While plenty of designers aim to do their best work with every project, Nashville-based Brad Ramsey, founder of his 11-year-old firm, Brad Ramsey Interiors, chases a different goal: “I want my clients to feel at peace in their spaces—whatever that means to them,” he says. “If they feel at peace in a showstopper of a home with all the bells and whistles or if they crave a simple, comfortable home that leans into function more than aesthetics, we work hard to steer them into the right design choices.” In fact, he attributes his success to an endless and consistent collaboration with the clients who will one day live among his designs. “I listen, I learn, I create, and I edit, all with the goal of capturing my clients’ unique perspective,” Ramsey explains.
Before founding his own firm, the southerner, who studied studio art at the University of Georgia and Belmont University, worked as a project manager at Pierce & Company. During his tenure at the Nashville firm, he and the rest of the team starred in a 13-episode run of the HGTV reality show Interiors Inc. “Starting at a design firm as a project manager and learning all aspects of the business from recordkeeping to interfacing with clients and, of course, the art of design really had the greatest impact on my career,” Ramsey says. “To put it simply, I learned what to do and what not to do by watching and observing others in my field.” The designers at Pierce & Company may have taught him the skills he needed to venture out on his own, but his first real experience with design came long before joining that team. Ramsey says, “I remember watching Candice Olson on television and being so moved by her sophisticated designs. It felt like real design for real people.” That sense of relatability is one of the many driving forces behind his work.
Ramsey adds, “I literally find inspiration everywhere all the time. I have over 50,000 photos on my phone because my eye is always drawn toward capturing the beauty of a moment.” Ramsey calls himself “an insatiable sponge, always taking in inspiration.” One exception, however, is trends, which Ramsey tries to avoid. “I am not really moved by emerging trends, as my focus is more on designing for my clients’ tastes,” he says. He may not be into trends, but a design era he’s excited about is the current one. “Anything goes, and everything is possible!”
An Alys Beach, Florida, home is “neutral and textural.”
House Beautiful: What’s your favorite…(and why)?
Item to collect: “Anything organic, tribal, or artisan in nature, like pottery, sculptures, and textiles in neutral, earthy color tones.”
Paint color: “If a warm, dark room is called for, I love Outerspace by Sherwin-Williams. On the opposite end of the spectrum, Swiss Coffee by Benjamin Moore is the perfect white.”
Artist or piece of art: “Monet was always my favorite growing up. My visit to the Musée de l’Orangerie in Paris was epic!”
Local shopping destination: “Give me a greenhouse or nursery. Love a little local place called Creekside Garden Center.”
Online store: “CB2 for its unique, sexy collections and accessories with an accessible, low price point.”
Travel destination: “One day I will make it to Italy, but I have been blessed to travel all over and love immersing myself in all different cultures, architectural styles, topography, and culinary experiences.”
Decor item you buy on repeat: “Coffee table books and candles—on repeat.”
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