Joy Williams is the Principal Designer and CEO of Joyful Designs Studio. JDS is a full-service interior design firm that specializes in bold and artfully designed spaces. The firm’s portfolio encompasses residential and commercial projects, full-gut rehabs, new builds and micro-remodels at all stages of the design process. Joy is based in Chicago but works with clients throughout Illinois, Washington, DC, Maryland, Virginia and Georgia.
Joy’s design experience began after she was sought out by other real estate investors and developers for her approachable and creative design solutions for remodeled and rehabbed properties. She frequently consults on design, staging and deal analysis. Her decades plus long real estate investment experience first sparked her interest in beautifying the places she lived and rehabbed for resale. She opened her studio to full service design clients in 2018. Her design inspiration comes from her love of art and culture, as well as her extensive travels all over the globe.
She’s an art collector who uses her eye for art and design to infuse uniquely personalized spaces with boldness and dynamism. Joy’s approach to design ensures her clients receive personalized and function-forward spaces that stand the test of time.
Joy’s designs and insight on design trends have been published and quoted by nationally recognized publications like Architectural Digest Pro, Lonny Living Magazine, Apartment Therapy, My Domaine, The Zoe Report, among others.
What does Black History Month mean to you this year?
First, thank you for this honor. It is surprising and humbling. I appreciate the work you do in spotlighting our culture. Black History Month is tricky for me in any year. I suppose that may be because I truly believe our history and culture are celebratory inflection points every day of the year. So the fact that there is a designated month for honorariums and acknowledgement en masse is a bit amusing. I hope that the occasion in 2021 ushers in a year of expansion for the “month”. Our history and culture are full-bodied and enriching on a global stage. We are inextricably embedded in the fabric and makeup of our nation and world. Our contributions to science, innovation, technology, law, culture and art have long been overlooked and relegated, but I am hopeful that in this a year of expansion, our ancestors’ sacrifices, knowledge and gifts are recognized and lauded throughout the year. This year will be a year of remembrance and honor for me personally. I lost my mother to the global pandemic that continues to ravish our world and more specifically our community.
What is the first creative thing you are going to do post pandemic?
Post pandemic, I’m making a beeline for our local art museums. Chicago is filled to the brim with art and cultural activities in the warmer months so I’m hoping by this summer we will have some relief from Covid and I can engage in one of my favorite past times.
To Learn More About Joy Visit:
Website: https://www.joysdesignhouse.com/home-1