July 2026 Newsletter
7/31/26 - The Power of July (sang to the tune of The Power of Goodbye for all my Madonna fans out there)
July, my favorite month, is wrapping up. We are over halfway through the year and halfway through summer. The 10th marked my official one year anniversary of going full force with the business.
Fun fact - July is Parks and Recreation month. The National Recreation and Park Association highlights “The Power Of…” as this year’s theme. It feels so right for 2 reasons. First, it aligns with my values of embracing nature and community. Second, it couldn’t be more timely with the future prominently on my mind. With the one year anniversary of Rachel Backus Design LLC, I paused to do an assessment of my goals and brainstorm ways to grow, personally and professionally. What possibilities lie ahead? I’m feeling optimistic, like I have the power to do anything and everything.
Speaking of growing, another major milestone this July was relocating my niece from Ohio to Georgia so she can start college in the Fall. In the meantime, she has been learning the interior design trade by sourcing material samples, getting pricing, doing field measurements, taking photos, and sitting in on presentations. She landed a job at a cake shop, so I won’t be dragging her to job sites as often. Also, we are spending a little time at the pool to embrace the “Power of” work-life balance. Summer Fridays.
More good news. I just picked up an exciting project. Look forward to a new Japanese restaurant off of Buford Highway in Chamblee in 2027!
The Power of… Color Trends:
Sherwin Williams just released its 2027 Colormix Forecast today. Explore Rewild.
The Power of… Reading:
My heart is in Ohio. I love this trend bunking and timeless duo. These Ohio retailers were shocked at their customer demographic
Ever wonder how designers think? “These Are the Nearly Invisible Design Decisions Beloved Hotels, Restaurants, and Museums Get Right”
A story of resilience. So wonderfully written. “What I Stress Ate After My Apartment Burned Down” by Ella Gray Hickman on Substack
Book recommendations:
Emotional and raw read All My Puny Sorrows by Mariam Toews
Summer beach read that I plan on doing a future mood board for The Island by Elin Hilderbrand
Coincidentally, both stories are about relationships between sisters, mothers, and daughters. Also coincidentally, one of the ladies in my network just happens to be in Cape Cod and is going to an Elin Hilderbrand book signing and fashion show on Nantucket today.
The Power of… Shopping:
For those of us clinging to Summer, here are some cool blue finds for your home or beach house.
Halloween is everywhere. Too soon?
Pottery Barn’s new lookbook. I can see a lot of this playing well with Fourth Interiors items.
The Power of Community:
The 4th of July was spent in Ohio with friends and family. After a hot day of packing up my niece’s belongings, we sat on the stoop across the street and watched the fireworks. After sampling pickle beer in Cleveland (kimchi in beer is delicious!), Brandy and I caught an impromptu Guardians game with great seats, a rain delay, an extra inning and fireworks. We also spent a day out on her boat.
While in Ohio, I had a chance to see my bonus Grandma once last time before she passed away. We talked about her favorite subject, golf. She came in just under par; she was less than 6 months away from turning 100.
I usually get a funny look when I tell people that I love meeting other designers. I think of them as partners, not competition. Here are a couple of examples.
I met Vanada through a contact in one of my networking groups. She is a fellow interior designer who specializes in kitchens and baths in the Atlanta area. Her company, Living Spaces, offers wonderful service packages that focus on exactly what homeowners need.
Porcelanosa hosted a fabulous event to showcase their new launches to designers. At Surface Stories and Signature Scents, designers came to see the products and gather around a table to make custom scents. I made a woodsy and citrusy reed diffuser and some really great connections. These are my people. I love the design community.
The Power of Nature:
Back to the topic of Parks and Recreation month. Shoutout to some of my favorite parks and adventurers!
Atlanta and other Georgia parks - Tallulah Gorge State Park, Riverside, Cloudland Canyon, Chastain, Blue Heron Nature Preserve, Providence Canyon State Park (on my to do list)
National parks - Joshua Tree, Denali, Redwoods
RV couple - @alwaystakethedetour
Check out this stunning Jamestown handblown glass: Jamestown green wine glass Profits support the National Park Service.
Joshua Tree with Nikki, the friend who gets dragged along to the most National Parks with me
The Power of ART:
My niece and I lucked out and snagged 2 spots at the Taste of Spruill Introduction to Paper Quilling class. What is paper quilling you ask? Crafty and calm.
Madonna’s Confessions II came out of the 3rd and I can’t stop listening.
And I end on this note. The song. The wardrobe. The architecture and interior design. Her. The Power of Goodbye
