Some might think the “HER” in HER Home Design is an acronym.
It’s not. The business was named with women in mind.
What began as a home staging business for investors has become a one-stop shop for all things home. Keianna R. Harrison-Williams, executive director of design and remodeling services at HER, listened as customers requested her expertise to design and build their existing spaces.
“We know 92% of all buyers are women,” she said. “Even if the man writes the check, the woman says, ‘Honey, stop the car!’ Our company is designed to support the soccer mom, the stay-at-home mom and the single mom. She’s the one that says, ‘This kitchen no longer works for me and I’m frustrated. Please help me update it and make it more functional so my life at home can be better.’”
Harrison knows what it’s like.
She was a single mom for several years and needed home repair and interior design services, but like many, she didn’t think she had access to, or the funds fo,r a designer.
“HER Home Design is built around you, your budget and your life,” she said. “If your budget is X, then we design a plan that fits X. Our niche is serving those who have a decent budget to get things done in their homes with high-quality craftsmanship, but our services won’t break the bank.”
Originally, HER Home Design focused on staging and home decor. Soon after, they added interior design to address the needs of clients who asked for detailed drawings of their ideas.
“Clients would take our design plan and hire a contractor for the work, but they were often unhappy with the final project because it didn’t look like our CAD design drawings,” Harrison-Williams said. “Contractors were taking creative license, so we decided to add an internal remodeling team to the mix.”
Staging, interior design and remodeling soon led to a brick-and-mortar boutique at 96th Street and Michigan Street, showcasing affordable furniture, home decor and gifts.
New in October, Harrison-Williams is offering another service – hands-on education in interior design, architecture and construction through HER Home Design Academy, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
“I taught interior design for a local high school and I found myself at home, teaching and sharing with young people,” she said. “I was there for two years but realized I cannot run the business while teaching full time.”
She decided to bring the school to her.
“My heart longed to teach, so we took the curriculum I had developed, made it more robust and added partnerships with other local remodeling and construction businesses, and then submitted it to the state,” Harrison-Williams said. “It’s now an Indiana state-approved pathway program.”
As a business owner working in an industry desperate for experts in the field, Harrison-Williams hopes to foster a future for others in the career she loves.
“Students will learn theory and practical application in the 10-month program called Prototype 10,” said Harrison-Williams. “They will receive credentials from OSHA, carpentry and other industry specifics. In the second semester they’ll build a tiny home and we’ll donate it to a family in need.”
For Harrison-Williams, owning a company serving women and other minorities is a dream come true.
“I wake up every day and I can’t believe it,” she said. “I never thought HER would be this big, and I’m amazed every day and in awe of what God has done.”
