Meet Adrienne: Interior Designer

You’re in luck!!! I’m sharing one of my all time favorite people today. Adrienne and I met in college and she has been my closest friend I could always count on. She gives the most amazing advice and always makes me feel more confident. I literally cried as she shared her story with me because I’ve been right there with her through a lot of it. Adrienne really excels at being present and focusing on what is most important, and it’s something I try to learn from every single day!

Adrienne owns her own Interior Design firm, Adrienne Anderson Interiors, and through the end of this week she’s offering 20% off all of her design services, (including e-design if you’re not in Utah) for Livlyhood readers! If you’re stuck with a space in your house, now is your chance to get professional recommendations for how to liven it up. Adrienne has the best eye and is constantly helping me to find the best pieces for my house, Just contact her on her website and include that you found out about her through Livlyhood. 

Tell us a little about yourself and your career

I have always loved all things home design and my dream was always to have my own interior design business. After working for other people for a couple years and getting some experience, I finally decided to take the leap and do it. Over the last 3 years, my business has been a little bit of a roller coaster. I have been afraid to put myself out there and not sure if I had enough experience. I have put it on the back burner when other things were demanding my attention or other job opportunities were making me more money. I have given myself more self-confidence pep talks than I ever expected.

What makes all the ups and downs worth it is the feeling of pride after completing a project, of being able to tell people that I have my own business and knowing that I am in control of its fate and my own success.

How does your community of women you surround yourself with support you?

I have never felt like I’ve had women at work that I could ask for advice or mentoring from. It has always been my sisters, mom, and close friends who don’t work in design that have helped me the most. I trust the small group of family and friends around me and they have served me so well over the years. It is really interesting to see the contrast in opinions I get between them all, but in the end they all have my best interest at heart. They give me tough love when I need to humble myself or get my butt in gear, and uplifting encouragement as well.

I’m surrounded by women who know me well, love me, and want to see me succeed! What more could a girl want?

What makes you passionate about interior design?

I used to feel like interior design wasn’t a noble career because I wasn’t saving lives or making a difference in the world by choosing paint colors. But the more I thought about it the more I realized that that wasn’t true. The environment we surround ourselves with shapes and molds us more than we think. Everyone has been somewhere pristine and well-kept and felt uncomfortable taking off their shoes or leaving trash on the ground.

At the same time, we all know the feeling of being somewhere dark or sketchy and feeling unsafe and just wanting to get home as fast as possible. The same goes with design. If I can turn a boring or inefficient space into something beautiful, welcoming, comfortable, and safe, then I can have a positive effect on the way people feel and act. My designs can make a real difference.

What do you wish you could go back and tell your younger self?

I wish I could go back and tell my younger self that others’ opinions regarding my life matter less than my own. Sounds conceited, I know. I just wasted so much time biting my lip and wondering what everyone else would think of my words, decisions, actions, artwork, design, etc. I remember having a piece of artwork torn apart by a design teacher in front of the whole class and a fellow student saying, “I’m glad that’s not my work.” I was so affected by that! It wasn’t until recently that I realized I can’t allow myself to be so easily affected by other’s opinions or else I’ll never get anything done. Yes, take opinions into account (especially the client’s!), but TRUST YOURSELF!

You are creative, talented, and you know what you’re doing. If you start doubting yourself, those are the times when you progress the least. The times you go for the risk, believe in yourself, and trust your instincts are the times when you can be most proud of yourself. So be that person you are proud of!

What is your career-related mantra?

Other than “trust yourself”, I would probably say, “be content”. Another thing I have learned is that if I’m happy where I am at, that’s what is important. Sometimes I let other people’s definition of success make me feel like I’m not doing a good job. I would love to do design full time but I’m not quite at that point. I’ve had to supplement my income with other jobs that aren’t design, but that I also enjoy. To the outside world, that might seem like I haven’t quite “made it,” but to me it’s all about how you look at it. Because I do more than design, I have the chance to hone other talents and skills and in more than one area. I also am allowed a flexible schedule where I am available for emergencies or spur of the moment vacations.

There is no perfect job, and every situation has some give and take, but sometimes you just need a slight change in perspective to realize that maybe you have made it. Always strive to progress and improve but also take the time to be content with where you’re at.