Wednesday, August 9, 2017

Living the Dream - 2nd Edition Katy Brooks

Welcome to the 2nd installment of Living the Dream.

If you missed the first one, you can read it here.

Now let me introduce you to Katy Brooks
Katy has an eye.  You know people like that who think of using things like you never would, who make every little knook and cranny looked planned and adorable......yep, that is Katy.  She has a natural talent for decorating, hosting, cooking and general festivities. Now here's Katy......




Hey everyone! I’m Katy and I’m a girl with many loves…the Lord Jesus Christ, my husband of almost 4 years, my family, my hometown, my fur niece, Chic-fil-A and interior design…just to name a few!
I’m practically a Huntsville native having moved to the area when I was in first grade. I’ve left briefly a few times- to attend college at Pensacola Christian, to intern at Camp Victory in South Alabama and to live in Jacksonville, FL with my husband after we married in 2013.  Fortunately, we have moved back to Huntsville now, and being back in Huntsville and living near my family is definitely my happy place!
I work at a local church as a ministry assistant and in my free time I like to cook, blog, attend Bible Study Fellowship (BSF) and shop!
For about a decade, I’ve been helping friends and family decorate their homes and corporate spaces. I love helping everyday people work with everyday budgets to create beautiful and personal spaces.
How did you get into running your own business?
Since I was a little girl, I’ve been drawn to all things home- especially beautiful spaces. My family used to explore home construction sites in our neighborhood, analyzing the floor plan. I also grew up watching my mom take great care in decorating our home.

Around 2006, friends started approaching me to help them decorate their home. For a couple of years, my client base was a few friends who let me hang their pictures but over time, my friends told other friends who told their friends and word spread, creating a larger client base, which allowed me to expand my services beyond just hanging pictures (though I still love that part!).

I eventually got business cards and started a design blog, to get the word out that I’m here to help the everyday person beautify their home.


What was your greatest challenge?
My greatest challenge has always been acquiring new clients. In 2013 I moved out-of-state when I got married. During the three years I was gone, the momentum in acquiring new clients dwindled. I have a handful of faithful friends who hire me occasionally but I’d like to see my business keep growing to include new clients and projects.

How do you balance it all?
One of the best aspects of running my own design service is that I set the hours and fees! I work a full-time job outside the interior design industry, so weekends are when I’m most available to clients. The initial consultation is usually about 2 hours, which involves seeing the space and making a plan, unless it’s a project I can start immediately (like hanging pictures or arranging furniture). My clients understand that family time is important so we work around both our schedules.
What’s your favorite thing about what you are doing?
My passion is helping clients make their home a retreat that reflects their family and personal style. I
especially like helping clients with little or no budget (though I don’t turn down a large budget!). I love bringing order, color and personality to a space. There’s no need for people to live with empty walls or pictures hung too high! No matter the budget, one of my favorite things to do is shop my clients home, gathering items from other rooms, the attic or the garage. Not only is it free, but finding hidden pieces or using something in a new way is a great way to add personality and family history to a space.


Did you have mentors, formal training, or did you learn as you went along?
My bachelor's degree is in Home Economics and includes several courses in interior design. In 2011 I completed several classes toward a UAH’s College of Professional and Continuing Education Interior Design Certificate. After taking those classes, I enrolled full time in UNA’s Interior Design program. I was halfway through with that degree when I got married and moved out of state for a few years.

All my classes were beneficial and helped me further develop an eye for, color, space planning and design.
What’s the key to making your business work?
Clients! I rely heavily on word of mouth, so sometimes it’s hard to acquire new clients. I also have to fight some people’s misconception that hiring a designer is only for the wealthy. I try to keep my fees affordable so that anyone on any budget can afford to hire me. I’m also willing to keep all work and any purchases within a set budget.

What’s coming up for you that you are looking forward to?
I just launched “Design from a Distance” a new service that allows those outside the Huntsville area to hire me to design a space. A long distance client can email me pictures of their space and complete a design questionnaire. I will send them back paint color and fabric suggestions, a space planning floor plan and an inspiration board with suggested purchases.

What advice do you have for another woman thinking of stepping out and starting to live her own dream?
My advice to those women would be to go for it! Though many of us need to be in more mundane jobs to make ends meet, having a creative outlet injects energy into my life. Start small by reaching out to friends and let word of mouth be your best marketing tool! It’s better to live with an extra 2000 business cards than to live with the regret of not pursuing what you love.
I can't recommend Katy enough. She is currently working on our guest bedroom. As soon as she is done I will be sure to post pictures here. In the meantime you can see some of her work on her design blog and in the pictures below.





1 comment:

  1. Katy is simply amazing! She took items and I had and made them into something I could never have imagined. My house was a literally a blank canvas with white walls. She helped me pick colors from a distance then came in person and made my house a home.

    ReplyDelete