The structure of a house can be considered the bricks, mortar, nails and beams. Faced with stucco, siding, trim and paint.
But a home; a home is so much more than that.
It is compiled of memories, textures, colors and smells. A home is collected. It is lived in.
A home feels. A home reminds, it evokes.
Backdrop for Memories
One might remember the one-directional-velvet cushions of a couch adorned with autumnal colors (mostly brown) depicting barns or small woodland creatures surrounded by leaves. Maybe it was a slightly scratchy crocheted throw on the armrest or avocado-colored appliances. Although these were strong stylistic choices of the time period (and not suggested for a come-back) these things evoke memories.
Perhaps it was playing board games on the couch with a grandparent or snuggling in the throw watching a VHS tape. Maybe the avocado-colored appliances bring back memories of an electric knife carving the turkey at a Thanksgiving table, or the patterns on the bowls used to mix cookie batter.
The point is, these items fill a house and become the backdrop for the memories that occur within. If you broke into a cold sweat remembering the feel of that couch or started doing a mental inventory of the backdrop in your home, keep reading.
The Empty, Eclectic + Outdated
That terra cotta colored wall in the entry way that you have been meaning to paint since you moved in, but you can’t quite settle on the right color of greige. Or the Turkish lamp that you brought home from a trip abroad and adore, but can’t quite make fit into your partner’s modern design. Maybe it’s the odd shape of the area between your kitchen and living area that you struggle to appropriately fill because nothing quite fits. Your favorite color is purple, but you worry about how to incorporate it into your space subtly.
Perhaps in the recent housing boom, you moved into 4,000 square feet of empty space and need some guidance on how to fill it. Maybe your house is perfect except for one hideously outdated bathroom, or a less-than-functional kitchen. Maybe in the housing boom, you have embraced generational living and are looking for a way to gracefully transform the den and game room into a mother-in-law suite.
If any of these examples struck a chord, then you might be looking for an interior designer and not even know it.
Creating Spaces You'll Use
Julie Riggin is passionate about interior design, and feels it is her calling to help people make the most of their spaces. She studied architecture and interior design in school before meeting her husband, the army man. The military lifestyle took them all around the world and Riggin has established herself in each market she has found herself. Specifically, upon moving to Colorado Springs, Riggin found a hole in the market for a storefront and studio. She found that there weren’t many places to go find a unique and on-trend pieces that accent a home perfectly, and she went to work creating that space.
Julie Kay Design quietly opened its doors in March of 2022, and had a grand opening at the beginning of June. Riggin notes that sixty percent of interior design is helping clients shop for those unique pieces. Her hope is for this space to be a go-to for Colorado Springs residents to find those perfect pieces or to order custom furniture. It’s a warm and friendly no-judgment zone where you can find some expert help in choosing that just-right piece. Additionally, “we can source anything for anybody,” Riggin states. As she works directly with the manufacturers, she also notes that “anything we have on the floor you will find cheaper than if you find it elsewhere online.”
Although the space is beautiful and elegantly put together for a thorough shopping experience, the back of the studio is set up for more.
Riggin notes the importance of getting to know her clients personally. Discovering a client’s personality and pulling in their history is key in blending 20 years of things collected along the journey to create a cohesive and functional space. Textures, proportion, color and blank space are all keys to design, but “picking an interior designer is personal,” she states. All of her clients start with a consult. She gets into the space and gets to know the people who live there. “I don’t want to create a space people are never going to use,” she says.
With multiple magazine publications as well as just being nominated one of Colorado’s Top Five under 40 in Colorado Homes & Lifestyle Magazine, she is doing it quite well. “This is who I am,” she says humbly, “I was born to do this.” And now she’s here to do it for you, Colorado Springs.
Website: juliekaydesignstudio.com/
Facebook: @JulieKayDesignStudio
Instagram: @JulieKayDesignStudio
