What if the best interior design wasn’t about starting over, but about making sense of what you already have? This week on Design Dash, Melissa and Laura sit down with Anne Golliher, founder and principal designer of Storied Interiors, to talk about building a design business rooted in discernment, story, and sentiment rather than big-budget new construction.
Anne shares how a graphic design background and a DIY blog post turned into a thriving design firm, and why her “superpower” is knowing what to keep, what to elevate, and what to let go. The conversation digs into the real financial tension of a “use what you have” philosophy — how Anne prices her services, why her Short Story Sessions became a signature offering, and the ongoing challenge of scaling a business built on emotional connection rather than transactional purchases.
If you’ve ever wondered how to niche down without limiting your growth, or how to charge appropriately for expertise instead of just product markup, this episode is packed with hard-won insight.
In this episode:
- Anne’s path from graphic design to founding Storied Interiors
- Why “discernment” is her defining skill as a designer
- Balancing profitability with a client’s existing furnishings
- What her Short Story Sessions offer (and why they work)
- Defining and attracting her ideal client
- The emotional and financial realities of building a values-driven design business
Connect with Anne Golliher and Storied Interiors on Instagram: @storied_interiors
