Today we’d like to introduce you to Anya Kordonowy.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I took a fairly winding road to the remodeling industry. I worked in the hospitality industry for many years as I worked my way through an undergraduate degree at the University of Minnesota. I ended my restaurant related career while floor managing at The Bachelor Farmer. The experience of working there is where I really understood how to provide true hospitality to guests and people in general. Because of what I was taught during my time at TBF I realized that hospitality and the ethos that lives within it can be extended to people in any industry.
Once we had our first child it became hard to work evenings so I had to step away from TBF and restaurants in general. Within about a year I found my way into residential real estate, working for a very small bespoke brokerage that was based in South Minneapolis. Through this company and due to our small size I was able to jump into many different facets of the world of the home. I realized that traditional real estate sales was not for me but the back end became my realm, managing the operations of all areas of the brokerage, managing a large rental portfolio and eventually managing internal remodels that were done to the brokerage’s many architecturally forward apartments.
Through this crash course I realized that design and the nitty gritty of the remodels was where my heart truly felt full. After about 6 years with this company I had a vision for what I wanted to do and decided to pursue getting licensed as a residential general contractor so I could set out on my own to start my own company. I passed the test (on the first go!) and Ornament was born!
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Any time you decide to take the leap into entrepreneurship, especially when you have a family to take care of and are the primary earner, there are going to be moments of deep insecurity which are inherently challenging. But, in the grand scheme of things, I have been incredibly lucky to have a steady flow of interest and leads many of who have turned into incredible clients and projects. I think I definitely face the same types of struggles that anyone who didn’t go to business school or who were formally trained in whatever industry they’ve chosen have which is taking a “learning on the streets” route vs in the classroom… sometimes those lessons take longer to learn but I also have immense gratitude for the path I took to get where I am because I know I approach the industry of interior design and residential construction differently than the average firm and I think it’s that alternative approach that wins us projects and trust from clients. Every challenge can be a source of such immense learning and growth that I try and welcome them… even when it’s scary!
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m an interior designer and a licensed general contractor so I’m very involved with our projects from the beginning stages of meeting clients and starting their design all the way through to the end of the construction. Though once a project officially moves from design-phase to construction-phase I no longer manage the day-to-day operations of the construction, thank goodness! There’s not enough hours in the day. My husband, Teddy, is Ornament’s on-site construction manager and does an amazing job making sure everything runs smoothly and to also ensure the integrity of the design is always being executed as closely as possible which is huge. A lot can be lost in translation when an approved design gets handed from the designer to a GC so to have the trust that the designs I work on with our clients is being translated as closely as possible when they’re finally realized in real life is invaluable.
What I love most about interior design is that it’s a format where you can take the history of not only our industry (of interior design) but so much more into consideration when working on a project and really apply that inspiration in a meaningful way and even have a little fun with mixing it all up and then seeing where you end up. Whenever I start a new project I take time to look at what came before the era we’re in now in the worlds of applied arts, fine arts, architecture, industrial design, folk art, graphic design, naive art and everything in between to draw upon. It’s the little unexpected details that you can take from those other genres and eras of design to tweak a project so the result feels fresh.
I love color and mixing eras, finding the unexpected or slightly weird and punk approach to a project which I think sets me a part in this part of the country and is what attracts the clients that come our way. Nothing about my training has been formal and so I think that DIY, boot-strappy ethos comes through in what we do. And embracing this approach and trying to make something beautiful and bespoke for our clients who aren’t necessarily millionaires is something I’m really proud of.
What’s next?
Oh man, what don’t I think about doing! Sometimes the future tripping gets to be too much and I have to reel myself in and remind myself we’re just started (in October of 2023), we’re babies in the grand scheme, and have lots of time to develop ideas and projects but I also can’t help myself.
I’d love to get into collaborating with folks locally who are doing cool things in the world of design whether it be specific to interiors or outside of this industry like fashion and beyond. There are some fun connections I’ve been able to make over the past year that are starting to turn into ideas for the not-so-distant future which is very exciting to me.
I’d also love to get into designing and making bespoke interior decoration like wallpaper, tile, lighting, furniture… the list goes on! I’ve dabbled in some of those worlds through projects over the last year and once you dip your toes in you want to do it more and more.
Overall though I just want to keep working! I’m really excited that we are wrapping quite a few projects we’ve been working on since we started in 2023 so I’m looking forward to getting those photographed so the world can see them beyond my quick pictures. And we just moved in to a new office space, shared with our dear friends and colleagues, Capsule Realty, so I want to keep working on our space and finding more ways to use that with clients and collaborators alike.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.ornament-ornament.com
- Instagram: @ornament__ornament
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61552295783357
