Today we’d like to introduce you to Lizzie Pincoffs.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Absolutely! I actually grew up here in Austin, Texas. I had great parents and they always encouraged being outside, they took us fun places, and allowed us to be ourselves. My creative genes carry through my family and my grandmother, who also lived in Austin was an artist. I remember being at her house and drawing with her, being in her studio and the smell of the art supplies and the papers. Sitting up at the counter and praying I would have my own studio when I grew up. I remember sitting for her to sketch our portraits and wondering how she was able to do it so quickly. Now, I treasure the pieces I have of hers on my walls. I can even remember her retelling she and my Grandfathers decision to move to Austin and build a life here. It was quite an act of rebellion for them, ditching the family business in Houston and relocating to Austin so they could be free to pursue creative interests. Thanks to my Grandmother, this creativity inside of me was nurtured and encouraged from the start.
I have taken more art classes than I can count at Laguna Gloria. As a kid, and as an adult. I can also remember the way practicing art and being creative made me feel. The way it still makes me feel. As though the rest of the world goes quiet, and I existed in a lovely, quiet, worry-free headspace. Practicing and honing drawing techniques and playing with color pairings. When I am lucky enough to get this time, I am happiest.
In Austin I attended McCallum High School and then followed this need for creativity and went off to Dension University in Granville, Ohio. Smaller than my high school and very nurturing. At Denison I got a degree in Spanish and Studio Art and spent countless hours dipping my toe into all the different artistic mediums – print making, sculpture, drawing, painting. It definitely didn’t feel like school. The art classes, at least.
I returned to Austin for several years after college and headed down a Human Resources path, met my first husband, and followed him to Houston where we started a family. I am the lucky Mom to two teenagers. My son, Shepherd is 16 and driving, and my daughter, Lyle turns 13 in a few weeks. When we were in Houston and the kids were young I would get stir crazy being home all the time. I was one of the lucky ones who got the choice to stay home with my kids. As they napped, I would draw. For a while I would sell these drawings at local shops in Houston. I liked having something of my own on the side – it made me feel a little more human amidst the fog of being a new parent.
I had a dear friend in Houston who was a crazy talented designer and as we grew to be better friends, and as I became more exposed to the business of Interior Design – spending more time in designed spaces became a strong influence. I was able to recognize what was happening in these spaces. It was just like being back in college, with a much bigger canvas. Color, texture and balance at play. I was hooked. Thankfully my friend took me on as an employee and I will be eternally grateful to her for that time and exposure to the business. I was completely and utterly hooked – from that point on I was laser focused on doing absolutely whatever I had to do to make this my job.
Here I am 10 years later, and pinching myself that I get paid to be creative.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has been smooth in some ways, and also incredibly bumpy in others. But, isn’t this everyone’s road? I am proud to be here today – still doing what I love, having withstood the many bumps along the path. I’m also incredibly grateful for rocky terrain because these are the moments where we really learn what matters to us as people, as brands, as business owners, as creatives. Every obstacle I have faced has taught me an important lesson.
In the span of the past 10 years I have lived in Houston and Austin, gone through a divorce, rebranded, gotten sober, and now remarried. This has been the best business to fall back on amidst all the chaos. I’ve been able to scale it based on what is going on personally and what my family needs. I’ve had the luxury of saying no to jobs when I can’t handle more, and yes when I am ready to grow. Now that my kids are older and don’t need me as much I am open to growing.
But, these battles have only been a blessing. Each time I’ve navigated challenges I am better able to realize what needs to stay and what needs to go. I find out what matters and I hone my focus and my intention for working, and at the end of the day I become a better, more empathic designer, and human. I’ve been humbled beyond belief and my reasons for doing what I do have changed entirely.
It is hard to own a business, and hard to be a working mother, it is hard to juggle everything. But, the hard is no harder than what anyone else deals with. I can do hard, I am willing to do hard. I like to work. And, though it may be a more unconventional path it also allows more freedom and flexibility. I wouldn’t change a thing about the journey.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
I’m a designer, a decorator. People hire me to help them make their homes feel like “home”. I do residential interiors…. my current roster includes: two new construction homes, two remodels, two furnishing projects. The new construction projects are fun – we are picking every single tile, paint color, faucet, countertop, wallpaper and light – the ceiling molding, the built in design details, carpet, wood flooring, exterior brick, every plumbing fixture, appliance and piece of hardware. The construction part of design has grown to become something I really enjoy. Establishing the relationships with the architects, the builders, the different tradespeople and the clients. Getting to know my clients on a very personal level and trying to translate what they want into a cohesive space is my favorite part.
For a furnishing project it is different – we are selecting and custom making everything – the fabric and shape of the sofa, the pillows and trim on them, the curtains and the color schemes, finding antiques and art and vintage lamps.
I take it seriously. I fully realized what a luxury it is to have a designer. And, for these clients to trust me with an asset as expensive and precious as their home is not something I take lightly. I take really good care of my people. I want to delight them and make this world more beautiful, as shallow as it sounds.
At the end of the day, this is why I do what I do. For some reason God gave me this gift of understanding balance and warmth, of laying out a floor plan and drawing up the most delightful little details. I am here to provide a service to people who are busy using the gift’s God gave them to do what they do. I love getting to know them and have been blessed to work for the most wonderful people. I consider all of them dear friends.
Do you have any advice for those just starting out?
Hmmm…. my biggest piece of advice is to just keep working. The more you experience, the closer you get to where you are meant to be. Idle hands are never a good thing and every new experience you have will only open your heart to more and more people, more and more experiences, make you appreciate how differently we are all made.
And, get back up, no matter what. You are much stronger than you could ever imagine. Five years ago I could never have imagined to have landed where I am now. In a healthy marriage, sober and able to rawly enjoy life, in a business I have fallen in and out of love with a thousand times.
When you are in a rut it is easy to feel hopeless, like things will never get better. If you just focus on what needs to be done one day at a time, and keep inching towards growth and progress things will change and get better.
Again, I’m so thankful for the ruts – when I reach a low point I just know it means I need to let something go that isn’t serving me – hone in closer to God and what he has me here to do. Let go of the nonsense that I don’t need to be worrying about and just take care of the work in front of me.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.lizziepincoffsinteriors.com
- Instagram: @lizziepincoffsinteriors
