We’re looking forward to introducing you to Christie Bell. Check out our conversation below.
Hi Christie, thank you so much for taking time out of your busy day to share your story, experiences and insights with our readers. Let’s jump right in with an interesting one: What makes you lose track of time—and find yourself again?
Nothing makes me lose track of time like solitude in nature. Being immersed in it resets my nervous system and gently reminds me what life is truly about. It strips away the noise, reconnects me to my core, clears my mind, and fills me with inspiration. In those moments, I remember who I am and who I want to be.
Can you briefly introduce yourself and share what makes you or your brand unique?
I’m the founder and lead designer of Curated Home Designs, a luxury interior decorating and design studio based in Baltimore, Maryland. We create homes that don’t just look beautiful, they feel deeply personal. By blending emotional insight with functionality, we design spaces that support your lifestyle, reflect your story, and elevate how you move through your day.
While we’re currently working on several full-service projects, we’ve also been busy this summer with our Designer By Your Side service. This offering includes a 2- or 4-hour design consultation where I work directly with clients to tackle their design to-do lists. It’s an approachable, cost-effective way to get professional guidance and clarity on your home.
These sessions are incredibly productive—some of the most common uses include selecting paint colors, refining furniture layouts, sourcing specific pieces like lighting, rugs, or coffee tables, placing artwork or curtains, or brainstorming design concepts for future renovations. That said, the service is completely customizable depending on your needs.
Great, so let’s dive into your journey a bit more. Who were you before the world told you who you had to be?
I’ve always been a joyful and inquisitive soul. I glorify the little things-buds on the trees in springtime, a perfect cup of coffee, the feeling on the ride home after a great family dinner. I’m endlessly curious. I question everything: how things work, why people think the way they do, how a room makes you feel as you experience it.
That wonder has always been there. It’s not something I had to learn; it’s something I’ve always carried.
What did suffering teach you that success never could?
Suffering has been one of my greatest teachers. Somewhere along the way, I flipped a switch. I stopped seeing it as something happening to me and began to understand it as something happening for me. What’s perceived as suffering is often just redirection, a lesson, or a necessary pause before the next chapter unfolds.
It’s through suffering that I built my character, started my business, and found the grit to stay successful. It continues to shape how I show up in my work, in my relationships, and in my healing. Success may have validated me, but suffering transformed me.
Next, maybe we can discuss some of your foundational philosophies and views? Whom do you admire for their character, not their power?
While my mom was incredibly successful in her career, that’s not what I admire most about her; her character is. She’s the most loyal, kind, and thoughtful person I know. She has an unwavering moral compass and lives by it, even when it’s hard.
Whether she’s showing up for others without being asked, making people feel seen, or offering the kind of support that makes you feel completely safe, she does it all with quiet strength and grace. She’s been my greatest support system, and I feel incredibly blessed to have her as such a steady and grounding force in my life.
Before we go, we’d love to hear your thoughts on some longer-run, legacy type questions. Are you doing what you were born to do—or what you were told to do?
Born to do, without a doubt. I was lucky to have parents who encouraged me to carve my path, and that freedom led me straight to my purpose.
The way my business began, the way my services evolved over time; it all felt guided, like I was being ushered into the work I was meant for. And now, it’s leading me into a new chapter of leadership, one that feels deeply aligned and rooted in who I am at my core. This isn’t a career; it’s a calling.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.curatedhomedesigns.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/curated.home.designs/
- Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/81499018/admin/dashboard/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CuratedHomeDesigns
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@CuratedHomeDesigns
Image Credits
Photography by Markus Wilborn and Andrew Schwartz
