A Full Fall, a New Role, and a Trip to Where It All Started
It's been a few quiet weeks here under the ginkgo. The design side of my work got busy, the good kind of busy, where the day starts with a site visit or a tile sample and ends with a floor plan. Add in school starting back, and a little family travel, and the blog had to wait its turn. I've missed it, though, and I have a lot to catch you up on.
What's on the boards this fall
Right now, I have five projects moving at once, each in a different stage.
The one I'm most excited to show you is an outdoor living area heading into the last stretch of construction. We're outfitting it with furniture from Graham's Lighting, and I can't wait to see the large-scale lantern from Fourteenth Colony Lighting installed on the stone chimney. Along with motorized solar screens to control the sun and bugs, a wood-burning fireplace, and integrated electric heaters, this outdoor area will be a stunning place to relax in every season.
Outdoor Living Addition Under Construction
Design board showing some of the elements of the outdoor space by Jessi Agee Designs
In another home, a guest bath is in its final stages, and the primary bath starts next. Both rooms were due for a fresh look, but what excites me most is the part you won't notice at first glance. I’ve designed both with universal design principles to support aging in place and easier mobility for years to come. Universal design and aging in place were foundational to my design education and training, and I love putting them to work in rooms that will keep serving this couple well into the future.
I'm also designing a brand-new primary bath, and this one has me excited about a new product. One of my favorite tile suppliers recently introduced me to a line of large-format panels, and they may be exactly what this client is after. She loves the look of stone, but not the sometimes busy grid you get from 12-by-24 tiles. She wants something high-end and uninterrupted, and a few large panels in the shower could give her the look of one continuous slab. I can't wait to see where it lands.
Then there's an upstairs remodel for a pair of sisters, a tween and a teen. It's a large upstairs area that has probably been underused for years, and we're finally giving it a job. We're carving out a dedicated study area, revamping their bathroom so they both have ample storage, and refreshing the whole floor to match the main level, which was remodeled in 2025.
I'm continuing design work on a whole-home remodel of a house built in the 1930s. This one is a little extra special. It calls for high-end finishes, specialty natural stones, and a lot of intricate planning for cabinetry and built-ins. It's the kind of project that challenges me and lets me stretch as a designer, and I'm loving every bit of it.
Hall bath design with emerald shades of green, Calacatta Viola vanity top, and marble mosaic floor by Jessi Agee Designs
Here's the part I want you to hear if you're thinking about a project of your own: I'm booked through the fall and the holidays, and I'm planning to begin new design work right after the first of the year. If you'd like to be in construction by spring, the design needs to happen in January, so now is the time to call. Design comes first, and homeowners who start early have plans ready when spring arrives. Get in touch here.
A new role with ASID Tennessee
I've accepted an appointment to serve on the board for the Tennessee Chapter of the American Society of Interior Designers as the Professional Development Director. I'll help plan and lead chapter-wide continuing education events for interior designers statewide.
That might sound like it only matters to designers, but it matters to you, too. Continuing education is a big deal in our industry. It's how designers keep up with new products and processes, universal & environmentally friendly design, and ultimately protect the health, safety, and welfare of the public. And it isn't only about belonging to a professional society. Designers earn those continuing education credits to maintain their state credentials and registration. When your designer keeps learning, your home benefits.
I'm excited to connect with designers in Middle and East Tennessee, and even more excited to help grow ASID's involvement and presence here in West Tennessee and the Memphis area. I enjoy teaching, I enjoy learning, and I love talking about professional interior design, so this felt like the perfect fit.
And then, Greece
In just a few days, my husband and I leave for Greece to celebrate our 15th wedding anniversary. It's a season of life we wanted to mark with something special, and this is it.
I'll admit the designer in me is coming along for the ride. Greek architecture underpins so many design principles, and I studied a lot of it in college: the order, the symmetry, the history. So much of my own work rests on timeless principles, and I'm excited to finally visit the country where it all started. We'll see the ancient ruins and the Acropolis, then head out to the islands, with all those white buildings set against the blue Mediterranean. Travel has always given me perspective, inspiration, and a fresh appreciation for design.
I'll be offline while I'm there. Everyone needs a real break from being so connected, and I intend to take mine. I'll share it all when I'm home.
Coming up
On October 13, the Granger Project gets one last look: the specific finishes in the house, from paint colors to tile to wallpaper, plus where to find the accessories from the styled photos. It's the question I get asked most, so y'all will finally have the list.
See you on the 13th! Yassas!
