Meet Jonell Lay | Interior Designer, Retired UX Leader, Founder of Rae Adam Design Studio

We had the good fortune of connecting with Jonell Lay and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Jonell, do you have a favorite quote or affirmation?
I have several favorite affirmations that lift me out of the inevitable yucky spots, and “Trust the process” is one I reference often. I love it because the affirmation applies so broadly – to design, to relationships, being an athlete, musician, student, preparing for a presentation…you name it – and it grounds me in the moments when I’m swirling as a reminder the swirl is normal and it’s not the conclusion. There are steps and stages to follow for a reason. If I do the daily work, the rest will take care of itself.

I also love this affirmation because the word “process” reminds me certain things just aren’t supposed to be one-and-done or a quick fix. Our society has become so adept at expecting and wanting instant gratification that we forget there’s (supposed to be) work on our journeys.

“Trust the process” grounds me in the reality of what it takes to make progress, meaningful progress, and to stay confident through the uncertainty.

In a way, this affirmation speaks to my faith and trust in God too. God isn’t a process but my relationship with Him is. Meaning, if I trust the daily process of surrendering, making space to spend time with Him – learning His word, praying in quiet, and listening for His voice – I will be led and have peace even through discomfort, uncertainty, pain, and turmoil. I’ve learned that God works through whispers and nudges, and His beauty unfolds over time…my job is to trust Him during uncertainty while staying in the relationship work along the way.

I get impatient. I like to feel a sense of accomplishment and I want to be helpful. I want to get to the exciting part of having a design vision come together. Every single time I’ve tried to rush the process or skipped steps to get there, I end up going back and redoing the steps I shortcutted. As a believer, mom, wife, friend, leader, and business owner, I want to model staying disciplined in the process even when I get impatient or feel discomfort because I know it yields surprising and amazing results. My confidence in the process helps others trust it too.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
I established Rae Adam Design Studio to help people love and celebrate who they are through the lens of their home and find confidence in their own aesthetic and voice. My hope is to use my talents to help people find delight in their day-to-day lives by deepening their connection to self, space, and circumstance while elevating something beautiful and unexpected in their environment.

My path to establishing this business wasn’t a straight line, and for that I’m grateful. The people who have influenced me, what I’ve learned through my history, and how all of that works together to affect my mindset and approach are what set me apart from others.

Prior to establishing Rae Adam Design Studio, I pursued a Percussion Performance degree in college where I learned the art of storytelling through musical expression, how to be accountable and perform my part effectively within small to large ensembles, and developed confidence on stage whether performing solo or with a large ensemble.

After moving to Boston for graduate studies, I shifted my focus elsewhere – mainly towards paying the bills – and started what would become a successful 23-year career in Human Centered Design in the digital world. As I climbed the career-ladder, I grew my skills at fast-paced agencies, educational institutions, and eventually transitioned into the corporate world. I served in roles as project manager, information architect, design director, and finally as an executive leader supporting a global UX design team and practice at one of America’s largest financial services institutions. Leading in any capacity isn’t easy, but I loved serving in Design Leadership because it gave me the opportunity to tap into my “helper” purpose and equip designers with tools to balance creativity with business-minded intentionality while encouraging them to trust their talents. What I didn’t love were the politics involved with executive leadership.

My non-linear path to establishing Rae Adam Design Studio taught me that achieving successful designs requires discipline, patience, empathy, understanding, and trust – which all require setting aside ego and listening.  My designs are inspired by and reflect my clients. It’s my job to bring deliberate listening, creative ways of solving their need, clarity in communication, and accountability in execution to ensure their many goals are met and they love the result.

It’s important for me to create an environment where my clients and partners can be real, open, and at ease, and where candid conversations flow freely. Building trust is something I value most in my relationships. Great experiences and great design don’t happen without it.

Home should be a place of comfort. Creating comfort requires intentionality. Taking an intentional approach to know who my clients are, how they want to live, and how their home needs to function is critical to achieving a lasting design that brings them delight. I look forward to helping my clients achieve a result they love and for us to enjoy the process, together, along the way.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
We’d start the day at Jubala in Lafayette Village for coffee, sweet biscuits, and indulge in their famous liege waffles. Then, we’d probably make our way to North Hills for walking, talking, and shopping. We’d make a noontime stop at the BBQ Lab or Cowfish for lunch. Once we’ve worn ourselves out, we’d head back to our house to lounge poolside with the whole family in our backyard. We built our house for entertaining and sharing with our family and friends; we absolutely love opening our home and hosting. Our pool area is the perfect spot to enjoy a relaxing escape and meaningful connection with the ones we love. I might also be found whipping up some of my famous craft cocktails while my husband manages the grill, and our son keeps everyone entertained with his shenanigans. If we decided to forgo lounging by the pool for dinner, we’d head out to Crawford & Son or dine locally in Wake Forest at Farm Table. Whatever the case, space for connection over food and conversation would be the priority.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I’ve been blessed with the influence, friendship, mentorship, support, and love of many individuals; I owe so much to so many. Some have been momentary divine placements – meant to teach me something or pull me forward through a specific hard season or situation – and others have been more persistently present throughout longer phases of my life. Whatever the case, I have many in my life who have been gifts and influenced me immeasurably.

I’m going to go back to my roots and acknowledge the influence of my parents. They both – for different reasons – set the trajectory for my life and I attribute much of my success to the values they instilled in me: integrity, hard work, discipline, accountability, kindness, caring for others, and trusting in God through all things.

I was born and raised in rural Minnesota; my father, Roger Gades (pronounced “goddess”) was a crop farmer and my mother, Marlene, set aside her career to support my father, the farming operation, and raise me and my 3 siblings.

While my father and I had a challenging relationship, he taught me the value of hard work and accountability. My siblings and I had high expectations placed on us to get things done and do it until it’s done right even if it’s hard or unpleasant. And, if we committed to doing something, we were expected to follow through. Shirking a responsibility just wasn’t an option. If we wanted something, we were expected to work for it; there are no handouts. I may be a recovering perfectionist as an outcome of my relationship with my father.

The relationship I share with my mother is a very special one, and one I cherish deeply. As she battles an aggressive, incurable cancer, my love and admiration for her grows deeper by the day. She is a woman of deep faith, beautiful grace, and endless resilience. She has lived her life as a caregiver and helper, giving of her time, resources, and love to help others in any way she can. She’s an incredibly talented woman who shares her love and faith freely.

Even though I grew up in a small, rural farming community my mother made it a priority to expose me to as many experiences and opportunities as possible. When I was a small child, I remember her spending hours with me baking, reading, crafting, gardening, or involving me in the “fun” (work) around the house. She nurtured a deliberate appreciation for art, athletics, and academics which led to a very active upbringing.

My mother’s faith, sacrifices, grace, investment in my wellbeing, and unconditional love for me instilled stability, integrity, a desire to help others, and deep discipline while persisting through pain. She’s the one who ignited my creativity. I’m grateful for her because she’s modeled so much love, resilience, and gratitude amidst tremendous challenges, heartache, and confusion which teaches me what faith in fear and light in darkness looks like. She fills me with love, hope, and courage that no matter what I face, there’s redemption, grace, and peace through God’s endless mercies.

My parents are the reason I am where I am today. I’m forever grateful.

Website: www.raeadam.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/raeadamdesignstudio/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jonellgades/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raeadamdesignstudio

Other: Image Credits Brand Photos by Abigail Jackson @abigailjacksonphoto

Image Credits
Abigail Jackson | @abigailjacksonphoto