Walk into Le Studio in Nashville's Berry Hill neighborhood, and you'll immediately understand the world of Marie-Joe Bouffard. It's not just a design studio. It's not just a store. It's a layered, soulful expression of the founder and principal designer behind JFY Designs. This space merges French-Canadian charm, bold creative vision, and over two decades of high-end design experience.
Marie-Joe's path to design wasn't linear. Before interiors, she was immersed in the fast-paced world of publishing in Montreal, working as editor-in-chief for a magazine. When she and her husband moved to Dallas, Marie-Joe left that world behind. In a time of transition, she turned her energy inward. "I had always been surrounded by creativity. Growing up, my parents bought and remodeled homes before HGTV made it trendy," she laughs. "So when I found myself at home, I poured everything into transforming our house. My husband would come back from a business trip, and I'd have wallpapered a room or painted something new during my child's nap time."
That passion became a business. At first, Marie-Joe helped neighbors and friends decorate nurseries or refresh tired spaces. But by 2002, she officially launched JFY Designs and has since grown it into one of Middle Tennessee's most trusted luxury design firms, with Nashville projects across Forest Hills, Belle Meade, Green Hills, Leiper's Fork and beyond. Today, she and her team oversee large-scale estate builds, multi-generational compounds and turnkey interiors across the country.
But as the firm expanded, her home began to feel more like a conference center than a sanctuary. "There were days I'd have twelve people working out of my house, client meetings happening in my dining room," she recalls. The idea for Le Studio began out of necessity, but quickly evolved into something more meaningful. She needed a dedicated space for her team and clients, as well as a place to store all the curated pieces for her growing number of projects.
"We were storing tons of curated pieces—throws, art, dishes, vintage accessories—in separate storage units all over town," she says. "I dreamed of one beautiful, functional space that could house all of it. A working studio, where everything we needed was under one roof. And if it was going to be beautiful, why not open it to clients? And then, why not the public?" Marie-Joe reflects.
That vision came to life in a charming building that once served as a recording studio in Berry Hill. Marie-Joe fell in love with its character and quirks and saw possibility, not problems: "It had soul. And I always say, if you're trying to create a space that feels lived-in and timeless, it has to start with soul."
Le Studio now serves as both a design headquarters and a thoughtfully curated retail experience. Customers can browse art, glassware, books, small furniture pieces and accessories that might end up in their own home—or simply take home a little slice of the JFY aesthetic. There's a corner with banquettes for team collaboration that evokes the vibe of a European café, and a conference room where clients and the JFY team delve into project details together.
Every corner of the studio tells a story, just like the homes Marie-Joe designs. Her work is grounded in comfort and connection. Whether she's orchestrating a beach house in Florida or overseeing a full install—Christmas décor included—her goal is always the same: "I want people to walk into a space and feel like they can exhale. Like they're home."
And if the joyful tears of her clients at the end of an install week are any indication, she's doing just that—one soulful, beautifully layered space at a time.
Fun Facts with Marie-Joe:
If you were any accessory, what would you be?
A vase
If your design style were a cocktail, what would it be?
Negroni, classic with an edge
If you could live inside the set of any movie for a day, which one would it be?
Downton Abbey
If you were a piece of furniture, what would you be?
Coffee Table, grounding and versatile. Depending on the accessories, a coffee table can transform.
Favorite item for sale in Le Studio right now?
We have a set of Verellen chairs that are stunning. They are textural, luxe, inviting and cozy.
Stop by Le Studio Monday-Friday, 10 am to 5 pm
Weekend appointments available. Email info@jfy-designs.com to schedule.
@shop.le.studio
"I dreamed of one beautiful, functional space that could house all of it. A working studio, where everything we needed was under one roof."