SOLON, Ohio — After achieving 10 years of experience in the field of interior design, Jaclyn Heller decided that it was the right time to strike out on her own.
Six months ago, the Solon woman started Jaclyn Heller Designs and says she is now more fully experiencing the biggest thrill she gets out of her work.
“The greatest joy I get out of my work is when clients love what I’m presenting and when they walk into the room at the end of the day when everything’s done on installation day,” she said. “The joy in their face is amazing.”
Just as fun, Heller said, is the work of putting together her “mood boards,” or “The compilation of my client’s vision that I am putting to life.”
Growing up with a father in the contracting business, and with a background in fashion design, Heller gravitated to interior design. Her experience includes several years spent with a local firm, and experience designing interiors in places such as Naples, Fla. and Hilton Head, S.C.
Jaclyn Heller Designs does primarily residential work on Cleveland’s east side, although Heller is currently designing a client’s office space, has worked on commercial spaces, and is now designing an Ohio City six-unit apartment building that overlooks the Flats.
“Jaclyn Heller Design is a Cleveland-based, full-service interior design studio committed to creating sophisticated and timeless interiors for my clients,” she summed. “I do everything from small residential decor to full-blown builds and renovations.”
A Jaclyn Heller Designs kitchen.
Heller said that hiring an interior designer is not only for the well-off.
“The cost can be very reasonable, or high-end,” she said. ”I’ve worked in smaller homes and large ones. I always ask for a client’s budget and stay within that budget. That’s very important.
“I can work within anyone’s budget. When someone gives me a budget, I know which designers to go with, but I always make sure everything’s of great quality.”
“When I go into a client’s home I’m a very good listener and I listen to what their vision is. I’m very detailed and work to bring their vision to fruition, and the excitement I see in their face when they see what they wanted is amazing.
“I get my inspiration from Instagram,” she said. “There’s so many great influencers out there that stay ahead of the trends. They’re a great inspiration to bring life to what the client’s needs are.”
When asked about the latest trends in interior design, Heller replied, “I would say the big things are warm colors are making a huge comeback; tone-on-tone –mixing colors within the same tone; a lot of wood tones are going on now; lots of wallpaper; and there’s a lot mid-century modern going on.
“I like to say I like mixing modern with traditional. There’s lot of curves, some edges and organic shapes.”
Of her design philosophy, Heller said, “I would never steer a client in a direction of something trendy, because it goes out of style. I don’t choose trendy because that’s going to go out of style and I don’t want to waste a client’s money on something that’s going to go out of style.”
Jaclyn Heller designed this living room for a client.
Her design style cane be summarized as timeless, modern and sophisticated.
And what if a client, rather than modern, wants to go in an early American direction?
“I’m very adaptable,” she said. “I kind of put on the hat of my client and I immerse myself in what they want.
“My own house isn’t ultra modern at all. There’s so much beauty in traditional and transitional. You can get carried away and take away the beauty of a traditional home. I would say that art-deco is one of my favorite periods. I love the look of that.
“Even if I design a home that’s modern,” she said, “I always want to incorporate a bit of traditional, or transitionalism. Or if a piece from someone’s grandmother is special to them, I can incorporate that.”
Heller is excited about the new chapter in her life.
“I wanted to start my own business because I thought it was a natural progression for me and my career,” she said. “My kids (two daughters and a son) are getting older and more independent, so I had more time to dedicate to my career.
“I love my relationships with my clients and with all of the contractors and vendors. They’re all special to me. And I love to make them feel, at the end of the day, just happy in their space.”
A freshly designed bathroom.
Visit Jaclyn Heller Designs website here.