We were lucky to catch up with Natalie Cody recently and have shared our conversation below.
Natalie , looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Let’s jump right into how you came up with the idea?
As we progress in the interview I will paint a very clear picture and walk everyone through my career path and entrepreneurial endeavor. You will leave with a clear understanding of why my career journey is so worthwhile to me. As well as how I have tried to make it a blessing to others as well.
For now I want to delve deeper into why I choose to share my story and interior design journey in the form of a coffee table book.
Let’s go deeper into why I chose to do this. Usually, coffee table books feature mansions, high-end homes, luxury apartments, penthouses, yachts, or places that many of us can’t afford. Since most of my clients are working individuals that often save and sacrifice to do minor and major design projects to fulfill their aspirations of having a beautiful apartment or home. As a decorator I wanted my clients to have a book on their coffee table or book shelf that represented them.
As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?
My story starts at the age of twelve (12) years old when I fell in love with Vogue magazine. I would escape for hours looking through the pages of Vogue.
I remember one night watching my favorite TV show. This particular episode was about a fashion illustrator. I couldn’t illustrate but I knew I wanted to do something in the fashion industry.
Throughout high school I was preparing myself to do something in the fashion industry. I just had to figure out what I was going to do. While looking through the pages of another fashion magazine I saw an advertisement for the Art institute of Atlanta. It wasn’t a light bulb moment, it was a fireworks moment. I started researching the school and its curriculums. I made the call to request additional information, applied and was accepted.
I graduated from the Art Institute of Atlanta and that’s when my career journey took a fun and interesting path. Out of college, I worked as a fashion stylist and at one point for a high-end designer boutique. It was exhilarating to shop for the clients.
As time passed the customers wanted more and more of my advice. They would ask about hair and make-up. Being a make-up enthusiast I was glad to give my opinion.
Hence my first career transition. I started doing make-up and loved it. Even though it was bittersweet I left the high-end designer boutique and started to work in the cosmetic department of a major department store. Filled with creativity and being a great salesperson my career advanced quickly. I became a cosmetic counter manager a year later, but I wanted to know more. I wanted to know how to care for my client’s skin as well as make them look beautiful with my make-up applications. So I went to school and became a licensed esthetician.
As my creativity developed I knew I wanted to be well-rounded. I wanted to have a more in-depth business perspective. I have always been very detail-oriented and very organized. So I made my second career change and entered the corporate world starting as a bank teller. Being a hard worker and very determined in three (3) years I worked my way from a part-time bank teller to assistant branch manager. I loved banking and excelled but again I knew I could develop into more this time I took classes to get properly trained to become an administrative assistant.
All the while working to diversify my resume there was another passion looming in the background and that was interior and event design. I knew exactly where that passion originated. I did my first event when I was fifteen (15) years old to raise money for my Sunday school. The whole community came. It was a sell-out.
What was I to do? I was creative as a fashion stylist, make-up artist, and interior and event designer. I was torn and felt I had to choose one.
I see each as a canvas: the face when doing make-up, the body when fashion styling, and the room when doing interiors and events. How was I to choose?
I struggled with choosing for a while. Always keeping my faith first I heard my favorite pastor preaching that we are never one-dimensional and that most of us are multi-talented. This gave me peace about my creativity.
What I realized is that I was merging all my careers and creativity together anyway.
My banking and administrative experience helps me to organize, plan, and manage. The fashion industry is where I gain knowledge about color, fabrics, design, and silhouettes. My passion and natural talents have been an asset. Being hard-working and striving to be my best is part of what makes me good at what I do. I have been able to marry my careers together to form “Incredible Living Interiors and Events.”
I have owned this company for the past seventeen (17) years. At Incredible Living Interiors and Events I even get to design sets and do fashion styling for photography.
I am so grateful for how God has blessed my creativity and career over the years.
Incredible Living Interior and Events is an interior design and event design company that has been creating beautiful spaces for seventeen (17) years. Whether it is interiors, events, fashion styling and set designs for photography. We can take your ideas and create a beautiful space that is as unique as you are.
Our process for getting the job done starts with a consultation, and then we take all the information from your consultation and put together a presentation. Once the presentation is approved we implement your design concept.
What sets Incredible Living Interiors and Events apart is my kind of creativity. I think that every creative soul has a style of creativity that makes them unique.
Excellent customer service is the rule and not the exception. Seeing happy well-pleased clients as the saying goes is “icing on the cake”. What I am most proud of is my work ethic, my creativity, and the excellent service that I strive to offer. These are intangible things that you can’t purchase; you have to desire to have them.
Any resources you can share with us that might be helpful to other creatives?
Yes, I wish that social media had been as prevalent at the start of my career as it is now. It would have allowed my career and creativity to be more far-reaching. I also think it would have opened doors for greater opportunities. However, I am grateful that it is a resource now and as I have always done I will work hard and make it an asset at this time in my career.
Is there mission driving your creative journey?
Yes, there are two (2) goals that are driving my creative journey at the present moment. The first is to complete my Interior and Event Design Coffee Table Book. I am finally at the final editing stage.
As with any great project there have been times during this process, when I have had to step back, recharge and replenish myself. I can be guilty of being a workaholic. When I find myself crossing over into workaholic mode that is when I have to force myself to pull back and recharge.
The second is the “Incredible Living Expo” which I hope to bring to the public soon. This event has been in the making since 2014. There have been some obstacles along the way for example personal life events, COVID 19, and wanting it to be executed in excellence. However, I am excited and look forward to when these goals come to fruition.
Contact Info:
Image Credits
Graphic Designer – Nakia Phelps – Company: Micah Amarey Photographers: Marco Bedell; Tammie Peterson; Cliff Robinson; Jason Greenwood