Step Inside Virtual Design
Interior designer and social media sensation Julie Jones discusses her indirect path to residential design, how she went virtual, and the importance of staying grounded.
Have you always been creative?
Yes. My mom was a seamstress and taught me to sew at a very young age. I started making my own clothes around age twelve and drew a lot as well. I ended up attending a design school that wasn’t just about decorating—it was much more technical and challenging. That was a win-win for me because I love creativity yet am also meticulous.
How did you get started in the design industry?
When I graduated in 2008, jobs were scarce, especially in interior design. I met a contractor through a mutual connection and started doing residential work despite that not being my goal; I thought I’d be in hospitality, architecture, or commercial design. I was later hired by that same contractor’s design-build company.
COVID was a turning point for you. Would you talk about that?
Out of necessity, I began taking designs virtual in 2020, even with local clients—for almost two years, I hardly talked to any of them face-to-face. At the time, everyone was busting out their hobbies, and mine was painting. A friend who worked in social media saw my art and said I should put it online. I politely said no, so he offered a trade: I’d paint his dog, and he’d create social media channels for me.
I agreed but found it all very intimidating. Thankfully, he coached me, egging me on to discuss interior design and talk to the camera. It took several months to get comfortable with it before I finally created content. But after I made my first interior design video, I got sixty Instagram messages that same day. It was crazy! I then started offering a mini design consultation service on TikTok called SOS, named after the subject line of the first Instagram request I ever received. I ended up going viral after that.
How did that mesh with already having a family and a full-time job?
It was stressful. I had a heavy workload and was putting in seventy hours a week between both. I knew it wasn’t healthy for anyone, including my four boys and husband.
Ultimately, I had to decide between one or the other. While I really liked my job and my boss, I had a hundred people waiting for me to help them online. I prayed about it and eventually chose virtual because it meant I could be my own boss. Once I made that call, the business really took off now that I had the time to put into it, not only meeting with clients but also building my website on the back end.
What are some of the primary challenges of virtual consultations?
Virtual design certainly presents unique challenges for me and my team, primarily with communication since it’s not traditional face-to-face talking with a client in their home. So we must overcommunicate to the point that everything is documented, for both our sake and theirs. That’s why we have a questionnaire—something I never did for in-person clients. Also, in the virtual world, everything must be done before we meet with someone. Based on what they tell us, we make every decision for their space and then meet with them to present the design. If there’s something they don’t like, that’s their opportunity to say so.
Is that also why you have a style quiz on your website?
Definitely. Before this quiz, people would tell us their “style,” but we’d usually find that it wasn’t really what they wanted. For example, they’d say they love modern, but when I’d ask them to show me examples, nine times out of ten it was something completely different. In general, people don’t understand the labels they’re putting on their visuals.
What’s the difference between your space planning and interior design services?
Space planning is the technical part of design that determines the functionality within a room or home. In fact, every job we do starts with it—we don’t even consider clients’ wants at first. Instead, we look at their floor plan from a bird’s-eye view to help determine the sizes of items like furniture, rugs, and kitchen cabinets, all of which we’ll provide in technical drawings.
Then there’s the room makeover option, where we show clients the space planning plus a 3D floor plan that includes everything right down to the paint color. They’re much more involved in this phase, verifying every element from the measurements being correct to the furniture and decor we chose working for their tastes. It’s all done through email, so it doesn’t require much of their time. We just need their intent for the space, and we’re good to go.
What prompted you to start your own home brand?
Julie Jones Home launched last fall, and it’s going really well, even though I had no idea if people would be open to purchasing products from me. However, I thought it met a need: finding items that weren’t on the market, including furniture and decor. In addition, I can vouch for everything I source—I’ve literally sat on the chairs and sofas and know they’re good quality.
You have over a million social media followers. What does that reach mean to you?
It’s surreal. This all started organically with me just talking to the public on my phone. I don’t share a whole lot about myself in my content, and that’s intentional since it’s about my clients and what they need. I’m not a celebrity; I am who I am and this is my job, and I fiercely keep it separate from my family life. To make sure I stay grounded, I continually remind myself why I do this: to humbly help people with interior design and space planning.
For more info, visit juliejonesdesigns.com