Today we’d like to introduce you to Jeff Justice.
Jeff, please kick things off for us by telling us about yourself and your journey so far.
From a young age, I have been passionate about interior design. Throughout my middle and high school years, I worked alongside my grandmother developing skills in upholstery, sewing, flooring and wall treatments. I fondly remember curating items for her West Virginia home.
Now, as an emerging, millennial designer in Houston, I am inspired by a range of styles, periods and sources from modern and contemporary art to nature, fashion and vintage design books. My passion for interior design manifests through my attention to detail, love for aesthetic and a desire to give each client’s personality a visual voice.
Nothing is more fulfilling than hearing a client say that you have helped make their house a home.
Before launching Jeff Justice Design, I completed projects as a lead designer for Corbin Young Design, gaining experience in creating custom pieces, amongst them a custom game table for a River Oaks home. I then moved to Design Within Reach where I excelled as a conduit for helping clients’ visions come to life; consistently ranking in the nation’s top 50 in sales for the brand. Most recently, I worked as a lead designer at a $15 million per year commercial/hospitality firm before embracing my entrepreneurial spirit and desire to start my own firm in order to engage a more diverse clientele.
Can you give our readers some background on your art?
I am an interior designer that also does floral design, custom furnishings, and styling (food/room/product styling). In simple terms – I make things look pretty. I use the details of a composition to create an atmosphere or experience that people can enjoy or connect with. Each space dictates a different way of analyzing its design needs based on who will use it and how it will be used.
My goal is to evoke the soul of the inhabitants of a space through the finishes, furnishings, decor, lighting, and art selected for their home. Examples of my work can be found on my website under the portfolio section. In one of my latest projects listed as “Texas Glamour” the client approached me to redesign their home. Taking it from a traditional style to a more modern-glam style. As an interior designer, my job is to get to know the person or family, how they live in and use their space, what they are inspired by aesthetically, and just as important what they dislike. Through asking key questions & giving a little homework to the client, I was able to source the appropriate pieces.
Questions such as “Do you entertain? What colors are you drawn to? What colors do you not care for? What is your budget? What is the timeline for your project? How do you live in your space?” For homework, I ask the client to source 10-20 images of rooms, pieces of furniture, objects, decor, fabrics, styles, etc. that they are drawn to. They must also source 5-10 images of things that they do not like
Based on the client’s answers and the architectural blueprints they gave me I started sourcing pieces for their home. They entertained different groups of people every few months in their home, and they would frequently have large dinners almost every Friday or Saturday. The clients showed me images that contained soft lines, gold and blue colors, and spaces that were light and airy. They already had their hearts set on two things: a live edge dining table and a chaise sectional with soft sexy lines – both of which they asked to be included in the design. Those pieces fit perfectly with the design I was conjuring up in my head based on their homework. To help illustrate my design to the clients during our meetings I recreated their floor plan to scale using both hand-drawn techniques and AutoCAD. Then I added the different pieces I had sourced to the drawings to show how each piece would fit in the room. Utilizing Photoshop, I would compose these options into a storyboard for the client so they can see how everything becomes harmonious. By discussing the design openly with the client, they are able to have a part in designing their home rather than just being told what it should be. Finally, we order everything & I oversee the installation to make sure pieces arrive in good condition & direct movers where each piece goes.
My artwork is personal to myself and for those who experience it. Once we are finished with their project, many interior design clients tell me it has transformed their life in some way. Be it that they were more inspired, happier, more productive, brought their family closer together, or allowed them to live their life more easily because they came back to a well-designed home versus what they had before – a space.
By changing the design of someone’s home, you end up changing their lives. Whenever you walk into a space, an interior designer has thought of everything in order to create an experience for the user. Whether or not you know or realize that isn’t relevant, what is relevant is the way you feel – which was created by the interior designer.
Do you think conditions are generally improving for artists? What more can cities and communities do to improve conditions for artists?
I find most artists are either self-employed or moonlight as an artist – to me both are great because you get to pursue your passion and what really makes you happy in life. Life for artists, in my opinion, has become easier in recent years with the rise of technology, the internet, websites, and social media usage. It allows artists to connect not only with other artists in a similar field but with potential clients as well. To help artists thrive and give them encouragement – cities and communities should continue to support their artists by attending events/shows they have, reading & sharing articles on artists they enjoy, regramming/sharing Instagram posts and stories, and ultimately the best way would be by buying the work(s) or service(s) that they offer or recommending them to other people they know.
What’s the best way for someone to check out your work and provide support?
People can view my portfolio on my website jeffjusticedesign.com or Instagram @jeffjusticedesign
To support my work follow me on Instagram, or if you have an idea/want to collaborate you should email me: jeff@jeffjusticedesign.com
Contact Info:
- Address: P.O. Box 27991
Houston, TX 77227 - Website: www.jeffjusticedesign.com
- Phone: 3049644138
- Email: jeff@jeffjusticedesign.com
- Instagram: Instagram.com/jeffjusticedesign
- Facebook: Facebook.com/jeffjusticedesign
Image Credit:
Jonathan Harris
Getting in touch: VoyageHouston is built on recommendations from the community; it’s how we uncover hidden gems, so if you know someone who deserves recognition please let us know here.
