Rising Stars: Meet Grace Geison

Today we’d like to introduce you to Grace Geison.

Grace, we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
Growing up, I loved all things related to art and design. When I wasn’t drawing or painting, you could find me parked in front of the TV watching Trading Spaces and other design-related shows. However, as a young adult when it came time to make decisions related to college and my future career, I got scared. Instead of following my heart, I listened to the people telling me that it’d be extremely hard to get a job in the Design industry, and as a result, I pursued a “safer” degree in Small Business Management and Entrepreneurship.

After college, I moved to Arizona and spent a soul-sucking year and a half working as a recruiter for a now-failed start-up company. During my time living in a cubicle at that company, it became undeniably clear to me that I needed to pursue my true passion. I took a leap of faith and set off to find an opportunity to get my foot in the door of the Interior Design industry. With no experience or formal training, I was lucky enough to land a position at a local, family-owned remodeling company and hit the ground running.

Over the next five and a half years, I learned the ins and outs of construction and honed my natural design ability. I led the companies’ design department and helped them quadruple their annual volume. Although I will forever be grateful for my time at that company and for the owner taking a chance on me, I once again found myself ready for a new challenge. In the spring of 2022, I left my position and launched Grace Lauren Design.

Alright, so let’s dig a little deeper into the story – has it been an easy path overall and if not, what were the challenges you’ve had to overcome?
It definitely has not been a smooth road. There are so many elements of running your own business that I underestimated. I’ve fumbled my way through bookkeeping and even had a call with the local department of revenue/taxes that ended in tears. (Math has never been my strong suit). In addition to the day-to-day tasks that come with owning a small business, I’ve had to learn how to navigate the furnishings side of the industry.

While my extensive construction knowledge gives me an advantage with remodel the design, my lack of experience working for a full-service design firm has created hurdles to clear. I’m slowly starting to foster relationships with trade-exclusive furnishing partners, but some days it still feels like I’m the new kid in high school looking for an open seat in the cafeteria.

Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Even though I’ve lived in AZ for going on 8 years, my heart belongs in a historic bungalow on the East Coast.

Naturally, I think my viewpoint is different from other local designers who gravitate towards a muted, modern, West Coast vibe. At my core, I am a maximalist and lover of color. I live for mixing patterns/colors and vintage/modern pieces to create a layered and eclectic feel. I also believe that your home should be a reflection of your own unique style and that it’s my responsibility to help you define that and take it to the next level.

Can you share something surprising about yourself?
Design-related, Most people don’t know that I’m self-taught. They assume that I went to school for design and am affiliated with National Organizations.

In regard to my personal life, most people would be shocked to find out that I am actually allergic to dogs. My love for dogs runs deep… unintentionally, my Instagram has become about 50% design content and 50% dog content. I have two hypoallergenic dogs and would adopt 100 more if I could.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.gracelaurendesign.com
• Instagram: @gracelaurendesign
• Facebook: @gracelaurendesign

Image Credits
Stephanie Studer – Lifecreated and Nick Pane – Hold Fast Visuals