Today we’d like to introduce you to Tameca Brown. Her and her team share their story with us below:
Since 2017, Tameca Brown has grown Villas10 from providing interior designs for college students to expanding her services into residential and commercial real estate as a boutique interior design studio, creating opportunities for talented designers.
What began as a creative outlet, Tameca’s passion for creating designs for college students evolved into a brand. Villas10’s namesake pays tribute to her first home away from home, her college dorm; where he lived in building 10 in a complex called The Villas. Just like a young adult woman evolves while transitioning into the real world, Villas10 has evolved. Villas10 has grown into an interior design studio showcasing her custom home new build, renovations, and interior furnishings.
We’re proud of our timeless style, refreshed aesthetics, and eye for detail, while curating original designs helping our clients enjoy where they live, work, and even play.
Tameca leads a team who approaches every project like it’s their own. Ensuring the client’s budgets and functionality are at the forefront, while focusing on a streamlined approach ensuring clients’ wishes are implemented realistically.
We intentionally engage with ideal clients who are cooperative, relatable, and engaging, as we’ve found these to be our people. Villas10 values authenticity, family, attainability, and community. Villas10 will be expanding into retail soon, and much more to come!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
The road has not been smooth but necessary. When I look back every “speed bump” was required, slowing me down, forcing me to become cautious regarding my decisions in the short-term that would impact me tremendously long term.
I originally started Villas10 as a creative outlet because honestly, I was in a role that wasn’t as satisfying to me in 2017. I take pride in my work and when that satisfaction didn’t exist in my 9-5, I created an outlet where I could pursue my passion and express myself.
Having a business background in HR and Accounting, I always knew I would become an entrepreneur, but “how” was unknown to me. I have over 15 years of HR Business Partner & Strategy experience helping organizations meet their bottom line and become profitable year over year. I knew I had to figure it out for myself.
In 2017, I created Villas10 offering services to a niche, college students. Helping students and parents get their home away from home livable and enjoyable. I always built my business around my lifestyle managing my duties as a mother, wife, employee, and entrepreneur. No easy task but it allowed me to focus on what’s important to me in this season (my family). This journey caused me to build slowly at a pace I could simply balance all.
In 2019, I decided to “pause” my business. My job evolved and I was checking all the career milestones, however I had to take a step back to determine if I was moving in my purpose and what was authentic to me and my vision for my life. Taking a pause allowed me to reevaluate while sharing our new custom-build journey.
Sharing the behind-the-scenes of the work it takes before building allowed me to attract an audience and show them how I approach my own project, roadblocks, and building during COVID(hello delays). Slowly, I attracted and grew an audience who trusted me. I received several inquiries to offer design services, which threw me into full residential design. I took a certification course and surrounded myself with experts.
Building a house during COVID was a bumpy road in itself. In addition to delays, I experienced communication issues while building. I could’ve easily stopped and thrown in the towel, instead, I decided to fight back to ensure no other families would not endure what we are currently going through as a consequence of immoral ethical behavior.
I decided to implement contractor/builder interviews into our process to ensure our clients minimize their risk exposure. Our clients trust us so much more and want us to have a seat at the table with their contractors and team.
Today, my pain points are so much different. I think about growth and evolving into a true lifestyle brand while identifying the resources to obtain those goals.
Looking back, I literally took every road bump and evolved/responded as needed to propel my business. Although not fun, the bumps are necessary.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know?
Villas10 is a boutique interior design studio and lifestyle brand. Our ideal clients are busy families who trust our process. Ideally, our clients hire us for our signature aesthetics and are looking to renovate their homes from top to bottom including all furnishings and accessories. We believe in a turn-key process to deliver the best results.
We want our clients to enjoy the process of making their spaces work for them while we do the work.
Tameca Brown, Creative Director and Founder of Villas10, leads a team of Design Advisors who approach every project like it’s their own. Ensuring clients’ budgets and functionality are at the forefront while focusing on a streamlined process ensuring clients’ wishes are a priority.
We get it. Our clients value their time and are comfortable hiring experts. We intentionally engage with ideal clients who are cooperative, relatable, and engaging, as we’ve found these to be our people. They simply trust the process and let us do all the sourcing.
Our approach to design is what sets us apart. We realize current times, increased cost of materials and service. Our clients are budget cautious, wanting to stretch every dollar while getting the ideal outcome. We make it our mission to stretch every dollar as if it was our own.
We often hear from our clients about our cost-saving tips and pay for our design fees easily. We always make it a mission to save money where we can and spend where it matters. We are proud of our brand evolving from dorm decor to residential and now lifestyle.
We will be launching home and apparel products online to expand our client base to consumers. We understand everyone may not be able to afford a service fee, however we want them to be able to shop curated pieces bringing that refreshed and recharged aesthetic.
Apparel, I am a busy mom. I am responsible for everyone’s wardrobe when it comes to important events, meetings, back- to- school, and all things in between. I am a mom to a pre-teen, elementary schooler, and preschooler. Today, I can’t find one location where I can check my list off so Villas10 is evolving to offer a solution for the busy mom who holds it all together but wants to remainstylish while doing it.
Can you tell us more about what you were like growing up?
Oh gosh! I was very quiet and shy. My personality really didn’t evolve until after high school. Growing up, I always played it safe. I followed the rules, made good grades, loved all things organizing, and was a determined child with drive.
I also had the slight attitude every teen girl goes through. I was also a visionary. I dreamed a lot. I dreamt of going to school, carrying a briefcase, sitting at a desk, and making my own rules while playing pretend at daycare. I was that kid.
My parents enrolled me in karate and dance at a young age. Looking back, my skill set to multi-task was being developed then. I am forever grateful for having parents who exposed me to what hard work looks like, partnerships, and community.
Growing up, I struggled a ton with self-identity. I was born with a twin who passed away at the age of 8 months. The hardest thing is vocalizing why I felt like a piece of me was missing but not having any memory of having a twin. It took a lot of self-work to realize my journey made me who I am today.
I loved spending my summers in the small town of Chesnee, SC, chasing after my grandmother and great-grandmother and taking in all the things they did to make a home special. Prepping weekly meals and all things homestead was my happy place. It is Chesnee that taught me the true meaning of engaging with neighbors.
I literally watched my grandmother as she was the socialite of the town. We would have visitors daily just to catch up on the latest talk. I remember having to be dressed and up and moving by 9 am so her friends could stop by to catch the price is right, soap opera “stories”, and the local news (in that order).
My desire for community and connection derived from my upbringing going to my family’s church (Bethlehem Baptist) on Sundays and eating Sunday dinners at my grandmother’s’ home (plural). I was blessed to experience 3 great-grandmothers until my thirties. Family is everything to me and is embedded in my business brand.
I have always been interested in decor. I watched both my maternal and paternal grandmothers (Mary and Queen) curate their homes. One would take pride in her latest finds via the JcPenny catalog and the other would hand make her own custom furnishing. These were the seeds planted in me.
My mom is gifted at seeing a vision and tying things together. I literally feel like I am a combined protégé of my mother and grandmothers. Hoping to be the same for my three girls one day.
Contact Info:
- Website: villas10.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/villasten
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/villas10
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCCFWDMIVqOJzOWl0zIFYlUg
Image Credits
Christa Renee Photography https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCqfV0TF_ydp9dXbQ_-D4jlA
