Yasu Home Q&A
Following your passions every day sounds like a dream, right? Well Kate Anlyan Raney has done just that by building a home decor business that she loves!
Kate is the founder of Yasu Home, and she shares a behind-the-scenes of her business and how it got started in the Q&A below — enjoy!
Q — Tell us a bit about yourself and your business!
A — I worked in fashion for 20 years before founding Yasu Home. It started as a side project, helping friends and family, and grew into something exciting very quickly. It is a dream to do what I love every day.
Q — How would you describe your style?
A — I describe myself as a maximalist. Always with a mix of old and new — I love layering styles to create cozy harmony and lots of dimension. The goal is to use texture, color, mixed materials and special pieces that will become future heirlooms to create spaces that are not only beautiful and personal, but highly functional and life-enhancing!
Q — When did you know you wanted to be an interior designer?
A — I come from a long line of "designing women," so to speak, and interior design is in my DNA. My great aunt (once called the Grand Dame of Hillsborough Street, can you even?!) had the chicest interior design shop in Raleigh, National Art Interiors. My grandmother and her sisters were all part of the team, and I grew up playing in the windows. I loved picking fabrics and finishes with my mom, and I can't remember a time when I didn't have a passion for interiors and real estate. I didn't give it much thought as a career until I was living in LA, doing side projects, staying up until 3 a.m. and waking up at 7 a.m. to get back to it.… That's when I realized: Wait a minute — I LOVE THIS! Why am I not doing this all day, every day?
Q — What does a typical day look like for you?
A — I try to exercise every morning to get my head straight for the day. After that, no day is the same! I have a priority list of outstanding items for every project and I dive in. For bigger projects, I usually try to structure it so that I spend an entire day on one project to be as efficient as possible. Some days I meet with multiple clients and go on site visits. Other days I’m on the road visiting different vendors. And then there are the days spent hammering away at my desk, putting materials together or making mockups on my computer. I'm usually working away until 9 or 10 p.m. because I can't tear myself away!
Q — Tell us about a favorite project you've worked on lately!
A — It's too hard to pick! I'm working on some beauties though so stay tuned!!!
Q — What advice would you give someone looking to add art to their home?
A — Art can be intimidating because there are no hard and fast rules, but I would say to start with what you LOVE and feels personal to you. Think about why you love it. Is it the style, the colors, the subject, the story behind it? That is what connects it to you. I think of art as jewelry in a space. It can support the main event or it can BE the main event! If you have a special piece, don't be afraid to make it the centerpiece and inspiration for the room! This may be controversial, but I also say if you see something you LOVE, don't worry about where you're going to put it. Buy it. You will always find a home for art you love.
