We recently connected with Taylor Maher and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Taylor thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. So, let’s start with trends – what are some of the largest or more impactful trends you are seeing in the industry?

When it comes to interior design, I feel like trends can go just as quickly as fashion, but this year’s trends I believe are going to stick around for a while. Here are 5 big trends I’m seeing right now: mixed metals, natural materials/bringing the outside in, soft round edges, velvet, and my personal favorite… wallpaper.

Mixed Metals: I’ve had to tell some of my clients that mixing metals can look lovely if done correctly. Some might even get scared of gold, but I think you can keep it tastefully by mixing an antiqued brass fixture with black hardware or vice versa.

Natural Materials: Bringing the outdoors inside with greenery (lots of plants), natural wood, and warm neutrals. I think with everyone having to stay home from quarantine in 2020 we are looking for ways to make our home feel like a sanctuary. Some can create home gardens, others can create a look that will incorporate neutrals and reclaimed wood pieces!

Round Edges: These rounded edges could mean round chairs, rolled arms, round tables, round fixtures, and the list goes on, but make sure to not have everything with a round edge. Add in pieces that will compliment those edges by doing a rounded sofa with a squared coffee table or side table for example! This makes your space feel softer.

Velvet: I can be guilty and say I’m so excited this is a trend again! Velvet fabric coming back with pillows, sofas, accent chairs, and more! Not only is it pretty to look at, but it’s also soft to the touch and comes in many different colors. There are even some brands that are performance fabric, so you don’t have to worry if you accidentally spill wine on your velvet sofa during Bachelor Monday, or if your kids get a little messy!

Wallpaper: Now I know what you’re thinking, “Why would I ever put wallpaper on my walls? Isn’t that outdated?” The answer is NO! It can add texture, color, character, and dimension to any space in your home (plus it is so much fun)!!

Awesome – so before we get into the rest of our questions, can you briefly introduce yourself to our readers.

My name is Taylor Maher! When people typically ask me what I do for a living I like to say a little bit of everything. An interior designer, marketing assistant, content/copywriting, and occasionally help design florals with The Crafted Company. (this doesn’t even include the social work I do for myself). You can only imagine the number of strange looks and questions I get. “You have how many jobs?” “How do you balance it all?” “Why do you do it?” The short answer, I love anything creative and helping others accomplish their goals and dreams, but to go into more detail I’ll explain it a little more below.

Well, let’s start with my main job. I work as an interior designer in Milton called Costner Studio. We are an online interior design studio helping people love where they live. Online Interior Design is interior design that is done all online! We’ll work with you remotely on your space to provide solutions and interior design at a fraction of the cost of in-person interior design services. Online interior design is excellent for those who are able to help with the process by buying the items recommended and installing them on their own time and schedule with my assistance along the way! We offer five different e-design packages that will be sure to make your home tell a story. All of my clients have been such a dream and it truly is magical to see your vision turn into a physical reality.

I also work as a marketing assistant for another small business called STARTbrands. STARTbrands is a collection of products, communities, and resources helping to balance and focus on all the demands of life, through systems, tools, and knowledge to succeed. Breaking it down we have STARTplanner (our 2023 line is coming out this month and we’re so excited), START Knowing My Numbers (teaching the basics of finance), START Courses, and START With Kristy. All of these intertwine to give you STARTbrands where we work hard to help you become the best version of yourself whether that be through productivity tools, organization tips, or educational courses that will change your life! I may be labeled as a marketing assistant, but I really do so much more than just posting on social media platforms. When you’re a part of a small business you have many roles and work as a team. I truly couldn’t ask for a better team of women to work with. I work on newsletters, blogs, zoom events, socials, shipping, graphics, and so much more. Our community is something I’m so proud to be a part of.

The other business I work with is Everly Agency. Everly Agency is a female-founded, full-service branding and creative powerhouse based in stunning Southern California. Our team serves visionary entrepreneurs, mission-minded nonprofits, and purpose-driven projects for awesome brands and humans. We exist to create beautiful things in the world and support others in their passionate pursuits. Here I have the pleasure of doing content creation and copywriting.

I have always been great at multitasking and managing my time wisely. In college, I had 18 credit hours a semester, an internship, and worked a part-time job bartending. Of course, it was a lot, but it helped me in so many ways. I gained so much knowledge and have learned from so many people. If there’s one thing that is so important if you’re in college applying to jobs is to network.

I like to believe that all of my jobs work well together and sometimes intertwine. This hasn’t been easy by any means, but thankfully I’ve found a perfect balance to work on all my passions. The best part about my job is no day looks the same. I feel as though a lot of creatives work the same way. I’m a big believer that we as humans are not supposed to do the same thing for the rest of our life. Our minds and skills give us the capability to do, see, and achieve so many different things. Why not work every day doing something you love?

Looking back, are there any resources you wish you knew about earlier in your creative journey?

I said this in the previous question, but it truly is so important… NETWORKING!! Thankfully I had many opportunities in my internship to attend events, but if you’re a student and still looking for internships, research local events happening in your area that relate to your field. Even if you don’t meet someone willing to give you a job they know someone who will be a great fit for you.

We’d love to hear the story of how you built up your social media audience?

Consistency. This can go with any strategy, but when it comes to social media posting consistent content with key points on what your offer and who you are every day is so important. For example, on Instagram post at least 3 reels a week, but keep it consistent with your brand and your services. One of the best ways we grew a large number of followers quickly was through a giveaway post and cross-linking through other platforms. A giveaway can be a great way to showcase what your offer and you can make your followers more engaged.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://costnerstudio.com/ https://startbrands.com/ https://everlyagency.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/taysayhay/ https://www.instagram.com/costner.studio/ https://www.instagram.com/startbrands/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/taylor.maher.14/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/taylor-maher-7627a7158/

Image Credits
Brittany Sweat