ANNOUNCING THE WOMAN OF THE MONTH

Meet August’s Fort Worth Woman! Later trained by some of Dallas-Fort Worth’s premier interior designers, Shelby Whitfield’s career dream initially started with a close relationship with her grandmother. Growing up, her grandmother had a beautiful colonial home in Virginia and every time she visited, Shelby became immersed in the beauty of formal sitting rooms, keeping rooms, loggias, wallpaper, and paint samples. Shelby describes further, “my grandmother inspired my interest in interior design early; those summer evenings at her home always wrapped up with sorbet and HGTV.” To jumpstart Shelby’s design vision, her grandmother would not only share design projects with her but she would encourage her to sketch her own ‘dream room’ and from there, Shelby’s natural interior design process began.

Growing up, Shelby moved around quite a bit. Her father had a mix of jobs in both healthcare and as a missionary which had them relocating fairly frequently but she openly states that Fort Worth always felt like ‘home’. “I’ve always ended up back home, bringing with me stylistic influences from each place I’ve lived: the environmental connection to a space from the Sandia Mountains in Albuquerque; modern art and architecture from school in Berlin; and classical details from the historic icons of Virginia, where I went to college and spent summers as a child,” she states. After attending Liberty University in Virginia and graduating at the early age of 20, she returned to Fort Worth as a kitchen and bath designer, met her husband here in Cowtown, and began her family. Once her son was born, Shelby’s entrepreneurial itch really began. She wanted what many moms want today, to fulfill her own dreams but on a schedule that allows her as much time with her son as possible.

Shelby honestly states, “I never expected I’d be a business owner, but quickly changed my mind when my son was born. I knew I needed to create a career and family balance while modeling for him hard work, a pursuit of passion, and giving back to the community”. This is the vision in which Modern Menagerie Interiors was born. Modern Menagerie Interiors is a full-service interior design firm based in Fort Worth that serves the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex and even accepts projects nationwide. Shelby has worked on family home renovations in Preston Hollow and the Park Cities, estate homes in Westover Hills, and vacation homes throughout the country.

Inspired by her two incredible, industry professional mentors, Justin Seitz and Wilson Fuqua, Shelby’s vision for Modern Menagerie is far from complete. When describing her learning experience from them she further explains that, “their influence made me believe in the importance of personally investing in the next generation of designers (and humans), and as Modern Menagerie grows, I’d like to develop a formal mentorship program.

Shelby jump-started her business pretty fast and when asked about the advice she said she’d give to new design business owners is to start with your inner network and work outwards from there. Shelby states, “I’m 26 (though have been in the design industry for 7 years), so many of my friends are still completing graduate degrees and not in a position to hire a designer.” Shelby found a way to help dear friends, while getting her first few projects under belt. Expanding during a pandemic, however, was a much different story. “I then had to figure out how to meet clients outside of my personal network while most in-person events were paused due to the pandemic. I’m an interior designer, not a digital marketer, so it was a huge learning curve!” she says.

Shelby stands out in the interior design world because her projects stay personable. Her design philosophy is a client-centered approach combining both her lived and professional experience. She states, “I love hearing my clients say that they feel heard throughout the design process, and that their home is still a reflection of who they are. I’m proud to be able to offer them excellent design based in knowledge gained through luxury experience, while creating a comfortable, down-to-earth space my clients are happy to call home.” Overall, when goals are being set, Shelby does have one in mind. “It probably sounds trite, but I’d love to have a client’s home featured in Architectural Digest one day. I’ve been quoted in ADPro, but to have an editorial about a project would be a dream” she envisions. 

When asked about what she loves about our city, Shelby was quick to cite the ‘hometown feel’ of Fort Worth. She states, “I love that Fort Worth feels Iike it could be anyone’s hometown; it’s humble and welcoming while still fostering excellence and beauty in its small businesses and communities. I love wandering the museums, along the river, and through all the neighborhoods that each hold their own identities while still being a perfect part of Cowtown.”

Like many women who have been featured in these articles, Shelby struggled with choosing a word for her impact as a businesswoman on her city. Her humble personality put a lot of thought in to her word choice and she made sure to select the word “service” with purpose. She proudly explains “I believe in the human aspect of interior design and strive to serve my clients well by keeping their needs at the front of everything I do for them. It really is such an honor to have a bit of permanent influence on someone’s environment, knowing that thoughtful design impacts my client’s well-being day to day.”

Shelby is here to lighten the load, add more beauty, and design your home with purpose. Because she is often with clients, the best way to reach out to Shelby is through e-mail at shelby@modernmenagerie.com or through the contact form on her website found at www.modernmenagerie.com/contact