We recently connected with Carol Schneider and have shared our conversation below.
CAROL, so many exciting things to discuss, we can’t wait. Thanks for joining us and we appreciate you sharing your wisdom with our readers. So, maybe we can start by discussing optimism and where your optimism comes from?
Optimism is woven into my daily life, though I didn’t fully recognize it until I began my career in corporate America. I’ll never forget when my first boss told me, “You are the most positive person I know.” When I started my career, I was an interior designer, but I saw myself as more; not only the designer of the projects I worked on, but the designer of my own world. That shift in perspective sparked my optimism. I wanted my life to be fulfilling and beautiful, and that drive to shape my own world is what keeps my optimism alive.
For me, optimism is deeply connected to my passion for creation. My work as an interior designer goes beyond making spaces look good—it’s about bringing ideas to life and solving problems in meaningful ways. I believe that with every challenge comes the opportunity to create something better, and that mindset fuels my optimism. The beauty of the spaces I design is what people notice, but it’s the creative thinking, problem-solving, and action I take to make those spaces work that ultimately make them truly successful.
Let’s take a small detour – maybe you can share a bit about yourself before we dive back into some of the other questions we had for you?
Storytelling is the success of all my designs. So, I like to start off telling my own story. As the daughter of a seamstress, I grew up surrounded by fabrics and textiles, where creativity was a constant thread in my life. With a B.A. in Interior Design from Michigan State University and 10 years in commercial design, 2020 gave me the opportunity to evolve. While continuing my commercial professional career, I expanded into residential design to make a personal impact.
My journey is rooted in self-empowerment. I started work at 22 making $40,000 a year. I was designing my own life and I knew I wanted more. It took patience, persistence, and positivity, but 11 years later I was proudly able to purchase my own $600,000 condo (that’s no small feat!). This mindset of intentional decision-making, whether in design or in life, has shaped everything I do. I’ve learned that creating the life you want is about more than just hard work, it’s about making thoughtful, well-planned choices that lead to lasting success.
Whether working with clients in DC or beyond, I focus on telling unique stories through design, reflecting individual lifestyles with a fresh, balanced, and bright approach. I understand the how much went into a home purchase, and my goal is to have attainable luxury spaces that bring beauty and balance to everyday life.
There is so much advice out there about all the different skills and qualities folks need to develop in order to succeed in today’s highly competitive environment and often it can feel overwhelming. So, if we had to break it down to just the three that matter most, which three skills or qualities would you focus on?
What makes me and my business unique, is that everything is not just beautiful, it’s purposeful. My practically, creativity, and optimism are what have opened up the world of interior design to me. Those skills have allowed me to grow my own business, purchase my own home, and now design an experiential life for those I work with.
I have to throw in one more thing that is so valuable…having fun! Back to my sense of optimism, I try to bring joy into everything I do. This allows me to not only solve my client’s problems and make their lives easier, but also, to bring a smile to our faces while doing it. Life is short, design is fun, let’s enjoy it together!
As we end our chat, is there a book you can leave people with that’s been meaningful to you and your development?
Atomic Habits by James Clear is an absolute must read. It not only opened my eyes to how I can improve my own life, but it proved to me the importance of the environments we live in.
I am a big fan of self help books, and Atomic Habits blended together self-help with design. That was the first time I realized that interior design is more than the pretty spaces I fell in love with during school, but it’s a way of changing how people live their lives.
One of my favorite quotes from the book…”A small change in what you see can make a big change in what you do”
Contact Info:
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/carol_interiors_
Image Credits
Plush Marketing
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