Exploring Life & Business with Carl Mattison of Carl Mattison Design

Today we’d like to introduce you to Carl Mattison.

Hi Carl, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
After attending art school for graphic design and working as a designer, art director and more for years, I truly had a passion for homes. I had worked on a number of successful renovations of my own which would be considered “flips” to some (but not to me) and about age 37, recognized it was time to start my own business, working on design in a different way. I am still a creative, still do some graphic design, branding and styling and use those skills daily, but focus now on homes, which to me is just a different medium. I feel like an actor who was on stage, then starred in a movie, made an album and now is on a streaming series… it is all creative, all an outlet and all inspirational to me. My evolution to “home design” was super organic and has proven very fruitful. After getting some early recognition by This Old House Magazine and HGTV among others, I realized I truly had should be working on homes full time.

Oh, what do I actually do daily? Well, I call what I do “home design”. I work from start to finish with homeowners and investors to help create the vision of the home and work on selections from lighting, paint and tile to kitchen and bath design. I actually work on whatever level is needed to help create an amazing space no matter the budget.

I also am 50% owner of Balustrade Properties, which is just an LLC my partner and I own that allows us to purchase properties in need of renovation and get them updated and ready for sale to a new happy homeowner. Yes, I guess I stay busy.

Older homes are especially wonderful to work on as they have a story. Maybe once they were a single family, but then became a duplex. They may have suffered over the years or just got worn. I seem to be able to see their potential in a glance. I drive by, walk by or even get to peek in at times and I immediately have a vision. I can see through any year home, even new ones, with my own ideas for the space. I adore older homes (but will work in any style or age) and have found that there are still so many homes in the “intown atlanta” area are still so worthy of more life. I have always felt like a time traveler. I love history and with older homes, I feel I can see the former residents there. I can see children playing in yards that were once full with life but may now suffer from neglect. I can see the songs by the fireplaces, the proud owners showing off their lovely staircase or mantels at the holidays. I have always loved the past. No I don’t see ghosts. Well, I have once or twice actually.

I’m sure you wouldn’t say it’s been obstacle free, but so far would you say the journey have been a fairly smooth road?
By working for others for years, I got a huge amount of knowledge of the ins and outs of a small business. I never worked for giant companies. I often got to talk to or hear from the principals of firms I worked for and I absorbed (even without knowing it) so so much. I have found that by having that experience working for others first and then deciding more close to 40 that I should “do my own thing” or “run my own company”, I really had a great amount to reflect on and use to my benefit. Running a business in a competitive city is not easy and yes, I like anyone question things at times, but I know what I want at this stage of life and daily I enjoy my work and clients greatly.

Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
The company Carl Mattison Design’ works as designer and visionary for homeowners and investors who desire to renovate homes or create new build homes in the Atlanta metro area. We help create the perfect finish plan for the space whether it be on a budget or no holds barred. While not an architect or builder, we can sure link you to them to help with the process. We are specialists in all home parts from plumbing and lighting fixtures to paint, wallpaper, cabinetry design and more. By being a part owner of a renovation investment company, where I purchase and renovate a couple homes per year, and by having physically worked on renovations doing tile work, paint, carpentry and more, I am not your typical designer, By physically working on my first “flip properties” nights and weekends and staying in touch with every project now, I truly know the ins and outs of what should or should not be done and am very tied to quality and craftsmanship. For every job, I am the link between homeowner or investor and the contractor. I work daily to ensure the details are all covered and the project is following the vision no matter if budgets change, materials are unavailable or other. I desire to have every home be the quality of one I would live in myself.

What would you say have been one of the most important lessons you’ve learned?
I am not sure this is a lesson, but to me, the most important thing I have realized along my journey is to care. If you do not care about what you are doing, try and find something you care about as it will make you that much more fulfilled. I seem to do it innately. I just care. I care about homes, I care about saving homes over knocking them down. I care about my clients. I care about their feelings. I care about being a good person. I even care about what the past owners (dead or alive) would think about how a property has recently changed. The most amazing thing is being contacted by family members of past owners who have said their parents or grandparents would be so happy to know someone today took such care of their family home.

Contact Info:

• Email: carl@carlmattison.com
• Website: www.carlmattison.com
• Instagram: carlmattisondesign
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carlmattisondesign

Image Credits
Home Tour America