164 | Turning Remodel Problems Into Design Opportunities With Julie Stevens

We’ve all been there — you start a remodel excited and full of vision, and then reality hits. A wall isn’t where you thought it was, a material is delayed, or something totally unexpected pops up once construction begins. Suddenly, your dream design feels like it’s slipping away.

In this episode, I chat with the multi-passionate designer and entrepreneur Julie Stevens, whose creative journey spans interior design, product design, and entrepreneurship. Julie has designed everything from high-end interiors to patented products and even launched an award-winning cocktail brand, BeTini Spirits. What makes her story special isn’t just her creativity, but her resilience and mindset when things don’t go according to plan.

If you’ve ever felt overwhelmed by design challenges or wondered how to stay calm and creative in the middle of chaos, this episode will help you reframe those tough moments. You’ll learn how to approach setbacks as opportunities, balance multiple creative passions, and design spaces that are truly functional, personalized, and full of purpose.

Featured Guest:

Julie Stevens is a designer, inventor, and entrepreneur who’s built a career around merging beauty with function. From creating custom furniture and consumer products to launching her award-winning cocktail brand, BeTini Spirits, she continues to inspire with her creativity and innovation. Her latest passion project, River Sound, is a historic theater-turned-music venue designed to nurture creativity in her Colorado community. Recognized by JP Morgan Chase as one of the 100 Women to Know in America, Julie embodies what it means to lead with imagination and purpose.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode

✳️ How to develop a mindset that thrives through design challenges

✳️ Why creativity thrives when you combine beauty with function

✳️ How to turn design roadblocks into fresh opportunities

✳️ The key to balancing multiple creative passions without burning out

✳️ Why listening deeply to your clients transforms your designs

✳️ How dual-purpose design can make spaces more functional and beautiful

✳️ The mindset shift that helps you grow through every project (not just survive it)

Read the Blog >>> Turning Remodel Problems Into Design Opportunities

NEXT STEPS:

🎯 Join the waitlist for Launch Your Business Bootcamp

Check out our Designer's Playlist!

*️ Start Your Interior Design Journey

*️ From Newbie to Confident Designer

*️ Switching Gears to Interior Design

Grab your freebies:

📌 Your Roadmap to a Career in Interior Design

🎨 3 Things I Wish I had known when I Started my Career

Connect With Me:

📧 Email: podcast@rwarddesign.com

🔆 Instagram: @rwarddesign

🌎 Website at rwarddesign.com

Thanks for listening! I hope this helps you discover if interior design is the career for you. See you next week...

Timestamps

0:00 Introduction & Guest Bio

1:48 Julie’s Creative Beginnings and Early Influences

2:49 Transition Into Interior Design and Product Design

3:48 Inspiration and Design Process

7:31 Designing Dual-Purpose Furniture Pieces

10:18 Balancing Multiple Design Projects

13:39 Challenges Faced During COVID and Lessons Learned

15:19 The Right Mindset for Unexpected Remodeling Challenges

17:30 Advice for New Designers Entering the Industry

19:27 Eco-Conscious Design and Her Upcoming Creative Projects