I was destined to be an artist! My passion started in interior decorating. At the age of ten, my mother's friends would pay me to rearrange their furniture and accessories. I probably rearranged my childhood bedroom once a month. While other children wanted to play outside, I wanted to tour homes. After I graduated from a South Carolina high school in 1995, I attended Winthrop University as an Int
erior Design major. I quickly learned that I was more interested in Interior Decorating than Interior Design. I wanted to choose the wall color, not the wall placement. I continued my studies at Winthrop, but changed my major to one of my other passions, dance. I have been dancing ever since I was four years old and I love it as much as I love interior decorating. I found a way to focus on both passions by majoring in dance and minoring in visual arts (with most of my classes being design focused). I earned my Bachelor of Arts degree in December of 1999. In the year 2000, I worked as the showroom designer for Purple Pickett Furniture Company in Charlotte, North Carolina. I was responsible for the design and placement of all furniture and accessories in both Purple Pickett locations. I also decorated a high end night club through this company. In 2001 I became the manager at Varji & Varji Salon. Varji & Varji is an upscale hair salon and spa, also located in Charlotte. It was at Varji & Varji that I fell in love with the beauty industry! As a result, my artistic interests expanded. I also became quite smitten with the Aveda product line and culture while working at Varji & Varji Salon. My artistic passion was rapidly growing to include the beauty industry, but I wasn't quite ready to jump into it full force. I was young and wanted to explore living outside of the Carolinas. In 2002 I followed my paternal family roots and moved to Atlanta, Georgia. Generations of my family are from the Atlanta area and I always felt that I belonged there, too. I was grateful to land a job in customer service at Redi-Floors, Inc. while I learned my way around the area. I took this opportunity to learn as much as I could about the flooring industry and how I could use this knowledge to be a better decorator. About 8 months later, I met the love of my life, Jonathan. We immediately knew that we were soul-mates and married a year and a half later. Jonathan graduated from Auburn University. He has a strong business background and an entrepreneurial spirit. So naturally, he began to work on a business plan for me to have my own interior decorating company. Through a lot of hard work and creative planning, Practical Prestige was born. Practical Prestige was the first company that I owned. I started out in the residential market and soon penetrated the commercial market, as well. I developed a niche for decorating dental offices, which I really enjoyed. I was blessed with wonderful clients and colleagues who contributed to my success. I began the business in 2004 and enjoyed every minute of it. In 2009, I started feeling the effects of the 2008 economic crash. Business started slowing down as clients needed to tighten their budgets. I decided to take this shift as an opportunity to reinvent myself. I closed Practical Prestige and enrolled at the Aveda Institute of Atlanta. It was time to pursue my passion for the beauty industry. Aveda's attention to excellence in products, culture, and education led me to study at their cosmetology school. In order to be the best, I needed to learn from the best. I really enjoyed my time at Aveda Institute and even won student of the month while there. I always met my service and sales goals with excellence. I took every opportunity to learn as much as I could from the unique teaching styles and backgrounds of each instructor. I graduated from the Aveda Institute with a Master Cosmetology degree in 2010. I then passed my state board and officially became a master cosmetologist. After receiving my license, I began working with the wonderful ladies of Bernadette's Hair Salon and Wig Gallery in Sandy Springs, GA. I absolutely loved working at Bernadette's and will always cherish them. Although I loved Bernadette's, I really missed owning my own company. After brainstorming and planning with my husband, The Funky Debutante was born. I started The Funky Debutante in August of 2011 and I am growing more everyday. I have enjoyed working with my wonderful clients! I approach hair and makeup with the same detailed philosophy that I use to approach design. My focus has always been based on reflecting the unique style of each client. I feel that this is the most important step in my process. I take the time to learn the likes and dislikes of my clients. I ask detailed questions to learn what makes them unique. I take that information and transform their look or their interior space to meet their needs. Whether I am enhancing the natural beauty of a client, collaborating on a film project, or creating a welcoming environment, I always give my best. I believe that anything worth doing is worth doing well! I will continue to be a student of life by allowing my creativity to evolve and branch out! I am dedicated to serving with excellence in all that I do. Thank you for taking the time to visit my page! May your lives be enriched with love, peace, and many blessings!
