Today we’d like to introduce you to Maegan Bedells.
Hi Maegan. We’d love to learn more about how you got to where you are today. Can you start by introducing yourself?
In 2015, I graduated from Mississippi State University with a bachelor’s degree in fashion design and merchandising and a minor in photography. I moved to New York for an internship with French designer brand Barbara Bui, knowing I didn’t want to stay in NYC permanently. I also knew I loved the design but didn’t want to be a fashion designer- it seemed like too much pressure to constantly create new collections, especially since I’d be doing everything independently. I’ve always loved fashion and wanted to stay in the industry as a stylist or personal shopper! After the internship ended, I moved back home to Mississippi for a job at a local boutique as a photographer and creative coordinator, knowing in the back of my mind I wanted to find the next big city to move to as soon as possible. After a turn of events, I worked in a fine dining restaurant- I’d never worked in a restaurant before, but I have a passion for food, wine, and crafting an experience for guests, so I loved it! I also made much more money than I could’ve in fashion then, so I stayed there for a year, meeting my boyfriend, Hayden. His family was getting ready to move to Austin, and after 6 months of dating, I visited Austin for the first time and immediately decided to move with him. I worked my way up to banquet captain at a restaurant here and stayed for 3 years, wanting to return to the creative industry. Still, I was traveling back and forth to Mississippi to see my family when I could and working so much I didn’t have time for anything else. Fast forward to the end of that 3 years- March 2020. We were on our 2nd vacation day in Las Vegas when the world shut down, and we got the call that we were laid off from our restaurant jobs for the time being. I was upset and scared of change then, but I knew it was the end of an era and time to move back to something more creative!
When we got back to town, we started painting vintage furniture to sell- Hayden’s mom had done this for a long time and wanted us to try it. We sold our first piece within 2 hours of posting it and never looked back! At first, we figured it would be a side hustle once we returned to work, but when I got the call to return to the restaurant, I decided not to pursue the furniture business instead! During the next 3 years, we learned much about furniture refinishing and restoration, running a business, sourcing, curating, and marketing. Our business today consists of curating collections from all eras- from mid-century modern to Spanish revival and beyond, and we mostly restore pieces now vs. painting them. Being our bosses, we finally have time for our other passions- food, fashion, and travel- and create content in those categories for our brands and others. I’m finally back in a creative, design-oriented field and couldn’t be happier!
We all face challenges, but looking back, would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The ups and downs of the market have been one of the biggest struggles. Not knowing how much you will or won’t sell next week is the hardest part. In any industry involving sales, your income goes up and down with the economy as people have more or less disposable income to make purchases- which is also hard to predict.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
We specialize in both curating collections and restoring furniture to its original state. I think what sets us apart is that we don’t stick to just one design era, so we’re able to mix and match different styles when staging or setting up at a show, which makes the pieces so much more fun, engaging, and approachable! We are self-taught in our painting, repairing, and refinishing skills but also pull design knowledge from my time in school! I am most proud of how much we have learned and grown.
How do you define success?
Success is about happiness- waking up happy with the life you have created for yourself.
Pricing:
- Refinishing $100 / hour + materials
- Custom paint starting at $500
- Furniture for sale starting at $500
- Home decor for sale starting at $20
Contact Info:
- Instagram: @Archivehouseatx and @peace.love.mae
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/maegan-bedells-4baa2a50
