In her groundbreaking novel, The Color Purple, Alice Walker writes, “Time moves slowly, but passes quickly.” As I am writing this, Bryan and I are celebrating the 10th anniversary of starting Yates Desygn and Ms. Walker’s words could not be truer. It is difficult to believe a decade has passed since we began this journey, because there are days when it feels like it has been forever and then days when it feels like yesterday. As I have begun to reflect on how we got here and ponder where we are going, one thing is very clear; relationships are the foundation of Yates Desygn.
The most important relationship of my life is with my husband, business partner, and best friend Bryan. It goes without saying that there would be no Yates Desygn without him. When we first met, I would have never foreseen that we would have upended our lives in New York City to start a business in Dallas. Bryan and I were both fully immersed in our careers, but when we realized that life was passing us by (we had to turn down tickets to see the original cast of HAMILTON!), we knew we had to make a change. It is difficult to describe the mixture of fear and faith we had at that time, but my belief in Bryan’s creative vision inspired me as much then as it does today. For anyone who is married to a creative, you know it can be a wild ride because creatives have a strong approach to how they view the world, but this ride has taught me to be open minded, structured, and to believe in myself. Building this company by Bryan’s side is one of the best things to ever happen to me. On top of all of that, I could not imagine a better dad to Lady Bird than him.
Moving to Dallas
When Bryan and I took the leap and relocated to Dallas, it was not just on a whim. For months, we researched where the direction of interior design was going. We looked at Los Angles, Chicago, and Seattle but everything we were seeing kept telling us the future was in Dallas.
From the moment we arrived, our relationship with the city itself has only gotten stronger and better. Dallas is a magnificent crossroads of the world. It is a place where talent, style and kindness converge to make this a thriving and vibrant metropolis. We were blown away by the availability of creativity here. Dallas has world class art galleries and museums, outstanding performing arts, and a delicious food scene. But more than all of that, we could not believe the depths of the generosity of the people in this city. Dallas is the place it is because of the people who call it home and we are proud to put down roots in the Dallas design district in 2025.
Among the most important relationships we have formed in the last decade have been with the amazing people who have trusted Yates Desygn to create the homes of their dreams. The design of a home is a unique investment. It is not tangible like a car, or watch, or even the home itself. Our clients are fully investing in a Yates’ vision. The responsibility of being stewards of this investment is not something we have ever taken lightly, and it has pushed us to be better designers, better listeners, and better communicators. We strive to earn the respect of our clients through our processes, because it is in our processes where creativity can soar and we can deliver on the investment in the vision. We are continually humbled by the trust our clients have and continue to have in Yates Desygn.
Part of having a strong process, is knowing that you can rely on the people you bring to the design table. Bryan has always likened his role as an interior designer to that of a symphony conductor. Where a conductor weaves the beauty of sound through the talents of the orchestra, an interior designer weaves together the beauty of a home through the talents of architects, artisans, vendors, landscape designers, and other creatives. The relationships we have with the thousands of hands that go into every home are fundamental to what we do. At Yates, we believe in doing great work with great people, and no project would be possible without all the great people we are blessed to work with on a daily basis.
Design Community
Great work with great people extends beyond the projects themselves because we are truly fortunate to be a part of the design community as whole. When we hear stories about people in cutthroat industries, we cannot relate. Our colleagues in Dallas and beyond are a continual source of inspiration and support. In each other we have found guidance and understanding that makes owning your own business feel a little less lonely and excitement about all the possibilities interior design can offer. The editors and staff of all the wonderful interior design publications are true advocates for what we all do, and we are so much better for their vision and talents. Organizations like Kips Bay Decorator Showhouse and Dwell With Dignity offer a way for us to utilize our talents in service of a greater good. These people and organizations are why the world of interior design is not an industry, it is a community.
Starting over and opening a new business is nerve inducing at best. There are sleepless nights, petty fights, and enough “what ifs” to sink a mental ship. When we would need a pick me up, our families were there with love and encouragement. Having their guidance and listening ears helped us soothe those early days of “oh my god what have we done?!” Bryan and I owe so much to the love and support of our family.
Any business owner would be remiss to not show gratitude for the team that makes them who they are. Every staff member that has ever worked with us has brought their own unique talents to our company and have been instrumental in our growth as a business and business owners. We never take for granted their belief in us and our goals, and we are thankful they choose to work alongside us. We are encouraged through their perspectives and talents, and we know that what we are building is better because of them.
Celebrating 10 years of Yates Desygn is a celebration of the people and talents who have helped make us who we are today. Bryan and I believed in each other enough to start a business based on creative vision, and it is through the many relationships we formed in the decade since that we have achieved goals we never thought imaginable. The first ten years have been filled with ups and downs, successes and failures, lessons learned, amazing design and community. We cannot wait to see what the next 10 has in store.