Meet Colleen Beres

We were lucky to catch up with Colleen Beres recently and have shared our conversation below.

Colleen, thanks so much for taking the time to share your insights and lessons with us today. We’re particularly interested in hearing about how you became such a resilient person. Where do you get your resilience from?

It starts with a healthy dose of inherent stubbornness and obstinance. I hate being told what to do, so when the world knocks me down and tells me to stay down, I throw it back in its face as I get back up. This philosophy came in handy for the 12 years I was in a relationship a man who really did love to knock me down. Being on your own in a situation like that, you learn that you have to have grit to make it through every day–and you must make it through every day, because you have no other option. But just as important as how you make it through, is how you make it out. I’m a lover–I believe that love is a healing power, and that everyone deserves it. But at some point, you must realize that loving and taking care of yourself must take priority over loving someone who refuses to heal, and that if they’re refusing your life raft, you have to let them find survival on their own.

In leaving an unsafe marriage, I sacrificed my home and so much of my identity. The resilience I’ve built carried me through two other major life transformations–living through Hurricane Katrina in New Orleans and leaving with just my pets and a backpack’s worth of belongings, and 7 years later suffering a housefire on Christmas Eve that destroyed my entire home. All of these challenges have given me the perspective that it’s never impossible to rebuild, and the resilience to ensure I’m living my life exactly the way I want to.

Thanks for sharing that. So, before we get any further into our conversation, can you tell our readers a bit about yourself and what you’re working on?

Storia. A universal concept—design with history.

Storia Interiors & Design is an interior design firm that specializes in using vintage and reclaimed materials to tell your unique story.

The most authentic design is curated by a lifetime, not staged over a weekend—whether you’re inspired by vintage, invested in sustainability, or adhering to a budget, reclaimed design amplifies your voice and imparts your story. If you prefer a fresh new design, we can handle that, too! Our process is inspired by you and catered to meet your needs.

If you had to pick three qualities that are most important to develop, which three would you say matter most?

The most important qualities that have helped me optimize my business, as well as just be a decent human being, are empathy, creativity, and persistence. My personal experience has been instrumental in developing these characteristics. In my abusive relationship, I was in survival mode and tamped down all of my emotions. The decade that followed was a beautiful and exciting journey of rediscovering my empathy and creativity–I honestly didn’t believe I was either of those things! As I reconnected with myself and others, I was able to see all of the positivity in me grow, and I used my persistence to drive those qualities into a thriving business where I can connect with and support others.

Who is your ideal client or what sort of characteristics would make someone an ideal client for you?

My ideal client is anyone who wishes they felt more themselves in their home, or who doesn’t feel like their home is a true reflection of themselves. If you’re bothered by the fact that your home is a collection of hand me downs or furniture still cobbled together from college (and there’s no issue with that if you’re not bothered by it! We love the sustainability of secondhand), or just would like your home to feel like a more thoughtful illustration of who you are, we’d love to talk with you! My goal for every person is that their home is a well-considered representation of your values and priorities, and the place you can feel most authentically yourself.

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Image Credits

Cain’s Candids

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