
When we opened our doors in 2005, Interior Design and Styling for our Founder and CEO was a passion, not a career. Believing nothing THIS fun could ever sustain as a profession, success in the field was based off of two theories, you were either…
a.) in the right place at the right time with the right “creative” revelation OR…
b.) financially capable of taking on this fascination as a “hobby” but surely not one to build a sustainable portfolio.…
so we wrote a different “Once upon a time…”
Before “the pivot,” we were leaders in the world of strategic marketing. With a diverse client portfolio that spanned the globe, it’s easy to say…we were good at what we did.
Giving as much focus to the details as to the big picture, we created methodologies for our practice that empowered our ability to explore our client’s challenges. Our practice led us to understand the importance of having an extensive and comprehensive view of people, places and the things that impact a message and how it’s received. As cerebral as human psychology, as environmental as cultural anthropology, and as pragmatic as bottom-line fiscal objectives; we went deep on topics. Little did we know, we were employing many of the same tactics that now differentiate us as designers. The journey from who we were as successful strategic marketers to today, a team excited to call our passion our JOB has taken time and not without a few fits and starts. And though we will always pursue opportunities that allow us to grow in this field, we have officially completed our pivot. We are DESIGNERS. As we did within the marketing discipline, we approach our design projects focusing on marrying the intricacies found in the intangible details. Taking these and pairing them with the equally important practicalities (general likes, dislikes, needs or wants unique to each client, etc.) we continue to cultivate our trade.
This "special league of creative exploration" we call design, allows us to engage across a wide spectrum of projects. Leading always with our primary goal of creating environments that inspire.
TO UNDERSTAND WHO WE ARE, IT’S IMPORTANT TO UNDERSTAND WHERE WE CAME FROM.
When we opened our doors in 2005, Interior Design and Styling for our Founder was a passion, not a career. Believing nothing THIS fun could ever sustain as a profession, success in the field was based off of two theories, you were either...
a.) in the right place at the right time with the right “creative” revelation OR…
b.) financially capable of taking on this fascination as a “hobby” but surely not one to build a sustainable portfolio.
…so we wrote a different “Once upon a time…”
Before “the pivot,” we were leaders in the world of strategic marketing. With a diverse client portfolio that spanned the globe, it’s easy to say…we were good at what we did.
Giving as much focus to the details as to the big picture, we created methodologies for our practice that empowered our ability to explore our client’s challenges. Our practice led us to understand the importance of having an extensive and comprehensive view of people, places and the things that impact a message and how it’s received.
As cerebral as human psychology, as environmental as cultural anthropology, and as pragmatic as bottom-line fiscal objectives; we went deep on topics. Little did we know, we were employing many of the same tactics that now differentiate us as designers.
The journey from who we were as successful strategic marketers to today, a team excited to call our passion our JOB has taken time and not without a few fits and starts. And though we will always pursue opportunities that allow us to grow in this field, we have officially completed our pivot. We are DESIGNERS.
As we did within the marketing discipline, we approach our design projects focusing on marrying the intricacies found in the intangible details. Taking these and pairing them with the equally important practicalities (general likes, dislikes, needs or wants unique to each client, etc.) we continue to cultivate our trade. This "special league of creative exploration" we call design, allows us to engage across a wide spectrum of projects. Leading always with our primary goal of creating environments that inspire.
Designed & Staged by The Zella Company
Michelle Taylor
cREATOR AND FOUNDER OF THE ZELLA COMPANY
Michelle Taylor, interior designer and home-staging specialist, began her career in the software industry, in which she became a force in marketing. During her 15 years leading worldwide programs across the marketing spectrum, she found her passion for the art of visual storytelling. With the creation of The Zella Company in 2005 in Bellevue, Wash., she began to hone her desire to blend storytelling with her instinct for interior design. Following her 2014 relocation to Austin, Taylor, along with her team, led Zella’s pivot, today reflected in its integral position in the Austin design community. Whether she’s creating an elegant setting for a lakeside lawn party, reinventing a family home’s aesthetic or providing event rental furniture from the company’s 11,000-square-foot warehouse, Taylor is on the leading edge of design and her business shows no signs of slowing down.
Annié Colón
President OF The Zella company
Annié Colón is a Brooklyn native and longtime LA resident with a background in architecture, interior design and corporate events. She is known for taking a hands-on approach directing artists, collaborating with clients, and bringing innovative design concepts to life. Her unique conceptual skills, exclusive signature style, and ability to push teams to deliver stunning work has repeatedly landed her collaborative works in BizBash Publications.
Whether I'm working with a Fortune 500 company or staging for a realtor and their client my job is to evoke emotion and curate emotional experiences.
*A few mentionable creative collaborations consist of Sprint, Nike, Syfy, Rent The Runway, Boeing, Visa, Lyft, Instagram, Univision, CES, Comic-Con, MWC, Red Bull...