Design Phase Zero: Denise Roberts

Katie Holcomb - Left Right Media

In our latest blog post, we explored Isabella Rose Taylor’s successful career in the fast-paced fashion industry. Recently, I got to speak with the lovely Denise Roberts, an interior designer who started her very own home staging and interiors company called Love Ding.

Denise’s appreciation for design in the space around her started at a very young age. She then took her passions to college where she studied interior design at Texas State University.

Discover everything and more about Denise’s journey into the expressive interior design industry that surrounds Austin:

Tell us about your background. How did you get involved with interior design?

“My love for design goes back as far as my childhood- always rearranging my furniture and painting walls every color of the rainbow. Not only being interested in changing the spaces I was in most but, recalling how my Grandma’s house FELT different than my friends house, versus visiting a hospital.

"I was always hyper aware of these different feelings I got in new spaces."

I started off designing for a model home firm, opened my brick-and-mortar shop and have since grown into a home staging and design company.”

Tell us about the evolution of your business (Love Ding).

“I started out with the vision that I would refurbish, revamp and refinish vintage furniture. I took a few upholstery classes, watched hundreds of YouTube videos on refinishing wood pieces and tried my hand at both. During my time DIY’ing, I was also coming up with a marketing strategy and realized Instagram was a usable tool I needed to invest my time in. This entire Instagram/Pinterest/Etsy world opened up to me, and I found tons and tons of super talented makers from Austin and beyond.

“I started doing wholesale orders with companies, and eventually, I had a shop full of awesome goods, furniture, and vintage finds. Running a store is no joke. I hosted lots of fun/crafty workshops, kept searching for vintage and new inventory; and my plate was full. There was just this whole creative side to me that was left out. Thats when the soul searching took place- I ended the storefront and moved on to home staging and interior design. This is where I really get to be creative and that makes both my mind and heart happy.”

"Home Staging and Interior Design... is where I really get to be creative and that makes both my mind and heart happy.”

Tell us about your new ventures.

“I'm doing these private storage unit shopping tours - with mimosas, of course. I plan on taking small groups of ladies to my storage units for "Thrift & Sip" maybe once a month or so.

"I'm also wrapping up a pretty large remodel that I’ll be moving into once it’s complete. A 1957 ranch house that I expanded and refinished, it’s turning out to be a dream! Super fun and challenging project. Keep an eye out!"

What problems are you trying to solve in the interior design space?

"If you design a room around a concept that considers its users, they instantly feel comfortable in the space"

"If you design a room around a concept that considers its users, they instantly feel comfortable in the space. This can be of use for both Home Staging for the masses as well as designing for a personal residence.”

Tell us about a recent project. How did you begin? What considerations went into the initial steps of the project?

“My most recent, largest project, is my own house remodel. I usually get frustrated when designing for myself because I don’t take the same time and steps that I do when designing for someone else. This project was the first that I came up with inspiration and a concept for one of my own projects. It really helps ease the pain - I knew my concept, which helped to narrow down my selections, so I wasn’t so overwhelmed by choices.”

Where do you find inspiration for projects? Can you share some favorite links or books with us?

“Domino Magazine, Emily Henderson, Amber Interiors, Studio McGee.”

Where do you see yourself / Love Ding in the next 5-10 years?

“I’d love to be a household name in Austin for Home Staging. Home Staging doesn’t have to be boring, super-duper matching furniture from a box store and I want to change that. Austin deserves it!"

"Home Staging doesn’t have to be boring, super-duper matching furniture from a box store and I want to change that. Austin deserves it!"

Denise applies her attention to detail and knowledge about how space into incredible and beautiful projects. There's a special energy and balance to them that is not created by accident.

It's designed.

Up next on Design Phase Zero, we are featuring architect Beau Frail from Michael Hsu Office of Architecture! Get pumped. Stay tuned.

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The Austin Design Week Blog is curated and produced in partnership with Left Right Media. Left Right Media is a creative agency in Austin, specializing in branding, web design, app design and digital strategy. Their success is a result of both an analytical (left) and creative (right) approach to design.

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