Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Lauren Murphy. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.

Alright, Lauren thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. Can you share a story with us from back when you were an intern or apprentice? Maybe it’s a story that illustrates an important lesson you learned or maybe it’s a just a story that makes you laugh (or cry)?

I worked at Lowes while in design school at Alabama. I started as a cashier and also worked in the lumber department where I learned a variety of skills, including how to drive a forklift. Customers were always surprised, and maybe a little scared haha, to see a 5’1″ 19 year old driving through with a load of lumber. The main department I ended up working in was cabinets where I used my time there to teach myself their computer design software. It was definitely not the most “encouraging” work environment but it all had a purpose!

After grad school I landed my dream job at Twin Construction because of my work with the cabinet design software from Lowes! I learned to always be investing in yourself and learning new skills, who knows what doors it could open up for you in the future. Every job and experience has great lessons in it that you can use if you are willing to learn.

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.

Lauren Murphy Design is an Interior Design firm based in Birmingham, Alabama and is now expanding to add an office in Atlanta, Georgia as well to service our clients in both areas! We specialize in construction design with a focus on kitchen and bathroom renovations. We also offer interior furnishings for our clients as well.

We are considered unique because we also do the floor plans for our clients who are wanting a renovation. We work with our clients from the very beginning of the project putting a plan on paper and follow them all the way through the construction design phase of the project. Then we even assist them in furnishing their space once the renovation wraps up. It is so fun helping people design their dream homes!

Lauren Murphy Design is made up of Lauren Murphy, Lead Designer and her amazing two Design Associates: Megan Hall & Hannah Osvath.

A little background on Lauren Murphy:

I received my Interior Design degree from the University of Alabama and then went on to get my Masters in Historic Preservation from the University of Georgia. Most of my knowledge I use everyday comes from my on-site experience I learned while working at Twin Construction. I worked with Twin for 6 years as a cabinet designer as well as making design selections for clients and plan designs for renovations. I also started renovating my own house during that time which sparked the realization that I wanted to be a bigger part of the renovation process.

So I went out on my own! But I also needed to be able to support myself while starting my own business so I received my Real Estate license. My Real Estate career was able to support the start of my design business and give me an invaluable network of clients and resources. It also gave me the opportunity to learn about the investment side of remodeling and building homes. I also met my first design associate in real estate: Megan Hall. She has been by my side for 5 years and has helped me grow my business to what it is today!

Since then we have gotten to build some amazing homes with incredible clients all over the Birmingham area and even down in South Florida. We have since then added our other Design Associate: Hannah Osvath who comes to us with a marketing background and has helped us expand our brand and reach on social media. We are excited about the next chapter together and getting to take on new projects in Atlanta, Georgia as well.

Where do you think you get most of your clients from?

Real Estate agents! Even though I am not actively selling Real Estate for clients, the relationships I made in that industry have been an incredible source of new client referrals. It makes sense, right? When someone is purchasing a home, there are typically aspects of the home they’d like to renovate or spruce up. Realtors often say that it’s so nice for them to have the name of a designer they know and trust to take care of their clients in the next step of their client’s journey. We are so thankful for the referrals we get from our Realtor friends!

Twin Construction was also a huge part of my success on my own. When I left to pursue my own design business they referred multiple clients to Lauren Murphy Design and have been incredible to partner with on many projects. We love getting to work with them as the contractors on renovations!

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

Managing a team is all about being grateful and gracious to those who dedicate their time and energy to your dream. Listening to their ideas and fostering the creativity of my designers not only makes them feel valued but their unique perspectives also teach me new ways of looking at design, business, and client relationships. I also like to throw in an impromptu nail or spa day to show my appreciation for them- that’s a guaranteed morale booster! ;)

Contact Info:

• Website: https://laurenmichellemurphy.com
• Instagram: @lauren.murphy.design
• Facebook: Lauren Murphy Design

Image Credits

1. Jean Allsopp
2. Emily Brooke Lawrence
3. Mary Fehr
4. CBM
5. Katherine Horton
6. Katherine Horton
7. Katherine Horton
8. Christina Hontzas