Melissa Clark left the corporate world of program assistant at a St. Petersburg, Fla., television station -- "lots of clerical work" -- more than 10 years ago and followed her dream of being an interior decorator. A few years later, Clark, 44, of Trinity, Fla., opened her own business, Casa Bella Interiors.
We talked with her recently about the perks and struggles of the business, and about her favorite HGTV shows.
How did you get started?
"Lots of really good decorators don't have any formal training, but I wanted to go back to school, and get that kind of background," Clark says. "Architectural classes, learning about textiles, period furniture."
Next came an internship, and then a lot of hands-on experience. "The first few years (on the job), you're learning a lot."
What do you like most about your job?
"It's never boring," she says. "It's exciting to create a design and see it through completion, satisfying to see clients get their dream home. To get paid to go shopping!
"I can't see myself doing anything else. (The business is) constantly on my mind. I don't want to do anything, anything else, and hope I don't have to."
What are the biggest challenges?
"When I first started, it was hard to find vendors that were highly skilled. You need lots of people backing you up. It's important to listen to your clients' needs. And if you want to be successful, you never stop learning. You need to keep up with trends."
What is the pay like?
"It depends on how much of a go-getter you are, how good you are at networking, how much advertising you do," she says. "If you're working for someone else, it varies greatly, especially based on size of the design firm."
This job is not for you if ...
"If you're not creative and you don't like wearing lots of different hats. One day you might be selecting granite, another day curtains. Then there's working with clients and contractors, and dealing with business aspects, all the paperwork.
"You need to be good with time management, (to be) high-paced."
Favorite HGTV host?
Candice Olson, "Divine Design."
Designer vs. decorator: The two terms are sometimes used interchangeably, but there are technical differences between the two.
Decorators primarily focus on surfaces: paint, fabric, furnishings, lighting and other materials. A designer is also concerned with surfaces, of course, but also deals with building and safety codes and may be involved with managing the construction and installation of a design, or designing for appropriate acoustics and sound transmission, for example.
(Ester Venouziou can be reached at Evenouziou(at)sptimes.com.)
(Distributed by Scripps Howard News Service www.scrippsnews.com)
Must credit St. Petersburg Times
Post new comment