Meet Candice Luter | Home Decor and Furniture Designer

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

Hi Candice, what habits do you feel helped you succeed?
Understanding my personal and professional boundaries have really allowed me to develop habits that work for me as an individual. As a small business owner there are certain limitations that every person has in one day, whether they would like to admit it or not, in terms of the capacity they are able to handle tasks, retain attention in the daily workload, as well as understanding how to balance stress. Understanding my personal limitations have helped me to have more quality output rather than quantity and has been crucial in my ability to perform without burnout. Every morning I reassess what needs done and at what capacity I am able to perform those tasks for that particular day. Sometimes what I set out to do and what actually gets done are two different things. That is healthy. We cannot control what that day holds and how obstacles are thrown at us. Instead of pushing through, if I do not have the mental stamina to achieve that task, I hold off until I can provide the proper attention that it deserves. This ebb and flow of when/how, has allowed me the freedom to design when I feel inspired without the guilt of the “to do” list looming over my head and it has also allowed me to thrive in a pressure-free environment when deadlines are looming.

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
I first started out making decor and furniture for my home. With little means to make my house a home, I set out to cut costs and improve the overall aesthetics that I was after by doing it myself. Overtime I started to get noticed by retailers who were also interested in what I had to offer and the rest was history. Losing my full-time job during the pandemic I decided to jump in with both feet and see if I could make this ship sail. It sailed and it sailed fast! It has been extremely challenging navigating the waters of a small growing business when I had only set out to make a few items for my home. It forced me to enlist the help of other small businesses who were good at what they do to help my business grow so that I could stick to what I was good at, design. Overtime I began to add to that team a srategist, an HR company, a bookkeeping/CPA firm, a legal team, and finally employees to help produce my designs to stay on schedule in order to properly scale in the right ways. I’m extremely proud of the places my team and I have been able to place products…West Elm, Lulu and Georgia, Wayfair, All Modern, Sweet July, and Bloomingdales. In 2021 I had the honor of designing a collection for Black History Month for Target and what an incredible experience it was! The sky is the limit if you believe in what you do and a community of people to support you when you are ready to give up. I’ve learned that it’s critical to fail, it’s normal to feel like giving up, that any setback is an opportunity for a comeback, and that anything can be accomplished with the right tools and the right help.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
If someone were to visit my area I would definitely take them to the New Bohemia and Czech Village district scene. We have alot of Czech history here and for that reason, have two eclectic little districts that are full of heritage, wall murals, and fun little bars and boutiques to shop in. No chain restaurants or stores, all small businesses with people who are active in our community to make it a better place. After a day or two of shopping and eating, I would then suggest the outdoor amphitheater downtown right by the water to grab a few drinks and catch the next band in town. I think this week, it’s Willie Nelson!

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
My community! I always say, I live in the best community of people who truly want to help me succeed. When I was first starting out on my journey, I had very little funds as a single mother to start living my dream. It it wasn’t for the generosity of those around me I would not be where I am today. There were property owners who were willing to discount my rent in order to help my business scale, there were friends of the family who wanted to make sure I was able to get the legal support I needed to making my name a brand reality, and there were those individuals who stood up to stand in the gap when things got busy to help me make and produce my designs. Sometimes it takes a village. My hometown of Cedar Rapids is my village and they have been there since the beginning to cheer me on and lend a hand!

Website: www.candiceluter.com

Instagram: candiceluter

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

Other: https://www.wescover.com/creator/candice-luter-art-and-interiors

Image Credits
Dan Rolling Photography