Meet Courtney Scott: Interior Designer

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

Hi Courtney, we’d love for you to start things off by telling us something about your industry that we and others not in the industry might be unaware of?
Many people are reluctant to approach Interior Designers about design help that they need out of fear that the endeavor might be too costly. However, what many people don’t know is that there are a good number of Designers that offer various design packages or options to fit within an array of budgets. The key, of course, for prospective clients is to first establish a budget that they know they are ready and willing to spend on furnishings. This essential key helps Designers determine how they can best help prospective clients. I like providing my clients with a “Good, Better, Best” information sheet that details general costs for furnishings in the three price points previously mentioned. For clients that have never purchased furniture or have not purchased furniture in awhile, this sheet helps guide them in their budgeting and gives them an idea of the quality of furnishings they can expect in that price point. So while a prospective client may not be ready to invest in a white glove, full service interior design experience or custom made furniture, a good Designer is happy to meet you where you are to help you achieve the look you desire.

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?
V. James & Co. Interiors is a full-service Interior Design and Home Decor company. My team and I pride ourselves in creating complimentary spaces that seamlessly tie the old and new together to create unique spaces for our homeowners or business clients. Our design style is best described as eclectic with a heavy use of color, patterns, and texture, which can all be seen on our website and social media channels. Our tagline is “design solutions for your home”, and we love helping our clients develop solutions that help them love their space more. What I love most about this profession is being able to creatively express myself through client projects and seeing the joy that comes along with a finished design project that I had a hand in creating.

While there is plenty of beauty in this industry, there are definitely some not so pretty moments and challenges that come along in this field. In an industry that has historically been dominated by Caucasian females and males, the road to entrepreneurship has not been easy. One of the biggest hurdles that I had to overcome and currently still battle in the Design Industry is fair access to capital and lack of exposure and opportunity as an African American Interior Designer. It has taken a lot of time, perseverance, and optimism in order to build my client base and find my niche. The good news is that people of color with various talents are finally getting an opportunity to be both seen and heard. It’s unfortunate though that it has taken a myriad case of devastating events in order for this to happen.

Another challenge that I had to figure out as a Designer was how to personally market myself, as hiring a marketing manager was definitely not in the budget. I had to figure out how to enter and standout in a field in which many of my counterparts did not look like me. Through a lot of trial and error, I figured out that my best marketing angle was to just be myself and let my design eye do the rest. I’ve also found respite in finally finding a tribe of like-minded designers who collectively work together to see each other grow and prosper. It has definitely been a game-changer. Everyday I continue to work through these challenges in order to show my community and the world that V. James & Co. Interiors has so much to offer prospective clients and welcome the opportunity to take on your design dilemmas.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
It definitely would depend on what that friend was into, but a good getaway for me consists of good food, good shopping, and great scenery. I also like to take visitors to experience the lesser known spots so that they get a true feel of all that the city has to offer. Below are some of my favorite places:

Shopping
1.Kudzu
2.Labels Consignment Boutique
3.Intermix
4.Fa’brik
5.My Favorite Place

Neighborhoods
1.The Highlands
2.Edgewood Ave.
3.Oakhurst
4.East Atlanta Village
5.West Midtown

Restaurants
1.Fox Brothers
2.Mary Mac’s Tea Room
3.Osha Thai and Sushi
4.Two Urban Licks
5.Bamba Cuisine
6.Food Terminal
7.The Optimist

Outdoor Activities
1.Piedmont Park
2.SW and Eastside Beltline Trails
3.Cascade Nature Preserve

Desert and Drinks
1.Southern Sweets
2.Honeysuckle Gelato
3.Little Spirit
4.Barcelona Wine Bar

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?
I am continuously thankful for my family, friends-new and old, fellow Designers, and people that I have had an opportunity to connect with that have supported me in some way along my journey. As a child, my mom and dad were always supportive of my creativity to the point of purchasing me everything from easels to mannequin heads to try my hand at hair styling. At the time I wasn’t really sure where these things would take me, but I knew that they made me happy and I’m sure that they saw that too.

I’ll never forget the first opportunity that I was given to assist with a design project. A good friend of mine had reached out to me about decorating her new home. Eager for the opportunity and a chance to help a friend, I jumped at the request. Seeing her smiling face at the end was all the thanks I needed. That moment helped ignite the fire for the idea of my business that was to come years later.

Website: www.vjamesandco.com

Instagram: www.instagram.com/vjamesandcointeriors

Facebook: www.facebook.com/vjamesandcointeriors

Image Credits
Timberly J. Photography