Today we’d like to introduce you to Carly Mandarano.
Hi Carly, we’d love for you to start by introducing yourself and tell us how did you get started and how did you get where you are today.
Hi! I’m Carly, founder of CarMELLA Design Studio, based in Virginia Beach. I specialize in interior design, professional organizing and styling, helping clients create beautiful, functional spaces for their homes and businesses.
After more than 20 years in corporate retail, primarily in visual merchandising and store design, I started CarMELLA as a creative outlet. It was an opportunity to take my passion for design and organization beyond retail and work more personally with clients to transform their spaces. What began as a side business grew through referrals and larger projects, and earlier this year, I made the exciting decision to leave my corporate career and pursue CarMELLA full-time.
Today, I work with clients both locally and beyond, bringing my experience in design, space planning and organization together to create thoughtful, intentional spaces that are as functional as they are beautiful.
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
