April Tomlin

I'm super excited. I have April Tomlin joining me. This woman is the hottest interior does miner in Nashville. She designs every major star's house pretty much. I'm not even kidding you. From Jason Alden and Brittany his wife, to Thomas written Lauren, to Tyler Hubbard and his wife Hayley, Jesse, James Decker. She has done so many houses and I'm just scratching the surface. She is so fantastic. Her view on life is amazing. She's a new mom. She talks

all about bouncing motherhood and a major career. She's awesome here. She is April Tomlin, Hey, April Tomlin. Hi, what's that girl? Oh? You know, not much, just mom and it out before I got here. It's about it mom and working, mom and working. Okay, so we were talking earlier, and you really are. You've been in every celebrity's bedroom. You're the celebrity interior designer to the stars, which is amazing. Yeah,

that's super kind. But I have been in quite a few bedrooms, even in Tyler and Haley Hubbard's from Florida, Georgia, Line, Thomas Rhett and Lauren. Uh, you did the Aldanes, Jason and Brittany, I know, you just did Jesse James Secker and her husband Eric, who's a New Titan. Yeah. Yeah, you helped us do our house? Did I? Did I do? We gotta get into how you got into the celeb world, but I want to start off with a few questions. Rapid fire, perfect, go. So, in ten words are less?

Describe your interior design style? Gosh that in ten words are less? That's really hard because I have a pretty eclectic but for me personally, so if you look at um, you know, Jason Aldane has a totally different style than uh, than Jesse James. Then they all have very different stuff to work with their personalities. For sure, yours, you know,

you have a super eclectic style. You like woods and colors and things like that, which I'm not known for, but when a client asked for something, that's what we you know, we tend to do. But we do put we do do a little pushback. But I would say for me personally, I like pretty natural, organic, um, collected, just collected me. I'm collected like I like finding like old pieces and just mixing them into to a modern

piece and then rustic. So if you like, my dream home would be a little rustic, a little collected, meaning like I might like a weird old lady's face above my bed, dude and my husband's and my husband would be like, why in the world is that old lady staring at me while I go to bed? But I love that sort of thing. But I also like really sleek and clean, like I don't like a lot of fuss and a lot of junks. So that's really weird

when you say collected, because it's like simple collected. It can't just be stuff everywhere these collected as accents like a pieces, Yeah, collected, I'm usually like more in art form like a painting or a picture. Yeah yeah, yeah, to seem old and like more of a modern space is what I like, or if it was me to put in like an older piece or currently above my bed is this um photograph of a bunch of unsmoking cigarettes. So that's amazing. So it's just weird odd things like

that that I like. But then the rest of my bedroom is pretty like normal, you know. So that's how I would describe my personal aesthetic. But then when we meet with a client, obviously we're going to do whatever you know, they like, but we put our own flare on, on our own taste, you know, on it. To that question, I actually have a question to that, how do you emerge your vision with this your client's vision? Because what if the client's vision is tacky? So we vet out

a little bit, So what does that mean? So we talked to the clients before, and we have a range you know of how like you go away from your comfort this yeah, and no matter who they are, you know, to be honest, like, of course we do have a pretty heavy, you know, celebrity clientelist, but no matter who you are, even if you you are Beyonce. She might be able to tell me to do something and I might just say okay, but out of the Oprah maybe. But other than that, we've met them out and see

if we match, you know, not to be rude. Yes, you've got to be a good match. It's a long process, you know, it's a long process. I mean furniture, just a one without the construction. I was on a construction site today this morning, and you know I'll complete that job next year. So I'll be working with this client the way through next year. So you've got to get along because you start at the beginning of the house building sometimes most of the time. So when is it

usually clients that are building a home? No, not Yeah, a lot like this client. Um, she's she's actually in the music industry, but she is on the business side. She's a pretty powerful lady in that world. And uh, I've done her house before. She's actually how I got into celebrities. Are you serious? And now I'm on her third home for her. So yeah, we'll work together all year, and we work on from instruction all the way through to the very very end. Is how we like to work.

But of course some people already have homes that are done, and we'll do small renovations to make to make it fit what they want and then um down to the simple like online design. We have a program where if

you're just getting started, it was the best. Yes, it's for a person that wants to uh start with a good foundation but not blow their bank, right, but not blow the bank, and um, it's it's that's a really fun process for a lot of people just because they get a board with the drawings and the products and everything, and then they get to order at their own pace. And when this board is cool because it's so laid out.

Basically you send a email over and there is a board of links with pictures and then the whole map of how the room should look. Yes, and you can click on all of it and just order it. It's just right there, already made. Yeah, it's like the best. It's pretty great. It's it's pretty great if I was if it was my first home, you know, and I didn't want and I was willing to put in the work,

you know, totally. At a large reason why we're on projects from beginning to end um for celebrities is they're gone all the time, you know, and even my non celebrity clients. They're busy all the time because usually if you're hiring a designer full time, you you've made it somewhat in the world, and you're busy, you know what I mean, you do not have time. So I mean we even worried down to like, oh my gosh, they're they're getting home as the toilet paper on all the roles.

I mean like literally they walk in and it they get to go live. My house looks horrible. I don't know that my house has toilet paper right now. I could not. You can't do it. They all the clients are taking care. They're taking care of paper is on the rule. My husband the other day said, can you just like not work for six months and get our house together? And I was just like that sounds awesome, but though that's not gonna happen. So who would be

your dream celebrity client? Oh gosh, that is a great question, do you know what? I don't know? I mean, someone crazy like Madonna like that would be because um, in country music it's really heavily male dominated. We just got Kelsey Ballerini and she's a great, a great you know, new addition to to our process. That's amazing. Yeah, she's great. She's so fun and and she's young, and we've got a long road you know, hopefully ahead with her and

we'll get to see that that process grow. Um and anyway, but Madonna, I don't have a lot of male clients because that they there's a lot of male country singers. We all know that there's not very many. You know, the women are starting to rise up, I'll say that. So I have a lot of men, So I would love a female. I would love to do. I'm known for a little more masculine. I would love to do super like kind of girly. Um, but I'm my style's edgy all the time. So I feel Madonna. I feel

like Madonna would really like me. I think she would maybe not, maybe she would hate me, but I feel like that would be a really fun push yourself outside of the box. Yes, yes, actually today the content we had today, she's pretty edgy and and she said no black and white, no gray, none of it. And well, that's your specialty. It's kind of like what we do a lot of. She's a very clean Yeah. Yeah, So I was in the car with my team. I have three girls, that no black and white, no gray, No

black and white, no gray. So I told the team they're concepting while I'm gone. I've already started the kick off of the concepting. But I showed them everything, and I said, this is the time you've got to push yourself. Don't show don't show me anything that's black or white or gray. And you know that that's hard because everybody, you know, production of furniture is usually in those colors, so it'll be really fun. So do you enjoy having boundaries like that that are that are like, okay, we're

not doing black, white and gray? Do you like have to think outside? Because this client, I know what she's going for and I can see it, and you like her style, and so it's a match. Yes, it's not traditional or anything. She's not like saying, hey, do it traditional for me. She's saying, I want funky, I want over the top, you know what I mean. And I don't want a black or gray. And of course there's

gonna be something like that. Yeah, yeah, but she she knows me well and she's saying, give me something different. And and you know, when you do it every single day, just like anybody's business, anybody anybody that works anywhere, because I used to have an office job as well. And when you go in that environment or any environment, you want to shake it up, you want to change. I feel the same way, you know. So that's exciting, it is. It gets really exciting when I hear projects like that.

So and then when people ask for exactly what I do, of course they're going to get a good product because I know exactly. You know, it's easy to navigate for me at this point, you know, So what is your nightmare color palette? And like design palette if you had to, you walk into a room and you're like, I'm in

hell what does that look like? Um? I don't know, you know, like anything, I don't know except seeing good with that too, anything that's like, uh, that royal blue color, Like I've seen a lot of This whole room is royal blue, right, yeah, basically were and this is time in hell y. Yeah, there's a lot of green and purple and blue. Yeah, this is a set, Thank the Lord. Where do you gather your inspiration for designing? Where did

you learn how to design? So that's a really interesting story. So, um, I was raised with a single mom and we just we barely had a pot to pean. We really did not have much. Was it just you and your mom and my brother? Okay, yes, and so we my dad left very early on. And my mom's just the sweetest. I mean, she just there, could not be a better woman. So she did real estate. She ran my father's plumbing company, and she had her contractor's license and was building homes

when I was a kid. So when she didn't have we didn't have money for babysitters, so we would just kind of have to go with her everywhere. So I would have to go on her listings and I would just be sitting there and I think I was. She says, I was like eight or nine, and I would start moving furniture around, like you knew where you wanted to go? Yes, I knew, you know I did. And then one day she actually came in. We were at home, unsupervised, because that's when you do what your boor and you don't

have any money for babysitters. Probably a lot of good thing. I can't imagine leaveen everly, but I was left and we she got home and me and my brother had painted like half of her room as high as we could reach. And we were like eight or nine years old, so I was always doing things like that. So, um, yeah, I've always I think it was just that, you know, I would be embarrassed when people would come over because we just didn't have a lot like of stuff on

the walls. It just didn't feel homey to me. It just didn't. And and it's you know, she did the best that she could. But so I really have a passion when people kind in that they feel like they're at home. You know, people don't. It's not a materialistic job. It's not as materialistic as you would think because you know, feeling letting your having a space, Like when I think of my space for my daughter, you know, the thing, I wanted to feel safe, right I wanted to feel

like it's hers. I wanted to always feel like she can come back, you know what I mean. And I wanted to have pieces that aren't that aren't going to be thrown away, Like I wanted to have pieces that she remembers, you know. And so it's very hard hard to design in a way that's going to kind of last. M gould be cool right now. So I really try to do both of those things. Um, but yeah, so that's it wasn't like a materialistic wanting to get into design.

It was like probably more of like a insecurity or a need or and then just start growing different mom. Yeah, yeah, for sure doing that. Yeah, and you know, I think design comes naturally people. Um, obviously I'm trained, but we did you go to school to learn? Yeah? And so but with I have my one of my main designers is not and we interviewed a lot of people and she was the best. She has it and um, and I think I get a lot of direct messages about

how people can get in. And I would always encourage everybody to go to school and that Yeah, even if you don't get a degree, you need to at least go to some classes because a lot like this morning alone, I've been on the phone with electricians and plumbers and you really need to know the house and like you can't really. I'm heavily insured because when we do renovations, obviously, you you need to be able to do those renovations

with confidence and know what you're doing. You don't want to get into someone's house and and interrupt their their way of life, and I've seen that happen. Um, but I do feel like aesthetics are natural thing. Um, it really is hard to teach. Either have it or you don't. Yeah, I think I think so. Again, like I've never hired and like carried someone that was a bad designer through my process. But um, you know, like I said, my main girl, she doesn't have a degree and she's she's

a and she never went to one class. But she did build her own home before from from the ground she learned, she kind of had. She learned, she really did. And now as far as like Nashville obviously has the most cranes in the sky, it's hard to get permits here, it's hard to do work here. Um, she knows codes and everything. So she Yeah, she ended her own little school. Yeah she did. She did, So you at least have

to you know, start there. Um. But I tell everybody how I got actually started is did you just start off with your own business because you're only thirty five and you're running a writhing business? Yea, So um, Actually, the I don't think she would care that I said this, But her name is Mary Hilliard. She is the house that I'm doing that I've been talking about. She's the one that's clients. But She's also was a mentor tour very early on because she owns her own very successful business.

And I remember I was leaving my full time job and I called her and I was already doing Jason's house and she was the ones like, you got you cannot do a four hour work week and this on the side. And I called her. I was like, I'm gonna be working like some furniture story and I don't want to, and she's like, no, you won't. So I think I think it's every everybody that starts own thing. It's a huge risk. It is. Did you start your own thing right at the beginning, or did you already

have some houses under your belt? Oh? I had houses under my belt. Were you with another company originally? Yes, And I was doing like a bunch of set design stuff and design for them, but I had a salary, you know, and that's secure and yeah, and then they're like, let me dive it into the world. I would work to like oh my gosh, like two am, like thank god.

Those clients would let me stay in their house because they were gone or whatever, and I would work throughout the night, and then one day it became I had already brought on that first designer that I have mentioned previously within the company you're working with, Yes, and we would meet, sorry for the company I was working for before, but we would meet on my lunch break. Oh so you were already kind of secretly starting your other one. Oy Okay, yes, hey, you gotta get gotta do it,

and so sorry about that. But we would meet on our on our on my lunch break and talk about the you know what clients we had going on or whatever. And then finally one day I was just like, I just have to quit. I have done enough work. But you know, since you've heard my story and kind of where I come from, it's hard to walk away from a salary thing. I mean, my mom was like, are

you crazy? It feels that feels crazy, yes, because I had no fallbacks, Like there's nobody to help me out if I didn't make it, Like literally, you're sinking or swimming, sinking or swimming, and that's like a legit. They would be me getting my car, driving back to Memphis and living with my mom. That would be my backup play. Okay, so luckily it went Opite killed it. But how do you feel in that moment where you quit your job. You have this nice pay salary job. You know, it's

probably very respectful, you could stay there forever. How does it feel in that moment where you're like, Okay, I'm going to jump and take this leap of faith? To me, that's like really going for your calling, like pursuing it with your full heart. And you're like, okay, I'm like flying out over It felt like this ledge and I pray to God I got a parachute, Like what does that feel like? Can you remember that? Yeah? Oh no, Yeah, I know I do. I cried the whole way home.

I was just like, there's just you know there. How did you know it was time? Because I was so overworked. I was so overworked and I wasn't doing anything justice, you know, I wasn't. It wasn't fair to my employer obviously, and and it also it wasn't fair to the clients. Like I knew that I could be faster, more efficient. Um, the design is still the same, right, But there there

is a method to an interior design business. I mean, we we have a process and that process works, and it's not just about flying into your house and saying what is the process. So if it's a regular client. We you know, we have our first initial meeting where we walk their home or whatever. We do not shop with clients. It's not something that we do. Some people do it that probably take there's probably a lot of wasted time. It's quite better for you to talk to them,

get their vision. We fully then you send ideas. Yes, we fully concept. They come into our office and we do full presentations with all of our samplings and they say yes and everything. We always give them time. We always give them time to We never asked for any responses. Actually we ask for no responses um. And then they're able to go home, talk to whoever they need to

talk to, think about it. Um. And then we always just ask them to kind of circle what they like and and you know, we can tell kind of what we've hit the mark on and what we've missed the mark on. And uh, once we've agreed established on what we're gonna do. If there's renovations involved, we start there. If it's just furniture planning, UM, we have a whole

ordering process. We have the way a way that we order a place that it's sent installed period of time like and it's all scheduled and um, and so they kind of know what's going to happen exactly down to the day basically, and it usually stays on schedule. We we are pretty well known first day and on schedule because I'm can be a little bit of a bit when it comes to that. She's just being just running a business. Yeah, well, you want it done when it's

supposed to be done. Yeah. And and you know, design and construction can be really loose. It can be really loose. Oh my gosh, we built a garage. Is supposedly done in three months. It was done eight months. Oh yeah, I mean that's just kind of and I hate that because you know, really we do set realistic expectation though, I would say that that's key. That's how we stay on top. We never like if a clock comes to me, like I want this done in two months, and like,

find somebody else it's not happening. That's awesome. You're honest and upfront about what you can deliver. I could deliver something it's not going to be good, and you're gonna call me back and like, you know, a couple of months and you know, have problems here and there, and because you know, experience teaches you that too. So but yeah, so we have a pretty pretty thorough process. And sometimes I still look at Keaton, who is She's not good

designor girl I was telling you about. But she's like my right hand she if you want to know something's going on in your job, every client knows to not call me to call and Keaton, Um, I'll every once in a while be like, you know, what does our waiting lists look like? And um, it's that poor kid coming out of me like I'm about to be rama noodles or something. But um, she's like, would you chill out because you want to make sure there's a nice waiting Yeah. Do people still want to do this? Like

so um? So yeah. So she's just like April, you're fine, Like it's fine, We've got clients for days. Just breathe and relax and um. So what's great is now that I have a daughter. Um, she quickly has become way more important than work for me. How is that being a career woman and a mother? What tell me about that balance? I love it? I love how do you

make it balanced? So? Um, at the beginning, my mom was what to watch her, and she ended up developing ramatori authritis, and so now she just kind of comes as is. But we are actually surrounded with people that watch our kids that are family. Um, it's not my sister in law. It's like my sister in law, sister in law, she watches her. That's awesome. I'm not gonna lie to the lady that cleans my house, who's like

my family. She watches her sometimes awesome, But she's like in the hands of people that genuinely love her, love her. So I'm able too. But you know, I have friends and they go and their kids go to daycare, and and I mean it's just single moms. I just I am working moms. I just I have it very easy. I have a very great support. I have great support. Um, I work. We have a whole big office in my home, so you work from home, watch her child there, but you're there. I try not to go down because she

obviously wants her mom before anybody else. And it really creates this like like the person that's watching her is like, really, seriously, get out of here, because now I'm left with the baggage when you when you scream, yeah, And so I try to really, you know, just work. But you know what Rachel's oh is like a huge I love her?

Is that one of your inspirations? Yeah, lover her? And I I've I read her book Gosh when I was in my younger twenties, and you learn from that book, Well, I learned a lot about fashion because it was all

about fashion. But then, you know, I watched the whole show when she was trying to considering getting pregnant, and you know, all these different kinds of things, and I read some statements that she said, you know, years later, and she just said, I am so much more efficient, And that's what happened since because you can't just lollygag and like what would take ten minutes and an hour to do it? You have to do it in the ten.

So you know, our office vibs have changed to Smith because you know, he used chitty chat a little bit more. And and now it is like, you know, nine to five, I'm walking out that door at five, So we got to get everything done by then, and we do, we get it done. Of course, I've hired more people and things like that, which is made I'm so glad I'll waited a little bit later to get pregnant. But um, and have a baby. But yeah, it's it's efficiency you

as a mom. Like I'm actually think to myself, sometimes I do all that. I'm pretty sure I did. I'm pretty sure I did that. I was as kind of yeah, that's about it. But you know what, I think that every woman that works or doesn't work, I take Thursdays off. Hard to stay in my life, hard to stay with, hard to stay in my life. It's it's way hard. It is like having a child all day. It's so exhausting, right, Yeah, And so I challenged myself off. Yeah, I really wanted

some uninterrupted time. I don't take phone calls. You can ask my clients. But I have great balance that you've worked into your life. And so I have Thursdays with Everly, and of course the weekends my personal life, I have none. Um, it's just Everly in work and my husband right now. But yeah, with Everly on Thursdays, it's obviously amazing. But you are a mother, you know what I'm it is the hardest thing because they I mean they sleep and

then they play and they're on the top. Yeah, we're on the floor playing like and I'm thinking, I've got to be more creative in that day than I ever do doing anyone time, because it's like, oh my gosh, what are we gonna do next? Because they need they need constant simulation. Oh yeah, all of my clients right now are pregnant and they're all like, how about how all this crap. I'm like, you don't. You can try. I'll give you two months and then we'll read, we'll rediscuss.

I've got three jumpers in my living room and that's so something that you should not say as a mom, because you don't jumping kids and jumpers all the time. But I don't let me clarify, I do not stick my child in a jumper all day long. But she likes different ones and now she likes to hold onto the edges and like explore in between the three. So they're just literally like in my living room with with the toys, and I'm like, welcome to my home, come on, And I love it. It's babies are us in here?

It is I'm telling you, everyone I know is having babies. It's baby season. And I love you because you have found a balance where you still have your career, your marriage, everything and a child. And I think that is absolutely incredible. To see a woman doing that. Thank you, because it's hard hard. It's hard. It might be harder to being a say, at home mom, but it's also it's also hard to work and be away from your kids. And you know, I just don't you have a lot of guilt,

you have all these different It's a real thing. It's a real thing, and it's not everything right. I always tell myself, I'm like, good lord, my mom worked three jobs. We had nothing, and I love her more than I mean. She is just right on up there with everyly and my husband. They're all in the same line for me. And she did not stay home with me. She did not call on me, she did not baby me. She couldn't,

you know. And so I think about my daughter and the and the privileged life that I live of honestly, and I think, you know, it doesn't matter. It doesn't matter if you're working, it doesn't matter if you're saying at ho, I'm like your kid. If you love them, they're gonna love you right back, and they're not gonna remember.

And so anytime I'm gone for you know, eight hours or in the day or whatever, I just say to myself, she's not even she is gonna one day I appreciate this, and she's gonna appreciate that you worked hard and you had a passion and you follow through and maybe she wants to be a designer and how that would be

pretty business together. My other designer just had a little girl, and we always talked about We're like, what if my daughter's name is Everly and her daughter's name is Serena, And we're like, what if Everley and Serena, like one day took this over, I'd be out and I'd be in the Caribbean, and oh would that not be heaven? I always tell my husband, He's like, what are you ever thinking about quitting? And I'm like, yeah, when Everley tooks over all, that's perfect? So you love it? Like

do you love this to be yourself? I? UM? Yeah, I think so. I need um again. I think because of where I come from, like I need two. I don't know how to say this without sounding like I need therapy, but I don't need therapy. I love therapy, but yeah, I lived in therapy. I like to know that I'm contributing. Do you know what I mean? Totally? Like,

did you know you're able to? Yeah? I like to say, hey, honey, I'm getting this light for our dining room, and then that's the end of the story because I'm getting this light for our our dining room. You know, I don't. I don't. I don't want to want to ask and um and he would give freely, absolutely, But I like to be in a position where I just don't. I can provide, I can find for myself. And again that's where I come from. That's what I saw, So you know,

I think that's great. Therapist, hit me up. I probably need to talk to that. But I found some and I do and I wouldn't probably do any job and sacrifice my time with my child if I didn't have to,

to be honest, but this is something that I just don't. Actually, one of the conversations that my husband and I had was, yes, I could totally quit think about how much money I would spend in our health if I was here all day looking at everything, like best I'm looking at our house is totally best that I'm looking at other people's talent getting paid for it because I can see something that I love and I'm like, that should go there versus this should come come with me. And he's like

great point. April. I was like, yeah, that's so I'm saving a lot of money. I said, the money I'm bringing in, I'm saving as a whole whole lot of money. So yeah, I love that. Okay, so we're gonna wrap up before I do that. What's your best experience, Like you're like, the best experience you had designing a house and the worst experience? Do you have any of that come to mind? Um gosh, like one that just set

you on fire? Like happiness? Yeah, so I've had. Actually they're kind of all in the tie and they all have the same exact denominator, which is a client that trusts the vision and that we're your best. Just let

up the reins. The clients that are the happiness, the happiest, and the experiences that I've had were I'm the have everybody is the happiest is when they don't quite get it, you know, like it's your home, I get it, Like I would want to know everything that was going I would want to know down to the candle, what what

I'm paying for, what was coming into my house. The best experience, though, are when people and it's usually on their second home, third home, when they're like you go, I trust you and then and they mean it and they don't ask any questions and then they come home or they go through the experience and it's kind of it is a lot more flawless. And so that would you not gonna say fluid with your vision. It doesn't get like little child blocks like chap chopped up. Yeah,

I think it really chops up. It's a flow experience. For that's what I tell everybody. Your house should honestly from the time you walk through the front to the back. Um, it should feel it. Yeah, it should. You should feel like you're going through it. That's some of the most impressive homes to me is when you walk from the front to back and every room is different, but every

room is the same, you know what I mean. You feel like you're in the same home, but every rooms so different, and that there's a creative element something that you know you haven't seen before that's not like the number one pin on Pinterest. And so those are my those are my favorites. And there's a couple that that have that that that's happened for um. My worst um is when the team like so you know you've got contractors architects, designers and then all your subs and you know,

you have to work as a team. And I just got off this one job man, and it was it was a disaster because the contractor was not from Nashville, so that's they were hired out from somewhere else and they came on and it was just it was just it was bad, and there was a lot There was a lot of money to work together. It wasn't that. There's a lot that goes into it. Um, a lot of things that were happening that shouldn't have been happening.

And you know, there's a lot of rules when you when you're designing and you're building, and those rules are re unbroken. And of course I've been with a client for a long time and so I was the one that has to bring all that to light. And those are really hard conversations that that contractor is no longer on the job and we're continuing but um with another contractor. But it was pretty It made me sick to my

stomach some of the conversations. You know, when things go wrong in a house, it cast, it can cost tens of thousands of dollars, and those conversations when you see it happening or you're even a part of it, or whatever is going on their gut wrenching, like you can lose sleep at night because it's you know, you rip out things and there's mold everywhere, you know, and and you and you can tell people that up front, but then it's like you never have excited about it or

probably in a good mood about it, right right, and and you know, and I just had this door that got made and it was supposed to beautiful and it's not. And it's so expensive. But you know, the great thing is when you establish your company, you do have money to move and so obviously I eat that cost because I'm in charge. But it's to get that phone call.

And thank god, it's just a door. I mean, I've seen it be whole rooms, not for me but for other people, and you know it was just adorabill eat it will change it or whatever, but those are It's just as a business owner, you have to have a lot of conversations a lot of different people. You're yelling at one person over here from the door, and then you're having to eat crow over here and and totally take the blame because you know, I didn't make the door. I as soon as I saw it, I brought it.

You know, I've fixed it, but I still am responsible. And so those are some super hard conversations. Some of the clients, like Thomas Rhet and Lauren Rett and they're they're Aikins there. There's such solid people and because they go and they you know, see other third world countries for the easiest people, because they're just so loving in their heart. They know how they just know what's important and what's not and um, and I did will his room and um because they stopt the propos little was

it from Haiti? Yeah? Yeah, And so you know she could she gave you just did it as a gift. But I did her room, and you know, she just me and she was just like, you know, these are the things that I want to you know, I want to be a part of it. But you do you and and and we did and they loved it. And so she gets it that it's just you know, no stress. You know, she came home a couple of things weren't done. She's like, you know, I look, I can sleep in my bed for a while if she has to, you know.

So it's just it's the perspective is great because of what they see and where they go and travel and stuff. Just having a good perspective about what. Really we all lose it. We all lose perspective. You want a great house. At the end of the day. We're not dying of cancer here right Luckily, you know, with where I come from and everything, I still have that family. I didn't

lose them, and so they're the sweetest people ever. But I gained perspective very quickly because you know, they don't have everything and they never will, and and so I'm always, you know, very reminded that not all of us get to live with designers and you know, people that they hired to do their house, to do their houses, and so it's good to to have that. And if you

don't have it, go find it. I agree, you know. Okay, So the last question, after everything you've lived through, all that you've done, accomplished, everyone that you've seen and worked with, leave your light. So leave some inspiration of how you have been inspired or how you would like to inspire people. You know, it's gonna sound really weird, but I live

pretty simply as far as um. Some people find it so fascinating when they walk into my closet because I just don't have a lot of clothes because if I'm not wearing them and I see anybody, I just give them all away. And you could ask any friend of mine they're like, do you can I borrow something? I'm like,

you could, There's not a lot here. Um And so I would say that that that is um is is something that I always try to remember because in the world of interior design it can be super materialistic, and you know, you can get caught up in things that

are just really don't really just don't matter. So I always um what I try to do in reality, like not some big slogan, because I don't remember slogans, but in reality, like I always just kind of look around and whether it's my housekeeper or whether it is someone else's or I have friends that are teachers who have four underprivileged schools, and uh, and I'll just go through my closet and go through my life and just take all of the crap and just send it away, you

know what I mean. I don't need a tax trite off for it. I don't have to give it to something where I'm gonna receive something, it's just I just give it away. And and I'm saying it now because you asked, but I would say the other most important thing is to do it quietly. You know what I mean is to do things a little more quietly, because um, that's I just feel like that's how you receive your rewards in heaven is to do things quietly, and so you don't have to be a known philanthropist to be

able to, you know, give give things away. And another pet paint that I have as far as giving things away is when I hear people say I will not give that homeless person money because he's probably gonna drink. I literally want to die every time I hear that, because it's not really any of our business. And if they do, you know what, I would probably drink every day too if that was my position in life, right, And you know, it's my responsibility to give, it's not

my responsibility to assign how they use it. Yeah. Yeah, So April Tomlin, Sat, April Tomlin, it's not true. You ship. You're amazing. Thank you so much. Thanks for having me, Thanks for having me. I appreciate it, I appreciate thanks for your time, and I have sonsy. I know you love that interview. How inspiring is April? She is the best. You guys, get excited. I have YouTube sensations Megan and Liz joining me next week. These two girls are not

I think they're not even twenty five yet. They have their own clothing line, they have their own brand on YouTube. They are killing it. A new single out called Habit. The way they have navigated this YouTube world blows my mind and we talk all about it. You will not want to miss them. They have over a million subscribers on YouTube. What They're incredible. We'll see you next week. Don't forget to subscribe.