Keri’s Story

As a designer I work everyday with clients to help them make their home or office a space that is perfect for them. I enjoy taking the time to get to know my clients, and to make sure I incorporate those items into their design plan that are important to them. I don’t believe that absolute perfection is the goal, or weighing material objects ahead of memories, life experiences or personal relationships. However, I do believe that it’s important to surround yourself with the people in your life that make you happy as well as all those other “things”. This is all telling a part of your story, and it seems only fitting I should tell my own story.

I live in Mariemont, Ohio which is a small village built in the 1930s located 8 miles east of downtown Cincinnati. My husband and I have been married 17 years and have owned 4 homes. Some have been very old, some brand new. We landed in our current 1940s colonial with our 3 children and are here to stay. Its not perfection, in fact it’s the complete opposite. My husband originally found it and I wanted to run in the other direction. Red velvet wallpaper, shag carpet, and mustard yellow kitchen appliances seemed way too much. Ironically, it has become my favorite home we have ever lived in and we’re not even finished renovating. Home decorating and renovating has always been a passion of mine, it’s always been my happy place! My Dad recently reminded me how I made him install wall to wall, rose-colored carpet in my freshman dorm room… YIKES!!!

Fast forward to almost 20 years later and I’ve decided to take my long time passion and make it my job. At the time I didn’t know if I actually had talent or if I was just pursuing something that I enjoyed. So, sitting on a beach with some girlfriends, they encouraged me to take the leap… and ESD was born. Little did I know that building a successful business would also be the place I would discover who I am, and know for a fact that I was standing exactly where I was supposed to be. This journey has been soul searching for me, truly teaching me who I am. It has enabled me to live an  authentic life in front of God, my husband and my children. So, it turns out I do have talent, but talent alone is not what has made ESD so successful. My clients see the rest of the story too. That is why over and over again my clients become my friends and continuously refer ESD to their own family and friends. Hiring ESD isn’t intimidating, it’s bringing someone into your life to help you surround yourself with what makes you comfortable and happy.

By the time 2014 rolled around my clients were waiting 8-12 weeks for me. It was clear that Cincinnati was embracing an interior designer with a different approach. I needed someone to help me but I didn’t want to be someone’s boss. I wanted the right person to help grow ESD and give our clients what they needed. However, I wanted that person to do it for themselves, not just for me. I wanted another designer to be my partner and reap the benefits of owning a business which is so good for your soul.

After searching and coming up short, it turned out the right person was in front of me the entire time. God had already put her in my life. She was one of my dearest friends who had already been helping me with my clients. We truly compliment each other with our strengths, and our clients get so much more by working with us as a team. The fact that we know each other so well helps us give our clients better results. There is a trust and knowing between us that would take years to develop with a new business partner. You will be introduced to ESD’s new designer and managing partner, Amanda Waltz in the next blog post. I want her to tell her own story…