Meet Gabrielle Olya of Mid-City

Today we’d like to introduce you to Gabrielle Olya, founder and interior decorator at Olya Interiors.

Hi Gabrielle, it’s an honor to have you on the platform. Thanks for taking the time to share your story with us – to start maybe you can share some of your backstory with our readers?
I moved to my current apartment during the height of the pandemic, so I had a LOT of free time to focus on decorating. I spent a lot of time scouring different websites (furniture stores were still closed at this point) to find pieces that looked high-end but that wouldn’t blow my pretty meager decorating budget.

I was giving one of my friends a tour over Zoom, and she told me, “Wow you are really good at this – people would pay you to do this.” I kind of shrugged it off at the time, but she really encouraged me to create an Instagram account dedicated to my interior decor so I thought, “Why not?” It would give me something to do and I loved the idea of having a creative outlet that was very different from my full-time job as a personal finance writer.

Things just developed naturally from there. Through friends recommending me and clients recommending me to other clients, I have had the opportunity to work on a few homes throughout the LA area and beyond.

I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
My biggest struggle has been imposter syndrome, since I never studied interior decorating formally. Since starting Olya Interiors, I have taken some online courses to build my skills, which has helped give me more confidence. Plus, the more experience I gain through working with clients, the more “legitimate” I feel.

Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
My niche is “luxe for less.” I want to give clients a home they love without having to spend a ton of money. To achieve this, I try to mix high-end with more affordable pieces.

Anytime a client is happy with the pieces I pick out, I do feel a sense of pride. They are trusting me with their home, and I don’t take that responsibility lightly!

What do you like best about our city? What do you like least?
I love that Los Angeles is really a bunch of little micro-cities in one large city. There are always new neighborhoods to explore, a new restaurant to try or a new trail to hike. There is so much diversity and so much to do that I never feel like I get bored of living here.

On the other hand, sometimes I think the size and sprawling nature of LA can be a disadvantage too. I am originally from New York where it’s so easy to get from place to place, which lends itself to more spontaneity.

Pricing:

• Free intro consultation
• Decorating services are $75/hour

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.instagram.com/olyainteriors/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/gabrielleolya/
• Twitter: https://x.com/GabyOlya

Image Credits
Olya Interiors