Page 174 - MM July2018

From family and friends to cooking and decorating, Trisha Yearwood has a distinct style—approachable, unflappable and gracious. She shares her warm, honest approach to life and career from the stage to the studio to the kitchen.
Q Being in the public eye can be both Q rewarding and challenging. How have you managed to balance pursuing diverse
interests with maintaining a personal life?
While it’s probably as tough as trying to pick a favorite song, is there a favorite collection? What makes a piece special to you?
I really can’t pick a favorite piece or collection. But I can tell you that personally naming each piece makes me smile. I love it every time someone says they bought
the Gwendolyn chest or the Charlotte desk. The pieces are all named for people and places that I dearly love, so that makes them special.
Where do you start your design process? Is it a color or a concept? Or do you think about a purpose—how a family would use something?
All of the above. For instance, when we started working on the very first collection, I was obsessed with indigo blue. I started by tearing sheets out of magazines... pillows, tableware, objects...anything in that deep,
rich indigo. The main pieces in that first collection were available in a wheat finish and a cream finish, with more signature pieces in the “Troyal” blue
(my husband’s first name). We realize that everyone might not want to have an entire room full of blue furniture, but they might like that kitchen island,
or that side table to be this beautiful blue.
I always gravitate toward simpler designs, nothing too fancy, and I love purpose...the hinge lighting on a cabinet, the hidden jewelry drawers in the chest of drawers, the disappearing foot rests in the couches, and the USB ports for phone charging. Beautiful and practical. That’s my mantra.
What don’t people know about your products that you wish they did?
One of the things I’m proudest of is the quality of the product compared to the price point. This furniture is SO affordable, yet the quality of the furniture is superior. Just ask my husband, who has had to move more than one piece of my furniture. He says, “It’s all there!” >
A
I wanted this life, so to a certain degree, putting A myself in the public eye was my choice. I do think that
sometimes it’s hard for public figures to maintain their
privacy. I will say that I believe country music fans are
just the best, because they understand that sometimes
your life needs to be private. I also believe in having
some place in your life that truly is your sanctuary... Q some place where no cameras are ever allowed. A place
that is truly yours.
FURNITURE, RUG & HOME ACCENTS
Q What surprised you most about running
your own company? What’s the biggest A challenge? And biggest reward?
A Ha! I think the biggest surprise is that I can actually do
it! I dreamed of being a singer, not the CEO of several businesses. The biggest challenge for me has been to learn how to truly be a boss. That means that everyone is not going to be happy all the time. I grew up a people pleaser, so that has been the most challenging. As much as I hate confrontation, my biggest rewards have been when I stood up for myself in business. Whether or not
I “won” the point, saying what’s important to me, and how I feel does more for my spirit than winning.
Q From music to food to furniture, the interests you’ve chosen to pursue are all personal. Why do these avenues interest you?
A Music chose me. Honestly, I don’t remember ever saying
“I’d like to be a singer.” I just “was” and I had to figure Q
out how to make music for a living. It was such a driving
force in my life, I can’t imagine what my life would be
like if I hadn’t pursued it. As for my other ventures, they A came completely naturally. I like to cook. I enjoy feeding
a crowd. I love finding comfortable furniture for my home.
Those interests morphed into businesses. I think you’re
very lucky if you can find a way to make a living doing
things that you truly enjoy.
AmericasMart.com | 159