Today we’d like to introduce you to Kylie Williams.
Thanks for sharing your story with us Kylie. So, let’s start at the beginning and we can move on from there.
I’ve been practicing interior design, my ultimate passion, for several years designing for Pottery Barn and a startup E-design company.
Rewind… way before that during my novice days as a freelancer designer I came to know that I was one of the super lucky ones. Lucky because people loved my work enough to hire me meaning I was able to practice doing what I LOVED for a living, day in and day out. Soon after I consolidated my interior design knowledge through the New York Institute of Art and Design where I was presented with an award of merit for outstanding excellence.
Being awarded for something I lived and breathed was a signature moment for me. It really meant a lot. Loving my design work so much AND being awarded for excellence in my field, lead me to the light bulb moment of starting my own company. Hence, the ultimate dream came true – Kylie T Interiors was born.
Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Terminology – Growing up in Australia surrounded by home design and development I gained a pretty good understanding of home interior terminology.
It was like knowing a second language for my trade. 6yrs ago when my husband took a transferred employment position in the USA I was seriously excited at the opportunity to gain international design experience. Little did I know I was about to learn that there are several interior decorating terms with alternate names.
Australian term American term:
Bench……………………..Counter top
Backsplash………….Splashback
Cornice…………………..Crown molding
Skirting boards….. Base board
and this list goes on…
For the most part, I’ve converted my mind to remember the American terms when speaking to my American clients but every now and again I see a puzzled look on their faces and I have to ask – did I use an Australianism on you?
Hence, I’ve learned to prepare them in the beginning by warning them that if that happens – “Please stop me and we’ll back up a little” I’m much better at remembering these days but it was tricky in the beginning. I guess the other challenges have been learning to wear more than one hat of expertise.
I can design someone the room of their life without any trouble but in order for me to do so, I need to run a business. That has meant learning how to be a web designer, tax accountant, boss, graphic designer, social media expert and the list goes on… I’m still learning but have improved on this remarkably. I do enjoy the web design part – as frustrating as it is but the tax side – arghhh!
Kylie T Interiors – what should we know? What do you guys do best? What sets you apart from the competition?
Kylie T Interiors is an Interior Decorating company specializing in residential decorating. We take a standard room from someones home and transform it into something stunning, functional and very comfortable.
A place they really want to spend time in. There is a widespread belief that hiring an interior decorator is an expensive exercise.
Kylie T Interiors is here to blow that misconception right out of the water. To prove it we developed set rate design packages. These are aimed at every day people and start at as low as $250. After the design package fee (which covers the designers time) the client is totally free to set the shopping budget for the rest of the design. There is no budget limit on our end. The client simply sets the budget and from that, we determine where we’ll shop to create their dream room.
As long as the items work in our designs, we’re open to shopping anywhere. From low-end department stores through to high-end design centers there is no restriction. As far as forking out money goes, that’s it. All the money in the product budget is spent on products for the design. We consider the project a success when it’s finished on time, on budget and the client is in love with it. Of course, there are plenty more criteria that make the Kylie T Interiors decorating experience stand out from the rest. We pride ourselves on being approachable.
For the best success, we foster a professional design lovers BFF style relationship. It’s honest, fair and translucent. To decorate the perfect room for a client we need to get inside their head. We need to find out what vibe they want for their room and what activities will take place in there. We also need to know what triggers the right emotions to help them love being in the space etc. To do that the lines of communication need to be really open. Conversation flows best when it’s friendly, frank and enjoyable. Our clients need to feel totally ok to say “yuck – not for me”. We’d rather that than not achieve a loved design.
Not only do we live and breath interior decorating we’re passionate about DIY. We don’t make a commission on product sales like other design companies so recommending a less expensive DIY alternative for a design is another avenue where we can help. When a client has a special skill that can save them money – we understand they want to utilize it? We’ve designed this way for many a client using their own skills from photography, painting, tapestry, sewing, picture framing, picture hanging, electrical work to pretty much anything that’s useful. Being DIY lovers, we have plenty of DIY ideas on our website for those who need a little bumper start (see our blog tab on our website). We really are aimed at regular hardworking people wanting to make their home their sanctuary.
Working and juggling life is a time-consuming gig and as a result, we do a lot of our work virtually – we can do it all this way if the client wishes. There are numerous benefits to this. It frees up time because it’s faster. There are no scheduled appointments to meet so you can review each step at a time that works for your own schedule. We NEVER rush clients for their feedback just to move them through the process faster and fit more clients in like other companies. We understand our clients need time to process each step of the way and chat it through with others before they make their comments. In terms of timing, we have completed design projects in as little as 2 weeks.
As long as the design starts and finishes within the agreed time frame the pace in between is fully within the client’s control. Working virtually doesn’t mean the risk of a product mismatch is greater. Sure there will be some returns necessary from time to time but no more than when doing things the conventional way. We use retailers so our clients can view products before they buy. When this isn’t an option we’re well connected to many a wholesaler where we can take advantage of product samples to ensure finishes don’t clash.
We filter these before sending them on to our clients so they can make the most of our trained eye. When something is do-able – we make it happen. We’re flexible striving for five-star successes all the way…
What is “success” or “successful” for you?
It’s all about client happiness. Client referrals for instance, if someone refers a client to me I consider that to be the biggest compliment I can ever get, especially if it’s a close family member or friend. I also listen to client feedback very closely because, no matter how successful someone is, there’s always room to improve. Client reviews are also super important – no one wants a terrible review about their business on the internet. I’m always thrilled when I get a 5-star review gives me a real warm and fuzzy – I usually respond right away to reward those ones -I love them. Smile!
Being asked to assess the private areas of someone’s home puts us in a trusted position that I consider truly sacred. Because of this, by the end of the project, I end up getting to know my clients pretty well. If I’ve helped them achieve their dream space then that’s an awesome feeling. A life coach friend once told me that this caring trait was likely conditioned in me during my RN days. In any case, it helps me with the design because I actually don’t feel good if a design client isn’t happy. I can’t leave the project with a feeling like that.
In addition to the above as mentioned before we consider the project a success, when it’s finished on time, on budget and the client, is in love with it.
Pricing:
- packages starting from $250
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.kylietinteriors.com
- Phone: 5086510735
- Email: kylie@kylietinteriors.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kylietinteriors/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kylietinteriors/
- Twitter: https://www.pinterest.com/kyliewill/
- Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/biz/kylie-t-interiors-wayland
- Other: https://www.bbb.org/us/ma/wayland/profile/interior-designer/kylie-t-interiors-0021-191681
Getting in touch: BostonVoyager is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
