Life, Values & Legacy: Our Chat with Joani Stewart

Joani Stewart shared their story and experiences with us recently and you can find our conversation below.

Hi Joani, thank you so much for joining us today. We’re thrilled to learn more about your journey, values and what you are currently working on. Let’s start with an ice breaker: What is a normal day like for you right now?
A normal day for me is rising at 6:30-7AM, making my coffee, getting ready for my yoga class and gym. Then I return home and get on the computer to check emails and correspondence from clients or vendors. If I have a project I am working on, I try to visit the site a few times a week. Usually in the AM. I might go shopping for my clients at the Pacific Design Center, searching for just the right fabric, furniture or accessories. I love shopping and going to new showrooms or online sites. My day is usually filled with designing, meetings with clients and/or vendors, going on site visits and generally creating the magic.

Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I am Joani Stewart and my interior design company is Joani Stewart Interiors. I have been designing homes and residential properties since 1995. I graduated in Interior design from UCLA extension in 1981 and never looked back. My style is contemporary, clean and spacious. I love color and use it sparingly, maybe a focal wall or a kids room. I am also a big fan of wallpaper, even on the ceiling. I live in Marina del Rey, in Southern California, where the sun shines most of the time. The beauty of the ocean and the palm trees and the sunsets inspire me and my design. I am always looking to do something different and out of the box. I never do the same design twice and try to not use the same furnishings from one project to another.
I view interiors like a little black dress (LBD) … Just change the accessories. I prefer simple solids, not a lot of pattern. I love what I do.
I am an athlete and play tennis a few times a week, I swim a mile daily in a pool, not the ocean. I bike, hike and have skied all over the world. I have an amazing life, wonderful friends, great clients who have come back to me over and over. I feel very blessed.

Okay, so here’s a deep one: Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I was always a happy child and loved to rearrange my bedroom all the time. I wanted to be a writer like my successful uncle who wrote “The Al Jolson Story”, “Little Women” and “Joan of Arc”. I was an English major in college and thought for sure that I would be the next big thing as a novelist. After college, I met my about-to-be husband at a birthday party for Burt Lancaster. He happened to be a writer, much better than I ever was and rather than compete with him, I turned my attention to remodeling our new home, a 1926 Spanish house in the Hollywood Hills. I found myself so immersed in design and architecture and kitchens, that I knew I had to return to school and learn all I could about interior design and the correct way to go about remodeling a home.. I studied for 3 years at UCLA-X and graduated in 1981. I have been designing homes in California, New York, Palm Springs and Scottsdale. I have been published regularly in various magazines, local and national.

Was there ever a time you almost gave up?
There was never really a time when I almost gave up… in fact, it was quite the opposite. When I was going through my divorce, I thought I might quit, but all of a sudden, finances were an issue and I had to support myself and take care of two young children.. I knew I needed a profession that was flexible and interior design gave me that, so I could choose when I needed to work and when I needed to take care of my family. Instead of giving up and working for some 9-5 job, I dug my heels in and worked even harder. I learned how to market myself, how to work smarter, not harder. I had mentors and teachers and peers in the business who helped me when I faltered or needed encouragement.

So a lot of these questions go deep, but if you are open to it, we’ve got a few more questions that we’d love to get your take on. Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
I admire many wonderful individuals…. Malala Yousafzai, for her guts, her determination, her steadiness, her outreach. She is amazing. I admire Oprah for her openness and her honesty. I admire Kelly Wearstler for her unique approach to design, her individuality and her supreme talent. She has a family, so she is not just a single woman out in the workplace. She is real. Michelle Obama comes to mind, for her integrity and her beautiful stature. I admire her because she is a giver, a mother and she was an example to me of what a woman is.

I admire Jose of The World Kitchen for his philanthropy and what he does for others. I am thinking also of President Jimmy Carter and how he gave and gave after his presidency was over. He started Habitat for Humanity, he built homes and gave back.

I believe that by being the best designer I can be, that I am also giving back and making someone’s home/ life beautiful
I believe it all starts in the home. It is the foundation for family, growth and sustainability.

Okay, we’ve made it essentially to the end. One last question before you go. Could you give everything your best, even if no one ever praised you for it?
I do give everyone my best and often am not praised for, nor do I expect to be. I give because it gives back to me, not for praise or fame or money. I love to write and I enjoy photography, having published 15 or more photo books of my daily life and my extensive travels. I do not do any of it for praise, although I do appreciate when I am praised. I want to share all of my creative talents with the world, not for praise or money, but for the sake of community and communication.
I believe that life is to be shared, that friends and family are to be encouraged, that art is everywhere, one just has to look. I believe in being positive and content, to give is better than receiving, although I receive more that I give in terms of emotional happiness. I believe in harmony and coming together. I believe we are all the same and that we are all connected. Praise is nice when it comes, but without expectation.

Contact Info:

• Website: https://www.joanistewartinteriors.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/joanistewartinteriors
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/joani-stewart-5a2a5217/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/joanistewartinteriors/
• Yelp: https://www.yelp.com/joanistewart

Image Credits
Douglas Hill photographer