Old Kid, New Block: Meet DeNeatra Love-Jeffers of The Love Edit Interiors

I’m willing to bet you stumbled on this blog one of 3 ways. 1) You either know me from my successful ad career and the subject line in your inbox enticed you to click the link 2) You were given my name when talking about a new design project you want done, or 3) You goggled “ATL interior designers,” and my perfectly SEO optimized site brought you here. If it’s #3, there’s proof that #1 is true.

Let’s start with a formal intro, shall we? I’m DeNeatra Love-Jeffers, principle designer and creator of the full-service interior design firm, The Love Edit Interiors. Just like the homepage says, I spent the past 20 years as an Advertising Executive, working my way up to Vice President at the most awarded agency in the world. As the senior “account person” (that’s agency speak for throat to chock), I led multi-million-dollar advertising campaigns and TV commercial productions. I’ve worked with everyone from Steph Curry to Charlie D’Amelio. If you’re over a certain age and/or wondering who Charlie is, just know she has more social media followers than the last 3 presidents COMBINED. It was my role to ensure that every project (and the dozens of people that touched it), overdelivered on client’s expectations, stayed within budget, and was completed on time. Needless to say….(and the only time I’ll toot my own horn), completing projects of that magnitude took cultivating strong relationships, clear communication, and staying calm when things inevitably went wrong. I was at the top of career and killing it…

That brings me to the climax of this blog post. Yes, my team killed it, but in the process I nearly killed myself. Weekly flights, creative revisions, and a monumental birthday caused me to take a step back and reevaluate. Is this the life I want? The colleagues I want? I type of work I want? The hours I want? Of those questions, only one I answered yes. I loved the work I did. However, I didn’t love my hours, my travel, or my colleagues (if you’ve ever worked in a creative field, you know it comes with….characters).

The good news, I realized there was something I loved. “I LOVE THE WORK I DO,” I thought to myself. I love meeting new vendors, client’s expressions when the mood board it spot on, and I even love the messy middle of figuring out a plan B or C. “Now, my challenge,” I thought to myself, “is figuring out a career change that gives more of what I love and less if what I don’t. But what?” At that moment, I got a text from my husband’s close friend. “Hey, did you hire a designer? I love how serene and calm your home feels. I need help with my space.” At that moment, The Love Edit Interiors was born. Thing is, I received texts like that all the time. But this time, as the young kids say, it hit different. With my curiosity piqued, I enrolled into a continued education course in interior design, at Emory University. Encouraged by my professor turned mentor/friend, I started meeting people in the design community. Before long, I had my first client. The rest, as they say, is history.

So, what can you expect from myself and The Love Edit? Ascetically, spaces designed to feel like a calming reprieve. I want every client to exhale when walking into their home. Professionally, you can expect the same attention to detail, transparency and rigor that I’ve always had. Personally, you can expect authenticity, sarcasm (sorry in advance) and laughs. And if you like espresso and Free People, well….also expect a new best friend.

I’m DeNeatra, a recovering ad exec who’s always had a passion for interiors. Excited to have you on this journey with me!

Xoxo

D