Meet Jonnese Crandol

Today we’d like to introduce you to Jonnese Crandol.

Hi Jonnese, 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?
As most entrepreneurs, my journey to starting my own boutique interior styling firm is not conventional. As a child, I was always involved in the arts in some way. For example, I sang, I danced, and actually was (and am) really good at drawing. I recall frequently drawing mini-mansions in my spare time as a child. It’s funny and ironic now that I think about it. I loved visualizing spaces from a very young age.

As I got older, I developed a love for interior design and decorating spaces. While in undergrad at Howard University, I was always so excited to decorate my dorm rooms and apartments! During that time, my friends would often compliment my living spaces, as my living spaces were very sophisticated and chic. Still, I honestly didn’t tap into that creative side because I was extremely focussed on attending law school. I know, right? I went in a totally different direction.

In law school, I would complain to my parents and friends, stating that law school stifled my creative side. I must admit, I enjoy a lot of aspects of the law, but the legal world is often very rigid. I remember even telling my mom during my last year of law school that I did not plan on practicing law in the traditional sense for a crazy long time. I knew then that my mind needed to express itself in ways that were not confined by legal writing and analysis.

After law school, I started working for the federal government. Interestingly, working as a government attorney gave me the work-life balance that I needed to express my “creative side.” I started coaching a high school dance team, I started painting, and I started looking to purchase my first home. Initially, I thought I was going to hire an interior designer to design my home. After a while, I thought to myself, “I don’t need any help. I can really do this myself.” I taught myself how to do 2D e-designs, as I began curating designs for my new home. After a while, my friends started asking me for help in designing their spaces. So, in September 2018, I took a leap of faith and officially started Jay C. Lynn Interior Designs, LLC.

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?
Oh, of course, it has not been a smooth road. Juggling multiple commitments can be challenging at times, but the grind is rewarding. I even lost my mother unexpectedly in January of this year and pushing through with everything I have going on as a business owner and employee has been extremely hard at times.

Also, initially, I was fearful of entering this industry because I felt I wasn’t “qualified” to start a business in the interior design industry. After all, I have an undergraduate degree in Legal Communications and a Juris Doctorate. Nothing about that screams “designer.” I’ve had to learn on the go at times. I’ve had to teach myself how to use 2D e-design software and 3D e-design software. Thankfully, now that I’ve gotten so busy, I outsource my 3D renderings to some amazing 3D interior design renderers (Ellis Beaumont Design and VVFY Architecture Visualization).

I’ve enrolled in the Aspiring Designer’s Academy. I am also currently a student at the Interior Design Institute. I say all this to say, that I strive to be a master of my craft. I didn’t get a degree in Interior Design, but guess what? Joanna Gaines, from HGTV, had a degree in Communications, and she and her husband now have a home decor television network, a home decor line, and multiple other businesses. This road hasn’t been easy, but the knowledge and experience that I have gained from this journey have been so rewarding.

I will say… I have found in this community that there are soooo many fellow designers, just like me, who are working two jobs and just killing it! They have been so helpful and we often share with each other helpful information.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I am the owner and lead interior stylist of Jay C. Lynn Interior Designs, LLC. Jay C. Lynn Interior Designs is a boutique, full-service interior design firm that specializes in 2D e-designs and 3D realistic renderings.

I am most proud that I’ve accomplished so much this past year, despite losing my biggest inspiration, my mother, in January. Through God’s grace, I’ve been able to get even more clients and more opportunities this year than I ever have before.

What sets me apart from others is that I love people and I truly have a heart to serve. It sounds cliche, but I do. I love helping others, and if using my gift of interior styling gives me the opportunity to put smiles on my clients’ faces, then I truly am happy. Also, I am an actual artist; I can visualize and even draw spaces. I may not have the time to do as much of that though as I used to, but I do still have that gift.

Let’s talk about our city – what do you love? What do you not love?
Welp, like most people, I hate the traffic lol. However, I love that there is always something to do. There’s something lively going on all the time. I love that.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.jayclynninteriors.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jayclynninteriors/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jayclynninteriors

Image Credits
(personal branding photos of myself): Danielle Flowers of “Amber Iris Photo” (3D rendering of nursery and emerald and black bedroom): VVFY Architecture Visualization, renderer for Jay C. Lynn Interior Designs, LLC (3D rendering of black and white bedroom): Ellis Beaumont Design, renderer for Jay C. Lynn Interior Designs, LLC (2D rendering of black and white bedroom): Jay C. Lynn Interior Designs, LLC