Today we’d like to introduce you to Leah Meyer Perez.
Leah, let’s start with your story. We’d love to hear how you got started and how the journey has been so far.
From an early age, it was apparent that I had a natural talent for space planning and furniture layout. Rearranging my room two or three times a year, I was definitely announced the “creative” of the family. Being from a small town in Ohio, we (my parents and 3 older sisters) would come to Atlanta to visit family almost every summer. The larger city was a muse for my future ambitions and I fell in love with the city’s history and unique architecture. With my creative mind in high gear, I initially thought I wanted to be an architect. Knowing me better than myself, my high school art teacher introduced me to interior design and it was as if a whole new world had been presented to me. I finally made my way to the big city of the South. I earned an Associates Degree in Interior Design from Bauder College in 2008.
After graduation, I worked as a Design Consultant for several boutique furniture stores and a custom drapery and furniture workroom. In my spare time, I took on design clients whenever the opportunities presented themselves. After a handful of years, I was ready for a challenge and I set out to find a job with an established design firm. Gifted with gumption, my husband had a different idea. He encouraged and motivated me to go out on my own. Encouraging and motivating looked like sitting me down, opening up GoDaddy.com and signing me up for my first website domain! Somehow, he knew that was the only way I would take the plunge and he was right. To say I was petrified would be an understatement. All I could do was plug my nose, close my eyes and jump in with two feet. I did it and I wouldn’t look back now even if I could. I’m so thankful for him for seeing in me what I didn’t see in myself at the time.
Has it been a smooth road?
Is any entrepreneur blessed with a smooth road? I haven’t met one yet. I wish I could say it’s been an easy road. I wish I could say my phone was ringing off the hook right from the get-go. What I can say, however, is that this path has been the most fulfilling and rewarding process, I’ve ever experienced. I’ve learned so much about what it means to be an entrepreneur and the importance of knowing your “why” and what drives you to do what you do. I think I’m more proud of myself for the personal growth I’ve experienced by pushing through my fears and learning that’s it OK to fail, as long as you get back up and keep trying. With each failure comes a wiser you. They better prepare you for the next hurdle you will inevitably face. So, while it’s been a tough one, I’m grateful to be right here. I cherish the relationships with my clients and friendships with other design professionals I’ve developed. They are what has made this process easier and so completely worth it. I wouldn’t exchange my pothole filled road for anything.
We’d love to hear more about your business.
Leah May Interior Design is an Atlanta based interior design firm specializing in custom residential design services. My aesthetic is what I call Rustic European Cottage or Farmhouse. I love neutral color palettes with natural wood textures and architectural features with a little industrial accompanied by a Spanish influence. One thing that is important to me and sets me apart from the masses is that I love adding old vintage pieces when I’m styling a project. I’m obsessed with antiquing and salvaging items and reusing them for a purpose they were not originally intended. I once found an old child’s ladder back chair. I couldn’t help but repurpose it as a shelf/towel bar in a powder room. I get lost in the wonderment of what kind of life that piece had; whose children played with it and dragged it across the floor so much that the edges of the back feet are worn down. Whose hands applied the leather hide as the seat (you can still see the hair on the hide on the underside of the chair). I get lost in the piece’s original world and then want to give it a new purposeful chance at life again.
As much as I love old vintage décor, I don’t love old antiquated ways of running a business. I’m excited and proud to be moving towards a more automated process which will create a more convenient and smooth process for my clients. Clients can easily review, comment on, ask questions and approve my designs and selections online through special software specifically designed for interior designers. This means fewer phone calls and meetings, which equals saving them money! It also helps move the process along resulting in completed projects in a timelier fashion. My clients have expressed their love for these upgraded features.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I do think Atlanta is a great place to be an interior designer. There’s such a strong creative presence in Atlanta and there are so many resources at our fingertips. ADAC, AmericasMart and Miami Circle alone give you access to thousands of vendors. While I do much of my sourcing from vendor’s websites, it’s important to be able to do what I call the “butt test” to any seating option you plan to present to your clients. You need to be able to speak to how a product is made and how comfortable it is. It’s great to have it all here in my backyard to “test”!
Contact Info:
- Website: https://LeahMay.com
- Phone: 678.856.6989
- Email: Leah@LeahMay.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/leahmayinteriordesign/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/leahmayinteriordesign/
Image Credit:
Morgan Beatton, Marc Mauldin
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