Today we’d like to introduce you to Johanna Lyle.
Hi Johanna, can you start by introducing yourself? We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today?
I knew from a young age that I wanted to be in an artist, of some sort. I pursued acting in my youth and through college and beyond, dabbling in theatrical design. In my mid twenties, I found a home in video production as a producer and editor, traveling the world to tell stories of inspiring nonprofit organizations with my team at Tectonic Video. But during the pandemic, when travel ceased, I realized that I was longing for a creative career that produced physical transformations, not just digital ones. I revisited my love of interior design, working on DIY projects in my own home, and ultimately leaving my job to start over as a design assistant at a growing interior firm in Chicago. In two years I worked up from as assistant to a junior designer, to a lead designer, and then ultimately went off on my own when my husband’s career took us out of state.
Can you talk to us a bit about the challenges and lessons you’ve learned along the way. Looking back would you say it’s been easy or smooth in retrospect?
I have to say it’s been smoother than I anticipated! While the choice to start my own business was risky, it felt like the universe was opening doors from the start. The biggest challenge was that we had just moved to Boston from Chicago and I knew it wasn’t a long term home for us, so I decided to really target the Chicago market instead of the one in Boston, where I didn’t have connections or trusted vendors. I had to convince clients that it was worth it to work with an out-of-town designer who could only be on site a planned intervals, unable to drop-in for unforeseen site visits. For the first year, I covered my own travel expenses, but slowly, I was able to start charging for travel and thankfully, people still wanted to hire me! Now, my husband is done with his grad school program in Boston and we’ve settled into our new home in Raleigh, North Carolina, where we plan to be long term. It feels good to finally be able to market myself locally and build my business somewhere permanent!
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
I love to work on historic renovations. To me, there’s nothing like an old house. In Boston and Chicago, these projects were endless, but here in Raleigh, I’m excited to explore bringing my passion for historic architecture into the custom home building space as well. I’m known for moody color palettes, muted jewel tones, and richly layered spaces. I love to combine vintage pieces with modern and design custom, heirloom quality furniture for my clients utilizing local craftspeople and makers. My aesthetic is inspired by designers like Heidi Caillier, Reath Design Studio, Jessica Helgerson, Yond Interiors, John Martine Studio, and many more.
And while I love to create artistic, unique spaces for my clients, I thoroughly enjoy getting to know each person and family I work with to create a space that is tailor-made to their lifestyle and aesthetic desires.
Any big plans?
I am working with a marketing team for the first time to grow local awareness in this new Raleigh market and I’m excited to see how that drives growth for my business! Personally, I’m about to become a mom, which is going to be a huge change and I’m looking forward to seeing how that shift increases my capacity and creativity in my business.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.jolyleandco.com
- Instagram: @jo.lyle.design
Image Credits
Photo of me: Heather Talbert Photography, Photo of kitchen: Ryan McDonald Photography, Photos of living room with yellow sofa, dining room, and bathroom: Madeline Tolle Photography
