Sofiest Designs: Gen Z’s Current Home Decor Obsession

Image Courtesy: SofiestDesigns

As human beings, we light up when we’re creative. Your creativity could be expressed by crocheting a mini skirt you saw on Instagram or getting a coloring book and tapping into your inner child every once and a while. Coloring the afternoon away doesn’t sound like such a bad idea when you think about it. When your creative outlet becomes a passion project, that’s a whole different story. Sofie from ‘Sofiest Designs’ knows this narrative fairly well. 

Let’s backtrack, shall we? Fresh off graduating, Sofie did what we’re all told to do once we graduate college, get that corporate job and become the corporate baddie you were always meant to be! While she followed through with that, life had other plans for her. She realized quickly that her interests were not at the marketing firm as she had initially planned and that being creative and crafty would lead her to do awe-inspiring things. From selling her infamous ‘Disco Therapy’ home decor pieces on websites like Urban Outfitters, Free People, and Aerie, the corporate baddie turned business owner had insight about her journey to share with our Strike readers. 

Maria Paula Gonzales: Transforming disco balls into different shapes, fruits, and little mushrooms is such a cool way to twist the standard disco ball into a funky decor piece. Where did the idea to use disco balls as home decor come from? 

Sofie: At the time, I was really into making furniture, so I was making those mushroom stools that are pretty popular now. I was making them before they were on Target, and they kind of blew up when Target posted them. At the time, I was really obsessed with mushrooms, and to your point regarding the disco ball, it has been around forever. It's always been the traditional sphere that's at the top of your ceiling in a club or whatever. So I thought a really cool spin on the traditional disco ball would be to add modern-day elements to include it into the modern-day home. After the mushroom stool, my second product was the cherry. I love fruit, and I love fruit decor. I feel like fruit decor will never go out of style. I wish I could have every fruit in disco ball form. I love the natural light refractions into the room.

MP: I see you have your own website. You’re on Etsy, and ‘Sofiest Designs’ is also on Aerie, UO, and Mind Flowers. Was there a moment along the way when you were making these creations where you took a step back and thought to yourself, “wow, this could really become something.”

Sofie: Yeah, so when I first started, I had first graduated college up in SF. I moved back to San Diego with my parents. I was working at a marketing firm, so my plan was to move closer to the office. Eventually, I just stayed at home with my parents. That same week I posted my first mushroom on Facebook marketplace; I listed 10 for sale and had only made one at the time, and all ten sold the same day. I had to quickly make them in production and then started an Etsy shop, and it just took off from there. So this whole time, I was working this marketing job, and I didn't tell anyone that I was doing this. It took about six months to quit my full-time job. I was listening to a lot of podcasts at the time that were in the same situation as me, working full-time and creating part-time jobs but hating their full-time job. I love to craft, I love making home decor, I love to be creative, and honestly, it kind of all got suppressed because of my corporate job. 

MP: I feel you so hard; everything you’re saying is a sad reality for many people who are creative but don’t see that being their primary source of income.

Sofie: To be told by these videos that you could do it full-time was kind of a dream come true, but it also wasn't a reality that I expected to happen overnight. I had so much stress quitting my full-time job because I hadn't told them I was doing the Etsy shop but quitting was the best decision I ever made. I have never looked back. I want to be able to work for myself in the future forever. I feel like not enough people can think it can be a reality.

MP: How does your business feel now to you?

Sofie: I always feel like I'm underwater. Honestly, being a small business owner is not easy. I’ve never worked this hard in my life, and it’s all going really well. I’ve been able to support myself. I work with some of my friends and my neighbors, and they help me out by doing some part-time work. 

MP: Being an entrepreneur, I believe success must look and feel different for everyone. From the outside looking in, your business looks very successful. What does success mean to you?

Sofie: Hmmm, I don't know. That's a good question! I think there are different rounds of success. A year ago today, working full-time for the marketing firm, I would’ve said that success was being able to support yourself full-time. That's probably what I would’ve said a year ago today. Having some of the work outsourced, having to move people to help, having more of a fully run company, and still being profitable. That is my current view of success, and of course still enjoying it. I think the hustle and the grind really takes away from enjoying what you do and, of course, being able to employ those around me.

MP: Your business is all about home decor items (and I saw some earrings and a shirt on your website). What does your ideal space look like? Whether it's your living room, bedroom, or workspace. What makes a perfect space for you?

Sofie: Oh, that’s a good question. Right now, I'm taking over my parent's garage, and it's become my work studio. I haven't had the pleasure of furnishing a house yet. I'm a huge thrift/Facebook Marketplace girl; I just prefer it. I feel like, while I'm a maximalist, I'm also a minimalist. My space also needs to be the perfect blend of cozy but cute. I run cold, so I always need blankets everywhere. I need my space to be 70 degrees. And also I need all the natural light in the world. I call myself ‘disco therapy.’ I just love how the natural light makes such a difference in a room. 

After I got off the phone with Sofie, I took a moment to read over her answers and what our overall conversation was about. I was tremendously inspired by the story of a young college graduate, not feeling fulfilled with what she had been told were supposed to be the next steps to “become successful.” So she created success on her own terms. And while success is constantly evolving, as she said, success comes in rounds and differs in every season of life. ‘Sofiest Designs’ is more than just a home decor brand. It’s a testimony that if you want more for yourself and what you want doesn’t exist, you must go out and make it. 

Where you can find ‘Sofiest Designs’:

Website: https://sofiestdesigns.com

Etsy Shop: https://www.etsy.com/shop/SofiestDesigns

Strike Out,

Maria Paula Gonzales

Boca Raton

Maria Paula Gonzales is a Content Writer for Strike Magazine Boca. When she’s not writing her way through life, she enjoys thrifting, looking for concerts to attend, and spending as much time in nature as possible. You can reach her at mariapaulag97@gmail.com