HOME & DESIGN

Jacy Painter Kelly is a Charlotte-based interior designer whose looks fuse together casual living and edgy coolness. Before launching her own business, Jacy worked in retail and preconstruction design for both new-builds and renovations. Below, she tells us about where she finds inspiration, how she designs a room, and more.

What is your process for coming up with a design plan for clients?

I like to start with a meeting in person where I can ask the client questions to better understand their needs. From there, we dig into the design. Every client and project is different, so this process is never really the same. Some clients have a simple space, while others are completely custom builds done over the course of years. Once design plans are finalized, it’s estimated out, and once approved, we get everything ordered, and then we wait!

What inspires your designs and the unique touches you put into specific rooms?

My clients for the most part! I try to get to know them as well as info jacypainterkelly.com

I can, and pull from them what would make them the happiest in their spaces. I also like to pull inspiration from other spaces: hotels, restaurants, bars... I draw inspiration from places that people enjoy visiting.

What stage of the design process do you enjoy the most and why?

I really love install day. It’s exhilarating to finally see my plans come to life and to hand it over to the clients. It’s usually filled with some problem solving, and these days it’s rare for anything to be installed complete, but the exhaustion at the end makes me feel young again [laughs].

How do you find the right balance between visually pleasing and practical?

A space really won’t last if it doesn’t function well. Yes, I want it to look amazing, but there is almost always a compromise to be found that serves both form and function. Sometimes the simple answer is to distract from the practical necessity with something else in the space, so no one pays it as much attention.

What room type do you like to design most? Cocktail rooms! I just really love the opportunity to take the traditional sitting room and make it the opposite of your Mom’s sitting room. What once was the space to “look at, but not touch,” is becoming the hip hideaway that people can truly enjoy again. Changing the name and the vibe of a room can add a lot to a home.

What colors or patterns are you personally loving right now that you would suggest we try for our own homes?

Anyone who knows me knows what’s coming… black! I think it’s the best neutral right now because it stands out and blends in at the same time. It’s a rockstar as a solid, and it layers well with all kinds of shades and tones. I enjoy mixing texture: wood tones, leathers, hair-on-hide, and mixed metals. I’m not experimenting with tons of color right now, because it can read “super trendy” pretty quickly, and the neutral game is so strong and long lasting.

@jacypainterkellyinteriors