Today’s guest on the show is Crystal of Crystal Ann Interiors! She is a former wedding planner turned interior designer who loves to create spaces that are functional and beautiful. Her services vary from furniture plans to design boards and everything in between. She is a mother of two beautiful children, living in an adorable Manhattan space! I am so excited to chat more with Crystal today about her design strategy, tips and ability to create fresh, modern and livable spaces!!
WHAT YOU WILL HEAR IN THIS PODCAST:
- How to maximize a smaller space?
- What is Crystal’s Design Style?
- What are mistakes to learn from when starting out in a design career?
- What are collaborations?
- How to design space on a budget?
- What are a few pieces of advice for those beginning their design career?
How to maximize a smaller space?
Living in a smaller space has motivated Crystal to be creative with how she furnishes her home. For her particular space, the bedroom also functions as the living room. Crystal installed a Murphy bed to maximize the space. A Murphy Bed looks like an armour, but also folds out from the wall into a bed, leaving much more room when the bed is folded up. Many of their other furniture pieces have dual functions as well. Such as, a bench in the nook also doubles as storage space. For Crystal’s family, living in a smaller space has also encouraged them to spend more time outside and doing activities like, walking to nearby parks and stores.
What is Your Style of Design?
Crystal’s style has evolved over the years. Today, she is drawn to modern vintage by taking old charm and mixing it with clean lines. She actually chose her NY apartment because of its’ charm, rather than a newer more modern style apartment. Crystal is also very open to change and even has multiple adaptable products in her home. Her entry way has removable wall paper from Chasing Wallpaper, which can easily be changed to different designs. The kitchen floor is a vinyl tile, but looks like cement that she purchased from Quadrostyle. When you are picking out furniture for your space, it is smart to pick more neutral colors as these colors will always be in style and you can add pops of color with pillows, removable wallpaper, or decor!
Mistakes to Learn From?
When Crystal first started out in her design business, she wanted to work with any client and which meant taking clients who did not match her particular design style. Having clients with a different style is something you can worth through, but it is challenging to stay motivated and excited to the share the work because it may not be your style. Crystal now puts out more of her own work that she loves and enjoys, which helps to attract clients who align with her style. She also has her clients put together a Pinterest board of images that stick out to them which helps Crystal decide if they will be a good fit by working together.
What are collaborations?
Collaborations are when a company reaches out to you to offer one of their products in exchange for sharing about the product on your social media. One of Crystal’s main focuses is now collaborations with different companies. In order to agree to the collaboration, she has to feel comfortable with advocating for the particular product. It is important to make sure the products and brands go along with the work you put out, because it makes the post look authentic and real to your style. When deciding what to charge for a collaboration, it is import to realize how much time actually goes into a collaboration. You should always charge what your time is worth. There are rate cards online that can help you calculate this number by telling you what you can charge, based on how many followers you have.
How to design a space on a budget?
Crystal recommends online e-design which is more affordable than a professional firm designing your home. The client takes measurements and pictures of their home and emails them to the designer and they create a mood board with links of where to buy all of the products. This makes it so easy to decorate your home! Apartment Therapy, Houzz, House Beautiful, Elle Decor, The Every Girl are all great resources to check out!
Advice to another creative/designers who is trying to build their brand?
Make a goal on what you want to achieve and stick to it! It is easy to become swayed by different things, especially if it is enticing or the easier way. When you stick to your goal, it makes it that much more rewarding by knowing you have organically grown your business. Also, do not take on a bigger load than you can handle, “Say no so you can say yes”!
CONNECTING:
Instagram
Pinterest
Website
LINKS REFERENCED:
Apartment Therapy
Houzz
House Beautiful
Elle Decor
The Every Girl
SPONSORS:
Showit – User-Friendly Web Design Platform: Use code MAGIC for 10% off your subscription!
Black River Imaging – High Quality Online Print Site: Use code MAGIC for 20% off your order!
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