Today we’d like to introduce you to Diane Landers.
Hi Diane, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I always had a love for interior design, though it took me until my 40’s to realize I could actually create a career for myself in this field. Honestly, I don’t remember too much of my childhood, however, I have vivid memories of this one day in particular. I was about 6 years old and my Mom came home with new curtains, a bedspread, and a rug for my bedroom. We set everything up and I recall lounging in my room for what seemed like hours. I’d lay on my bed and stare at the curtains and rug. I’d lay on the rug and stare at my bed and curtains. I remember this feeling of joy and comfort. That same feeling would follow me throughout my life whenever I decorated something that I was proud of.
Fast forward to my young adulthood. I never even considered a career in interior design. I went to college for 5 years and switched majors 6 or 7 times. Nothing felt right to me. Once I graduated I moved from Rhode Island to New York. I wanted to study acting and live in a fast paced, exciting city. I had the time of my life in NYC and stayed for 7 years. In between auditioning and cocktail waitressing, I started to work at a cosmetics company. Although I wasn’t great at makeup application, I was good at sales and I loved all things beautiful. I met my future husband in New York. After dating for a year he was offered a job in Houston, TX. I had never been to Texas but I was ready to try something new. We moved to Houston and I landed a job at a luxury cosmetics company managing their Promotional Marketing. I worked there for 12 years! Even though I knew I was not in my element, I loved the people and the component of beauty involved. When that company was acquired and we were notified our Houston office would be closing, I knew my next move had to be something I was truly passionate about. Interior Design of course! But how? I went through an online certification program for Interior Design at The New York Institute of Art and Design and was somehow lucky enough to be hired by J Randall Powers ID- an esteemed, luxury interior design firm. It was there, under the guidance of Randy Powers and Christopher Alexander, that I realized I had finally found what I had been searching for most of my adult life.
I stayed there for 5 years learning and experiencing everything I possibly could. I often say it was like a design master class.
By this time, I knew I wanted to have my very own design firm. I started searching for names. Do I use Diane Landers Design? One day, while flipping through Athena Calderone’s coffee table book, Live Beautiful, I was reading the section on Jean Charles Tomas, a French interior designer. There was a small paragraph about glass doors titled “Glass Houses” and I knew THAT was to be my firm’s name. I love the idea of transparency in design. Transparency on our process and on our pricing. That helps alleviate a lot of our clients’ worries. Also, the imagery of a house built from glass is stunning!
Glass House Design Houston was born. We are in our second year of business. There have been many ups and downs along the way but I understand that everything is a learning process. I’m eager to continue learning & growing, and I’m so excited to continue creating beautiful, functional spaces for my clients. After all, it’s the creative part of the job that feeds my soul in a way I could never put into words.
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?
Nothing worth its weight is ever easy! Setting up a new business alone is a full time job. There’s such a learning curve to all the tasks that need to happen relatively quickly. Registering your business, applying for a tax exemption, setting up trade accounts, hiring photographers, setting up a website- and that’s just the first few weeks!
Since setting up my business I’ve learned a lot about who I can trust and who I can’t. There’s a lot of people out there who claim they want to help, but really, they’re mostly interested in helping themselves. That continues to be something I am working on. I lead with my intuition and most of the time it works out, but there have been those times when I was burned. Again, I take each day as a lesson and hope to continue learning, growing, and expanding.
Thanks for sharing that. So, maybe next you can tell us a bit more about your business?
Glass House Design Houston is a full-service, residential interior design firm helping clients in Houston and the surrounding communities. We embrace a modern-classic aesthetic with just enough edge to keep things interesting! We help homeowners prioritize the function and feel of their spaces. Our mission is to craft a space that’s unmistakably, beautifully you. We hold an unwavering commitment to designing homes, not museums, and promise to meet clients right where they are.
What sets us apart from other luxury interior design firms is our willingness to work on projects of all sizes. We take on big and small projects. I’ve noticed a lot of clients coming to me convinced their paint project or their art hanging project will be too small for us to take on. That couldn’t be further from the truth! I love to balance a larger project with a smaller one. After all, in life and design, it’s all about balance.
What is most important is the connection to the client. Personality matters and we’re going to spend a lot of time together if we decide to work with you. We better make sure we actually like one another before money is exchanged. At GHDH we have a “No Assholes Policy”, and we plan on sticking to that.
What matters most to you? Why?
Client Satisfaction
You hear this term a lot, but at the end of the day, if my clients are happy, I’m happy.
People pay interior designers a lot of money for our services. They invite us into their homes. We get really personal with them. We ask questions like-
What side of the bed do you sleep on?
Do you sleep on your side, back, or stomach?
Do you tend to sleep hot or cold?
Do you prefer stems on your glassware or stemless?
What’s your favorite color? (I always feel like Buddy The Elf when I ask this question, but it’s important)
Are you allergic to any materials?
What are your favorite places to visit?
Can you take care of live plants or do you prefer faux?
What smells do you like or dislike?
You get the point! If my clients are thrilled at the end of the design process, I did my job well…
Contact Info:
- Website: https://glasshousedesignhouston.com/
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/glasshousedesignhouston/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61570418801223
Image Credits
Elizabeth Joy Sanders
