Hi Ariene, please kick things off for us with an introduction to yourself and your story.
I started Dressing Rooms Interiors Studio in 2011 after being laid-off from my corporate HR job. First, I sold on Etsy, then One Kings Lane, Chairish and ultimately via my own website before opening my own brick and mortar.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way? Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
Not smooth at all, but having a plan kept me looking beyond the challenges. My plan was to sell online, then move into a multi-merchant shop before opening my own store. In between these milestones, I participated in local pop-ups and even Scott Antique Market. Looking back, I wouldn’t consider the markets financially successful, but they were great opportunities for marketing.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
My moniker is that I’m a vintage huntress, and my favorite thing to do is hunt for pieces for the shop! It’s such a rush to find a great pair of lamps or chairs. My favorite to find are chairs, mirrors, lamps and sculptures. We are known for offering an artful collection of vintage home decor and furnishings in fresh color combinations and graphic patterns mixed with ethnic pieces (African, Asian, Indian, Italian and Moroccan) for a soulful feel. I’m most proud of achieving the dream of having my own shop. There aren’t many black women with furniture stores – especially like mine.
Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Charlotte is a new city and there are so many opportunities to try new ideas here. The problem with the city is the lack of affordable housing and affordable commercial real estate.
Contact Info:
- Address: 2120 N. Sharon Amity Road
- Email: hello@dressingroomsinteriorsstudio.com
- Website: https://www.dressingroomsinteriorsstudio.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/dressmyroom/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DressMyRoom/
- Other: https://www.pinterest.com/dressmyroom
Image Credits
Photo credit to Laura Sumrak
