What’s the biggest misconception about interior design that you encounter?
I graduated from LSU with a bachelor’s degree in interior design and every day since, I’ve had to explain the difference between a professional interior designer and a decorator. Certification as a Professional Interior Designer requires completion of an intense four-year program at an accredited school of interior design and two years of post-graduate work under a licensed interior designer before you even qualify to take the national board exam. Once you’ve passed your national boards, you’re eligible to be licensed. The complexity of our work is to not only beautify a space, but to ensure compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act and all other local, state and national codes, regulations and standards with the intent of improving work/home/worship etc. with the best quality of life. We often operate as the mediator between architect, contractor and client and at times, landscape architect and engineers. I deal with everything from single-family homes to multi-million-dollar commercial and multi-family developments. I’m not just making your space pretty; I’m protecting your investment, your property value and the regulatory compliance of your home or business. When you work with a certified Professional Interior Designer, you’re working with someone who has met the rigorous criteria and acquired the credentials needed to function as a true, multidisciplinary architectural, design and construction professional.
How are you approaching interest rates, and how should borrowers approach them?
I’ve been in the industry for 30+ years. I’ve had my own firm for 22 years. We survived the economic downfall in 2008, 2009, 2010. And then Covid came … and then the aftermath of Covid, with inflation through the roof. Banks weren’t loaning, developers weren’t developing, people were not buying, interest rates were too high. People kept putting projects off. I feel like we’re on the outside of all that now. Since the inauguration, it’s been just doors wide open. So, I’m here to say to people that things are going to be OK. It’s a constant cycle. And from where I stand, we’re potentially coming back around, and up, from this down cycle that we’ve been in.
All politics is local. So is all real estate. What sets Baton Rouge and the Capital Region apart?
TND’s – traditional neighborhood developments that are walkable – are trending in Baton Rouge. You’ve got Rouzan, Americana in Zachary, Materra, Pointe-Marie to name just a few. Demand is there, and the supply is keeping up, and that’s something that really sets Baton Rouge apart from other parts of the state that are playing catch-up to this trend. These communities and the interior designs are so fresh and updated, you feel like you’re living in a destination rather than an urban field. You’re close to everything the city has to offer but you’re in your walkable environment when you get home. Developers and builders here have been ahead of the curve, and that is good for buyers and businesses like mine. In fact, I live in Rouzan, and we love it!
The way people live and work is changing. How has your business changed to keep up?
I was taught to find your lane and stay in your lane. Go commercial, go residential, go multi-family – pick one and go with it. Well, that’s not me, and that’s not how the world works anymore. I say diversify yourself so that if the residential is not working, then your commercial and multi-family may be working. That’s one reason we established a staging line of business. Level Homes is one of our biggest clients – they recognize the extra value that staged property brings. That, in turn, creates more demand for our interior services. What we have not changed, and will never change, is working hand-in-hand with the consumer. We place a tremendous value on that relationship. To be able to customize design solutions for their personal or their business needs – that is the difference between creating a destination or a cookie cutter space.
Success in real estate is a long game. What is your long-term outlook for this market, and your business?
I’m super excited about the future because the last several years have been a challenge, and we’re coming out of that cycle. Our business is picking up – which means the flooring people’s business is going to pick up, which means the tile installers and the construction teams are going to improve their bottom lines, and the consumers are going to start making money and spending money. When I see a company, a restaurant, a small business owner closing their doors it just kills me. Because I know everything in our business is cyclical, and I know we’re entering the upside of the cycle in Baton Rouge. I think that should excite everyone – consumers, businesses, commercial, residential, multifamily. The future in this area is very bright.
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