Today we’d like to introduce you to julie smith.
Hi julie, thanks for joining us today. We’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My design story started as a young girl who frequented every thrift store I could find. Growing up a few miles outside NYC, I was lucky to be immersed in a city full of culture, design and fashion. My progression into that world as a career was inevitable. I left college with a degree in business and a postgraduate degree in fashion design. My career started as a buyer for Saks Fifth Avenue, and a fashion designer for Converse (clothing). Moving to the west coast made me re think my path in clothing and lead me to interiors. I worked for a very custom high end residential designer and soaked up every last detail from their seasoned experience. I spent many years rehabbing homes before I went on my own and started Jula Cole Design. There was no turning back at that point, I jumped in with everything I had… learning from every trade, obsessing over every detail both functional and fashionable. People say, “Don’t sweat the small stuff”…. I sweat all of it, all the time. I am very proud of where this small company is today and can’t wait to see how far this obsession of mine goes and grows.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
I always get asked this question as it is an integral part of growth as a designer and a business owner. in short, No of course it has not always been a smooth road. Early on in our career we make the mistakes that are tied to inexperience. The smaller, lower price pointed jobs are the hardest. The trades need much more direction and oversight while the budget is challenging at the same time. In one of my first small projects I had a carpenter and stainer that went off the rails. He was staining the cabinet doors in my garage… I knew it was gonna be a disaster and it was. In effort to rectify the mess, I hired a bad ass stainer that i knew was way out of budget and took care of the bill. I was out thousands but learned some large lessons that day. What i walked away with that day was the following:
1) Hi end design requires skilled tradesmen. There is no substitute for experience.
2) That day I met a bad ass who I still bring on every project
3) Despite the years off of my life, and the hefty amount of money I lost, the client ended up happier than I could have imagined and referred me on to so many new clients.
As designers, we are responsible for all the big and small details on these projects. To think that you are going to walk away without something going wrong/ you having to fix something at your expense is naive. At the end of the day the client should have faith that you will guide them in the right direction and help mitigate these issues.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We are an architectural design firm meaning we get involved the same time or take on the architect’s role if there isn’t one on a project. We specialize in the space planning, window locations/ size, and the overall flow of the home before selecting any finishes. Most of what we do is completely custom. We design custom cabinetry/millwork, tile, lighting and furniture. I am most proud of our custom work. I love giving clients spaces completely catered to their needs. I love working with exotic woods and mixing both traditional and modern elements in the same space. Every designer has their own style, and there are so many amazingly talented designers out there who I admire. I think I may have a slightly different aesthetic then many of the designers in my area. San Diego is known for beachy, informal spaces. Being born and raised in New York, I feel my designs are a bit more formal. I like to bring something un expected (even if it is something as small as an accessory) to the space.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
From a very young age I was completely obsessed with clothing and accessories. I would play in my mother’s closet trying on every tall boot and belt with whatever outfit I was wearing at the time. Coming from a family of mostly doctors, this was something my parents could not understand, the creative child was a completely foreign concept to them. I think it still is till this day. I was determined to create a career out of something I loved knowing that I would be doing it for the majority of my life. Being a competitive swimmer brought structure, tenacity and grit to my day to day. I have an intense work ethic from those days. What I lacked in talent, I made up for in sheer enthusiasm and grit. I was not given much encouragement to pursue a creative career, everyone in NYC was either a DR, lawyer or in finance all of which I knew early on was not for me. I found my way from fashion to interiors and hope to help young people today with some of the guidance that I did not have. My early interests continue to this day. Give me a vintage store over a name brand any day, I will find the treasure.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.julacoledesign.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jula_cole_design/
Image Credits
Nader Essa
