We had the good fortune of connecting with Karen Cunningham and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Karen, can you tell us more about your background and the role it’s played in shaping who you are today?
Both of my parents were Marines, which meant I grew up with a strong discipline and ethic for work! We moved around a lot but my mother always made our house a home quickly. My dad always said it wasn’t our home until she hung up the drapes! Mom and I did all the work when we moved. She taught me how to move furniture, in particular my piano, from one side of the room to the other. We wallpapered and painted and decorated. This included learning to garden and maintaining a home, and decorating even with a budget! I do believe everyone deserves a beautiful space to live, no matter if it’s a small thing that makes us smile each day. Because of my background, I have worked hard to get where I am today and love helping my clients decorate their spaces to make them happy!

What should our readers know about your business?
I believe everyone deserves a beautiful home to live in with beautiful things around them that bring them joy, whether it’s big or small. I try to provide that as a designer when I go into someone’s home, whether it’s a whole room re-do, or just using what they have and moving it around to bring life back into the space. Adding a new rug, pillows, lamps or window treatments can do a lot to update and change a space.

Going into business for myself, I worked from the ground up, initially doing anything I needed to do! I went to a Professional Window Treatment school for several weeks to learn how to make my own drapes and pillows. At that time I was doing all of my own sewing and installations. Once my business grew, I realized I needed to have a community around me to help me be successful and direct my time and attention where I’m most useful.

Another huge factor in being successful was learning not to stress over money!! In the early years I would have little panic attacks at how much money I was spending, especially once I opened my store! But truly learning to let that go and trust that I was making the right decisions, it would all come back two fold.

Every day we’re still challenged with a new project, sometimes a difficult one, and in particular learning to deal with people. I’m fortunate that most all of my clients become my friends and we greet customers into our store with a smile and see many come back often. Some even say they wish they could just live in our store or have their homes look and feel just like it! That’s a wonderful complement to me.

If you had a friend visiting you, what are some of the local spots you’d want to take them around to?
I love living in the upstate! Downtown Spartanburg still has a small town feel. I enjoy walking up and down Main Street to have a glass of wine at Bond Street, or dinner at Sophia’s. Of course a drive down Pine Street to my store is always a treat for friends visiting and a great lunch and drink at The Flock Shop.

For an afternoon it’s an easy drive to Landrum, Saluda or Tryon. We actually love going to Strawberry Hill for fresh veggies, pumpkins in season and ice cream!!!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
My younger years were working hard and taking care of my two daughters. I became a legal assistant and learned a lot of background in organization and bookkeeping. Because I was an only child, I spent several years taking care of my parents. In 2013, shortly after my mom passed away, I realized I had a huge hole in my heart and wanted to know what was next! Within a few weeks, my first store fell into my lap. I never thought it could happen but with the support of both of my daughters, Jessica and Meagen, now young adults themselves, I had the help that I needed. Now ten years later, my youngest daughter, Meagen Mader, is my right hand person helping me as my store manager, my organizer and assistant decorator!

But I also have to give credit to all of the people I’ve met along the way who were clients and friends who supported me and my business, and still do to this day. I have a wonderful group of artists that believe in us and allow us to hang their art in our gallery. And I have a fabulous staff of women helping me at the store and on design jobs! Honestly you can’t have a successful business without the support of your friends and family.

Website: www.sprucespartanburg.com

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