Mother Stories
Momboss: Nashville Interior Designer & Single Mama Hannah Crowell
Written by James Kicinski-McCoy
Photography by Photographed By Lindsey Whiddon
Mar 27, 2018
Though many believe to know, love, and appreciate the world of interior design, it is a profession that proves time and time again to be an intricate art form that takes much more than a casual browse through Pinterest. From swimming in a sea of fabric swatches to frequent on-site visits, meticulous furniture measurements, and drafting up to-scale models, there’s much more to decorating functional and beautiful spaces than meets the (good design) eye.
Someone who knows the complex world of interiors and decorating well is this week’s Momboss: Nashville-based designer Hannah Crowell and owner of Crowell & Co. Below, the single mama of two girls (Adeline, 11, and Iris, 9) gives us a peek inside of her thoughtfully designed home and recently renovated garage-turned-home office. So, grab your morning cup, pull up a comfy chair, and prepare yourself for the sudden urge to redo your entire space, while Crowell talks motherhood, running a business from home, and all things design!
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- “I am the owner and principal designer of Crowell & Co. Interiors.”
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- “The creative process of curating a space, and when I get to see it all come together at the very end.”
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- “In high school, I always thought I wanted to be an actress. Then, in my early 20s, I wanted to be a gallery director. Finally, at around 29, I found what I am truly suited for: interior design and being a mama.”
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- “I had originally started a design firm with a partner. Within the span of a few months, she lost her husband and I went through a divorce. My life was in such transition and upheaval that I decided it was time to make a major jump, and do this on my own. It was scary as hell, and also the best thing I ever did.”
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- “I was the director and curator of a photography gallery.”
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- “I come from a family of self-employed individuals, so I never really considered anything else. I also tend to have strong ideas and opinions. I quickly realized that being the boss was the only way I was going to get to do it my way.”
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- “It means that you have a lot of responsibility, and you are probably pretty damn tired! Kidding aside, I think it is the personification of what it means to be a strong, independent woman creating her own brand, all while being able to switch to that nurturing, maternal side as soon as a child needs you. It is both a tough and incredibly rewarding job.”
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- “My best friend Rachael. We have been doing this together for a long time. She has four kids and is an attorney who owns her own firm. Our industries are wildly different, but the daily grind is the same. Every morning, we call each other after dropping off our kids and share war stories. Starting the day with that call keeps me laughing and sane.”
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- “For me, it is imperative to have my office at my house. It's detached and is its own space, but is still a part of my home. When the kids get home from school, they can do their homework, while my team and I are still working. When one of my girls is sick, I can make her a pallet on the floor, and she can hang out while I work. I love being able to still be near them, while working the hours that I do.”
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- “I think the other women on my team would say I have yet to master this! I am the most productive early in the morning when I’m still in my pajamas, or when I'm at my desk with headphones on, so I can't hear the rest of the office. I need to be able to float around in my ideas to truly be productive. Luckily, our work environment allows for that.”
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- “Oh man! I want to say reading, but I am just too tired to read right now. Honestly, watching I Love Lucy with my girls or laying on the floor with my dog is pretty perfect for me. I absolutely love to cook, and when I get a few hours on the weekend, that is one of my favorite ways to unplug. I’d also say traveling with my love is the ultimate way for me to disconnect and unwind.”
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- “I spend a tremendous amount of time on construction sites, and I've really had to learn to hold my own as a woman in that mostly male environment. I wish someone had told me from the beginning to stand my ground and not be afraid to be assertive. I struggled with that at first, and I think my work suffered as a result. I no longer have that problem, and I think I garner much more respect now than I did in my timid years.”
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- “If it is something that you are passionate about, do it. If you succeed, your children will see what hard work and belief in yourself looks like. If you don’t succeed, your children will see what having guts looks like, and that failure actually isn’t failing at all. It’s where we learn the most.”
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- “Always do your best work. And, when you don’t, own it and make it right. Also, be kind to people. If we could all incorporate that a bit more, this world would be a lot rosier of a place.”
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- “In more ways than I could ever articulate. As a designer, I will say that having kids of my own has led me to make some very practical design decisions. That doesn’t mean I don’t want a space to be beautiful, just that I consider how kids are going to live in the space—what wears well and what doesn’t, etc. I think that’s an advantage that I bring to my projects. I would not have gotten here had I not made plenty of mistakes in my own home along the way.”
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- “Start with some inspiration images, then make a list of your wants and needs. Next, start sourcing and make a board of what you have. It is incredibly helpful to be able to see how it will all come together. Etsy and Charish are my favorite resources for vintage rugs. One Kings Lane is actually a great resource for everything you could need for furnishings, and you can add a little edge with pieces from YLiving and Design Within Reach. I also love Furbish Studio for accessories and 20x200 for art.”
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- “My alarm goes off at 6:15 a.m., but I usually hit snooze until 6:45, at which point I jump out of bed and start yelling to everyone that we're late and they have to hurry. This is literally every morning, so it’s no wonder no one listens to me! I get my girls to school at 7:50 a.m. and head home to quickly clean up the disaster that is my kitchen. Some mornings, I go to pilates, and some I just head straight into the office. My team comes in at ten, so I try to get in by nine, so that I can have some quiet time before the madness begins. Some days, I can be in the office all day (which I love), and others, I am on site and in meetings all day. I get my girls around six, or my sister grabs them for me, and we meet at the gym, so she and I can workout and they can do homework in the cafe. We run home. I cook. We eat dinner. My sweet boyfriend is around most nights, and him and my girls relish in playing tricks on me and doing anything and everything to annoy me. I act put off, but secretly love it. I get the kids to bed. We might watch Netflix for ten minutes before I fall asleep. I wake up the next day and repeat it all again.”
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- “I would be nothing without my support system here in Nashville. My entire family lives in the city, and the community of supportive women that I am surrounded by is truly the greatest gift in my life. I would be nothing without them.”
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- “I think I am really good at the creative side of my profession, and nurturing client relationships. However, I am terrible at the systems part of running a business. I have a bookkeeper and a staff that manages all of our accounts, orders, and billing. I know what I am good at and what I am not. What I’m not good at gets outsourced.”
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- “I can be incredibly hard on myself and compare myself to other women in so many ways, but thankfully I do not struggle with feeling competitive in my field. I often wish I had another woman’s bum, skin, or dress size, but when it comes to career and accomplishments, I think it's better for the soul to celebrate each other and be happy for each other’s successes. I guess I should work on applying that to bums as well.”
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- “I lay on my office floor with my dog. I actually do this a lot!”
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- “I would say 20% of my job is finding beautiful furnishings and textiles, and the other 80% is busy work: putting out fires, dealing with trades people, etc. It’s really not that glamorous!”
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- “Laid-back, bohemian, and modern with a twist of colorful Southern roots. Does that sound insane?”
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- “I want a 1960s rosewood and black leather Eames Lounger, and I am getting it in our next house come hell or high water!”
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- “I love my office! When I first bought the house, it was a garage, and my office was in a bedroom. I quickly outgrew that and decided to go ahead and spend the money to create an office I would love. And, l do!”
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- “I love my three-step commute. I love being near my kids and having my dog at my feet. I don’t love trying to work, while knowing beds are unmade and the dishes are not done. When I go in the office, I have to really tune out what is happening inside my home.”
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- “I mean, would anyone not say computer and the Internet? I can’t live without my appointment book. It baffles my boyfriend that I keep a handwritten schedule, but it’s the only way my brain works. I use keynote day in and day out for creating design boards. It’s a great user-friendly program for computer-challenged people like myself. We also have a giant white board with all of our projects, which I can constantly circle back to.”
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- “I honestly don’t know what I would do without Pinterest. It is a blessing and a curse. Also, Instagram. I try not to follow too many designers in an effort to keep my mind clear, but of course, I get tremendous inspiration and ideas from the many brilliant designers in the world.”
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- “A sense of humor, organized, outgoing, friendly, and someone who will pick up the phone and make a call instead of just emailing. That’s a huge pet peeve of mine!”
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- “We eat a lot of salads from Zoe's Kitchen and drink a lot of La Croix.”
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- “I wear a lot of jeans, button-up shirts, statement earrings, and leopard-print loafers or heels. Did I mention my actual favorite work outfit is pajamas?”
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- “I am working on a really fun and sexy speakeasy for the new Virgin Hotel that's being built in Nashville. I am really excited about that one! I’m also about to start a new project for my own family. That is probably my number one.”
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