Featured Trailblazers Interview with Voyage Dallas Magazine

I just had an amazing opportunity to share my story with Voyage Dallas Magazine and be a part of their Trailblazers series!! Cue the Jeffersons theme song, please!! I’m so excited to share this with you!! Check out the link, below, to read more about my road to Adorned Home Decor, some challenges I faced along the way and advice for new entrepreneurs.

Here’s the link:

http://voyagedallas.com/interview/life-work-asha-depreta/

Today we’d like to introduce you to Asha DePreta.

Asha, can you briefly walk us through your story – how you started and how you got to where you are today.
I’m second generation East Indian and come from a very colorful background. India has gorgeous textiles, artwork, paintings and sculptures. Seeing the colorful saris and ornate jewelry that woman wore really cultivated my appreciation for the use of vibrant colors and I often incorporate these bold colors into my work. From a young age, I loved tapping into my creative side. I took art classes for drawing, painting, sculpting and anything “artsy” that I could fit into my class schedule. It was something that came easy to me and provided me comfort. I realized I had an eye for making things visually appealing. I was inspired by design shows that showcased design professionals transforming rooms into gorgeous spaces. The thought of picking out everything from flooring to paint colors and drapery, and pouring through sample books of materials, made me so excited. I remember going into rooms and thinking about where furniture and décor should be placed to improve the look and feel of the space. To this day, I still do this as I walk into every room. I didn’t realize it until many years later that design and interior decorating was my calling and true passion.

My first design “job” came from some familiar clients – my parents. They had just purchased a beautiful new home and asked me to help decorate. The house was very spacious, had tons of empty space and they gave me free reign to do what I wanted. I spent countless hours researching and shopping for furniture, art and everything under the sun. It was a lot of work, but it didn’t feel like work, it felt like I was doing something I truly loved. Once I completed that project, my parents received compliments, and some even asked who the decorator was! I was over the moon to hear such great feedback. That experience sparked work for years to come. I continued working small projects here and there until word of mouth spread and I started receiving calls from family, friends and acquaintances to help decorate their homes. Every time I had a new project, I improved my skills and found different ways to think outside of the box with my designs. I have a supportive group of family and friends that told me I needed to start my own company and not waste my talent. If it hadn’t been for their encouragement and support, I wouldn’t be where I am today.

Overall, has it been relatively smooth? If not, what were some of the struggles along the way?
Initially, I was working a full-time job, as a business office manager, and working on client design projects in my spare time. Having two jobs and keeping up with my family responsibilities was very difficult – especially since I have a small 2-year-old daughter to take care of. As any mother can attest, balancing mommy “duties” with work can be challenging under the best circumstances. I had to make the decision to choose one or the other. I decided to sacrifice the office job to focus more time on my child and design. In the end, my devotion to my daughter and my passion took precedence.

The interior design community is a very tight knit and well networked group. Initially, I struggled finding vendors, building a clientele base, and taking care of the myriad issues attendant with running any small business. This journey has forced me to step outside of my comfort zone and to try new things. I’m so thankful for that. It’s teaching me to grow and learn every day. I don’t think I’ll ever stop learning because I feel like this helps me fine-tune my skills. So, to answer your question, no, it hasn’t been a smooth road to get here, but I truly feel that if you want something bad enough you will find a path forward.

My advice for other young women who are just starting their journey is to follow what you love and be the best at it. If you find what you are passionate about, this will lead you to your calling. Don’t settle for anything less. Always continue to learn. Learn from your failures and try again until you’ve perfected your skills. Don’t be afraid to go on an unknown path. This leads to growth. And remember to have a few laughs along the way.

Please tell us about Adorned Home Decor.
I’m the owner and principal interior decorator at Adorned Home Décor. I specialize in interior decorating for residential and commercial spaces. My services range from consulting to spatial planning, including furniture purchases and material and lighting selections for renovation projects. Whether you are seeking a room refresher or you’re looking to renovate your entire house, we customize our design plans to fit your needs and budget.

I’m most proud of the feedback we receive from clients on how much they love their spaces. I’m known for using rich, beautiful touches of jewel toned colors in my design plan, whether it’s in the smaller accent pieces or in artwork that brings life to a room. I pride myself on the client’s reactions and work hand-in-hand with them to provide a white glove experience from beginning to the end of the project.

My approach to design sets me apart from other decorators, as I decorate with the intent to make the space a serene, warm and inviting experience for my clients where they are able live or work optimally in their space. I believe good design is measured not only by aesthetic merits, but also by how it fits with the practical needs of a client or family.

What advice would you give to someone at the start of her career?
A Maya Angelou quote best describes the most important piece of advice I could give young woman starting their careers:

“‘If the world puts you on a road you do not like, if you look ahead and do not want that destination which is being offered and you look behind and you do not want to return to your place of departure, step off the road. Build yourself a new path.’”

I learned this from my own experience, I had to step off the road to build my own path with Adorned Home Décor. Looking back, I wish I could have started this beautiful journey earlier, but there is no better time than now to make the change and follow your dreams. I’ve learned from my experiences, and grown stronger and even more determined to make this company flourish. I know it’s my calling.

You will know when you are called to do something. All you have to do is listen to that voice inside you and have the courage to take that first step.

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