Holly Fortunato
Interior Design
Holly Fortunato has always been passionate about design. As a child, she often moved furniture around her house. “My mother would come home, and I’d have situated the room differently,” says Fortunato. Her mother, grandmother and grandfather were all artists. As a result, she was surrounded by support for her interest in a creative field. “My mother told me to follow my heart and go into interior design.”
She followed her calling and has been with Interiors by Brown in Boca Raton for 37 years.
Interiors by Brown is a full-service interior design firm in residential, hospitality and commercial design. Their 10,000-square-foot showroom and design center are open to the public.
“If I didn’t love this firm, I never would’ve been here that long,” she says. “I’ve raised my children here. We’ve had trips together. We share stories. We’re connected with sad things and amazing things. We really are a family.”
Fortunato is genuinely interested in what she does; her clients know that.
“This isn’t just a project for me,” she says. “This is much more important. It’s where they’ll live, entertain and raise a family.” Listening and trust are crucial in her role. “The relationship is important. It’s not just transactional.”
She adds that she’s around until the end to finish every project, ensuring she sees every piece of a project through from construction documents to the right accessories and personal touches.
The result is her favorite part of her job. “I love when I can step back, and the job is finished. It’s a reflection of my client and I love doing it.”
She cherishes the relationships she makes. “Many of us have so much history. We’ve done five, six or seven homes.”
She enjoys repeat business. “The clients feel like I get them. They don’t have to bring me up to speed.
It’s so comfortable once you understand what a client wants.”
After she earned her degree in interior design, the Florida native joined Interiors by Brown in 1987. Fortunato’s gift for developing client relationships and her tenure at Interiors by Brown is a reflection of her passion for what she does.
Fortunato reflects, “I would pick the same profession if I had to do it all over again.”
Interiors by Brown, 4501 N. Federal Highway, Boca Raton, 561-368-2703, interiorsbybrown.com
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