March 6, 2024 • 27 mins
Embark on an inspiring journey with Audrey Scheck, the visionary force behind Audrey Scheck Design, as she shares her captivating story from humble beginnings in Fairchild, Texas, to the vibrant design hub of Austin. Through candid reflection, Audrey reveals the roots of her design ethos - a celebration of warmth, accessibility, and the timeless allure of home.
Discover how Audrey's upbringing, steeped in her parents' construction projects, and her background in advertising unexpectedly converged to shape her business acumen. Her time in Los Angeles, immersed in diverse styles while working at Us Weekly, ignited her passion for crafting narrative-driven homes.
Explore the intricate dance of vintage charm and contemporary flair in Audrey's signature style, as she unveils the creative process behind a recent Westlake bathroom renovation. Learn how Austin's collaborative ethos and commitment to sustainability fuel her business philosophy.
Learn more about the transformative role of social media in design firms like Audrey's, where platforms like Instagram and Pinterest serve as vital tools for engaging audiences and storytelling. Look ahead as Audrey hints at exciting product collaborations and the eagerly awaited launch of their pop-up shop, promising a perfect blend of past and present.
Join us for an episode brimming with personal anecdotes and professional insights, showcasing the profound impact of place in the realm of interior design.
SHOW LINKS:
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
https://uppbeat.io/t/prigida/mellow-bop
License code: DMOG7RNGEPGMIPJH
Mark as Played
Transcript
Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Lindsay Fluckiger (00:00):
Welcome back to another exciting episode of
Tile Trends by Tile Club, thepodcast where we dive into the
world of tile design and trends.
I'm your host, lindsayFluekiger, and today we have a
very special guest joining usAudrey Scheck, the founder of
Audrey Scheck Design.
Audrey, welcome to the show.
We are so excited to get toknow you a little bit better
(00:26):
today.
So, Audrey, your small townupbringing in Fairchild, texas,
influenced your love forwelcoming spaces.
Tell us how those rootscontinue to shape your design
philosophy today.
Audrey Scheck (00:39):
It was definitely a small town.
I am actually from a ruralfarming community where there
were 400 of us.
I went to school in a largertown that had about 2,000 people
, but definitely small townupbringing, all the wholesome
goodness of small town Texasliving.
I would say that that time inlife was.
(00:59):
It was really just pure andwarm and welcoming.
I didn't have that exposure todaily big city life so it was
just very humble.
Looking back, I'm so gratefulthat I grew up in such a
community because everyone wassupportive of one another.
Everyone knew one another.
(01:20):
My grandpa was a pharmacistwith a pharmacy on Main Street.
My dad is still a dentist in myhometown, also with his office
on Main Street.
My mom was a teacher at theschool, so was my grandma, so
everyone knew everyone and itwas just really approachable.
And looking back on design, ifyou will, during my upbringing,
(01:41):
I would say that nobody took ittoo seriously.
It just wasn't something thatwas overthought and that's
really refreshing.
Lindsay Fluckiger (01:50):
So middle school often marks the beginning
of our interest.
How did witnessing your parentsbuild a custom home at that age
impact your career path indesign?
Audrey Scheck (02:00):
It's so fun to look back on that time in my
life in particular, because Ireally think that that's when
the seed was planted, eventhough I obviously didn't know
that was happening at the time.
But yeah, when I was in middleschool, my parents took on the
project of building a customhome.
It was across the street fromthe house where I lived, so I
truly got to witness it allunfold every day.
(02:22):
But from the beginning, I gotto see them working with an
architect, going to designcenters.
They actually went out to NorthCarolina to furniture showrooms
, and so I got to see them gothrough the process of making
all of the selections and thenactually being on site in my
neighborhood as it was beingbuilt from the ground up.
But what was really impactfulwas that they let me design my
(02:44):
own space and I got to pick thewallpaper for my bathroom.
I used a Sharpie to drawpatterns and designs on the
knobs and my cabinet hardwareand my vanity.
They're actually still thereand I was just given complete
freedom to furnish and decoratemy room.
However, I wanted no judgment.
They just let me do my ownthing.
(03:06):
And of course, it evolved everyfew years, just like now.
Trends evolve in design.
Even back then, going throughmiddle school and high school, I
went through a purple phase.
Everything was purple and theneverything was bright colored
florals, and so they just reallylet me be myself in that space.
Could have totally been becausethere were four kids and they
didn't have the time to worryabout it, but that freedom was
(03:26):
great for me.
Lindsay Fluckiger (03:27):
That's amazing.
My previous interview I waschatting with a real estate
agent in Silicon Valley and wewere chatting about keeping
things neutral and I said youknow, I still have just a little
bit of resent for my childhood.
My mother insisted on everywall being white.
She was like we're not paintinganything or getting neutral,
(03:48):
and I just I love hearing thatyou've had that opportunity to
just make it your own and havethat creative spirit.
So your parents did a great job.
So, Audrey, graduating near thetop of your high school class,
earning a degree in advertisingin just three and a half years,
is impressive.
How did your advertisingbackground prep you for your
future in interior design?
Audrey Scheck (04:10):
Advertising is such a fun industry and so I
think it really lent itself tothat perfect balance between
corporate America and havingenough corporate structure to
understand the flow of abusiness while being in an
inherently creative environmentwhere you're storytelling for a
brand or for a publisher.
So it was really just a greatblend of a first dabble into a
(04:34):
career, because it gave me thatexposure into how companies are
run in a creative environmentwhere you're still marketing and
you're advertising to tell thestory of the company that wants
to get their message out to thepublic.
So I have a deep passion forstorytelling.
I love the social media aspectof my job.
Now because of that, and thenlooking back of course, I think
(04:55):
that the experience in corporateAmerica has given me the
ability to navigate growing andscaling a company.
You know that, managing theteam, hiring, all the, all the
fun things that go along withgrowing and scaling a business.
And we have a joke internallythat we only hire people who
have a background in advertisingand marketing.
Because I just gravitatetowards those types of people
(05:16):
who have that, that mix ofenough corporate experience but
also enough passion forcreativity to blend the two
together in a way that'sprofessional, yet fun, and you
know, it's been interesting tosee like as the team has grown,
just naturally.
So many of us, inherently, arefrom advertising and marketing
background.
Lindsay Fluckiger (05:35):
Amazing how diverse backgrounds can really
contribute to success in thisfield.
So your career took an excitingturn when you moved to Los
Angeles and worked with usweekly.
Tell us how your role thereinfluenced your passion for home
design.
Audrey Scheck (05:51):
I was really a pivotal moment in life in
general, because coming fromsuch a small town and then going
to school in Austin and workingand advertising in Austin back
then Austin was still a prettysmall city and then going to Los
Angeles, it was like thefloodgates opened and suddenly I
was like, oh my gosh, there areso many different types of
people in the world and there'sso many different styles and
(06:12):
ways to live, and I was far fromhome and I'm so grateful that I
took that chance when I was 23and accepted a job offer and
just went for it and I was therefor 11 years and so really
having the exposure to thediversity of a huge metropolitan
city is something that I willnever take for granted.
(06:33):
I'm so grateful that I had thatexposure In my career.
Of course, there was just moreopportunity because it was a
bigger city, but when I lookback on that time and design in
particular, la is so big.
There are so many differenttypes of neighborhoods that were
established at very differenttimes in history, so naturally
you just have exposure to lotsof different styles of
architecture.
(06:53):
There are many different typesof, you know, preservation in
place throughout LA andhistorical neighborhoods.
So holding on to that heritageis really important.
Our first home that wepurchased was in a historically
preserved Spanish zone, so allthe homes were Spanish style,
built over 100 years ago, and soI think just having that
exposure being in the big cityreally influences a lot of what
(07:16):
I am passionate about and designnow.
Lindsay Fluckiger (07:19):
I can see how that had such a remarkable
influence on you to be inspiredby so much creativity and style.
So balancing a thriving careerin digital media with a budding
passion for design must havebeen a whirlwind.
You mentioned that it was apivotal moment being in Los
Angeles, but can you tell uswhat the pivotal moment was for
(07:40):
you that encouraged you topursue interior design full time
?
Audrey Scheck (07:45):
Yes.
So once we bought our firsthouse and I really had the
freedom to do whatever I wanted,it was that feeling that was
reminiscent of my childhood whenmy parents gave me my bedroom,
but now it's on a larger scalein my own home and I had never
owned my own home before.
So I remember vividly feelinglike I can do whatever I want.
It was just so liberating andat the time we didn't have
(08:08):
children and I was working at usweekly and I just had a passion
for everything vintage, whichstarted with my grandmother
actually willed her wedding ringto me when she passed away and
so when my husband proposed, heproposed with my grandma's ring
and it's what I wear every dayand it's from 1950.
And it really sparked mypassion for vintage and being in
LA, I had exposure to amazingflea markets and antique malls.
(08:33):
So once I got this ring and Ijust felt drawn to vintage, I
started dabbling with curatingvintage home decor, because we
owned our house now and I wasfilling it and decorating it.
So I started going to fleamarkets every weekend and then I
quickly ran out of space in myhouse and I decided I would just
start selling it on the sideand cherish was actually
launching out of San Franciscoaround the same time and I was
(08:55):
one of the very first sellers oncherish back in the day.
I was front and center on thehomepage and my little shop I
would like go and curate fromthe Rose Bowl flea market on the
weekend and then put it onlineand my cherish shop.
And during my lunch break at usweekly I would ship all of my
sales from my office.
So I was doing my own littlelike vintage decor side hustle
while I was working at us weeklyand putting together our first
(09:18):
home.
So having access to thatplethora of vintage flea markets
and estate sales you know, inin such a big city was really a
turning point for me andrealizing how much I loved it.
Lindsay Fluckiger (09:30):
Yeah, that's so awesome, audrey, wow.
So I mean obviously takes a tonof courage to pursue your
passion full time, andespecially when you have a
successful career alreadyunderway.
I love you had the side hustlegoing on.
It's really, really fun to hearabout your journey there.
So remodeling your own home inLA while starting a family is
(09:51):
quite the feet.
What were some design elementsor challenges that stand out
from that experience?
Audrey Scheck (09:59):
Oh well, we were also starting to have children
at the same time.
So then it became thisbalancing act of career side,
hustle, home ownership, childrenand that's when everything
started to fall into place forme and I started realizing I was
really burnt out on corporateAmerica.
So that was likely the mostchallenging time because it was
(10:20):
having that fortitude to just tobe able to step away from that
right, to be able to say, like Ican step away to figure things
out.
So I gave myself that grace andI just quit.
I was like I don't know whatI'm going to do.
I had nothing else planned butI just I knew that it wasn't
feeling right and so I left.
And doing that gave me theopportunity to focus on making
(10:45):
our house a home.
I obviously that meant likebringing children in, but really
like aesthetically making itour own and focusing on that in
a way that was just reallynatural at that time in life.
So it gave me the space tostart to play around with
different ideas and concepts.
I started remodeling theexterior of our first house.
I had never remodeled anythingbefore, so it gave me the mental
(11:07):
bandwidth to be like I could dothis and I enjoy doing this.
I knew that I liked it.
I was obviously like at the sideof the where I was selling home
decor and I was putting ourhouse together, but I didn't
really give myself that mentalbandwidth to know like I'm truly
passionate about this.
So, taking the breather, givingmyself that space, it was
challenging to step away because, like you said, you know you've
(11:29):
gone to school all these yearsand there's this track for your
life and you have a successfulcareer and why on earth would
you leave?
It was so fun.
I loved working at us weekly.
I mean, it was so, so fun.
But yeah, taking the leaf, I'malso glad I did that, just like
moving to Los Angeles.
I'm equally as glad that I hadthe courage to leave.
Lindsay Fluckiger (11:49):
It sounds like you're a little bit of a
adrenaline junkie.
You, like the left, see what'sgoing to happen and somehow
someone's going to catch you orsomething, and you just stand
with it.
I love that.
I think every woman to look alittle deeper at not being
afraid to just go for it.
Audrey Scheck (12:07):
Yes, I thrive in chaos.
That's what I say.
Some of my girlfriends joke.
They're like if you wantsomething done, give it to the
busiest person that you know,and that's Audrey Nice.
Lindsay Fluckiger (12:16):
I mean you've got a track record.
Many aspiring entrepreneurslook up to your journey of
launching Audrey Scheck design.
What advice do you have forthose wanting to follow their
passion and start their owndesign business?
Audrey Scheck (12:34):
Don't overthink it.
If I had overthought anythingin life moving to LA, quitting
my job, having children,starting my business I probably
wouldn't have done it.
And I feel like most of thepivotal things that have
happened in my life, I tend towalk away with this feeling of
gratitude that my younger selfhad the courage to do it.
And if I knew now what I knewthree years ago when I started
(12:58):
my business, there's no way Iwould have done it.
Not to say that I'm not gladthat I did, because it just
becomes really intimidating themore you know.
So I'm really glad that I didit and I went for it and I just
didn't overthink it.
I was like, well, figure it out, fake it till you make it.
Of course I can do that.
I think that just has to be thementality.
You just cannot be afraid.
You just got to try.
(13:19):
And my grandma told me beforeshe passed away you don't want
to regret not trying.
Like at least try Right.
And I remember thinking thatwhen I accepted my job in Los
Angeles, like I can come home, Ican walk away from my business,
like I just go into things withthat mentality.
At least I tried, awesome.
Lindsay Fluckiger (13:38):
Well, it sounds like you got a lot of
your passion and gut from yourgrandmother.
That is so amazing that aspectsof Austin inspire your design
work today.
Audrey Scheck (13:49):
I love Austin and cannot imagine living anywhere
else.
Coming back here really feltlike coming home in a sense,
because even though I didn't gohome to my small town where I
was raised, coming back here Iwas still welcomed by people who
I went to college with and whoI had worked with in advertising
.
So I knew enough people that itstill felt familiar.
(14:11):
And it's your college town.
It's fun, and so many moments Ihave like reminisced on fun
experiences that I had beinghere in college.
So living in your college townas an adult is very fun, but
there's that.
The warmth that comes from thepeople here is really something
that I again I didn't overthinkwhen I started the design
business here.
Both.
(14:32):
Something really beautiful thathas unfolded is that sense of
community and Austin and support.
Like immediately I just had Ihad clients and I had people who
were supporting me and wanted,wanted me, to succeed with them
and you know so I had a networkof people who gave me a chance
to build a portfolio and thenthe Austin market being so
(14:54):
intertwined and connected it'sreally a small big city, if you
will.
The design community is sosupportive.
We lean on each other a lotSome of my best friends here now
are also in the designcommunity in some capacity in
Austin, and so a big takeawaynow that our firm has grown and
we're helping, you know, serviceso many clients.
Something that's reallyimportant to us is involving the
(15:17):
local community, so bringing inlocal artists, mill workers we
work with several localcontractors like having that
sense of community andsupporting other small
businesses here, whether they'rein construction or they're an
artist or a very skilled tileinstaller.
You know like that now is soimportant to us that we're able
to support other people inAustin.
Lindsay Fluckiger (15:39):
Yeah, that's so wonderful.
What a labor of love, for sure.
So, speaking of skilled tileinstallers, you cut our eye and
of course we had to reach outand invite you to be a guest on
the show today After we saw thebeautiful bathroom remodel of
featuring our lake mint ceramicsof wett tiles.
Can you tell us what drew youto that particular tile and tell
(16:02):
us more about that actualrenovation or installation
project?
Audrey Scheck (16:06):
So that project was at a beautiful house in
Westlake and we were hired tocompletely revamp the primary
bathroom and their kitchen andin their bathroom we
reconfigured the space entirely.
We brought in a freestandingtub and then the shower itself
is so exposed by open glass,which was part of the concept in
(16:26):
that space.
And we wanted a tile that wassubtle but still interesting,
and I love the size of those.
The subway brick is the ceramicpiece.
The size of it is so beautifuland unique.
And the color.
Even though it's mint, itdidn't feel overtly green.
It still felt really neutral.
In a way that gave us thebandwidth to play around with
(16:49):
other tones and textures in thespace.
And then the install patternthat we did was a mix of
horizontal and vertical.
So even though it was a neutraltile, we still made it really
fun and interesting by mixing upthe vertical and horizontal
positioning.
Lindsay Fluckiger (17:06):
It was so lovely.
We actually brought up yourparticular design when we were
talking about an upcoming tradeshow and we were all just like
sharing photos from thatinstallation and we're like,
look at this pattern, no, itlooks so good like this.
Maybe we should display it likethat.
So this is very inspiring and afresh take on subway tile.
Audrey, you've talked a littlebit about vintage design and how
(17:27):
that has played a part in yourown design journey.
I also know that your firm isknown for blending new and
vintage styles to createinviting spaces.
Can you share some recentprojects or trends that
perfectly encapsulate thisapproach?
Audrey Scheck (17:44):
Yes.
So vintage has always beenimportant to us and as
sustainable design continues togrow and to be more prominent,
it's a natural segue intoleaning on that vintage inspired
design that we've always had aspart of our portfolio.
So a lot of our projects willinclude a heritage piece from
someone's family a piece offurniture or a rug or a piece of
(18:07):
artwork that someone'sgrandparent gave to them or that
was in their childhood home.
So naturally, those pieces aremeaningful and are so important
and it will be like acornerstone of our design.
But also, when we're thinkingabout eco-friendly and
sustainable in the environment,leaning into vintage is such an
easy way to achieve that and tonot be, you know, mass consuming
(18:28):
, to be reusing things that canreally withstand the test of
time.
So we incorporate a lot ofvintage rugs and, you know,
anything vintage that will fitwith the aesthetic is always
something that we lean into.
Lindsay Fluckiger (18:41):
Wonderful, yeah.
It sounds like a beautifulblend of styles and just
fascinating to see how youseamlessly integrate different
elements to create those warm,inviting spaces.
Let's shift over to recentsuccesses that you've had as a
designer.
So winning design awards is aremarkable achievement.
(19:01):
Can you tell us about aspecific project that holds a
special place in your heart andhas earned recognition?
Audrey Scheck (19:09):
Yes.
So one of my first projectsthat was not at my own home was
for someone who I used to workwith in the advertising industry
in Austin, and we remodeled herwhole house to the family,
moved out for several months, weremodeled everything, helped
them furnish it and move back in, and then it won an award for
the best use of accents anddecor, which is really just the
(19:31):
styling throughout the home.
And so two years ago welaunched styling services where
we will come into people's homeslocally in Austin.
We'll bring our hand picked,curated inventory, reminiscent
of what I used to do in LA withmy side hustle.
Now I just do it through mybusiness.
So we curate our own inventorythat's a mix of vintage and new
(19:52):
pieces.
We bring it to people's homesand use it to put the finishing
touch on their house.
So we'll style any surface, anyspot in their home and we'll
incorporate their own items aswell.
And that award in particular isone that we recently won for
styling, and it just felt reallyrewarding and gratifying to be
able to say like, yes, like wewere acknowledged for our
(20:15):
ability to style a home and tomake it feel complete, and the
fact that it was for someonethat I knew, one of our very
first clients.
It just felt like awholehearted, like embrace.
It just felt very gratifying.
Lindsay Fluckiger (20:30):
That's a wonderful service that you offer
.
We would absolutely love tolink your website and any and
all services that you'recurrently offering to clients.
I love that so much.
Sometimes it doesn't have to bea full-scale remodel.
It can be something as simpleas coming in and helping someone
with their overall aesthetic.
So, as a design expert and youtouched a little bit on this
(20:53):
with vintage and sustainabilityhow do you see the role of
sustainability evolving ininterior design and can you tell
us a little bit more about howyour firm incorporates
eco-friendly elements into yourprojects?
Audrey Scheck (21:06):
Yes.
So lots of salvaging, you know,and tile even.
So much demo work happensduring projects and so just
being more mindful of being ableto salvage things and repurpose
them.
So we work with a lot ofpartners who will donate
materials to people who are lowincome housing or donating them
for resale anywhere.
(21:26):
All of that's really importantto us, that we're not just
demoing and trashing, we arereally truly salvaging and
repurposing and sharing thingsthat are no longer needed
aesthetically but are stillfunctionally totally fine.
So lots of plumbing andlighting fits into that category
.
So that's really important tous.
And then, of course, supportingmakers who are doing really
(21:47):
great work in the industry andbeing more eco-friendly and
environmentally friendly.
We work with many different rugcompanies who are very focused
on that same approach withsustainability and you know all
the chemicals that they use,making sure that everything has
certain qualifications thatmakes them environmentally
conscious and good decisions.
And most of our clients havepets or children in their home.
(22:10):
So it is a conversation that wehave often with our clients
around making sure that thethings in their home are safe
for their family.
So it's always top of mind.
Regardless, you know, there'sjust so many factors that come
into play the aesthetics, theway that it looks, the
performance of it.
Is it durable and where did itcome from?
How was it made?
(22:30):
How long will it last?
Like it's naturally, we'restarting to hear that more and
more, and I feel really gratefulthat there are companies who
are really dedicated to thatpractice.
Lindsay Fluckiger (22:40):
Oh, it's fantastic to hear how your firm
is embracing sustainability.
It's such a crucial aspect ofdesign that can make such a
significant difference in ourworld, so that's wonderful.
So, moving along, social mediahas played a significant role in
your entrepreneurial journey.
What are some of your favoriteplatforms for showcasing your
(23:01):
designs and connecting with youraudience?
Audrey Scheck (23:05):
Well, given my background in advertising, I
love the social media aspect ofit all.
But if I could do that all day,that's what I would do all day
long, because I just love thestorytelling and the engagement
that comes along with socialmedia.
And it's how it started I wassharing my journey of remodeling
my homes on social and thenpeople started asking for help,
so it's something very near anddear to my heart.
Instagram is the one that weput the most effort into.
(23:29):
We typically post twice a day.
We try to be active in storiesevery day.
Sharing what we're doing andwhat our services are doing is
just an important part of thebusiness and, given the platform
, it lends itself nicely toaesthetics and visuals.
Pinterest, similarly, is veryphoto forward, so we're very
(23:51):
active every day on Pinterest aswell.
Most of our clients are usingPinterest as a tool whenever
they're pulling inspiration, soit's important that we're active
there too.
We get leads every now and thenthat have seen our work on
Pinterest and that will linkback to our website, which is
another visual tool.
So we're pretty focused onthose three, if you will
Instagram, pinterest and ourwebsite, all having a very
(24:12):
cohesive look and feel to tellthe story of the work that we're
doing.
Lindsay Fluckiger (24:17):
That's great.
It's amazing how social mediais revolutionized, the way we
connect and share ideas.
So obviously your presence onthese platforms has inspired
many designers, I'm sure manyclients.
We love looking and browsingand getting ideas ourselves as a
tile company so great.
So, audrey, just to wrap thingsup, we would love to pick your
(24:42):
brain a little bit about what isnext for Audrey Schecht Design.
Are there any exciting upcomingprojects or ventures on the
horizon that you can share withus today?
Audrey Scheck (24:52):
Yes, we have our first product collaboration
launching soon.
So we are currently working ondesigning that and getting all
of the marketing materials inplace for the launch.
And we are also always curatingfor our own inventory to have
the vintage and new inventoryavailable to the public.
(25:12):
We offer that quarterly at apop-up shop that we do here in
Austin.
So those same items that wewould take to style someone's
home we make available to thepublic at a pop-up shop that we
do once a quarter in Austin atour office.
So we're always working ongathering fun things that catch
our eye, whether they be new orvintage.
So that's also somethingexciting to look forward to.
Lindsay Fluckiger (25:34):
Yeah, lots of fun things on the horizon for
you guys.
So, Audrey, it's been such atreat to talk with you today.
Our last question for today iswhat are some of your go-to
design elements when creatingcozy and beautiful spaces?
Audrey Scheck (25:48):
So I tend to always just take my eye and look
out the window and inCalifornia we're seeing a lot of
the ocean and the beautifulblue tones.
Here in Texas there's so muchbeautiful greenery and the
rolling hills, so I just alwaysgravitate my eye outside and
draw on those colors and thosetextures.
We incorporate a lot of earthtones into our design, and it
(26:09):
doesn't have to be just green orbrown.
There can be really beautifulburgundies or mustard hues that
you can find organically innature.
And then also pulling in wood,we do lots of natural wood.
We'll incorporate the warmth ofwood in any space that we
design.
And stone, bringing in naturalstone like a marble or even just
like a geode that you put on avignette.
(26:30):
Having that feeling isreminiscent of the outdoors and
any landscape and anyenvironment is a cornerstone of
the work that we do.
Lindsay Fluckiger (26:39):
Thank you so much for sharing everything with
us that you did today, audrey.
What an inspiring journey andwoman that you are.
Thank you, and we are just soexcited to push this out to our
listeners and viewers.
So, for our listeners, be sureto follow Audrey Shek Design on
Instagram.
We're going to link all ofthose wonderful social media
platforms and website for youall to follow along.
(27:02):
And if you're local to Austin,texas, be sure to check her out.
Welcome back to another exciting episode of
Tile Trends by Tile Club, thepodcast where we dive into the
world of tile design and trends.
I'm your host, lindsayFluekiger, and today we have a
very special guest joining usAudrey Scheck, the founder of
Audrey Scheck Design.
Audrey, welcome to the show.
We are so excited to get toknow you a little bit better
(00:26):
today.
So, Audrey, your small townupbringing in Fairchild, texas,
influenced your love forwelcoming spaces.
Tell us how those rootscontinue to shape your design
philosophy today.
Audrey Scheck (00:39):
It was definitely a small town.
I am actually from a ruralfarming community where there
were 400 of us.
I went to school in a largertown that had about 2,000 people
, but definitely small townupbringing, all the wholesome
goodness of small town Texasliving.
I would say that that time inlife was.
(00:59):
It was really just pure andwarm and welcoming.
I didn't have that exposure todaily big city life so it was
just very humble.
Looking back, I'm so gratefulthat I grew up in such a
community because everyone wassupportive of one another.
Everyone knew one another.
(01:20):
My grandpa was a pharmacistwith a pharmacy on Main Street.
My dad is still a dentist in myhometown, also with his office
on Main Street.
My mom was a teacher at theschool, so was my grandma, so
everyone knew everyone and itwas just really approachable.
And looking back on design, ifyou will, during my upbringing,
(01:41):
I would say that nobody took ittoo seriously.
It just wasn't something thatwas overthought and that's
really refreshing.
Lindsay Fluckiger (01:50):
So middle school often marks the beginning
of our interest.
How did witnessing your parentsbuild a custom home at that age
impact your career path indesign?
Audrey Scheck (02:00):
It's so fun to look back on that time in my
life in particular, because Ireally think that that's when
the seed was planted, eventhough I obviously didn't know
that was happening at the time.
But yeah, when I was in middleschool, my parents took on the
project of building a customhome.
It was across the street fromthe house where I lived, so I
truly got to witness it allunfold every day.
(02:22):
But from the beginning, I gotto see them working with an
architect, going to designcenters.
They actually went out to NorthCarolina to furniture showrooms
, and so I got to see them gothrough the process of making
all of the selections and thenactually being on site in my
neighborhood as it was beingbuilt from the ground up.
But what was really impactfulwas that they let me design my
(02:44):
own space and I got to pick thewallpaper for my bathroom.
I used a Sharpie to drawpatterns and designs on the
knobs and my cabinet hardwareand my vanity.
They're actually still thereand I was just given complete
freedom to furnish and decoratemy room.
However, I wanted no judgment.
They just let me do my ownthing.
(03:06):
And of course, it evolved everyfew years, just like now.
Trends evolve in design.
Even back then, going throughmiddle school and high school, I
went through a purple phase.
Everything was purple and theneverything was bright colored
florals, and so they just reallylet me be myself in that space.
Could have totally been becausethere were four kids and they
didn't have the time to worryabout it, but that freedom was
(03:26):
great for me.
Lindsay Fluckiger (03:27):
That's amazing.
My previous interview I waschatting with a real estate
agent in Silicon Valley and wewere chatting about keeping
things neutral and I said youknow, I still have just a little
bit of resent for my childhood.
My mother insisted on everywall being white.
She was like we're not paintinganything or getting neutral,
(03:48):
and I just I love hearing thatyou've had that opportunity to
just make it your own and havethat creative spirit.
So your parents did a great job.
So, Audrey, graduating near thetop of your high school class,
earning a degree in advertisingin just three and a half years,
is impressive.
How did your advertisingbackground prep you for your
future in interior design?
Audrey Scheck (04:10):
Advertising is such a fun industry and so I
think it really lent itself tothat perfect balance between
corporate America and havingenough corporate structure to
understand the flow of abusiness while being in an
inherently creative environmentwhere you're storytelling for a
brand or for a publisher.
So it was really just a greatblend of a first dabble into a
(04:34):
career, because it gave me thatexposure into how companies are
run in a creative environmentwhere you're still marketing and
you're advertising to tell thestory of the company that wants
to get their message out to thepublic.
So I have a deep passion forstorytelling.
I love the social media aspectof my job.
Now because of that, and thenlooking back of course, I think
(04:55):
that the experience in corporateAmerica has given me the
ability to navigate growing andscaling a company.
You know that, managing theteam, hiring, all the, all the
fun things that go along withgrowing and scaling a business.
And we have a joke internallythat we only hire people who
have a background in advertisingand marketing.
Because I just gravitatetowards those types of people
(05:16):
who have that, that mix ofenough corporate experience but
also enough passion forcreativity to blend the two
together in a way that'sprofessional, yet fun, and you
know, it's been interesting tosee like as the team has grown,
just naturally.
So many of us, inherently, arefrom advertising and marketing
background.
Lindsay Fluckiger (05:35):
Amazing how diverse backgrounds can really
contribute to success in thisfield.
So your career took an excitingturn when you moved to Los
Angeles and worked with usweekly.
Tell us how your role thereinfluenced your passion for home
design.
Audrey Scheck (05:51):
I was really a pivotal moment in life in
general, because coming fromsuch a small town and then going
to school in Austin and workingand advertising in Austin back
then Austin was still a prettysmall city and then going to Los
Angeles, it was like thefloodgates opened and suddenly I
was like, oh my gosh, there areso many different types of
people in the world and there'sso many different styles and
(06:12):
ways to live, and I was far fromhome and I'm so grateful that I
took that chance when I was 23and accepted a job offer and
just went for it and I was therefor 11 years and so really
having the exposure to thediversity of a huge metropolitan
city is something that I willnever take for granted.
(06:33):
I'm so grateful that I had thatexposure In my career.
Of course, there was just moreopportunity because it was a
bigger city, but when I lookback on that time and design in
particular, la is so big.
There are so many differenttypes of neighborhoods that were
established at very differenttimes in history, so naturally
you just have exposure to lotsof different styles of
architecture.
(06:53):
There are many different typesof, you know, preservation in
place throughout LA andhistorical neighborhoods.
So holding on to that heritageis really important.
Our first home that wepurchased was in a historically
preserved Spanish zone, so allthe homes were Spanish style,
built over 100 years ago, and soI think just having that
exposure being in the big cityreally influences a lot of what
(07:16):
I am passionate about and designnow.
Lindsay Fluckiger (07:19):
I can see how that had such a remarkable
influence on you to be inspiredby so much creativity and style.
So balancing a thriving careerin digital media with a budding
passion for design must havebeen a whirlwind.
You mentioned that it was apivotal moment being in Los
Angeles, but can you tell uswhat the pivotal moment was for
(07:40):
you that encouraged you topursue interior design full time
?
Audrey Scheck (07:45):
Yes.
So once we bought our firsthouse and I really had the
freedom to do whatever I wanted,it was that feeling that was
reminiscent of my childhood whenmy parents gave me my bedroom,
but now it's on a larger scalein my own home and I had never
owned my own home before.
So I remember vividly feelinglike I can do whatever I want.
It was just so liberating andat the time we didn't have
(08:08):
children and I was working at usweekly and I just had a passion
for everything vintage, whichstarted with my grandmother
actually willed her wedding ringto me when she passed away and
so when my husband proposed, heproposed with my grandma's ring
and it's what I wear every dayand it's from 1950.
And it really sparked mypassion for vintage and being in
LA, I had exposure to amazingflea markets and antique malls.
(08:33):
So once I got this ring and Ijust felt drawn to vintage, I
started dabbling with curatingvintage home decor, because we
owned our house now and I wasfilling it and decorating it.
So I started going to fleamarkets every weekend and then I
quickly ran out of space in myhouse and I decided I would just
start selling it on the sideand cherish was actually
launching out of San Franciscoaround the same time and I was
(08:55):
one of the very first sellers oncherish back in the day.
I was front and center on thehomepage and my little shop I
would like go and curate fromthe Rose Bowl flea market on the
weekend and then put it onlineand my cherish shop.
And during my lunch break at usweekly I would ship all of my
sales from my office.
So I was doing my own littlelike vintage decor side hustle
while I was working at us weeklyand putting together our first
(09:18):
home.
So having access to thatplethora of vintage flea markets
and estate sales you know, inin such a big city was really a
turning point for me andrealizing how much I loved it.
Lindsay Fluckiger (09:30):
Yeah, that's so awesome, audrey, wow.
So I mean obviously takes a tonof courage to pursue your
passion full time, andespecially when you have a
successful career alreadyunderway.
I love you had the side hustlegoing on.
It's really, really fun to hearabout your journey there.
So remodeling your own home inLA while starting a family is
(09:51):
quite the feet.
What were some design elementsor challenges that stand out
from that experience?
Audrey Scheck (09:59):
Oh well, we were also starting to have children
at the same time.
So then it became thisbalancing act of career side,
hustle, home ownership, childrenand that's when everything
started to fall into place forme and I started realizing I was
really burnt out on corporateAmerica.
So that was likely the mostchallenging time because it was
(10:20):
having that fortitude to just tobe able to step away from that
right, to be able to say, like Ican step away to figure things
out.
So I gave myself that grace andI just quit.
I was like I don't know whatI'm going to do.
I had nothing else planned butI just I knew that it wasn't
feeling right and so I left.
And doing that gave me theopportunity to focus on making
(10:45):
our house a home.
I obviously that meant likebringing children in, but really
like aesthetically making itour own and focusing on that in
a way that was just reallynatural at that time in life.
So it gave me the space tostart to play around with
different ideas and concepts.
I started remodeling theexterior of our first house.
I had never remodeled anythingbefore, so it gave me the mental
(11:07):
bandwidth to be like I could dothis and I enjoy doing this.
I knew that I liked it.
I was obviously like at the sideof the where I was selling home
decor and I was putting ourhouse together, but I didn't
really give myself that mentalbandwidth to know like I'm truly
passionate about this.
So, taking the breather, givingmyself that space, it was
challenging to step away because, like you said, you know you've
(11:29):
gone to school all these yearsand there's this track for your
life and you have a successfulcareer and why on earth would
you leave?
It was so fun.
I loved working at us weekly.
I mean, it was so, so fun.
But yeah, taking the leaf, I'malso glad I did that, just like
moving to Los Angeles.
I'm equally as glad that I hadthe courage to leave.
Lindsay Fluckiger (11:49):
It sounds like you're a little bit of a
adrenaline junkie.
You, like the left, see what'sgoing to happen and somehow
someone's going to catch you orsomething, and you just stand
with it.
I love that.
I think every woman to look alittle deeper at not being
afraid to just go for it.
Audrey Scheck (12:07):
Yes, I thrive in chaos.
That's what I say.
Some of my girlfriends joke.
They're like if you wantsomething done, give it to the
busiest person that you know,and that's Audrey Nice.
Lindsay Fluckiger (12:16):
I mean you've got a track record.
Many aspiring entrepreneurslook up to your journey of
launching Audrey Scheck design.
What advice do you have forthose wanting to follow their
passion and start their owndesign business?
Audrey Scheck (12:34):
Don't overthink it.
If I had overthought anythingin life moving to LA, quitting
my job, having children,starting my business I probably
wouldn't have done it.
And I feel like most of thepivotal things that have
happened in my life, I tend towalk away with this feeling of
gratitude that my younger selfhad the courage to do it.
And if I knew now what I knewthree years ago when I started
(12:58):
my business, there's no way Iwould have done it.
Not to say that I'm not gladthat I did, because it just
becomes really intimidating themore you know.
So I'm really glad that I didit and I went for it and I just
didn't overthink it.
I was like, well, figure it out, fake it till you make it.
Of course I can do that.
I think that just has to be thementality.
You just cannot be afraid.
You just got to try.
(13:19):
And my grandma told me beforeshe passed away you don't want
to regret not trying.
Like at least try Right.
And I remember thinking thatwhen I accepted my job in Los
Angeles, like I can come home, Ican walk away from my business,
like I just go into things withthat mentality.
At least I tried, awesome.
Lindsay Fluckiger (13:38):
Well, it sounds like you got a lot of
your passion and gut from yourgrandmother.
That is so amazing that aspectsof Austin inspire your design
work today.
Audrey Scheck (13:49):
I love Austin and cannot imagine living anywhere
else.
Coming back here really feltlike coming home in a sense,
because even though I didn't gohome to my small town where I
was raised, coming back here Iwas still welcomed by people who
I went to college with and whoI had worked with in advertising
.
So I knew enough people that itstill felt familiar.
(14:11):
And it's your college town.
It's fun, and so many moments Ihave like reminisced on fun
experiences that I had beinghere in college.
So living in your college townas an adult is very fun, but
there's that.
The warmth that comes from thepeople here is really something
that I again I didn't overthinkwhen I started the design
business here.
Both.
(14:32):
Something really beautiful thathas unfolded is that sense of
community and Austin and support.
Like immediately I just had Ihad clients and I had people who
were supporting me and wanted,wanted me, to succeed with them
and you know so I had a networkof people who gave me a chance
to build a portfolio and thenthe Austin market being so
(14:54):
intertwined and connected it'sreally a small big city, if you
will.
The design community is sosupportive.
We lean on each other a lotSome of my best friends here now
are also in the designcommunity in some capacity in
Austin, and so a big takeawaynow that our firm has grown and
we're helping, you know, serviceso many clients.
Something that's reallyimportant to us is involving the
(15:17):
local community, so bringing inlocal artists, mill workers we
work with several localcontractors like having that
sense of community andsupporting other small
businesses here, whether they'rein construction or they're an
artist or a very skilled tileinstaller.
You know like that now is soimportant to us that we're able
to support other people inAustin.
Lindsay Fluckiger (15:39):
Yeah, that's so wonderful.
What a labor of love, for sure.
So, speaking of skilled tileinstallers, you cut our eye and
of course we had to reach outand invite you to be a guest on
the show today After we saw thebeautiful bathroom remodel of
featuring our lake mint ceramicsof wett tiles.
Can you tell us what drew youto that particular tile and tell
(16:02):
us more about that actualrenovation or installation
project?
Audrey Scheck (16:06):
So that project was at a beautiful house in
Westlake and we were hired tocompletely revamp the primary
bathroom and their kitchen andin their bathroom we
reconfigured the space entirely.
We brought in a freestandingtub and then the shower itself
is so exposed by open glass,which was part of the concept in
(16:26):
that space.
And we wanted a tile that wassubtle but still interesting,
and I love the size of those.
The subway brick is the ceramicpiece.
The size of it is so beautifuland unique.
And the color.
Even though it's mint, itdidn't feel overtly green.
It still felt really neutral.
In a way that gave us thebandwidth to play around with
(16:49):
other tones and textures in thespace.
And then the install patternthat we did was a mix of
horizontal and vertical.
So even though it was a neutraltile, we still made it really
fun and interesting by mixing upthe vertical and horizontal
positioning.
Lindsay Fluckiger (17:06):
It was so lovely.
We actually brought up yourparticular design when we were
talking about an upcoming tradeshow and we were all just like
sharing photos from thatinstallation and we're like,
look at this pattern, no, itlooks so good like this.
Maybe we should display it likethat.
So this is very inspiring and afresh take on subway tile.
Audrey, you've talked a littlebit about vintage design and how
(17:27):
that has played a part in yourown design journey.
I also know that your firm isknown for blending new and
vintage styles to createinviting spaces.
Can you share some recentprojects or trends that
perfectly encapsulate thisapproach?
Audrey Scheck (17:44):
Yes.
So vintage has always beenimportant to us and as
sustainable design continues togrow and to be more prominent,
it's a natural segue intoleaning on that vintage inspired
design that we've always had aspart of our portfolio.
So a lot of our projects willinclude a heritage piece from
someone's family a piece offurniture or a rug or a piece of
(18:07):
artwork that someone'sgrandparent gave to them or that
was in their childhood home.
So naturally, those pieces aremeaningful and are so important
and it will be like acornerstone of our design.
But also, when we're thinkingabout eco-friendly and
sustainable in the environment,leaning into vintage is such an
easy way to achieve that and tonot be, you know, mass consuming
(18:28):
, to be reusing things that canreally withstand the test of
time.
So we incorporate a lot ofvintage rugs and, you know,
anything vintage that will fitwith the aesthetic is always
something that we lean into.
Lindsay Fluckiger (18:41):
Wonderful, yeah.
It sounds like a beautifulblend of styles and just
fascinating to see how youseamlessly integrate different
elements to create those warm,inviting spaces.
Let's shift over to recentsuccesses that you've had as a
designer.
So winning design awards is aremarkable achievement.
(19:01):
Can you tell us about aspecific project that holds a
special place in your heart andhas earned recognition?
Audrey Scheck (19:09):
Yes.
So one of my first projectsthat was not at my own home was
for someone who I used to workwith in the advertising industry
in Austin, and we remodeled herwhole house to the family,
moved out for several months, weremodeled everything, helped
them furnish it and move back in, and then it won an award for
the best use of accents anddecor, which is really just the
(19:31):
styling throughout the home.
And so two years ago welaunched styling services where
we will come into people's homeslocally in Austin.
We'll bring our hand picked,curated inventory, reminiscent
of what I used to do in LA withmy side hustle.
Now I just do it through mybusiness.
So we curate our own inventorythat's a mix of vintage and new
(19:52):
pieces.
We bring it to people's homesand use it to put the finishing
touch on their house.
So we'll style any surface, anyspot in their home and we'll
incorporate their own items aswell.
And that award in particular isone that we recently won for
styling, and it just felt reallyrewarding and gratifying to be
able to say like, yes, like wewere acknowledged for our
(20:15):
ability to style a home and tomake it feel complete, and the
fact that it was for someonethat I knew, one of our very
first clients.
It just felt like awholehearted, like embrace.
It just felt very gratifying.
Lindsay Fluckiger (20:30):
That's a wonderful service that you offer
.
We would absolutely love tolink your website and any and
all services that you'recurrently offering to clients.
I love that so much.
Sometimes it doesn't have to bea full-scale remodel.
It can be something as simpleas coming in and helping someone
with their overall aesthetic.
So, as a design expert and youtouched a little bit on this
(20:53):
with vintage and sustainabilityhow do you see the role of
sustainability evolving ininterior design and can you tell
us a little bit more about howyour firm incorporates
eco-friendly elements into yourprojects?
Audrey Scheck (21:06):
Yes.
So lots of salvaging, you know,and tile even.
So much demo work happensduring projects and so just
being more mindful of being ableto salvage things and repurpose
them.
So we work with a lot ofpartners who will donate
materials to people who are lowincome housing or donating them
for resale anywhere.
(21:26):
All of that's really importantto us, that we're not just
demoing and trashing, we arereally truly salvaging and
repurposing and sharing thingsthat are no longer needed
aesthetically but are stillfunctionally totally fine.
So lots of plumbing andlighting fits into that category
.
So that's really important tous.
And then, of course, supportingmakers who are doing really
(21:47):
great work in the industry andbeing more eco-friendly and
environmentally friendly.
We work with many different rugcompanies who are very focused
on that same approach withsustainability and you know all
the chemicals that they use,making sure that everything has
certain qualifications thatmakes them environmentally
conscious and good decisions.
And most of our clients havepets or children in their home.
(22:10):
So it is a conversation that wehave often with our clients
around making sure that thethings in their home are safe
for their family.
So it's always top of mind.
Regardless, you know, there'sjust so many factors that come
into play the aesthetics, theway that it looks, the
performance of it.
Is it durable and where did itcome from?
How was it made?
(22:30):
How long will it last?
Like it's naturally, we'restarting to hear that more and
more, and I feel really gratefulthat there are companies who
are really dedicated to thatpractice.
Lindsay Fluckiger (22:40):
Oh, it's fantastic to hear how your firm
is embracing sustainability.
It's such a crucial aspect ofdesign that can make such a
significant difference in ourworld, so that's wonderful.
So, moving along, social mediahas played a significant role in
your entrepreneurial journey.
What are some of your favoriteplatforms for showcasing your
(23:01):
designs and connecting with youraudience?
Audrey Scheck (23:05):
Well, given my background in advertising, I
love the social media aspect ofit all.
But if I could do that all day,that's what I would do all day
long, because I just love thestorytelling and the engagement
that comes along with socialmedia.
And it's how it started I wassharing my journey of remodeling
my homes on social and thenpeople started asking for help,
so it's something very near anddear to my heart.
Instagram is the one that weput the most effort into.
(23:29):
We typically post twice a day.
We try to be active in storiesevery day.
Sharing what we're doing andwhat our services are doing is
just an important part of thebusiness and, given the platform
, it lends itself nicely toaesthetics and visuals.
Pinterest, similarly, is veryphoto forward, so we're very
(23:51):
active every day on Pinterest aswell.
Most of our clients are usingPinterest as a tool whenever
they're pulling inspiration, soit's important that we're active
there too.
We get leads every now and thenthat have seen our work on
Pinterest and that will linkback to our website, which is
another visual tool.
So we're pretty focused onthose three, if you will
Instagram, pinterest and ourwebsite, all having a very
(24:12):
cohesive look and feel to tellthe story of the work that we're
doing.
Lindsay Fluckiger (24:17):
That's great.
It's amazing how social mediais revolutionized, the way we
connect and share ideas.
So obviously your presence onthese platforms has inspired
many designers, I'm sure manyclients.
We love looking and browsingand getting ideas ourselves as a
tile company so great.
So, audrey, just to wrap thingsup, we would love to pick your
(24:42):
brain a little bit about what isnext for Audrey Schecht Design.
Are there any exciting upcomingprojects or ventures on the
horizon that you can share withus today?
Audrey Scheck (24:52):
Yes, we have our first product collaboration
launching soon.
So we are currently working ondesigning that and getting all
of the marketing materials inplace for the launch.
And we are also always curatingfor our own inventory to have
the vintage and new inventoryavailable to the public.
(25:12):
We offer that quarterly at apop-up shop that we do here in
Austin.
So those same items that wewould take to style someone's
home we make available to thepublic at a pop-up shop that we
do once a quarter in Austin atour office.
So we're always working ongathering fun things that catch
our eye, whether they be new orvintage.
So that's also somethingexciting to look forward to.
Lindsay Fluckiger (25:34):
Yeah, lots of fun things on the horizon for
you guys.
So, Audrey, it's been such atreat to talk with you today.
Our last question for today iswhat are some of your go-to
design elements when creatingcozy and beautiful spaces?
Audrey Scheck (25:48):
So I tend to always just take my eye and look
out the window and inCalifornia we're seeing a lot of
the ocean and the beautifulblue tones.
Here in Texas there's so muchbeautiful greenery and the
rolling hills, so I just alwaysgravitate my eye outside and
draw on those colors and thosetextures.
We incorporate a lot of earthtones into our design, and it
(26:09):
doesn't have to be just green orbrown.
There can be really beautifulburgundies or mustard hues that
you can find organically innature.
And then also pulling in wood,we do lots of natural wood.
We'll incorporate the warmth ofwood in any space that we
design.
And stone, bringing in naturalstone like a marble or even just
like a geode that you put on avignette.
(26:30):
Having that feeling isreminiscent of the outdoors and
any landscape and anyenvironment is a cornerstone of
the work that we do.
Lindsay Fluckiger (26:39):
Thank you so much for sharing everything with
us that you did today, audrey.
What an inspiring journey andwoman that you are.
Thank you, and we are just soexcited to push this out to our
listeners and viewers.
So, for our listeners, be sureto follow Audrey Shek Design on
Instagram.
We're going to link all ofthose wonderful social media
platforms and website for youall to follow along.
(27:02):
And if you're local to Austin,texas, be sure to check her out.
Popular Podcasts
Stuff You Should Know
If you've ever wanted to know about champagne, satanism, the Stonewall Uprising, chaos theory, LSD, El Nino, true crime and Rosa Parks, then look no further. Josh and Chuck have you covered.
Dateline NBC
Current and classic episodes, featuring compelling true-crime mysteries, powerful documentaries and in-depth investigations. Follow now to get the latest episodes of Dateline NBC completely free, or subscribe to Dateline Premium for ad-free listening and exclusive bonus content: DatelinePremium.com
The Breakfast Club
The World's Most Dangerous Morning Show, The Breakfast Club, With DJ Envy, Jess Hilarious, And Charlamagne Tha God!