We recently connected with Timala Stewart and have shared our conversation below.

Alright, Timala thanks for taking the time to share your stories and insights with us today. What’s the backstory behind how you came up with the idea for your business?

I worked in the home furnishings industry as a buyer for 9 years prior to starting my interior design business. I’ve always had an eye for fashion, decor and styling so I knew that I eventually wanted to start my own thing, I was just unsure of what that looked like.

I was introduced to eDesign in 2019 and decided to pursue interior design via that medium during the pandemic while I was furloughed, I had several friends reach out for help with decorating their homes, home offices in particular. These friends were scattered across the country so it wasn’t feasible for me to travel to everyone’s place for in person work so I did it digitally.

I created a process using online design programs, video calls, online questionnaires, photos, videos, etc. to gather all of the information from the friends turned clients to create their digital design plans. Using my previously mentioned merchandising knowledge, I was able to source the best home decor from online retailers, marketplaces and independent shops to execute the clients vision.

From there, my clients would independently shop and execute their design plan on their own time as their budget allowed. I knew I was on to something by their genuine reactions during the design presentations and enthusiasm when sending me progress footage of their newly updated spaces.

Timala, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I got into the interior design industry by proxy of my merchandising career. I got my BA in Fashion Merchandising from VCU and landed a career in home furnishings merchandising shortly after graduating. Over the course of 13 years, I’ve become a home furnishings expert; from types of furniture, to construction of pieces, to styling, I know a lot.

What sets me apart as an interior designer, aside from my professional background, is my desire to bridge the gap between the DIY and DFY worlds of interior design. There is a middle and lots of people exist there. Myself being one of them.

Interior design can be an attainable luxury. Most of my clients enjoy being hands on in the design process, want to manage their timeline and budget, but also value the professional expertise a designer brings. They’re unsure how to cohesively define their style or where to even shop for items, but they do know they need assistance elevating their space. They don’t have hundreds of thousands of dollars available to invest in full service design, but they have set aside funds to start with one room and plan for the next.

I put words and visuals to my clients ideas and budget, create a beautifully packaged design story with visuals and a shopping list and hand it over to them for execution.

What’s worked well for you in terms of a source for new clients?

Word of mouth is always my best source for new clients. Interior design a highly visual industry so when prospective clients see my ideas beautifully executed in person with a glowing testimonial from the client, it definitely helps solidify new business.

Second to word of mouth would be Instagram. Hashtags and the wording of your bio are important. People search social media for service professionals regularly so having the proper set up and using the marketing tools correctly are crucial.

Do you have multiple revenue streams – if so, can you talk to us about those streams and how your developed them?

My business does have multiple revenue streams. eDesign services are my main revenue stream. I added on VDA (virtual design assistant) services where I offer premium sourcing and procurement help to scaling interior designers which also helps me when eDesign is slow.

More recently, I added affiliate revenue like Amazon, LTK, Society6, etc. to my income stream which is a really slow build. It grows as your social media following and engagement grows. This helps me make additional income off the home items I suggest to my audience. The commissions start small, but have potential to grow into a viable source of income.

Lastly, I have digital interior design guides on my site which are mostly passive.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.decuratedinteriors.com/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/decuratedinteriors/