Julia Savannah-Rose Alexander was working as an executive with Bloomingdale’s before she made a decision that would change the trajectory of her career.
“I always wanted to be an architect. So, after some frustration, I went back to school in my thirties to the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA),” said Alexander.
“It took me five years, but I got a Bachelor of Science in Interior Architecture from UCLA. It wasn’t easy, but it was well worth it. I absolutely love what I do. I’ve been doing it for over twenty years.”
Alexander, who always had a passion for design, “hit the ground running” with her business the day she graduated. “If wanting to start a business is constantly nagging at you like it was me – I would say just jump in and do it.”
As an interior architect and owner of Alexander Classic Interiors, Alexander specializes in planning and designing the interiors and exteriors of homes – anything from bedrooms, kitchens, bathrooms to even garages.
“I can do everything that an architect does except change the footprint of a house. I could put a second floor on your house. I can knock down every wall in your house, but I can’t change the footprint,” said Alexander.
“I can also handle all of the painting, hanging artwork, going to antique dealers, getting your accessories, choosing fabrics for your furniture and rugs, and choosing mirrors.”
Alexander has worked internationally and across the United States in places such as Mexico, England, Lebanon, California, and Utah – her office is now based in Chapin, where she moved a few months ago.
“I love living here. It’s a great state and the people here are so nice. I’ve been very welcomed.”
Providing stellar customer service has been extremely importan to Alexander throughout her career. “I take care of my clients completely. I like to hold their hand from beginning to end. I will go with them to tile shops and granite shops. There are 1 million decisions to make, but I try to make it fun and easy for them. I want to make sure my clients love what I do for them,” said Alexander.
Alexander also knows how to communicate with contractors on behalf of her clients “I show up on job sites. I can talk to contractors; I know their lingo.”
She attributes her current success to a mentor who invested in her and encouraged her as a student. “At UCLA’s orientation, I met an architect with whom I got to do internships and work on projects. He gave me a little powder room to tile and put new fixtures in, so that helped me to build my portfolio. I always felt like I could do this work, but nobody ever took me by the hand and said, ‘Oh yeah, you’ve got to do this.’ It’s because of him I am where I am today.”
In her downtime, Alexander enjoys spending time with her ragdoll cats and visiting historical cities and museums. She also makes it a point to reduce waste from her business.
“I’m all about the environment because my industry can be very wasteful. I try to keep as much out of the dump as possible because even though I’m tearing out a kitchen, to somebody else it would be brand new, and they would love it.
Alexander Classic Interiors
803-930-3037
savannahrosealexander@gmail.com