We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Stephanie Pohlman a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.
Hi Stephanie, thanks for joining us today. One of the things we most admire about small businesses is their ability to diverge from the corporate/industry standard. Is there something that you or your brand do that differs from the industry standard? We’d love to hear about it as well as any stories you might have that illustrate how or why this difference matters.
I think when people think of interior designers, they think we create spaces that are bold, pretty, and magazine worthy. Although we shoot for these things as well, we also want our spaces to be livable. We love to meet with our clients and find out how they use their space, how it can be better for their family, and how we can create a space to be both beautiful and functional for their needs. At the end of the day, it’s our clients’ homes and we want them to love their space!
Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.
Hello! My name is Stephanie Pohlman and I am the owner of Stephanie Pohlman Designs, a small boutique style interior design firm in Saint Louis, MO. I went to college at the University of Missouri and graduated with a degree in Pre-architectural studies, emphasis in interior design. After college, I worked for an office furniture company designing commercial spaces. When I realized I needed more creative freedom, I worked for another designer as her assistant and then a custom home builder as his selections coordinator. I think all of these experiences helped me to learn all aspects of design! I was able to see the technical, creative, and construction side which helps me be a well-rounded designer.
I started my business in 2016 and have been growing ever since! Now, it is myself and one other designer and we take on anything from a complete room refresh to remodels and new builds. Our niche Is that we create livable designs that make our clients love their home.
I am most proud of how my business has grown. I started alone and took any job I could get! I was decorating shelves, rearranging furniture, and giving paint color advice. Today, we have bigger, more complicated projects, and it’s so exciting! I hope people can see that we do more than just “decorate”. Our favorite types of projects are the ones that we get to see from very start to finish. (from conceptual drawings to finishing touches). We love all the technical aspects and the details that go into a beautiful design.
Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?
I wish I would have known how many different carrier opportunities there are in design! In school, they sort of pushed commercial design. There are so many different areas you can go into and I think that’s what’s so great about a creative field like interior design. I think one of the best resources is to become an intern. There is no better way to learn, than to follow another designer or firm that you are interested in!
What do you think is the goal or mission that drives your creative journey?
We love creating a home that our clients love. When we first meet, our clients have something that isn’t working in their home, or if they are building, they are looking at us for advice on how to make their space best function. The most rewarding time is at the end when our clients get to see the vision come to life! That reaction in the end is what pushes us and makes our designs successful.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.stephaniepohlmandesigns.com
- Instagram: stephaniepohlmandesigns
- Facebook: stephaniepohlmandesigns
Image Credits
Headshots: Emily Broadbent Photography Kitchen photos: Lisa Mitchell – photography by Li