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Designer Spotlight - Liza Bryan Interiors

First (and most importantly), you recently had your first grandbaby!  How is Grandmotherhood treating you?  It’s the best!  After raising two sons who think Biedermeier is a German beer,  the prospect of having a girl who might one day appreciate the world of design is exciting.

And now that we’ve bestowed that lofty title upon you to the world wide web I guess it doesn’t hurt to ask how long you have been in interior design?
It’s hard to believe, but it’s been almost thirty years.

 
But you look EXACTLY the same as you did when I met you back in 1994.  Is it because you only take on low-stress clients?
Flattery will get you everywhere!  Being in the design business I learn something tangible every day; however, the most valuable lessons have come from my interaction with other people—patience, open-mindedness and not taking myself too seriously.   To my knowledge, no design problem has ever been deemed “terminal”.    The stress is always there—especially during the economic down-ticks.    A sense of humor helps!!

We’ve all been through a rough patch with the economy these past few years but there seems to be a renewed spirit coming around.  Would you agree?
Totally!  Our clients—especially in the South—still love and want beautiful things.    The resurgence has taken on a slightly different theme; however.  Clients prefer quality over quantity.  They would rather have one gorgeous antique Oushak rug in their Living Room than a house full of “stuff”—even if it means finishing the project in phases.

Are you seeing some projects that have been on hold coming back around?  Yes, and a lot of the architects that I work with say the same.  

You are one of our very most decisive clients when shopping for rugs which, of course, we love.  Have you always been so confident when making your purchasing decisions?  Pretty much!  My likes and dislikes are pretty definite—and a lot of years of experience help me feel when something is right.  

But you also are superbly prepared beforehand.  Is that the key?      Maybe I’m not talented enough to forge ahead without a plan, but I really need to know where I’m going with the design before making any purchases.  We start by drawing a furniture plan to assure that each room includes all the client’s needs and that all elements are arranged to create a “pretty” room that is also functional.    I always “see” the room in my mind’s eye.  

Part of that attention to detail and preparedness is a function of always having a fantastic support staff right? Oh my gosh!!! That is an understatement.  I would be totally lost without my girls—Wynne, Emily and Jeanette.  Obviously, they keep me organized and focused, but their positive attitude, optimism, freshness  and genuine love for LBI is the greatest asset of all.    I dream the dream, but they make it a reality.

But back to the baby thing…so many of your assistants over the years seem to graduate to motherhood.  Is there something in the water over at LBI?
Must be…5 pregnancies in 3 years.  Should I think about having a side business in infertility?

Thanks so much for chatting with us and we hope you have a wonderful summer with little Blakely Taylor Bryan!  Thank you.  She is an angel—I am nutty on the subject!!!

Liza Bryan Interiors (404)848-0588 www.lizabryaninteriors.com