A Designer Without Walls How inspiration — and a little free sales advice — found me on a dog walk

There’s something about early autumn mornings that feels grounding.

The air carries that in-between quality — crisp but gentle — and the neighborhood hums quietly as people walk their dogs. We dog lovers always recognize each other by our pups first. Names come second.

This morning, I was walking my dog, Pippa, when I bumped into someone I hadn’t seen in ages. We fell into step easily, the way familiar faces often do.

A few minutes into chatting, she suddenly remembered,

“Wait, you’re an interior designer, aren’t you?”

It made me smile. It happens a lot — people tend to share their home dilemmas the same way they might mention a sore shoulder to a doctor or a question to a lawyer. Our homes are deeply personal spaces, and when someone knows you design them for a living, the stories come tumbling out.

“A Designer Without Walls”

As we walked, she told me about her daughter who lives in Philadelphia, and then, with a sparkle in her eye, said,

“You should be in the city too! You could call yourself a designer without walls — you come to them!”

I had to laugh. Clever, right? A designer without walls.

It has a nice ring to it — and honestly, it captures something I already believe in. Good design doesn’t depend on where you are. It travels with you — through ideas, conversations, and connections.

We exchanged numbers, and as I headed home, leash in one hand and coffee in the other, I thought about how the best ideas often find us in the simplest moments — while walking the dog, chatting with a neighbor, just being open to the world.

Free sales advice before breakfast? I’ll take it.

Reflection

That little moment reminded me why I do what I do — design, at its heart, is about connection.

It’s about listening to the stories people tell, noticing what makes them light up, and creating spaces that mirror that back to them.

Whether it’s a home in the city or a quiet cottage surrounded by trees, the goal is the same: to craft environments that feel soulful, personal, and alive.

A home that feels like you. 🧡

Noticing

Inspiration has a funny way of finding us — sometimes it’s through a morning walk, sometimes in the rhythm of ordinary life. But it always begins with noticing.

That’s where beautiful homes begin too — in the quiet noticing of what feels right, what feels like you.

If this season is calling you to realign your space, to make room for warmth and intention, I’d be honored to help you bring that vision to life — wherever you are.

From one designer without walls to another dreamer at home.

XO,

Juliana