Designer appointed her dream career piece by piece
Portrait by Amos Moses
Valery Huffenus began her interior-design career as an assistant at a Decorating Den Interiors franchise in New Jersey. It was there that she fully connected with the field. Huffenus fell in love with design.
But working as an assistant? Not so much.
“Being a design assistant under a decorator, you kind of end up with the scraps,” she says. “That was not for me.”
Instead, Huffenus settled in North Carolina with her husband and young children, went back to school part time, and eventually got her associate degree in applied sciences, specializing in interior design. She opened a store and began providing services.
In 2016, Huffenus came full circle on her own terms, purchasing a Decorating Den Interiors franchise and relaunching it as Inspired Interiors. Here she talks about building her business, her personal style, and how to make a happy home.
What were the pros of purchasing a franchise?
It really enabled me to jumpstart and boost my career, giving me so many things I needed all at once: back-office support, a website, continuing education, and an intense two-week orientation. It provided a network of other designers to talk and share information with. Normally, designers are not very forthcoming with their sources, contractors, or tricks.
Is there a particular aesthetic you’re known for?
A lot of designers like to specialize in one thing, like modern farmhouse or French country. But I haven’t homed in on one specific design. I would describe my aesthetic as clean, updated, fresh, and more minimal.
How do you avoid making a room or home feel too “decorated?”
By incorporating [the homeowner’s] personal accessories — a piece of art purchased on a trip, a grandmother’s old chair. Perhaps the fabric on that chair is worn and outdated, so you reupholster it. You’ll think of your grandmother when you see it, or the trip where you bought that painting, and how nice is that? In my own home, I have a mix of old and new, but I lean on traditional principals of design.
Are there particular rooms you most enjoy doing?
Living rooms are a lot of fun to put together. And with powder rooms, you can really up the drama, go for something totally unique and different to jazz it up. You can go bold — but it’s not bold all over the house.
You’ve won numerous industry awards through Decorating Den Interiors. At a conference in New Orleans last year, you won a People’s Choice award and a “Dream Room” award for a nursery. Talk about that room.
The client was having her second child, a daughter. The room was inspired by the mural first [a wallcovering of lively woodland animals] — everything keyed off that and fell into place: the colors, the art and accessories. The animals are soft, whimsical, and kind of dreamy, but also interesting for a child to see everyday. The mirror brings in some femininity, and the teepee is pure fun. The room is cozy and serene, but functional with plenty of storage and seating. As the child gets older, that crib will transition to a toddler bed, and then eventually create a headboard. That multi-use and functionality was important to the family, and more companies are trying to accommodate that.
What role does social media and HGTV play in what you do, and in what people expect?
With HGTV, it really depends on the show. In some of them, the designers know what they’re doing, and other shows rely on [hosts with] big personality. But all of them can set very unrealistic expectations of time frames and how long projects really take. With Instagram and TikTok, you get a lot of micro trends, which can be interesting, but I wouldn’t let them take over a design, because they’re basically gone almost as soon as they’re seen. I encourage leaning on classic, timeless design, and having pieces or elements that keep it fresh and updated. You don’t want to cater to trends because they will date your home.
How do you keep your own home fresh and updated?
I’m always changing things. Going into spring, I change out [fall and winter] pillows with some lighter ones and florals, bringing in more color. Plants and flowers are a great way to freshen a room. Change your art and accessories around. In the end, you want to look around your room and be happy with everything you see.
Valery Huffenus, Principal Designer and Owner, ASID, IDS, Inspired Interiors (Decorating Den Interiors); see valery.decoratingden.com or call 704-807-7095 for more information.