From a young age, Jasmine Patterson had an interest in interior design. Her personal and entrepreneurial journey might have taken her from the bright lights and big cities of Ontario to small-town Nova Scotia. But as Patterson explains that although scenery might have changed her passion for interior design and creating bold and beautiful spaces for her clients has not. As a designer and businesswoman, Jasmine is extremely proud of what she has accomplished over the last decade and is very excited about what opportunities are in store for her as she and her family settle in and plant roots in Bridgewater.
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Jasmine grew up in Newmarket, which is part of the Greater Toronto Golden Horseshoe region of Southern Ontario. Her childhood might have had its challenges and might not have been considered traditional, but her parents always supported and encouraged her curiosity for design. “Since I was a young age, I always had an interest in designing my own space,” said Jasmine Patterson, founder and owner of Jaz Décor.
Patterson’s interest in design soon developed into a passion. Before any formal training while in high school she worked for Home Sense and other retailers in their home décor departments. She was always hands-on and loved working with customers during the selection process offering suggestions when they were looking for things like paint colour and fabric and how these can help bring their project to life. This experience confirmed her passion for the industry, and Patterson wanted to continue to develop her knowledge of the industry and her skills for a full-time career as an interior designer.
Relocating to Ottawa, Patterson would enroll in the Interior Decorating Program at Algonquin College in 2010. While attending college Patterson continued to work with a local retailer providing in-store paint colour, window treatment, and furniture consultation sharing her experience and knowledge of furniture, fabrics, paint, and wallpaper application to help customers elevate their projects to the next level. But it was not all work and no play as Patterson as she would meet her husband during her time in Ottawa.
Patterson would go to receive her Diploma in Interior Decorating in 2013. Once this goal was achieved, she decided it was time to go out on her own and jump head-first into entrepreneurialism with Jaz Décor. Patterson had worked in the home décor and design sector for some time now and she was looking to have more control over her designs, the products, and the manufacturers that she could work with but most importantly to be in control of her own future and to work for herself and build her own brand.
“I always felt held back when I worked for an employer, no matter what job I did. I went to work for the local décor store in Ottawa and said I wanted my own company one day. I told them my goal and asked if they could help me achieve it. They were very supportive,” Patterson said.
With hard work, long hours, and determination Jaz Décor was an instant success with clients seeking her bold and beautiful designs to add pizzazz to not only their homes but also office and retail spaces.
For some that would be the end of our story but for Patterson and her husband that was just the beginning of their journey figuratively and literally. As the couple relocated from Ottawa to Truro Nova Scotia because her husband had accepted a job as a paramedic. They would spend two years in the hub town before relocating again to Bridgewater in 2017. But a career opportunity was not the only reason that Patterson and her family came to Nova Scotia.
“We were ready for a change in scenery and lifestyle. We always liked the East Coasts and would travel here to Nova Scotia on vacation with our families when we were younger, but after we moved, we fell in love with the province but specifically the South Shore.
“We set up roots, started a family, and I transitioned my company to the area. I took time off at first to spend time with my growing family, but now the business is full-time in South Shore. I have a steady clientele, and I absolutely love working in the Bridgewater and surrounding area.”
When Patterson is not giving advice and helping clients decorate and outfit their homes and businesses, she and her family spend time going to concerts, exploring, traveling, and enjoying everything the area and the province have to offer.
Patterson’s services are not just limited to the South Shore as she is open to places like Halifax and still has clients in Ottawa as well. “I am open to traveling to meet clients and work. Since the pandemic, a lot of work can be online and isn’t as limited as it used to be. But I still like making in-person connections with my clients and the trades that I work with,” said Patterson.
As mentioned before, Patterson’s knowledge and expertise offer clients more than interior design services. She can help you with window treatments, wall covering, lighting, flooring, and accessorizing and has built her brand and businesses into a one-stop shop for all thing home décor.
When working with a client, Patterson’s experience and knowledge allow her to confidently make suggestions on window coverings, fabrics, and pieces of furniture. Did we mention that she also sells furniture? Like she doesn’t have enough on the go. Trust us we are not joking around when we said that she is a one-stop shop for all things home décor.
“Sourcing and planning things out are something I love.” Said Patterson.
Patterson can offer many different design packages, depending on the scale of the renovation. These can include floorplans, consultations, mood boards, and more. Patterson says, “My focus is to design beautiful spaces and keep my clients on budget with my services during the entire renovation.”
Patterson currently focuses on smaller residential renovations at the moment and isn’t dealing with too many new builds, but that doesn’t mean that she is not open to new opportunities.
Patterson is not one to turn away business because of a certain style, as she is comfortable working with many different styles and switching things up to meet the needs of the clients. That being said, her clients know she likes a bold element to her design, and she is not afraid to try to incorporate a bold colour or texture to achieve it.
When working with clients, she provides a binder that shows the design scope, and they lay out the process and where to go from there. The two sign a contract, and the work begins. It is extremely important to Patterson that her brand’s focus is to work together with the client and all stakeholders to create the best plan and the desired outcomes for the space.
“I do that initial design concept with the client. I love coming up with something we both love and seeing their excitement about it. I’m a fan of mid-century modern and Scandinavian design, and I love introducing clients to things that might be the right fit,” Patterson said.
“I love hearing feedback, and I’ve had some HGTV-type moments where clients see their space and you witness their true reaction. That can be really rewarding in itself.
The process for getting in touch with Jaz Décor regarding your project is simple and intuitive. For general consultations or window treatments, you can easily book those online, or you can call Patterson directly to set up a consultation. As for residential and commercial projects, clients are sent out an initial questionnaire, then followed up with a call from Patterson so she can get a full understanding and feel for the scope of the project followed by a consultation. From there depending on the project the process varies. But regardless of the project, Jaz Décor provides a detailed Welcome Package outlining the expectations of the entire process and is there to guide their clients through everything from start to finish.
There is plenty more in store for Jaz Décor and Patterson’s entrepreneurial journey that will celebrate its 10-year anniversary this year including opening a storefront. But for now, she is focused on growing her businesses and launching an online store before the end of 2023. To keep up with what Patterson and Jaz Décor are up to next, make sure to follow their socials.
by Jordan Parker