Photo courtesy of Graham Yelton.
After starting her business in the mid-2000s, Dana Wolter has expanded to a storefront office on Cahaba Road.
A little more than 10 years after she started her residential design firm, Dana Wolter Interiors, Dana Wolter has taken her passion for interior design and turned it into a growing business.
“I always had a love for interior decorating,” she said. “My husband and I would buy a house and fix it up.”
She first started Dana Wolter Interiors in 2005 at the request of two friends who asked for her help. Wolter began working out of her home as an interior decorator, but recently found it “was the perfect time” to expand to an office space on Cahaba Road.
“At the time, I felt something in my heart that I was looking for something else. Timing is everything in life,” she said.
Through her residential design firm, Wolter works on “turn-key” projects, “which is where we are basically involved from start to finish,” she said.
Wolter and her design team start with new construction where they are involved in the building and design process, and then work to select and install new furnishings and fabrics.
The installations fit her style, which she describes as “classic with an edge,” or “everyday elegance.”
“It’s classic enough to stand the test of time, but it has a little bit of edge, and the interiors work hard for the family,” she said. “It’s pretty, but it’s functional for everyday living.” And functionality of a space can affect how a family lives, Wolter added.
“I think, truly, the most remarkable thing is just to see how it [decorating and organizing] affects people’s lifestyle or way of living,” she said. “A home that feels good to you, that’s a reflection of your family.”
Wolter said she thinks interior design is going to change in the upcoming years, but even with the technology, clients will still need her help.
“Where we’re needed is our intellectual property,” she said. “People can find stuff on the internet, but they don’t know how to put it together.”
A lot of where her rooms and homes come together is in the details, something Wolter said she enjoys working on.
“I love custom details,” she said. “I love a project where we can incorporate custom cabinetry, and I do a lot of custom upholstery pieces that are unique to the space but still reflect the family.”
Other details can range from adding a specific fabric to a sofa to changing the finish of furniture legs, all to help the rooms flow and fit the needs of those who live there. “We’re making sure it’s blending and that it all goes together,” Wolter said.
While she hopes to work with a boutique hotel or open her own fabric or furniture lines in the future, Wolter said she’s glad to have made the transition to a space in Mountain Brook Village.
“I’m just excited to keep my business in Mountain Brook and support the community,” she said. “I love Mountain Brook, and I think Mountain Brook is such a special place. I’m proud to live here and work here.”
Dana Wolter Interiors is at 2713 Cahaba Road and offers hours by appointment only. For more information, email info@danawolterinteriors.com or go to danawolterinteriors.com.
