Meet Darris Perkins | Interior Designer and Home Renovator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Darris Perkins and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Darris, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
“What do I have to lose?”

I lost my corporate job in December of 2020. It was one of the hardest days of my life. We had just started lockdown and COVID was running full force at everyone in the workforce and affecting everyone so deeply. I was working for a not for profit children’s museum and they had to make the difficult decision to lay everyone off in hopes to be able to open their doors again some day. I had no idea what I would do. Everyone was laying mass amounts of people off, no one was hiring, i felt so much fear and anxiety. While waiting for a job recruiter to reach out after the countless applications I submitted each day I started to do things around the house for family who really paid me out of sympathy. I just needed some form of income so I started doing “handy (wo)man” things here and there. Slowly, family became friends of family, friends of family friends, and then all of the sudden total strangers were calling! So with the encouragement of friends and my husband I just kept the ball rolling and it hasn’t stopped yet. I am so thankful!

Please tell us more about your work. We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today professionally. Was it easy? If not, how did you overcome the challenges? What are the lessons you’ve learned along the way. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?
Being a woman in a male dominated industry is what sets me apart! How many women do you know that lay tile? flooring? professionally paint cabinets? Most likely none. I am so proud that I have worked so hard to master these trades and provide a different level of service from men in the industry. Women are really good at communicating and paying attention to detail. It goes a long way with your clients when you show up when you say you will, and strive for perfection at every turn.

This has been the most difficult challenge I have ever faced, but the most rewarding so I will continue to do it everyday until my clients stop coming back. I wish I could lay out a strategy that I follow for a successful business. unfortunately that just isn’t me. I am a “do what your gut says” kind of gal. I am just a normal women doing what feels right and delivering a service or quality of work I would expect if I hired someone to come do a job at my house. Starting a small business is scary, but running it – is easy. The first step is so intimidating but it yields the biggest and best results. If something makes you excited, or is fueling a passion, trust that feeling and pursue it! If I can make a business out of something I was doing as a “last resort” I know you can make it happen to.

I want the world to know remodeling your home, and creating a space you love doesn’t have to be expense! You don’t have to refinance your home to remodel your kitchen. You can make incredible changes with small investments. I want to do that for you! I want to be here to assist you in that process. Everyone deserves to love their home, and you can do that without shopping at high end luxury stores, On social media we see these huge remodels and gut projects where people spend thousands and thousands of dollars. You can achieve a space you dream about without going into debt for it. I want to be here for the everyday, average, normal, middle class individuals who might not know what they need to do to get a space they love. I grew up very humble, in a lower middle class home. My mom always said yes to things we needed…but no to plenty of things we couldn’t afford. I want to help people like my mom, Who only had the money to give their kids a great life, but not a lot left over to pour into what she wanted or what she would enjoy.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
If my best friend came to town we are definitely going to brunch at Scrambled. We would have some delicious eggs benedict, a hot cup of coffee and get so full from crispy hashbrowns they would have to wheel us to the parking lot. After brunch we would go checkout downtown Greensboro and visit all the incredible local stores like Design Archives, Wrangler (which was actually established in Greensboro), JustBe for all the incredible soaps and locally crafted jewelry. We would have to grab a sweet treat from my good friend Taylor at Baked Downtown. They make fresh bread daily and delicious gluten free macarons that always hit the spot!

After enjoying downtown you’ve got to go to Tate Street right by UNCG. There are some incredible restaurants and stores that you will want to revisit! Don is a delicious Japanese restaurant that delivers your food raw to your table but comes in a scolding hot stone bowl and finishes cooking at your table to your likeness. It such a fun experience!

Greensboro is full of cool places but I love how rich the area is with art. So many buildings have wall art, graffiti, and murals that change consistently. I always enjoy visiting to see which ones have changed and which ones have been the same for a while. It always gets me thinking about what might be relevant or improtant in our current community.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Without any doubt – my husband. He sees something in me I will never see. He is always encouraging and pushing me to do more and be the best version of myself. I am so thankful for his confidence in me, I would have never had the guts to pursue this without him.

Instagram: @daretodesignnc

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/darris-perkins-7286b265

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/daretodesignnc/

Image Credits
Vines Studios