Today we’d like to introduce you to Diana Werthmann.
Hi Diana, we’re thrilled to have a chance to learn your story today. So, before we get into specifics, maybe you can briefly walk us through how you got to where you are today.
As I started to write this & I thought back to how it all began, I think about my “why”… I really believe that “it” all starts at home. I believe our homes are our havens, our place to retreat, rest, entertain, raise our families, grow as people, enjoy our hobbies, etc… If we are uncomfortable or unhappy at home, that unhappiness follows us everywhere we go. If our home are places we love and enjoy and feel happy in, then that happiness follows us everywhere we go as well!
My first job as an Interior Designer was working for a custom home builder in Cincinnati. I learned the process of building a home from the perspective of tradesmen while meeting my desire for beauty and function. This unique perspective helped me understand the costs, materials, and timing needed to make the construction process flow. This included important task of communicating and of being organized in each project. I learned that there is indeed an “order” in which the tasks were to be done, and more importantly for me was the relevance of all of my years growing up with my parents (it felt like we were being drilled) teaching my brothers & myself the value & importance of being organized…it did not seem like that was a skill that would help me in my adult life and yet it is one of the biggest assets I bring to a project.
I was laid off from that company in early 2009 during the housing crisis. This event felt devastating yet it turned out to be a blessing because it caused my dream of owning my own Interior Design firm & being my own boss to become a reality.
I started my company in November of 2009 with a belief that everyone deserves to live in a beautiful home. I soon learned that owning an Interior Design business was a bit different than being an Interior Designer. As someone who loves a challenge, I was determined to make my dream work! A few years in I hired an Interior Design Business Coach who showed me how to effectively own & operate my business and redefine my “why”…although I still believe everyone deserves to live in a beautiful home, hiring an interior designer is not for everyone. My “why” still continues to be that moment when my client sees their transformed space(s) or their “after”, yet once we leave this “space”, their home really becomes their “HOME”…& I hope that their lives are changed and improved and they truly “Love Where They Live!”
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not, what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I have definately experienced some challenges along the way…I knew I would need to hire to grow my firm, and the hiring of employees can be challenging… from creating an atmosphere that parallels my design philosophy to managing the day-to-day aspects of the business , it continues to be incredibly rewarding as well as challenging. I had to let go of the attitude & belief that “If you want a job done right, you have to do it yourself.” I had to learn to “let go,”delegate & allow my team to learn & grow & become more confident in themselves & in their abilities.
The pandemic brought on a whole new level of challenges & boom in business which allowed me to have some new experiences (as I believe we all did), which again caused me to make some changes & improvements to our processes & to my design philosophy.
I love that I have become more ok in the “gray in between space ” & less so “black & white”…I have learned that it’s ok to not be ok all the time & “I don’t know,” yet I will find out IS a perfectly acceptable answer!
My mindset IS everything & creating spaces, homes where my clients can experience a happy mindset is nothing short of amazing!
When YOU feel good, life somehow also feels good!
As you know, we’re big fans of Transformed Interiors, LLC. For our readers who might not be as familiar, what can you tell them about the brand?
We are a full-service residential Interior Design Firm. We specialize in providing our clients uniquely designed spaces that function to their lifestyles as well as are aesthetically pleasing (or, as I would say: awesome & amazing)! We are known for our ability to manage the entire project from concept to creation.
My organizational skill set combined with my design skills, my people skills, & my math skills (there is a lot of math in Interior Design), allows my firm to be able to create beauty and be involved with our clients during the entire process (which can be stressful) while managing budgets & costs as well as all of the logistics & procurement.
I believe my “people skills”; my ability to connect with my clients on an emotional level as well as a professional level allows the (to quote a popular marketing phrase) “Know, Like, Trust” to occur.
We offer a wide range of services from our coined “Designer for a Day” service, which is an allotted number of hours for a “package price” that is affordable for all of the “DIYers as well as 1st time home buyers. We can assist with the selections of paint colors, make design suggestions as to what they could purchase, help them with the rearranging of their existing furniture and where to hang their art, or we can do a complete “re-decorating” of a room using only their existing furniture, accessories, art & decor.
We offer a “Furnishings & Decor” service which allows a complete redecorating of a room, several rooms, or even a whole home. We create design concepts handle the procurement & logistics as well as implementation (of which I refer to as “Decorating Day)!
We also specialize in kitchen & bath Design in addition our signature Design service of creating total design concepts for a new build that includes all of the selections of “building materials” as well as furniture, window treatments, art, accessories & decor.
Any big plans?
I am in the process of growing my business. While on the lookout for great talent to help me grow, I am revising my website to showcase all of our work as well as make it easier for future clients connect with us. My 5-year growth plan (my ultimate dream) is to have a team of 4 designers on staff in addition to myself with a showroom/design studio.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.transformedinteriordesign.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/transformedinteriors
- Facebook: www.facebook.com/transformedinteriorsllc
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/dianawerthmann/
- Other: Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/transformedinteriors
