Today we’d like to introduce you to Mahlah Reyes.
Hi Mahlah, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My interior design story began as a child in Maryland designing my hand-made Barbie doll house and helping my mom with home projects. We would do everything from wallpapering rooms to laying tile. I grew up being very creative; always drawing, coloring, and making things. We decorated, gardened, baked, canned food, and sewed. I was destined to go into a creative line of work.
As an adult I attended the Academy of Art, SF and earned a BFA in Interior Architecture & Design. In 2011 I started my business, Design Me By Mahlah, offering Interior Design and Home Staging. I grew my business through networking, devotion to my clients, and building strong relationships with contractors and local businesses. My Faith has played a big part in how far I have come as well.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
It has actually been a pretty amazing journey. I put so much time and energy into building up what my business is today. In the beginning I was networking and really put myself out there. I started small and without business loans. There was a lot to learn along the way. It has been important to let my business and the way I work evolve over time. I feel very blessed by the people I have met and worked with. Other great business owners, contractors, and amazing clients. When you work with good people, you are able to solve problems as they come up and that really helps. There are always surprises on big projects and remodels especially. Staying calm and finding solutions is part of the job.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Design Me By Mahlah has two parts. Interior Design and Home Staging.
As an Interior Designer my projects vary from kitchen & bathroom remodels to furniture & decor selection. I love seeing the colors and textures coming together to create something truly cohesive and beautiful. I do all the design work myself. Keeping my business small allows me to give each client and project my personal attention.
I love designing spaces that are beautiful, functional, and speak to my clients’ personalities. In magazines these days you see a lot of over-the-top designs that just don’t look like a place you want to come home to. I want my clients to look forward to coming home, to feel safe and relaxed in their space. That can look like soft, serene, and classic. Or like pops of color and whimsy. A home can be well designed and gorgeous, but also livable for real people and families.
As a Home Stager I love staging small beach homes, and country homes. My style ranges from coastal to farmhouse depending on where the house is located. Here in Santa Cruz County the beach is not far from the redwoods. My niche is “simplified staging” which focuses on small scale furnishings and cute decor, rather than bulky furnishings and cluttered spaces. My team consists of me and brother Caleb. I do all the design planning and together we pack my van and install the staging. We have a lot of fun with it and make the perfect team.
Can you talk to us about how you think about risk?
Starting my business was a risk right out of the gate. I was living in San Jose, CA at the time and had just graduated from college. I had a small apartment and was working two jobs. Graduating meant no more commuting to San Francisco and some freedom was opening up. Randomly my landlord gave me notice that he would be selling the property and I would need to move. At first that seemed like a crisis, but then I realized it was the perfect time to make a change. So I quit the two jobs I had and moved to Santa Cruz to start Design Me By Mahlah. I didn’t know anyone here at the time. I rented a studio apartment with a beautiful view of the redwoods and the inspiration began. But it was risky. I didn’t have much money to live on as I started to build Design Me. It was very tight and at times I remember considering going back to waitressing to pay the bills. But I hung in and focused on my business. Those were big changes and they really paid off. I had a lot of encouragement from my family and also met my future husband Randy who pushed me to get out there and network.
The reward of being an independent business owner was well worth the risks, challenges, and hard work. I love what I do and the freedom of being a small business owner has allowed me to create a life I love.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.designmebymahlah.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/design_me_by_mahlah
