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E336: Born to Decorate: One Designer's Lifelong Passion for Beautiful Spaces

• Garfield Bowen & Francesca Morgan • Episode 336

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Step into the world of interior design with Francesca Morgan, a lifelong expert who transforms houses into personalized sanctuaries. Drawing from generations of family expertise, Francesca shares how her Miami upbringing in her family's home décor business shaped her unique approach to design and client relationships.

What sets Francesca apart is her refreshing perspective on common design misconceptions. Rather than pushing clients to discard cherished possessions, she artfully incorporates meaningful pieces into cohesive designs. "We're not expensive—we bring value," she explains, highlighting how professional guidance actually protects homeowners' investments and prevents costly mistakes. Her approach balances aesthetics with psychology, ensuring spaces not only look beautiful but genuinely reflect the personalities and histories of those who inhabit them.

The conversation takes us through Francesca's charming studio housed in a historic 1917 building in downtown Stuart, where clients can explore everything from full design services to individual home décor pieces. Beyond business insights, we discover Francesca's personal passions for cooking and world travel, elements that enrich her design perspective. She candidly addresses business challenges with wisdom gained through experience, emphasizing organization and clear communication as keys to success. Whether you're planning a complete home transformation or seeking that perfect accent chair, Francesca invites listeners to discover how thoughtful design can truly elevate everyday living. Visit her studio at 227 Southeast Ocean Boulevard or connect through francescamorganinteriors.com to begin creating a home that feels like your personal haven.

Speaker 1:

This is the Good Neighbor Podcast, the place where local businesses and neighbors come together. Here's your host, Garfield Bowen.

Speaker 2:

Welcome to the Good Neighbor Podcast. Are you in need of an interior designer? Well, one may be closer than you think. Today I have the good pleasure of introducing your good neighbor, Francesca Morgan, with Francesca Morgan Interior. Francesca, how are you doing?

Speaker 3:

Hi there, how are you doing today? I?

Speaker 2:

am well, I am well. We're excited to learn all about you and your business. Tell us about your company.

Speaker 3:

I'm excited to tell you so I am an interior designer and I was gifted this talent by the good Lord and I just feel like it's my calling. I am able to really impact people in the way they live by making their lives better, making their homes their sanctuary and making them feel good when they walk into their space and make it their haven. And besides doing that and being able to do that with so many wonderful people from all walks of life, we also have a little studio in the downtown Stewart area and in our studio we feature all sorts of home decor products. So people, even if they're not wanting to hire a designer and just need some guidance to do things right and protect their investment, they come in and they see us and we help them along the way and sell them products to beautify their home and make them feel good and just live well like that accent chair that they need to set that room off right whatever they need, anything they need, we do window treatments, we do wallpaper.

Speaker 3:

We just do all kinds of wonderful products that will enhance your space without you having to do everything. Or you could take the plunge and do it all if you want, and we'll help you with that as well.

Speaker 2:

So how did you get into this business?

Speaker 3:

I was born into this. My family had a business in Miami. I grew up there and we had a factory and we also had a huge fabric store and everything was about home decor. We were able to make window treatments and wallpapers and a custom upholstery, and my dad had seven kids and he felt like this was a good living, to get into this industry, because everybody loves their home and we help them create that throughout the year. So I was born in this industry and I've never had another job. Believe it or not, this is what I've always done in some facet or realm of it I know in everybody's mind there are.

Speaker 2:

There are a interior designer. So what are some of the myths and misconceptions of the industry?

Speaker 3:

okay, well, it's. A lot of people think, oh, it's hiring a designer, it's expensive. Well, it's a smart move to make and, like any other professional, we've done this before and we make sure it's a lot of psychology as well. So it's a good investment. We are not expensive. We bring value, we add everything good to your home to make sure that our home is one of our most valuable assets. So we want to make sure you're protecting your investment and we're making wise decisions and having somebody that you can get along with. That you know.

Speaker 3:

Not every designer is going to walk into your house and say you have to get rid of everything. Some people feel that way, they'll bring that up. They're like, oh, I'm afraid to have you to my house for that reason. No, absolutely not. As much as we want to help you create a beautiful home.

Speaker 3:

It's all about our clients and you know I mentioned all walks of life. It's an exciting thing because you could help people who've lived different places or have a piece of their history that's important to their home and whatever things that we need to do to accommodate them and make them feel good in their space. That's my job. And if you have an old couch, or your grandmother's old sofa that needs upholstering, or you have a piece that you brought from another place that you lived up north and you need help placing it all. That's where somebody who has a craft in this and can see the vision and help you pull things together so you don't make mistakes and you're protecting your investment that way so who would you say is your target audience, and how do you normally attract them?

Speaker 3:

um, word of mouth is a huge, huge thing for us. I have a very good reputation that I pride myself on and we do right by our clients, no matter what, as long as there is reasonable, you know. So, whatever we're going to back everything up and make sure that we're taking the best care of our clients. So word of mouth comes to us very easily and very grateful, very grateful for our loyal clients. And then we have people that are moving to the area and or they're just, you know, they're on the internet, they're looking for somebody who's an interior designer or somebody who does custom reupholstery or has wallpaper in, you know, available and all of these wonderful attributes. A lot of people come from the internet who are new to the area.

Speaker 3:

And again, word of mouth, and we have a fabulous location that I feel very excited about and passionate about because we are, we occupy our, our business. We occupy our business in a space in downtown Stewart. That's a 1917 building and we are actually doing a lot of research because, as it is historic, we would like to kind of open our doors because it's such a. It's a quaint and charming space on the corner of a Florida and ocean, if you're any of you're familiar with sport, and we invite people in to take chores of this space because it was redone and it is a very small space but it's very charming and it's got a lot of interesting attributes to it and we have a beautiful outdoor space and we're actually having an open house this coming week, on May 8th. Can I mention that here? Am I allowed to do that?

Speaker 2:

Sure, sure, but you seem like a very busy person when you're not so busy running your business. What do?

Speaker 3:

you like to do for fun. I like to cook and feed people. I love that's fun for me. I also like to eat good food, what's? Your favorite dish oh, I like everything. Honestly, I really like. I love Italian, I like Mediterranean style food, I like it all. I will, I'll try, I'll venture because I love to travel as well. That's my other passion. I absolutely love to see the world and and so many different things, and you never know enough or see enough.

Speaker 2:

Let's change gears a little bit. Life often throws us curveballs. Let's talk about one hardship, one life challenge, something that you bent through, and look back to the end and say you're better and stronger because of it. What comes to mind?

Speaker 3:

Every day, sir. Every day we are faced with challenges every day, in the way you look at things and how you perceive them. I think you know, like I mentioned before about psychology, we get to know our clients, we need to understand them, and I think that every day there is a challenge and how we handle them and with a smile on our face and with the grace that you've got to make sure that you know what. It's still better than it could have been. But I've had some bad, bad situations with clients all clients and that tainted you forever because it happens you can't make everybody happy and there's some people that that's their job to make you miserable. So having to deal with something like that and having to make sure that all our ducks in a row and we keep good records, and all of that, it taught me to be a better business person, to make sure that everything is organized through and through, and that's kind of how we conduct ourselves in our business and our philosophy throughout our company.

Speaker 2:

Call those the two percenters. Thank goodness right, I mean, but it's reality.

Speaker 3:

We all have some unpleasant people that we might have to live with, you know.

Speaker 2:

Before we wrap up, I want to tell our listeners one thing they should remember about Francesca Morgan Interior that if you are embarking on any type of decorating or design project.

Speaker 3:

You need to come see us if you're serious about on any type of decorating or design project. You need to come see us if you're serious about loving the space that you live in and really wanting to build a home.

Speaker 2:

Now I know there's a lot of people listening here have one question on their mind right now, and that's how? How can we learn more about Francesca at Morgan Interior?

Speaker 3:

Well, I think you caught me before when I was talking about my open house and the timing worked out perfectly because anybody who would like to know more about us, first of all, you can catch us on the web and you can go to francescamorganinteriorscom, and that's Francesca F-R-A-N-C-E-S-C-A and you could call us. We love to talk on the phone too. Cesca, and you could call us. We love to talk on the phone too, but if you really need like pertinent information and want to know more, but our phone number is 772-286-8676.

Speaker 3:

And our location is in just downtown Stewart, at 227 Southeast Ocean Boulevard, and that's on the corner of Florida and ocean. We're across from the Memorial Park that is in Stewart and, like I said, we're in a quaint and charming space and we are having an open house on May 8th, between 4 30 and 7 30 and if you would, just we'd love to have you. But if you do us the honor and maybe call us or send us an email and I'm going to give you the email too just let us know you're coming. We want to make sure we feed you. I said I like to cook, so I want to make sure everybody's happy. So our email that I did not mention is designers at francescamorgancom. So that's all of our information.

Speaker 2:

Well, francesca, I really appreciate having you on the show. I wish you and your business the very best moving forward.

Speaker 3:

I appreciate that too, and you the show. I wish you and your business the very best moving forward. I appreciate that too, and you know my invitation goes for you as well. Garfield, I hope you come to our open house.

Speaker 2:

I'll try to make my rounds, all right.

Speaker 3:

That's great. Thanks so much for having me.

Speaker 1:

Thank you for listening to the Good Neighbor Podcast Port St Lucie. To nominate your favorite local businesses to be featured on the show, go to gnpportsaintluciecom. That's gnpportsaintluciecom, or call 772-362-3840.