Meet Jenna Sue of Tampa, FL, our first our first View From Here feature of 2019! A master DIYer and print artist, Jenna knows how to get her hands dirty to make her house beautiful and just to her liking.
Jenna's business, Jenna Sue Design, was born when she couldn't find the perfect personalized wall decor and realized there was a deficit to fill (sound familiar?). Now she designs homes by day and creates colorful, minimalist prints by night which you have to check out on her website btw - they're too cute and so chic.
Tell us a little about yourself! When did your love for interiors begin?
Hi! I’m Jenna and I live in Tampa, Florida with my husband Lucas, and kitty Susie. I’ve always loved art and design but focused those passions into interior design/DIY when I bought my first house in California nearly ten years ago. Shortly after I started blogging my renovation progress, and the rest is history!
What's the story behind your Florida home, or the story you’d like it to tell someday?
We just moved to Florida last year to begin investing in real estate, and we actually plan to turn our current home into a vacation rental this year. With that in mind, I’ve taken quite a different approach to design that pushes me beyond my comfort zone and typical style, so I’ve had a lot of fun coming up with different themes and creative ideas for each room. The goal is to make this house feel like an ‘experience’ for our future guests and to create a unique environment that will leave a lasting impression.
Laura Ingalls Wilder once said, “Home is the nicest word there is”. We tend to agree. Describe your home in three words.
Engaging, fun, memorable
When it comes to styling your home, what's the most important aspect to you?
We’re in a bit of a unique scenario as we’re designing the home to cater to guests, rather than ourselves. Our personal home will have a different style, so I’ve taken advantage of this opportunity by introducing elements that I normally wouldn’t use. I want each room to tell a story and feel native to the location, so I’ve made sure to incorporate lots of tropical greenery, refreshing paint colors, earthy textures and maps of the area.
How would you describe the style of your home?
Each room has a slightly different vibe, but overall I’m going for an earthy boho oasis resort feel.
And do you draw inspiration from your work when it comes to decor?
All the time! I love thinking back to some of the places we’ve traveled to and trying to recreate that here. Pinterest and Instagram are also an endless source of inspiration for me—I’m constantly pinning and saving photos that catch my eye.
What’s one quirky or unique thing that defines your space?
There’s a scalloped archway dividing the living and dining room, and it’s what caught my eye in the listing photos and sold me on this house.
How do you see yourself growing in this space?
We’re hoping to have the entire home renovated and available to rent this summer, so my vision for its future is for it to be a special place for lots of couples, families and groups to gather and make memories here in Tampa. We want this to be more than just a house, but rather a destination in itself.
We like to think that everyone has a special view, be it out your front door or through a kitchen window, that they favor. Tell us about your favorite view from here in your home.
My favorite view actually isn’t looking outside, but down to the reading nook from the living room! We just built these beautiful sliding doors that frame the doorway opening, and I’ll often find our kitty curled up in the sunshine. The view of her peacefully sleeping as I pass by is better than anything outside the window :)
A kitty named Susie sunbathing, sliding barn doors, can we live in your guest room, Jenna?
