Hello and welcome to episode 40 of design curious podcast.
I'm your host and Mentor. Rebecca Ward.
I hope you're having a great Monday.
If you're listening to this on Monday and as we're heading into
the summer, I've got so many fun things prepared for you guys.
And I also wanted to give you a heads-up that starting in June.
I'm going to be doing three interviews instead of 24 June
July. I in August, for those summer
months because I've just have a backlog of so many great
interviews. Then I want to get them out to
you sooner. And then also, it gives me a
little bit of a break for planning episodes for in
between, and so gives me a little bit of a summer.
So I have some great interviews and store for you.
So you're going to stick around for that.
And today we have another great one with Alexis Peters and
before I introduce you to her, get into her bio.
I wanted to remind you that We have those downloads for you and
you can find the links to those in the show notes.
If you're interested in the career, you're definitely going
to want to get these downloads and get that information.
And then I also have my design Mentor is accepting membership
right now and you'll want to get in there and join the community
and talk with me directly to learn about the career as I help
you get on your feet as an interior designer, and it's so
much fun. I really enjoy doing that.
So I'd love to see you in there. Might Design Mentor.
You can find a link for that in the show notes as well.
All right. A little bit about Alexis Peters
as an independent feature film production designer.
She had a percentage of a fraction of what Hollywood films
shell out for Blockbusters, by working with an extremely
limited budget. She learned how to get from
ho-hum to gorgeous on a shoestring Desiring to help
people and believing this can be achieved from beginning in the
home, she started Had her own styling business and solved the
one problem, we all have with our homes, how can we live
beautifully and affordably? So I thought this was a great
conversation with Alexis really fun perspective.
Coming from the production design industry.
And so let's hear from Alexis You're now listening to design,
curious a place where you creative one are here to learn
about what it really is. Like, to be an interior designer
and I'm your host and Mentor Rebecca, Ward, if you're worried
about how to succeed in a creative career, if you're ready
to learn your next steps to become an Interior Designer.
And if you want the satisfaction of doing something you love
everyday, you are. In the right place, grab a
coffee, a notebook. And let's dig into today's
episode. Hi Alexis.
Thank you for being on design. Curious podcast today.
Hi. Thank you so much for having me.
I'm so excited. Yeah, and I been really enjoying
reading your profile and looking at your website for audience.
Why don't you tell them what you do and where you work from?
I'm an interior designer and I specialize in Virtual interior
design. So I'm located in Nashville and
I have local clients. So I have local clients.
And then I also specialize in Virtual Will I do both.
Okay, great. And then I see before you are an
interior designer. You did video production and you
are production designer, right? Hmm.
Yeah. So how did you do that?
Yeah, I've had an interesting Journey so, ever since I was
little, I was really drawn to film and actually more
specifically acting, but I think I got a little confused because
I, you know, I was so young and it took me a bit to fall into my
own and to learn who I was and to learn.
What I wanted and to really learn what matter to me on the
inside. And I think that for me had to
come with kind of doing a bunch of things incorrectly and then,
finally, they, you know, waking up being like, ahh, that voice
inside that's been bugging me since I was a child, that's the
voice. I'm going to start to listen to.
So before I had that wake-up call essentially I thought I
wanted to be an actress. So I did you know as I was I was
doing features. I was in These I was
auditioning, I was a waitress. I had no money.
I was doing all of that, and then I would do it Amba and then
do a nut. You know, I was doing movies
infrequently and then towards the end, a little more
frequently. And while I was auditioning and
acting and doing some plays, and I went to acting school too, and
I did all that stuff, I would always design, friends homes.
And at that time I had, I was just renting apartments.
I wasn't living a life, okay. I was in like anything bujji at
all. I was like a total La girl, and
And I just was renting a place, but I always felt and believed
that just because I rent doesn't mean I have to live like crap
hole, you know, does it mean to have a horrible life?
It's not fair. I didn't think that was fair.
Yeah. So no matter where I lived, I
always made my environment stunning so much.
So that anyone who came over would be like, what did you do?
Where did you buy this? Can I Airbnb this?
How do I stay here? How do I live here?
I'm like, well, I live here but I love That I got it was such a
compliment for me but I never believed that I could have a
career as a designer. I was like no I was just I was
so in my will you know I was so set in my way of like I'm an
actress and and then so I put that under the rug but it was
always the thing that got me out of bed, I had this roommate once
and we were like in bunk beds or something, or I don't even know
when we were just talking and it was late at night and she was
like, hey, are you thinking about lamps?
Because we were both awake. And I was like, how did you
know? Because like I'm just worst in
there in the dark about Lambs. It's the one thing that had me
thrilled about my life and enough to get me out of bed and
be excited about the day. So I ended up finally starting
to listen to that when I became got a little older did more
films and then I became a producer and a writer and a
producer is the one who hires everybody.
So hmm when it came time to needing a production designer,
Her, who the hell else am I going to hire?
But myself obviously. So I was like, I'm not gonna
Design This foam and did I know how to production design?
No. Did I care?
Absolutely. Not was I terrified.
Yes, every second. I was like, I'm not enough, I
can't do it. What are the terms?
What will I, how? How will I work with the DP?
How will I know what if I don't, what if I totally messed my
whole life up and ruin the movie and of course nothing like that
ever happened. And I ended up getting some nice
attention at festivals because my films ended up playing
festivals and celebrations. In all over the world.
So I got to I hadn't. Thank you.
Yeah, it was great. I'm so proud of that part of my
life. I really stepped into my own.
I felt just I got real confident.
At that point, I was like, ah, I was terrified, I did it anyway.
I did a good job. Okay?
And then, I ended up starting my own business.
My own design business shortly after production.
Designing, my second feature. Wow, did you have any coaching
or any mentors that pushed you in the direction of doing that?
Design. That was so scary to tackle like
that's such a huge he'll to get over.
I feel like a lot of people wouldn't be able to do that.
Get them myself. It was really scary.
I think the director at the time, he was my producing
partner. My writing partner and he
directed the two films that I wrote and produced with him.
And he was my biggest supporter at that time for me as a
designer because he knew all the apartments I've done, he knew
what I was capable of and I would say to him, all the scary
stuff, all the stuff that's not true, but I didn't I Is so free
because at that time I had no training.
I ended up getting training in home staging and interior design
and I did that later. But at this time I had no
training I just knew that I liked to make rooms beautiful
and I felt like I was good at it.
But so for to have it was he was just a person.
He was just my business partner, he was my sounding board and he
was like, you're talented enough.
You're good enough. Look at what you've done here
and here I'm trusting you. As the Director he's saying, I'm
trusting you to make this movie amazing.
And I know You can you know, one day at a time one room at a time
and hearing that was pretty much all that helped.
Yeah. Did you get training them before
you started your business? Or did you just start your
business and then you know get your certification as an
organizer and all those things after work.
No I got all my certifications before.
I started my business, I wanted to Stage home so I wanted to be
certified in that I didn't want to just show up and not know
what I you know I wanted to know I want to do it professionally
and be charged professional rate and that was the same for
interior design to. So I went and I got certified in
interior design home staging and and as a con Mari consultant
which is not good night. Yeah, once I finished those
three, then I started my website.
Okay. So did you offer virtual design
right off the bat in your services or was it more
one-on-one? Yeah.
No at first. And this is what I always tell
anyone and I know your listeners Are starting out and are wanting
to start out a thinking about starting out.
And where does one start? I didn't know either.
And the biggest advice that I could say is just do it just
start because I started by the name of my business was
reimagining spaces with Alexis today, its home Stein, my
Alexis. So that's a different name.
So by the way, that's a total nightmare to change.
If you can just have the correct name it 'first, please do that.
But if you don't guess what? My life's not over, I'm not
broke as of it. It wasn't horrible.
It's just He needn't. Yeah, to change but I started
it. I just got a website.
I found any guy on Squarespace and I'm not proficient like with
technology, which is funny because I do virtual design
which we can get into later, but I just paid someone on
Squarespace. I looked at one thing he did.
I have so much advice on what not to do.
I also agree forleo's, b-school. So she has like a six-week
program that essentially is like in my opinion equivalent of a
master's degree in Business, which is what she says.
It's like a big cut. So I learned so much about how
to start a business from her so that was Viv profoundly
impactful and helpful for me, but I would say just start.
So I started locally and I didn't know what I was doing and
I had no, I had no point of view.
I didn't know who my audience was.
I didn't know who I was speaking.
I didn't know who I'd be designing for.
I Didn't Know My Vibe, my tone my style.
I didn't know any of that. Started a website from a guy on
a square space and and I didn't really get any clients or
anything, but it was good. But I once I did Marie forleo's
b-school and I went, ah, okay, I need to know who my audience is
it, who am I designing for, and all of its head and so on and
then I redid it and now the website that I have today is a
direct result of her program. She didn't help.
I mean just taking her courses right next week.
I would say just start mess it up.
Do it ugly? Who cares?
I didn't die over it. I lost a couple thousand dollars
but who doesn't when they start a business.
Yeah. There's always investment.
Yeah. Learning curve.
Yeah, so with your messaging. Now, you are speaking.
A lot to everybody can have a wonderful home like you were
talking about early how your apartment, always, look great,
even though you're just renting. So do you work a lot with
renters or are you looking for first-time home, buyers, or just
anybody in particular, what is your messaging?
Now, it's funny. Ya know, I have clients all
over. I thought Oh, I'm just going to
have the renters and that concern me because I'm like well
I don't will they have money for it?
So I had that battle. But what I found is that the
more I honed in on beautiful and affordable architectural digest
on a budget that my audience finds me.
So people that are willing, beautiful and affordable.
And you know what? A lot of wealthy people, Google,
that. Okay.
The broke people know, it's not actually, You know?
So I ended up I have a nice, you know, spectrum of different
price points that people that find me have make different
kinds of money. But they have one thing in
common and that is they want affordable and stunning.
Okay, so how do you deliver that to them?
Well, and this is really fun because this is what I really
got this from production designing.
So now I could pull from the films I've done.
And now I now I pull from that because as a production
designer, I I was production designing independent feature
films, I'm sure everyone but for anyone unfamiliar it's smaller
budget. Okay.
So I didn't have $20 so I was not doing film starring, Julia
Roberts. I was doing films myself, right?
I'm going to put myself as the lead as well, so you know, we
were working with smaller money. Right.
So when you smaller money, what does one do?
How is that possible? So I learned how to do a lot
with a very little mmm, and that's kind of my magic.
No, that's once I was able to production design those films
and learn that you don't need the ten thousand dollar couch.
Although if you have the money and you can do it do it.
And but I think at the cheapest crap off Amazon away for I don't
do that either. I read reviews.
That's the most important. If you got to see the five-star
I only do five star reviews that's a five-star people right
in. It's comfortable.
It's, you know, so it's not about buying crap and making it
look pretty because this isn't a I don't do print photo shoots if
that was the case I would probably you know but because
I'll have to live in this and a lot of people like to spend
quality money on a couch. It's Case by case.
Okay. Yeah.
So then, like with your design, you source for your clients with
trade accounts or do you use mostly than retail sources?
It work on a home. I usually do an entire house,
which is usually four to five rooms.
And when somebody hires me for their home, I give them my trade
discount. Okay?
So like with Pottery Barn, or though, Types of places you can
pass on your discount. Yeah, okay, Barnard.
All of them, every place that works with the tray but it's
only if they're having me to design their home.
I offer other services. I'll do like a room refresh.
I'm not giving them a because that's way.
It's way smaller. It's quicker.
It's only two hours of my time. That's that.
I don't do. It's only it.
If they, if they just want Consulting hours I have a lot of
people that just have kind of an eye but they just want a
designer to guide them. They don't get my discount.
It's the people that have me designed.
R home. They're the ones that get the
full gist. Okay.
Yeah. So tell me a little more about
the virtual design packages that you do.
And how did you come up with the idea to do it virtually?
Yeah. So this is a mistake, right?
I think so. Some magic comes out of just
absolute mistake. It was literally like I had no
plan for this. I was in California, I was there
for a long time and was covid and I face time with my mother
daily, I'm very close with my family so and you know, I'm
here. Mom, and she's telling me how
much she hates her house. I and this is the house I grew
up in. So I'm like, you know, I really
hate it, but I get it, you know, it's kind of dated, it really
needed like a whole new redo. Totally, she's like, I hate this
room. I hate this room.
I was like, all right, mom, here, Stan further back, because
she'd be closed up. I'm like, here's Dan another
shot. Let me see here, let me see.
Do like a wide shot, you know, the of the room and let me see.
And then like, well what if we painted the walls like a hunter
green? What if we did that?
And what if you're going to need a different couch?
Because that couch doesn't work and then I Just gave her advice
over faced and then in a couple weeks, the room was so beautiful
and stunning. And I had never gone into that
house. I couldn't, that was the time
when we couldn't fly. So, I was in LA, she was in
Chicago and yet her home got completely, transformed, and I
went, and I got full body Goosebumps.
I was like, this is my business. This is what I need.
Not only is it fun and easy and it involves the client they
actually really The sense of pride in their home of, I
helped, I made this happen. It also makes design affordable
and accessible for all people. So you asked me how I kind of
hit on that. My price point is Affordable
because when someone is receiving virtual design on the
other end, they're measuring. I'm telling them what to measure
their on the other end with the measuring stick and they're
they're taping it up. So I you know I could go over my
process to, I'd be happy to share that if you were
interested because it really makes it clear but But there's a
little bit more work for the client, right?
But it's fun and thrilling I remember I just have to tell
this one story. I had this man I designed for a
lot of men to do and he was like I'm really not going to have
time for these appointments and I was like, that's alright.
You know, they won't, you know, they won't he was really like
not having it and he ended up having so much fun.
He he went to London on some work thing and he's texting me
from the hotel. Oh my god.
Did you see these floors? What do you think it?
Should we do these floors? Should we put floors like this
at my house. And like he just got This just
ownership of his home and I just thought that was a big
compliment and really fun because he got to move move
forward in his life then and now really loved his home.
And now he has an eye of what he likes and what he doesn't and
loved it. So yeah, you introduced him to a
new aspect that he didn't even realize he wanted to make time
for. So that's really nice that you
could give to your clients that way.
Yeah, so do explain a little bit more your process if you don't
mind kind of how you make it work with the It's virtually
like what kind of follow-up do you do or what are you require
of them? Yeah, I mean so virtual, so
anyone interested in? So I think all designers should
offer this. I'm not saying do it only
because it's really I require that like instant gratification
to like I had a client all day today.
I was just at her home and Nashville and we're moving stuff
around. I'd like to stand there and move
things around taking pictures. I get the before and afters
because getting those from clients is hard.
Yeah, okay everyone Send them on like what?
It's hot. I cannot put.
So let's pretend you need help in your bedroom, okay?
And you don't know what to do, so you find me and you hire me,
you prepay, so I'm paid already, I do one room at a time.
So we'll start. We'll start with the with your
the primary bedroom. So we started the primary room
and we'll do a consultation there.
So we'll do like 15-20 minutes and this is all on FaceTime or
Zoom or Whatsapp or whatever people prefer.
Or in terms of ways we can talk to each other.
Now, on our phones we do it and I look at the space, ask them
all kinds of questions. You know what do you do in this
room or like how often are you in here?
Do you need blackout? Curtains, is that important to
you? Do you need Bob like I ask all
the questions. Yeah it's just you is there
someone else in here? Is there someone else to style?
I need to be mindful of her. What, you know, I get all.
Do you have an animal? I get all the questions out and
then from there I do a design board so that's just a Straight
up design board, it's called photo great, it's great, but I
pay for it, but they have options, you can do that are
free. So okay, so I use Photo Grid.
I do a beautiful. I add sometimes, you know,
they'll say I want to keep the bed and I want to keep the bench
I'm like great. So I'll take a snapshot of that.
I'll include that in the board and then I will introduce a
color palette as Style Like A vibe and a tone and feel items
that are missing like you need end tables.
We need Dart. We need a rug and they're all
inspiration photos. This is just a straight-up inspo
board. None of it is actually the items
but it's the look, it's a direct look.
Yeah, get the board like, oh, oh yeah, I want that board or
they're like, oh, I don't want yellow.
No yellow. I don't know how I'm forgot to
tell. You know, yellow, we gotta take
Rick, get rid of all the yellow or whatever it is.
Yeah. So then I'll do we do, they get
one redo. So then they're like, okay,
great. Love it.
Let's move forward. Now we measure so we make an
appointment, so for next Friday. Okay.
Next, Comes. We measure they have a blue
painters tape and a measuring tape with them based on the
board and I already know if I'm doing the board, I know where
everything is going to go. So I'm like, okay, so I want to
do an end table. Let's see how big is this space
next to the bed? Will it fit an end table?
That's 24 inches wide, or does it have to be a little round
one? That's 12 inches because size
matters. If you get the wrong size, the
whole room is ugly. So it's all about measuring.
You know, I measure three times. What are they say?
Measure twice cut once? I'm like, Yeah, many times
Return to Never. That's what we get all the
measurements because I don't want my clients having to stand
at Kohl's in a return line. Okay, I have done that many
times of that is, zero chance. I don't want that for my
clients. So we measure.
I'm like, I'm thinking about a piece of art, two pieces of art
above your bed, 24 by 36. So they'll tape it up.
And then we, we stand in the room that meeting is one hour.
So if you do 10 hours, right? If it's 10 hours for one room,
that is one of the hours, okay? And then a board is about an
hour. So now we're about eight hours
plus the consultation was maybe like 30.
So, you know, that's kind of what I have left and then after
that then I go to work and now I send them specific links, so now
I go from their budget at this point.
Now I don't really care how much people spend.
I don't care how much people have or spend, I just need to
know, so I know. Am I going to our house?
Or am I going to Amazon? I just need to know.
Or am I going to our house for one thing and then like, maybe,
One thing at Pottery Barn and then like the rest away Fair,
like we're a my shopping for you.
How can I get created? So that's why I asked about the
money. So I'm mindful of the budget for
sure. And then so I send them based on
the money that they can spend in their room.
So let's say someone picks $3500 for furniture before.
I send them, the links that match the exact measurement of
their space. They placed her using all the
fun codes and all the connect whatever.
Sometimes they got a call someone sometimes I got an
email, sometimes they have a straight-up code.
Which I always have to call ahead of time.
I'm in and allow people are a lot more than you think.
I've had a client call before even though I didn't call I was
like I order from them so much know, they didn't?
They did not okay it I had to call.
Hi it's Alexis I'm a proving this purchase so it's a whole
thing and they call it they make the purchase himself and then
when the arrives in the mail they place it in the space that
we have already flushed out completely.
Yeah, so they're not confused. I've already held their hand,
I've already been available. You know, my goal is to make
clients feel like Are there? My only client, which, I don't
know. Some some might be like, where
is she? But I try so hard to, like, I
return texts and emails of the same day.
Yeah. Okay.
And are you as busy as you'd like to be, or you have too much
work? Or ya know, I don't know too
much. I also teach like teach Pilates
to mind. So I'm yeah, I know.
And that's another thing. For people that are starting, do
I have to only do design? Know, I love pillai.
I've been doing Pilates. Fifteen years.
So I'm finally getting certified to do Pilates.
So it's like I think it's possible.
I just want to have the life for me.
I can only speak for me, where I'm doing what I love.
I want to fill my cup to the top, so if it's designed and
pilates and that's what it is. And oh well, you know what I
mean, I don't care what people think or what it sounds like, it
looks like I'm totally I'm filled and that that oh yeah,
you're making it right for you. Yeah.
Everybody's path is different ways, but they get satisfaction
from life. Out of.
So I like that. So what other advice do you have
for designers starting out on their Journey?
Do you coach them or are you available if someone has
questions about virtual design? Oh yeah, I absolutely would love
to help anyone that wants to start adding a virtual design
practice or offer it to their business call meal.
I really would love to help you because it's a lot easier than
you think. And my process is proven and
trusted, but that's my process. And I think that my process
Everyone's different people, I be like, you know what, I want
to offer 3D boards or I want to offer, I want to do like a floor
plan. I mean there are stuff that
people cat in that, I don't because I don't want it.
When I don't want to do 3D, I don't want to be on a computer
all day because I'm, I don't like to do that.
It's someone to do that. So I will really help you find
your voice as an artist, as a Creator, as a designer, and how
and what can you offer to people to make money to feel fulfilled
and most importantly to help somebody.
Yeah, because that's what this is.
We're helping people live better through design.
Right? Right.
Great. So good.
So what can people reach out to you?
Are you on Instagram? Yeah, so I've started that.
I have, I'm, yeah, I'm trying to up those followers, that's it.
So, yeah, you can find me at at home, styling by Alexis on
Instagram, mmm, and, and my website just straight-up home
styling by Alexis.com and that's it.
Those are the two places you can find me great.
Well, clear that in The show notes, but thank you for all of
your great insight for virtual designer really enjoyed hearing
about your process and like, using your life path, to inform
your current offerings that you have for your clients like
really honing in on offering affordable design because he had
to be Scrappy when you're a production designer.
And now you can just apply those skills for your clients.
That's great. Yeah, thank you so much.
Can I give a couple? I would really just love to give
some fun suggestions for that starting out because I know what
that feels like and I have been in those.
And so I had no problem doing some free clients.
First of all, as a designer, I'll put it all on me.
Like, I needed referent. I needed to show people my work.
Well, my body of work, if I'm charging, really high numbers
because I know I'm worth it. I know I'm talented enough but I
have no pictures. What am I gonna do?
Oh trust me I'm good. Trust me.
I don't think so lady. So I had no problem.
Can I do you for free? Can I and then, or I do little
vignettes in my own home. I would put like a chair in a
corner or with a little round table in a little, little plant
or Foe, plant or something. Or a book in, like a append on a
diagonal, just anything to show my vibe and what I really loved
and what happened with those free clients.
Not only did I get hundreds of photos that I was able to edit
and make it look even better with right with color timing and
like how we all are love to change our pictures, but that
was just so amazing. Those I ended up telling people
about me and then those clients paid do.
You know what I mean? Yeah, uh-huh.
Yeah, it wasn't for nothing. I think you know, when you're
starting out. Yeah.
I'm not saying and do everything for free but I do a few for
free. I would unless you already have
a book, if you have a full book then go ahead start charging
right away, you should be. But if you're really new and
you're kind of doing another career and you're like, wanting
to tiptoe in this. That's another way to know if
you're even gonna like it, go to some of the neighbors house, go
on next door, be like, hey, I'm thinking about being a Minor.
I want to design somebody's dining space.
Is anyone you know I'll do it for free or for gas like a to
get back and forth something so minimal that will give you all
the information you need. In terms of, do I like to be in
someone's house? Do I like to drive to them?
What I prefer to just do virtual.
How do I interact in my? Oh, I should have brought tools,
I didn't bring a measuring tape. I didn't you'll learn, you'll
learn the things that you wish you would have done versus what
you did. So yeah, doing is the only way
for me that I He's able to learn.
So I would just start to put yourself out there, get the
wrong name if you have the wrong name, doesn't matter if it all
falls into place in the right time as it should.
But nothing happens for me just by sitting there and thinking
about it. I had to take the next step.
Yeah, really. Good advice.
Well, thank you so much Alexis for coming on is the joy talking
with you. Thank you.
It was so fun having any time. Thank you so much.
I really appreciate it. Yeah, talk to you soon.
Okay. Bye.
So how interesting was that? I think it was great perspective
of having worked on films and TV that she was able to use those
skills and transfer it to some e design and helping people who
want to have a great-looking space, but maybe can't afford
the high-end designer. And so this e design is a great
solution for that. If that's something that Sparks
your interest, feel free to reach out to her will put her
Tact information in our show notes as well as all the other
Great Links that you're going to want to find about the show and
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And so I hope you guys have a great week.
Stay tuned for next week, another great episode.
And then we'll get into our summer series.
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