Today we’d like to introduce you to April Mondelli.
Hi April, 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?
When I was a little girl, I vividly remember going with my family to see model homes to potentially buy for us to move into. It was so much fun and I loved the excitement of the new adventures that were going to be had in one of these amazing houses. Unfortunately, my parents ended up getting divorced and we never did buy one of those homes. Being the fifth of eight children, I have a lot of siblings and we had a very tiny house. Growing up in a big family, I learned to have a ton of patience, the importance of hard work, and being independent. I never forgot the experience of those model homes and would continuously envision how I would style or change the layout of places that I would go to. I didn’t consciously consider a career as a professional interior designer until I reached my mid-twenties. I had earned an associate’s degree in business administration after high school, then married and had two babies by the age of 23.
Focusing on being a full-time mom for a few years, I was fully engrossed in family life and taking care of a home while helping my husband, who is a real estate broker to select materials for his investor clients. When I decided it was time to go back and finish my college degree, I realized that I had a natural talent and inner passion for interior design and that if I was going to compete with tens of thousands of business majors for a job, I would rather focus on a smaller field that I truly enjoyed. I went to the Art Institute of Fort Lauderdale, where I earned my bachelor’s degree in Interior Design. Going to Design school taught me the technical parts of design, how to space plan, building systems, and construction drawings. I personally feel that the style aspect of design is either in your or it isn’t and can’t really be taught. I spent the next few years working as a subcontractor for a commercial design firm on all kinds of commercial spaces from corporate headquarter offices to restaurants and car dealerships. Eventually, I decided to focus solely full-time on my own company April Elizabeth Designs and now design commercial, residential spaces, and investor rehabs.
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
I had always planned to take the NCIDQ exam and to become licensed by the state of Florida Board of Architecture and Interior Design. This test is no joke and took me about two and half years to pass all three portions. There were many long nights of studying only to fall short by a mere few points on a test that could only be retaken every six months. It was disheartening, to say the least, especially when you’re working successfully in the field already applying the knowledge that you aren’t passing on an exam. I did eventually get that license and am very proud that I was able to show my kids that hard work does pay off and not to give up when things don’t work out the first time.
Most people will tell you that your job must be so much fun and how lucky you are. I agree that designing is fun and being creative is super gratifying, but the amount of work that goes behind each finished space cannot go unmentioned. Managing a design job is where you really put your patience skills to the test. From contractors not showing up or not following drawings to materials arriving damaged or late to unforeseen problems leading to extra costs. Luckily, I have made through trial and error through the years, many good relationships with contractors and vendors. Networking and relationships are so important to be a successful designer, as there are many people responsible to bring a design to life.
Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
My goal is to create environments that reflect my client’s vision, whatever is the best way of achieving that goal. It’s never about me and always about them. Learning what a client needs and what they love is very important. As a designer, I have such a wide range of work experience that I’m a bit of a jack of all trades. Although I design commercial spaces, my specialty at this point is residential homes. I love to design kitchens. The kitchen is the place to gather and make memories but also the lifeblood of the home. This is probably my favorite part of residential design, but I also love the challenge of a full gut job. I love to rip a house apart and put it back together. I love the process of the transformation and seeing the homeowner’s or investors’ reaction at the end of it all. I think this is what I am most known for, crazy before and after. It’s a scary process for most people to see walls coming down and the mess that goes with that, but I love it. I love construction and the talent that I get to witness from so many hard-working individuals.
So maybe we end on discussing what matters most to you and why?
My family is what matters most to me. At the end of the day, that is what life is about for me. That is why I work as hard as I do and what drives and motivates me. I love showing my kids, who are now young adults themselves, that working hard does pay off and that having a family also doesn’t stop you from achieving your goals. I’ve been able to build my career while at the same time being a young mom and that is not an easy task. I want my daughter to see that she doesn’t have to pick or choose, that life is going to be hard work, but that it’s definitely worth it.
Contact Info:
- Email: [email protected]
- Website: www.AprilElizabethDesigns.Com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/april_elizabeth_designs/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/AprilElizabethDesigns
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCzZMPwS9n1MHOyOQhszHaIw/featured
Image Credits
April Mondelli Sarah Demauro
