Meet Tamela Greene | Interior Designer

We had the good fortune of connecting with Tamela Greene and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Tamela, do you disagree with some advice that is more or less universally accepted?
Follow your Bliss….A career is a job and something where you need to earn money to enjoy your life. My bliss is lying in bed and reading all day. Truly. That is what brings me into a blissful state. But what I earn a living at is interior design which I like VERY much and I am good at. I think a career path can be many things but many times it is not blissful. It is rewarding, infuriating, fun, not so fun, satisfying, stressful. Well you get the picture. Find something you are good at, that you like very much, that you can make a living at, take a good vacation every year on what you earn, and put a bit back in savings. That’s my career advice.

Alright, so for those in our community who might not be familiar with your business, can you tell us more?
I have had my interior design business fo five years. I have not pursued press very much because since the Pandemic we are full on getting serious work done everyday. I do not have much time for press or social media even though I think it is really important. But I did get an email blast about a potential story in the WSJ and I took the time to respond to the initial email. That turned into a full on phone convo, them emails, texts etc. For 4 weeks I really made myself available, This past weekend the WSJ ran a story on a project of mine with a pic of me on the COVER of the Mansion section. This was my proudest moment since I started my firm.

I am very organized in my correspondence with my clients. I respond to all emails or texts every day. Even if I do not have an answer I say I will get back to you. I will work a bit on Saturday but will try to take Sunday off completely. I have a VERY strong work ethic and not everyone does. I believe this has pushed me ahead of others in some cases. 100% of my business is referrals so I take very good care of all clients big and small. One is it the right thing to do. Two I want them to refer friends to me and they will only do that if they had a great experience.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I am a theater and museum gal. Good restaurants are a given in NYC.

Let’s hit a museum each day. Start with the Museum of the City of NY to get a flavor of the history. Lunch at Orsay which is French and gorgeous in it’s Art Nouveau decor. Let’s go see a Broadway show that evening. I just saw the Piano Lesson so would recommend that.

Next day could be the Nick Cave exhibit at the Guggenheim, lunch at St, Ambroeus, and then a walk in Central Park of course. Merry Go Round anyone?

Now lets go see the Thierry Mugler exhibit at Brooklyn Museum, lunch at any pizzaria we find because hey we are in Brooklyn…Dinner at Tiger back in Manhattan. Let’s go see the spoof Titanique and laugh the evening away.

I just read the Personal Librarian about the Pierpont Morgan Library so visiting this museum is very top of my list. Lunch at the W Hotel as the burgers there are supremo. Let’s go see 1776 and then go to the Rainbow Room for a nightcap…

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
This might be boring but my husband and kids. It was very stressful for me when I opened my interior design business. I went from stay at home mom to full on 10 hours a day working 7 days a week. I was around a lot less and when I was around I was a bit distracted. I remember running late for a meeting on a Saturday and I could not find something. I was tossing things out of a cabinet right and left and created a huge mess (which seriously stresses me out) and when I finally found it I started to put everything back in the cabinet. I was seriously going to be late now. My husband said go on and I will have this all nice and neat again when you get home. That was five years ago and I still remember that moment. My kids learned how to order in food too so I was not a slave to mealtimes anymore.

Website: www.greathousenyc.com

Instagram: greathousenyc

Linkedin: Tamela Greathouse Greene

Facebook: Tamela Greathouse Greene

Image Credits
Marco Ricca is the photographer