We had the good fortune of connecting with Victoria Jaeger, Owner and Principal Designer of Fort Worth’s residential and commercial design and concepts firm, J. House & Co., and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Victoria, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
I grew up in Grapevine, TX – a suburb smack dab in between Dallas and Fort Worth. Most say I’m a little bit Dallas, a little bit Fort Worth. If you know Texas, you know what that means. If you aren’t as familiar with Texas, it means that I could put on a pair of high heels one weekend and cowboy boots the next. I could order the finest Wagyu steak this side of town had to offer but could also be perfectly (if not more) happy with Mom’s home cooked meal. I could enjoy a glass of red but turn around and shoot a whiskey with the best of them. This middle of the road mentality led me to one of our main foundations at J. House & Co. – being rooted by traditional concepts that aim to capture the spirit of time-honored living by instilling refined elegance, hospitality, composed charm, and a deep sense of place. There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t realize how fortunate I was to grow up with the people, places, experiences and opportunities that I did so with. But like everyone in life, I experienced my fair share of challenges and battles along the way. Difficult as they may, I chose not to let those hurdles classify me, but rather embrace and utilize them to grow. I dialed in on life lessons, took valuable conversations and advice with me as I went, and never let things knock me off my rocker too much. While all of that still useful and important today, it wasn’t until I found my strength and purpose in Jesus Christ and realized all the beautiful, unimaginable things that He had offered me and all the good to come that is accessible only through Him, that truly impacted who I am today. His foundations and teachings are paramount to who I am and how I operate today. It was Galatians 5:22-23 (The MSG) that captured my heart – “But what happens when we live God’s way? He brings gifts into our lives, much the same way that fruit appears in an orchard—things like affection for others, exuberance about life, serenity. We develop a willingness to stick with things, a sense of compassion in the heart, and a conviction that a basic holiness permeates things and people. We find ourselves involved in loyal commitments, not needing to force our way in life, able to marshal and direct our energies wisely.” Whether you believe or not, I knew in my heart of hearts that everyone has these same desires and realized that this couldn’t have been a coincidence. You have to give it to Him….The Man was on to something.

We’d love to hear what sets you apart from others, what you are most proud of or excited about. How did you get to where you are today business-wise. What do you want the world to know about you or your brand and story?

My passion with the industry of interior design and all the creative avenues around it never lacked in all my years growing up. My mom and dad were constantly doing DIY projects around the house which sparked my initial interest – I can make pretty things AND earn a living? I was sold. I flew the nest and went on to study and obtain my Bachelor of Interior Design at the University of Arkansas, where my understanding of design began to grow even more as I learned about the philosophy that it’s intended to evoke an experience, inspire community, and enhance functionality in people’s lives. With my newfound drive behind my career, I graduated and immediately got to work for a boutique hospitality interior design studio. I then transitioned to a position at a general contracting firm so that I could add the construction knowledge to my tool belt (pun intended). I wanted to not only have the beautiful idea, I wanted to be able to tell you how to make the beautiful idea come to life. With an education, design/construction/project management knowledge, and a whole lot of faith in my pocket, I knew I had been afforded a unique opportunity to be placed in a position to start my own business. So I took it!

JHC is unique in the sense that we don’t operate strictly from a corporate mindset. We view clients as friends, set forth the day with the spirit of serving others and never let ourselves get too overwhelmed because we know things will always work out how they’re intended to. Although we exemplify those characteristics now, it took me a while to not get too overwhelmed with things. We have a saying in our office called “perfection paralysis”. It’s where you get hung up on getting everything just so that it actually prevents you from getting anything done. If you know, you know. It’s been critical to let that mentality shift to one that compartmentalizes thoughts/ideas, make a decision, and move on to the next. Being in the creative industry, it makes things even that more challenging because your mind goes in 500 directions. Design is a fluid, organic practice. I have to remind myself that it’s ever evolving and I would tweak a project until I passed away if I didn’t finally put down the pencil.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
Fort Worth is the known as “Where the West Begins” – so I’d show them exactly that but with a little JHC spin on it. It’s straight and simple. Start the day off on Magnolia St. with a stroll to Cherry Coffee. Next, shop and browse the curated goods in Chieffalo Americana off Camp Bowie or Morgan Mercantile on South Main. Indulge lots of pasta at our favorite hole in the wall Italian restaurant, Cafe Bella near the TCU area. Then, finally end the night one of two ways. Either sipping on an old fashioned at The Amber Room or staying true to our Fort Worth roots and having some beers at Second Rodeo Brewing after enjoying the infamous rodeo in the Stockyards. If you take our advice and visit these places on your next weekend or when a friend’s visiting, we might just see you there too!

Tell us about a book you’ve read and why you like it/what impact it had on you.
The Ruthless Elimination of Hurry by John Mark Comer. In John’s own words – “The word hurry, involves excessive haste or a state of urgency. It is associated with words such as hurl, hurdle, and hurricane. He defined it as a ‘state of frantic effort one falls into in response to inadequacy, fear, and guilt’. The simple essence of hurry is too much to do. The good of being delivered from hurry is not simply pleasure but the ability to do calmly and effectively – with strength and joy – that which really matters. ‘We should take it as our aim to live our lives entirely without hurry. We should form a clear intention to live without hurry. One day at a time. Trying today.’” This book helps begin to eliminate things that we “have” to do, makes you aware of the importance of not being afraid of “doing nothing” and instructs you to plan on such times and deal with that anxious feeling related to not being busy. To allow yourself to be in the panic, feeling it roll over you, and not going for the fix. His main message was that love, joy and peace cannot be achieved with hurry in the mix. How simple yet accurate is that statement? When it feels like the wheels are about to fall off the wagon, I cling to this truth as I operate day to day. In a world full of angst, we have immediate access to calm just by slowing down and choosing to see the good around you.

Who would you like to dedicate this interview to?
I’d like to dedicate this shoutout to the person who recommended this book to me. You’re always in my corner, leading me by example, and constantly keep me laughing in between it all.

Website: www.jhouseandco.com

Instagram: @jhouseandco

Facebook: @jhouseandco

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Image Credits
J. House & Co.

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