Today we’d like to introduce you to Amy Strodl.
Hi Amy, so excited to have you on the platform. So before we get into questions about your work-life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today?
I graduated from UCLA’s interior design program in 2001 and have been working in the field ever since. I started off working for the illustrious Wilson and Associates and cut my teeth on projects that designers dream of, most notably are palaces for a Sheikh and what were, at the time, the second richest family in the world in Delhi. I had incredible bosses and colleagues who are still the best in the business and I’m lucky they were so generous with their knowledge. Fast forward a few years, I began my family and decided that working for myself was the next step. I birthed three babies and one business- Varnish Design. Simultaneously, my husband started his own architecture firm. We didn’t think- we just did! I hear over and over again, how so many successful small businesses were birthed out of necessity and true grit. We are certainly examples of that. Like most designers, I started working for close friends and family. That had a ripple effect and I find myself still growing, still striving to keep up with a very competitive field of design. We moved our family to Edina almost 5 years ago and have slowly been building our businesses here. It’s not easy to crack into a market where work history and word of mouth are everything but we are determined to do it! I just leased a space with a dear friend, Jamie Carl, the owner of Serge + Jane. It’s a shared creative studio for our respective companies. Varnish Design will be offering, in-studio, mini design sessions. The goal is to make design and to-the-trade goods more accessible and more affordable to a broader audience. I am finding that there is a huge gap in the market leaving out a significant portion of people who do not want or need a full service design experience but rather need some guidance and reassurance. I hope to offer that to my new community. You can now go right onto our website and purchase hourly sessions at an affordable rate. I am really excited to engage with people and offer something of value.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
Creatives and small business owners always struggle. I mean how can I explain that you never, ever leave work. Your brain is always on. You wear so many hats. I have to be able to do everything. You feel alone, you feel tired, you often feel poor. You give away work for free. You don’t have benefits or health insurance. How long do you have? Ha! The bottom line though is that you have freedom. I don’t ask anyone for permission to take my kids to practice or to take a long lunch.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Varnish Design is a full service interior design firm. We specialize in high end residential and hospitality work but are dipping our toes into offering in-studio hour long design sessions. We really hope to help people with smaller budgets who just need some great advice and a push in the right direction. A lot of people know what they like when they see it and even more people want to see more options than you’d normally get with a full design scheme. I think that what I’m known for is a low stress experience. I want people to have fun and be happy with the end result. I also know that I’m different from most firms in that I’m not known for a particular style or design aesthetic. I appreciate all types of design style and was trained to be able to execute many different styles. I honestly believe that it’s my job take my client’s style and implement that beautifully. I try to have a “no ego” mentality. I am very proud of the fact that I’ve got a 99% rate of converting clients into friends. My goal is to give you the space of your dreams- not mine! I truly hope that people take advantage of my new hour long, in-studio consultations. They will leave inspired, encouraged and with tangible design tools.
Any big plans?
We move into our new studio space in May and will start opening our doors to clients in June. We will have a fabulous library that people will get to play in. If you have ever wanted to dig through a designer’s best wallpaper collection- now is your chance!
Contact Info:
- Email: hello@varnishdesign.com
- Website: varnishdesign.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/varnish_design/
Image Credits
Ashlyn Moreno
