Today I’m so thrilled to introduce you to Phoenix designer Capella Kincheloe! Capella had years of valuable experience before starting her own interior design firm in 2010. She has worked on design projects around the globe, and her worldliness certainly comes through in her beautiful yet functional designs.
When and why did you decide to become a designer?
I have always loved design, like many that choose this path. As a kid I was rearranging furniture for optimal flow and analyzing ways to make a room look and function better. It was always my intention to be a designer, but I got off course and finally after working in film and tv after college, I decided I wanted back into design and applied for a job with Michael Smith Inc.
What has been your greatest challenge as a designer?
The greatest challenge for me is learning about client psychology and how to communicate my value. Like many creatives, my art is very personal and when someone isn’t responsive to my ideas, it can sting.
How would you characterize your style?
Does your personal home fit your design style?
My home does embody the description in the answer above. I have a lot of sentimental items passed down from my family – an antique brass scale from my great-grandmother and my husband’s great-great grandfather’s bed, for example. I have plants and woven chairs for the natural element. For global culture, nothing beats textiles from around the world; we have Navajo blankets paired with woven tapestries from Iran and India. But most of all I keep the things in my home to a minimum because it needs to be easy to clean and not feel cluttered.
How has living in Phoenix influenced the way you decorate?
What was your first paid design project?
When I started Capella Kincheloe Interior Design, I worked with a wonderful client in Atlanta. The budget was low, but it was satisfying because we created something really beautiful, and once the client started trusting my skills, she went out of her comfort zone and those elements became her favorite. Because the budget was low and she was willing to be adventurous, there was nothing to lose!
Where do you find your inspiration?
I find inspiration in travel and nature.
What is the best advice you’ve received?
Be who you are.
Who has been your greatest professional influence?
I worked four years for Michael Smith, and I couldn’t have asked for a better way to start my interior design career. Not many people get to work for clients at that level. When I started, I knew nothing. I didn’t even know what COM meant or what a gimp was! I had a good sense for design, but I was able to refine and learn about running a business by working for someone else.
What is your favorite design era?
Now! I have access to more great furnishings than any designers of another era. I can purchase a piece in France and can have it installed a few weeks later. In the past it could have taken 6-12 months for that piece to arrive.
What is your go-to hostess gift?
I really want to say homemade jam or fresh limoncello, but usually it’s just a bottle of wine.
What do you have coming up next?
Right now I am working on a course for interior designers called Jumpstart! Business Training. I see a lot of designers starting their own businesses and I want to help them get off on the right foot. Most are creative and good with the design part, but the other 80% of business is actually business. I realize that I can help more clients by helping their designers. (To sign up to be notified when it launches, click here!)
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