wanted to accomplish one thing in this industry, I’d be lying. God, on the other hand, has given me an idea to introduce interior design programs to historically black colleges and universities. People of color did not appreciate interior design 50 years ago. Even less so for a woman. African Americans make up around 3% of Interior Designers in our business. When I talk to younger black children, they often claim they had no idea they could be interior designers. I constantly answer, “Of course, we can.” We still must work harder and be better just to be recognized in our field, but we can be designers. As a result, I’d like to make it available to the black community and raise awareness about it. At SCAD, I intend to study and work overseas to obtain my master’s degree in interior design.

How I got into the industry / started my business:

When I was little, my grandma used to take me treasure hunting. We’d go on $10 treasure hunts in the hopes of finding unique items to use around the house. Eventually, start going to secondhand stores to renovate and redecorate our house furnishings. She began instructing me on various textiles and colors. She then took me to her client’s house when I was nine years old and began teaching me the science behind the design. After that, I became her design assistant and began to study every facet of interior design.

After learning under my grandmother, I then examined every design magazine and HGTV show for two years. When I turned 11 years old, I prepared a business plan for my company. On a Saturday morning, I went to my mother and told her I wanted to start my own interior decorating business. I opened my first storefront as the Allen Antique Mall’s youngest business owner two weeks later. After that, I started redesigning homes and flats for my grandmother’s clientele. I used to make unique things for clients, and I began my career as an interior decorator for homes, weddings, and events.

Personally, I feel like I officially started out in this field when I became Mikel Welch’s youngest Design Assistant (2016) to Mikel Welch (HGTV Design Star), celebrity Interior Designer for Steve Harvey, President Barack Obama, and others. In Atlanta, Georgia, I met him at the Steve Harvey College Fair. My family traveled to see my brother because he was about to start college. My grandmother and I were surprised to see one of our favorite finalists from our favorite design show, “Design Star.” I recall sprinting up to him and telling him how much I admired him and how I wished to be just like him when I grew up.

He offered me the position of design assistant after his session. He taught me a lot about design, but the most important thing he did was to introduce me to a world of interior design vendors. I had no idea the interior design industry was so large, and it made me so excited. He also showed me how to enhance and manipulate what I discovered to create the design my client wanted. He also showed me how to properly market myself, to be successful in my career.  Working for him helped me figure out who I want to be as a designer in general. In an official and professional position, I learned how to assist and collaborate with an interior design employer or company.

What type of products/services/creative works you provide:

Precious Home Designs (PHD) is an interior design boutique specializing in luxury, statement home décor, and repurposing old and outdated furniture. Signature Vases, luxury pillow covers, and refurbished small seating are all part of the PHD Collections. I collect vintage furniture and home decor and transform them into new works of art using mixed textiles, paint, and 100 percent natural materials. Our boutique evolves as we continue to serve our unique customers, with an emphasis on the luxury upcycling and original design.

What problems do you solve for your clients and/or what do you think sets you apart from others?

I’ve worked on interior decorating and residential projects for nine years, so I know basic difficulties to expect and how to avoid them. This allows me to concentrate entirely on my customer. I’ll save them time and effort in a procedure that is notoriously difficult if you don’t have the ability to see the broad picture as interior designers do. That’s what I’ve been taught to do. In general, my prior expertise allows me to concentrate on higher-value work. In addition, I’ve demonstrated the ability to take command of a project and ensure that my team completes assignments on time and on budget. I assist my clients in being more organized and seeing things from a fresh perspective. My objective is to assist my customers in achieving the aesthetic they desire. This is a field in which I have a great deal of interest and passion. I have a distinct style and a sophisticated elegant look. I invented the phrase “luxurichic” to describe my own style. I am innovative and think beyond the box since it is who I am by nature. Despite my youth, I have more experience in my field than most of my peers.

What are you most proud of and what are the main things you want potential clients/followers/fans to know about you/your brand/your work/ etc.

I am God’s child on a journey I believe God has set for me. We don’t merely design fluff as interior architects and designers. Cities and communities are literally built by our hands. An architect and designer created the building you’re sitting in or the house you reside in. Furthermore, I feel it is our responsibility to build communities that are long-lasting. I also feel that we can help individuals who are less fortunate make a difference. I’m on a far larger path than I am.

I want prospective clients, coworkers, employers, children, and others to know that I am not your typical interior architect. Although there’s nothing wrong with it, I won’t be a designer who just works on home or commercial projects. On the other side, as designers, we are taught to create structures that are environmentally friendly, especially since our planet is running out of renewable resources.

I aspire to be a designer who creates orphaned and homeless people’s little dwelling communities. I hope to be a designer who makes a significant difference in the field’s ethnic diversity. I’m trying to figure out how to provide adequate homes to third-world countries. It may appear to be a lot, but I have a long life ahead of me and all I want to do is make a difference.

So, when I think about what I’m most proud of, I think of how proud I am of all my accomplishments at such a young age. I’m also proud of the fact that as an African American woman, I’m not a statistic. It’s no secret that African Americans have had it tough throughout history and continue to do so now. Most African American women do not have the opportunity to pursue their aspirations. Because most individuals don’t feel they can achieve more, they must make do with less. Or they don’t have the resources to pursue their passion. I am grateful to my family and mentors for their continued support and guidance. I am where I am now because of their love and support. Hopefully, this gives you a better idea of who I am as a professional interior decorator and a student of interior architecture. My brand is that of a sustainable designer who utilizes her skills to create houses and communities for people who are unable to do it for themselves.

Have you ever had to pivot?

I started my firm when I was eleven years old, as I previously indicated. As a 20-year-old, my dreams are not the same as they were when I was younger. I used to fantasize about combining IKEA and Crate & Barrel into one store. My future aspirations have shifted because of my interior design skills and education. Every day, I learn new abilities and experiences that have a range of effects on my design approach. Each skill reveals a different aspect of myself and teaches me a new strategy for achieving my goals.

Now that I’m about to graduate, I’d like to focus on opening a smaller, more intimate shop and becoming a more service-oriented designer. As a result, my business and I are undergoing a transformation. I’m trying to combine my designer branding and identity with the company I started when I was 11 years old. Before I can begin working on most of my goals, I need to get my master’s degree. As a result, the goals I have now are not the foundation of my business. Now I’m attempting to find a balance between the two, effectively transforming myself into the company’s heart designer.

This is a shift not just in my business, but also in my identity, mindset, design style, and business marketing. I was initially frightened of this shift since I was striving to master the transition. In this regard, I need the transition should be simple and consistent. Transitions, on the other hand, aren’t ideal. So, to prepare, I’ve surrounded myself with mentors and instructors who can help me get to where I want to go. The key to pivoting your business is to recognize that you can’t accomplish it on your own. You’ll need the right people, the appropriate timing, and the proper marketing. When I finally realized what that meant, I felt more confident about moving through with my transition.

How’d you build such a strong reputation within your market?

I believe that several variables have benefited me in creating a reputation in my industry. Our reputations as designers are earned in a variety of ways. My reputation, I believe, is founded on who I am and how I interact with my clients. It’s about how I design for them while also incorporating my own design twists. Regardless of my customer’s preferred approach, I make it a point to ask questions and listen to their answers. I strive to be articulate, precise, and visible while talking with my clients. I prefer to use simple language and pictures when expressing what my customer wants. I never use jargon or abbreviations that my clients will not comprehend. My clients have expressed gratitude for how I tailor their looks to meet their budget and vision.

I’ve heard that when it comes to design preparation, I have a reputation for being extremely careful. I aim to provide a clear analysis of how I will carry out my clients’ ideas. When I speak to a client, some don’t grasp what I’m going to do. I try to offer a variety of research alternatives as well as explanations on why the options were chosen and advised. When it comes to executing the design, I have a reputation for being enthusiastically involved and goal-oriented; I see the installation through to completion. When we meet at the execution stage, we’ll go over a step-by-step procedure, and that’s how I’ll finish the installation. While working on a project, I loathe pausing and modifying the design. My clients have generally expressed their gratitude for my enthusiastic and innovative imaginative ideas that are useful rather than just pretty.

Contact Info:

• Website: precioushomedesigns.com / jasminejbenton.com
• Instagram: Bus: https://www.instagram.com/precioushomedesigns/ | Per: https://www.instagram.com/jasminejbenton/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jasmine.benton.562/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jasminejbenton/

Image Credits
Image in Pink jumpsuit: Lauren Chandler