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

Hi Catherine, where are your from? We’d love to hear about how your background has played a role in who you are today?
I was born and raised in New York City. When we moved to Atlanta, I discovered you can love a place as much as the people in your life. To this day I am most content in a venue buzzing with people and activity versus a quiet corner, tucked away from others.

Growing up, I loved all the different cultures surrounding me: the languages, foods, museums, event venues, the unique mom & pop neighborhood shops. My mother was a model with an award-winning side gig interior design business. Watching her, I absorbed her processes for working with paint, color, textiles and light. Her signature style incorporated unique, hand-crafted Indian saris and boldly colored batik prints on pillows and window treatments that I still love and incorporate into my own work today.

My parents were hard working, creative entrepreneurs with humble beginnings, who followed their dreams to New York City and created extremely successful careers. Beginning with my first box of Crayola Crayons (the 100 crayon box with the built-in sharpener) they encouraged my creativity and taught me by example that everyone is equally important and worthy of respect.

When I founded Room Reflections, I thought about the apartment buildings in NYC (Atlanta condos too). All the “A” units are laid out the same, but each looks and feels completely different due to the people inhabiting it. When working with Clients, I want to lean into the things that make home special for them, providing needed function and reflecting what’s important to them at this moment of their lives.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Our lives are always changing; and what we need from our homes changes too. However, for many different reasons, we often look around our houses one day and realize that we have evolved, but our 20+ year old homes have not.

I come into people’s lives when there is some other thing going on that motivates them to change their living environment – everything from happy events when Clients want to welcome guests into a wonderful inviting home to physical issues when a space no longer functions for the client due to a physical problem. Designing Clients’ homes takes talent, good listening skills, and the ability to know what they need – often before they do.

What I do differently is collaborate with my clients to co-create their spaces so that their home “feels like them”, only more pulled together than they could have created on their own. The company’s core values include education and empowerment.

I grew up in apartments. When there is a problem, you call the “Super” and he comes and fixes what’s wrong. When we owned our first home as a married couple, many contractors took advantage of my lack of knowledge – including a landscaper who tore up my backyard with a bobcat. So, during Client renovation projects, we provide Construction Support, working as a liason between Clients and Contractors, providing explanations and support to prevent mistakes made due to mis-communication.

Some things I love:
1. No two days are ever the same
2. You never know what will be behind the sheetrock when you open up a wall
3. Seeing an old home be brought back to life – it changes its owners in the process as well! Like finding a new article of clothing that fits you like a glove and makes you feel fabulous every time you put it on.
4. There are always new trends, products, and technology to know – I am always learning

Learning to be, and feel like, a business owner has been a struggle for me – during my first, corporate career in TV broadcast sales, I was not the boss. Hiring a business coach helped immensely but I am still a newbie at the Owner responsibilities. It is often lonely and mistakes can be costly.

The biggest lesson that I learned too recently is that things don’t need to be perfect to be the perfect solution, that big jobs are little jobs with more zeros at the end, and to just sit with my nerves during an intimidating situation, then move forward with my fear right beside me – its the best way to overcome it.

I am a Collaborator, Colorist, and a Creator of Home – I help successful empty nesters with too little time, design knowledge and resources they trust turn their dated houses back into homes that welcome their kids, grandkids, friends (new and old), and fur babies with ease. Room Reflections Home – it’s your home – it should fit your life, reflect your style, and tell your story.

This feels so long – sorry!

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?
My age is showing a bit – I am (unfortunately) out of touch with the best places for cocktails and restaurants downtown. I live in Marietta, so…
1. A trip to the Square, preferably on a night with an outdoor concert – OR Sunday of Chalktoberfest Weekend (so cool) with a stop for food at Thaicoon, stop in at Eddie’s Trick Shop
2. A show at the Fox Theatre
3. An afternoon exploring the Westside area (lunch at Taqueria Del Sol or the Food Court behind Ballard Designs, find the best place for rooftop cocktails, possible stop at Top Golf (if that’s their thing)
4. An evening at Battery Park (brownie points if there is a Braves home game)
5. Piedmont Park, the Botanical Gardens,
6. the Aquarium for sure, the World of Coca Cola (if kids are along), the Ferris Wheel?
7. Stone Mountain (with kids or outdoorsy folks)
8. Moxie Burger/Roswell, Fickle Pickle/Roswell,
9. Brewery on Marietta Square,
10. Pure Taqueria/downtown Woodstock,
11. Avalon – too many good eats and cocktails here
12. Ponce City Market/walk along the Beltline
13. J Alexander’s for dinner
14 Balen de la Cruz for empanadas and desserts
15 Douceur De France
16 The Atlanta History Center

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
Yes! Jan Cutini, #framingartist and owner of the Framing Studio in Roswell, The Atlanta Chapter of the Real Estate Staging Association, Terri Taylor & the Interior Design Business Academy, my Mom Clare Geiman (rest in peace), Co-Founder of (closed) Brown & Morrow (interior design firm) and Brian Kramer/Business Innovation Team here in the ATL.

Website: www.roomreflections.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/roomreflections

Linkedin: www.linkedin.com/in/cathymroomreflections

Facebook: www.facebook.com/roomreflections

Other: google – room reflections

Image Credits
Photo of Catherine Morrow: LaRuche Creative, blue house, Tim Taylor, the rest Catherine Morrow

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