For Xela Andrews, the heart of a home is not defined by how perfectly it photographs, but by how naturally people live inside it. The Nashville-area designer and founder of Xela Andrews Interiors approaches every project with that idea in mind, creating rooms that are polished and personal without sacrificing comfort or function.
That philosophy feels especially relevant in the kitchen and dining spaces, where everyday routines and some of life’s best moments tend to overlap. Morning coffee turns into conversation. Friends gather around the island while dinner is being prepared. Holidays, birthdays and ordinary Tuesday nights become part of a home’s story.
Andrews founded her firm in 2017 and today works with clients throughout Middle Tennessee and the Dallas-Fort Worth area. Her full-service approach can begin long before furniture and accessories enter the picture. She works alongside homeowners, architects and builders on everything from architectural details and finishes to lighting, cabinetry, furnishings and custom pieces.
The result is a home designed from the inside out: beautiful, certainly, but also intentional about the people who will actually live there. For Andrews, good design is ultimately less about following a look and more about creating a place that feels unmistakably yours for many years to come.
That personal approach has taken on more meaning for Andrews since moving from Dallas to Middle Tennessee. She now lives in Brentwood with her husband, and as her children have grown and left home, she has gained a fresh perspective on how a home changes along with the people inside it.
Her own Southern Colonial home reflects many of the ideas she brings to client projects. Rather than designing rooms simply to be admired, Andrews thinks about how they will be used: where family will gather, where guests will linger and which details will make a space feel warm. In her home, lighting, wallpaper, art and soft textures create that sense of welcome, while outdoor spaces are designed for quiet afternoons and lively gatherings.
It is an approach that fits naturally into Nashville, a city where entertaining often feels less formal and more like opening the door, putting something on the table and asking people to stay awhile.
For clients, the design process begins with listening. Andrews wants to understand not only what someone likes aesthetically, but how they move through a room, what they need from it and what makes a house feel like home. Her firm describes its process as highly collaborative, working closely with the professionals involved in a build or renovation so each decision contributes to a cohesive whole.
The details matter, but personality matters too. Andrews favors spaces that feel layered and collected rather than dictated by a passing trend. Meaningful objects, warm materials, art and pieces with a story can give a room character that cannot be replicated by purchasing an entire look at once.
Perhaps that is why her work feels at home in kitchens, dining rooms and gathering spaces. These are rooms asked to do a lot: function beautifully, withstand daily life and still feel special when the people we love arrive. Andrews designs for all three.
Because the most memorable homes are rarely the ones where nothing is touched. They are the ones where people feel comfortable enough to pull up a chair, pour another glass and stay.
“I think people gather in homes where they feel welcome. It isn’t about having the biggest kitchen or the most beautiful room—it’s about creating warmth. Good lighting, comfortable places to sit, music playing, something to eat or drink, and a home that feels like real life happens there.
“The kitchen really is the heart of the home. It’s where everyone ends up, whether you planned for them to or not. I want it to be beautiful, of course, but more importantly, I want it to work for the way a family actually lives.