Have you ever gone to the paint store for a renovation project and thought, “Wow, all of these whites just look the same?”
That’s exactly how Lydia Hendrix was feeling when she met Oak Highland Design owner, Angelia Spraberry, in a Benjamin Moore paint store.
Angelia said she remembers hearing Lydia’s frustration and feeling hesitant to step in. Finally, Angelia decided to go for it.
Angelia said, “You know, looking at all of these different whites, it does get confusing, and they all do start to look the same after a while. I completely understand, and I can help you with that if you like."
Angelia had such good insight and suggestions that finally Lydia said, “Wow, you are good at this!” That’s when Angelia revealed she is an interior designer and had just started her own design business. Lydia hired Angelia on the spot.
“Angelia had wonderful suggestions and ideas, yet she was sensitive to what we wanted and never imposed her own preferences on us,” Lydia said. “She was very organized, giving us names of people who could do the kind of work we needed, and she gave us the option of contacting them ourselves or paying her to contact them and coordinate everything. I appreciated the way she'd always let us know whether the things she offered to do for us were with or without charge. We always knew where we stood. She was great about ordering things such as lighting while helping us stay within our budget.”
Another client, Benita Alford, said she found out about Angelia’s business because Angelia sent out postcards to her neighbors in the Highland Lakes community. Benita received a flyer and decided to give her a call.
”One of the things I really liked about her is she actually listened to what I wanted to do,” Benita said. “We have a traditional home, not an open concept, and she didn't try to take the house outside of its intention. We didn't do anything that didn't suit it. We stayed within the integrity of the home, and I really liked that about her.”
Benita also said Angelia helped her stay within her budget. For example, she didn’t like the tile on her fireplace, but the first stone quote she received cost more than she wanted to pay for the entire project. That weekend, Angelia sent Benita a text saying she found someone who could do the stones in sections so it was more cost efficient.
“It was a fraction of the cost,” Benita said. “Had she not done that, that would have been $3000 I would have spent on that fireplace. Others wouldn't have taken the initiative to do the research. The look was almost the same, and I even preferred it better.”
Angelia has renovated her own homes, so she knows who to use and who does the best work. She also knows that a remodel can be overwhelming, so she organizes the process for her clients.
Bringing joy to her clients is Angelia’s favorite part of the business, she said.
“When you finally get that finished product or final selections are made and the installation is done, and you see the look on your client's face, it brings me joy to see them so happy,” she said. “It's hard to describe that feeling, it's like a giddiness. You get all bubbly. I love to see us accomplish together what their vision was for their space and to fulfill that need for them, that is really what I love to do.”
At Oak Highland Design, the first visit is complimentary. Visit oakhighland.decoratingden.com for more information.
- https://oakhighland.decoratingden.com/
- 205-718-7341
- aspraberry@decoratingden.com
