Exploring Life & Business with Whitley Semrow of DL Home Co

Today we’d like to introduce you to Whitley Semrow

Whitley , we appreciate you taking the time to share your story with us today. Where does your story begin?
I’ve always been drawn to creating spaces. My dad was a pastor, and we moved quite a few times during my childhood. We lived in Georgia, Tennessee, and Kentucky and finally landed in Michigan.

Our move from Kentucky to Michigan was very memorable. Our whole family piled into our Lincoln Town Car: my Dad, my pregnant Mom, me, my two brothers, two carsick beagles, and a parakeet.

Moving was hard and a lot of work, but many friends and good memories came from it. My parents would rip up carpets to refinish the wood floors and paint the walls, and my mom would sew curtains.

Our southern roots meant there were always antiques mixed in. I can remember running around an art studio while my parents worked on framing a large vintage print that they found. It was so magical watching my parents transform our fixer-upper homes into something that felt welcoming and warm. I believe my desire to transform a client’s home into something that feels unique to them stemmed from all of our moves.

In 2014, I graduated from Kendall College of Art and Design with a degree in Interior Design and a minor in furniture design. After that, I worked at a custom cabinetry studio and then a custom furniture store in Grand Rapids. I also did freelance work for a local architecture studio and an interior design studio. These years were full of learning and growth! In 2019 my husband and I found out we were pregnant, we were so excited! Everly was born in February 2020 and had to be in the NICU for three weeks. We were so happy to bring her home! A week later, the pandemic happened, and I eventually made the hard choice not to return to work.

Finding childcare was very difficult during the pandemic, and I didn’t love the idea anyway. I had always dreamed of having my own Interior Design business, but this just pushed me to do it a little sooner. I named my interior design studio DL Home Co after my Dad and Grandpa, both of their initials are D.L. My vision for my business is to bring together my Dad’s love for people and my carpenter Grandpa’s skill in creating homes for people.

We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
It can be challenging to grow a business while juggling parenting tasks. I often wish there was more time in the day or that I had more energy! It sounds cliche but these days are so precious and truly are going so fast.

Working in the design industry means you have to pivot almost daily, as hiccups can happen with contractors, clients, or shipping. One of my biggest challenges is “squirrel syndrome.” I’m not sure who coined this phrase, but it’s a great one! Squirrel syndrome is when we have everything planned for a project, but then we see something else new and exciting. We have to evaluate if this is something we should incorporate or if it’s not right for the project.

This industry is also experiencing much change with the rise of social media, AI, and online design. These are all great things, but they mean that there’s always something new to learn. I’m finding that taking some quiet time in my office to create lists and spend some quiet time with Jesus helps me focus and prioritize the things I need to get done. All in all, I’m also very thankful that I’ve had a pretty steady stream of repeat and referral clients since 2020.

As you know, we’re big fans of DL Home Co. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about the brand?
Dl Home Co’s design aesthetic is a mix of modern and traditional. I make sure to design in a way that reflects our clients story. I also use a holistic approach to our home, this means choosing, natural materials when possible, using vintage, and making sure everything has a place. When you mix all of this together, you have a home that feels layered and beautiful. The most important thing is for my client’s voice to be heard, our initial meeting is all about getting to know you. Your likes and dislikes and some of your favorite memories.

There are several different services I can use to create a home for my clients. The easiest way to start is styling. This is a great way to quickly change your home using some of what you have. It might also mean changing paint colors and mixing in some new pieces. I also offer online design, designer for a day, and design packages for remodels and new builds.

Do you any memories from childhood that you can share with us?
My favorite childhood memory is playing out in the woods, with my neighbors and siblings. We built houses out of sticks and drew up floor plans of our future homes. We were always barefoot, we packed our lunches and only came home when my Dad honked the van horn to let us know that dinner was ready. It was such a fun, carefree time.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://dlhomeco.com
• Instagram: dlhomeco