Page Text: Home » About
Sharing is caring!
Based in Chattanooga, Tennessee, Designing Vibes is the product of my love for interior design and home improvement. This site chronicles my experiences transforming my first fixer upper home , on a relatively restricted budget, while also raising two young boys.
Are you a brand looking to partner with me? Please click here for my Media Kit.
Holding various academic recognition, including Magna Cum Laude honors, I received my Bachelor of Arts from the University of Tennessee .My design work has been featured in Better Homes and Gardens Magazine, HGTV, Domino Magazine, Today, Apartment Therapy, Lonny Magazine, Buzz Feed, Bob Vila, Hometalk, Remodelaholic, Dwellinggwaker and Cityscope Magazine. In 2017, 2018, and 2021 I was named as BHG Stylemaker by Better Home and Gardens Magazine – an honor which recognizes top influencers in fashion, design and culinary arts.
Throughout my life, the power of a beautiful space has become undeniable. Growing up under my mother’s roof, I was surrounded by beautiful decor and believe I inherited my eye for design from her. A beautifully decorated interior was something I took for granted until I moved away for college. Living in a crappy apartment, I remember feeling homesick. My surroundings depressed me. This is when I realized one really can “design vibes”. I want to live in a surrounding full of happy, uplifting vibes- blame the hippie in me, but it’s true. This is when my pursuit for beautiful interiors first transpired.
After giving birth to my first son, design and home-making became an even more integral aspect of my life . Transitioning from a full-time job, to work-from-home mother status (freelance marketing consultant to be exact) gave me more time to get in touch with my creative side. It also translated into spending most of my time at home. After a little too much HGTV and Pinterest, I started “itching” for a project of my own.
Our home at the time was a brand-new craftsman style with beautiful crown molding, granite counter tops and hardwood floors…..not exactly a blank canvas I could transform. Well, I suppose I could have transformed it, but it wouldn’t have made any financial sense. Yes, of course I went crazy with decor and spent a good portion of my income at HomeGoods – constantly experimenting with pillows, curtains and other accent decor, but I was in search of something more. On a whim, we put a contingency offer on an outdated ranch home and placed our new construction on the market. We accepted an offer on our home within three days of listing. Then, in February 2015, my family and I moved into our first fixer upper. It was a move guided by my faith and the potential I envisioned. Two days later, we dug deep into our renovations.
Without a doubt,the process has been a roller coaster. Going from new construction to an outdated structure with popcorn ceilings was definitely an adjustment which had me sporadically second-guessing myself. On many occasions I questioned what I was thinking- giving up a beautiful, new construction residence for a home in need of a lot of love and care. One year into the the renovation process, my vision is finally coming into fruition and it’s an amazing feeling.
While I hold no official degree in interior design, I live and breath the art form. When I am not transforming my 1980’s rancher, I am consulting virtual design clients or soaking up inspiration from world-renowned interior stylists, or even contemplating my next design overhaul in my own home.
Explore my site to witness for yourself how far we have come. For our home tour with before and after images click here Learn through our experiences and design good vibes!
Are you a brand looking to partner with me? Please click here for my Media Kit.
Sharing is caring!
ERICA VAN SLYKE
Interior designer, DIY-er, Podcast host and potty-mouth boy mom, follow along as I renovate my 1980’s fixer upper on a budget.Through DIY solutions and thoughtful life hacks, I’m here to help you design beautiful vibes for your home, your family and your sexy, little self- all without breaking the bank.
Search for: