Today we’d like to introduce you to Carly Mandarano.
Hi Carly, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself.
My career in retail spans more than 20 years, but my path into visual merchandising started almost by accident. I was working as a salesperson at Ann Taylor and, if I’m being honest, I wasn’t very good at selling! I was much more interested in organizing, merchandising and making the store look its best. My manager noticed and created a part-time visual merchandising role for me—and that’s when I realized something I naturally loved doing could actually become a career.
I went on to work across multiple functions within the fashion industry, including buying, product development, e-commerce, visual merchandising and assisting with store design. The majority of my career was focused on visual merchandising and creating spaces that were both beautiful and functional.
CarMELLA Design Studio started as a creative outlet alongside my corporate career, but referrals grew, projects got bigger, and eventually I realized I had built something that deserved my full attention. Earlier this year, I finally made the leap to pursue it full-time.
Today, I bring everything I learned throughout my career into my clients’ homes and businesses—combining organization and design to create spaces that don’t just look beautiful, but truly function for the people using them.
I’m sure it wasn’t obstacle-free, but would you say the journey has been fairly smooth so far?
For the most part, yes — it’s been a great journey. I wake up excited for my days, I’ve worked harder than ever, and I love every second of it.
Recently I made this my full-time gig, and I’m very fortunate to have great clients—that’s when it got busy, and fast. I’m still learning what works and what doesn’t, and you’re always going to hit a snag or two when you’re doing something for the first time.
If I’m being honest, my biggest struggle is myself. I love to take on too much. When a client has a vision, or there’s a new project I’m excited about, I want to say yes to all of it and get started immediately. These days I actually run a waitlist—it’s forced me to get better at prioritizing instead of taking on too much and constantly burning myself out.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
CarMELLA Design Studio is built around the belief that a space should be just as functional as it is beautiful. We offer professional organizing, interior design and styling, space planning, and retail and business design—creating intentional spaces that make everyday life and work easier.
What really sets CarMELLA apart is the way I bring design and organization together. I don’t see them as separate services—they go hand in hand. A beautifully designed space still needs to function, and an organized space can still feel elevated and reflect your personal style. My background in visual merchandising and space planning allows me to look at the entire space: how it looks, how it flows, how it’s used and how it can work better.
With organization specifically, I always say that more storage isn’t necessarily the answer. You can buy every beautiful bin and basket out there, but without the right system behind it, the clutter will come back. I create systems around how my clients actually live and work so they’re realistic, intuitive and easy to maintain.
I’m also incredibly proud of how personal CarMELLA has remained as the business has grown. Every project is different because every client is different. There’s no one-size-fits-all formula or signature “look”—the goal is always to create something that feels uniquely theirs.
And one of the lesser-known sides of CarMELLA is gifting. I offer personal and corporate gifting year-round, from sourcing the perfect gift to beautifully wrapping it. Personalized gifting has always been one of my love languages, so it was a natural addition to the business.
At the end of the day, whether I’m designing a room, organizing a closet or rethinking a business, the goal is the same: create a beautiful, intentional space that functions effortlessly for the people using it.
Is there any advice you’d like to share with our readers who might just be starting out?
My biggest advice is to just start. You don’t need to have everything figured out before you begin. CarMELLA started as something I did on the side because I loved it, and I learned so much simply by doing the work, listening to my clients and figuring things out along the way.
I’d also say don’t get too caught up in what everyone else is doing or how quickly they’re growing. Build something that feels authentic to you. Some of the best parts of my business today weren’t part of the original plan—they evolved naturally from my experience, my clients and the opportunities that came along.
And something I’m still learning is that you don’t have to say yes to everything. The right opportunities matter more than every opportunity.
Most importantly, if there’s something you really want to do, go for it. We only get one go-round in life, and I’d rather look back and say, “I had a great run,” than wonder, “What if?”
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.carmelladesign.com/
- Instagram: @carmelladesignstudio
- Facebook: @carmelladesignstudio
Image Credits
Sami Roy Photography, Brand Gloss, Erin Konrath, and Zoe Grant
