Hidden Gems: Meet Emily Roose

Today we’d like to introduce you to Emily Roose.

Hi Emily, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstories with our readers.
I am originally from Southern California. My first career was as a promotions & digital content director for Clear Channel Radio/iHeart Media where I worked with Big D and Bubba on our country station, and I worked with many of the country music labels in Nashville. After several years in radio, I was laid off and decided to go back to school to pursue a career in interior design after having a degree and numerous years in marketing and advertising. Through my interior design education and training, I interned for LEED AP & historic preservation designer Sarah Barnard and then trained under celebrity designer Steven Cordrey both in Los Angeles.

About nine years ago I relocated to Truckee, California which is part of Lake Tahoe. I built my career working for an architect and a builder where I worked on vacation homes primarily in the private gated communities of Martis Camp, Lahontan, and Schaffer’s Mill in Lake Tahoe and a project in Hawaii in Kukuiula on the island of Kauai. Five years ago, I started my luxury full-service interior & furniture design firm, after another layoff. I specialize in new construction residential full-time and vacation homes and remodel projects, multi-family developments, commercial, hospitality, and furniture design. Throughout my career, I have worked on projects throughout California, Nevada, Hawaii, and even in Nashville with an old music friend. I started to design furniture for my interior design clients mostly dining tables, credenzas, and storage cabinets, and it has expanded to numerous other types of furniture including beds and sofas. With my past in the country music scene and connections in Nashville, I have expanded my services to the area and hope to make it home for my young son and me. Since starting my firm in 2018 I have won numerous awards including international awards as well as numerous publications throughout the US and in the UK.

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?
No, it has not been a smooth road, but every bump and hiccup has shaped my journey. I recently went through a divorce and decided to change my name back to my maiden name and just completed the name change for my business. From this has been a new brand and website that I feel represents my work and myself. I am a single mom to a three-year-old little boy which has given me the strength to keep trying to strive to be better and chase my dreams. I have gone through three layoffs between the music and interior design industries which have kept me wanting to be a business owner and entrepreneur to shape and create my own future and to branch out into different opportunities that I may have not considered in the past.

Competing in a saturated small market is difficult, but I am looking to morph and find new ways to set myself apart and continue to create spaces that not only my clients love to live in but are a true representation of them. I strive to offer energy-efficient, water-efficient, durable, and sustainable products to save my clients money in the long term as well as be better stewards of our planet by consuming less and recommending products that are better for our health. My passion and drive to continue to be a designer keep me continuing to stay educated on changes in the industry, finding better ways to serve my clients and grow my business, and being a dedicated member of ASID, IIDA, IDS, and the USGBC.

We’ve been impressed with Emily Roose Interiors, but for folks who might not be as familiar, what can you share with them about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I am an international multi-award-winning interior and furniture designer and I have been in the interior design industry for 13 years now and have owned my firm for 5 years. I specialize in residential new construction & remodels including full-time and vacation homes, commercial, hospitality, multi-family developments, home staging, and furniture design. I have worked on hotels, a nightclub, office spaces, medical offices, and townhome developments in addition to custom homes. In addition to my bachelor’s degree in interior design from The Art Institute, I am also an accredited home stager and have been able to help clients, realtors, and investors sell multi-million-dollar properties over the years. My marketing background has also helped in understanding the importance of a return on investment for investor clients and how to position the project in the market to appeal to the correct clientele. By working in hospitality, I have been able to take that concept of home away from home luxury feel and durability into designing vacation homes that can be used by multiple families rather than just one so they can be enjoyed for year-round fun for years to come.

Not only do the type of projects that I specialize in set me apart from other designers around me, but so does my ability and comfort level to work in any design style from modern to traditional to transitional to mid-century modern to arts and crafts and beyond. Another aspect that sets my firm apart from others is my design process. I take my clients to showrooms to see tiles, countertops, plumbing, appliances, and cabinet materials so they can not only see and touch what I am recommending, but also to play a pivotal part in designing their own space. They may see something in the showroom that really inspires them and changes the design direction to push their boundaries and discover something about themselves. I have been told numerous times by clients after our showroom visits that they were dreading the experience, but when we were done, they had so much fun and were truly excited about their project and how special the tailored journey was for them. I do not want my clients to be terrified by design. I want them to have fun, enjoy the process and experience, and be excited about the completion of their space. Each of my projects is designed for my clients, I do not sell one specific look. I also enjoy and love the journey with each client, and I find myself learning and growing through each project. I push my own boundaries, embrace the challenges, and love that it is always evolving and changing. My brand is much more than interior design, it is a custom-tailored experience. My unique vision and voice give something special to each project. At least in my area, most designers specialize in residential, but I have years of experience and passion for so many other project types and design styles that set us apart from the rest. I am very proud of the way the design and company have grown and changed over the years as well as being open to new opportunities like working to start a furniture collection or possibly collaborating on another type of product design to stretch me as a designer and as an entrepreneur. I know if I do not continue to dream and work to shape an ever-changing and morphing future then I cease to be me and I want my son to be proud of how hard I have worked and that no matter how hard times got I kept finding ways to keep going.

What do you like and dislike about the city?
Something I really like about Nashville is the vibrant atmosphere with so much great music and great food. I love old architecture and rich history as well which makes Nashville a great place to explore. Traffic is never fun, but it is part of a big city and especially one that is growing. Since I grew up on the west coast, I always had mountains around me, so it takes some getting used to not having large mountains surrounding the area, but I love the natural beauty of the landscape and I have a feeling I’ll fit in just fine.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.emilyrooseinteriors.com/
• Instagram: @erooseinteriors
• Facebook: eespositointeriors
• Other: https://www.houzz.com/pro/emilyrooseinteriors/emily-roose-interiors 

Image Credits
Vance Fox Photography, Katey Hamill Images, and Rob Retting