Designer Sheena Hancock goes from law enforcement to interior decorating - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
She went from working with prisoners to proportions and patterns, but for interior designer Sheena Hancock, the road to her dream was multilayered. It all started out fairly linear — eight years in the Air Force to law enforcement training and a master’s degree in criminal justice from the University of Cincinnati.
“I worked in the state prisons and worked as a state parole agent and in the juvenile detention center,” Hancock recalled.
But after 10 years, she was the one feeling confined.
“I have always liked beautiful things and creativity,” Hancock said. There was too little of both in her daily surroundings, so she made a change.
“I like to live in my truth,” explained the 5-foot, 125-pound powerhouse who has unlocked her creativity as owner of Sheena Hancock Interior Creations (www.designedbyshic.com).
It has been nearly four years since Hancock started a design business that has succeeded due to her high level of confidence, talent and work ethic.
A project in Monroeville reimagined a very common, traditional, outdated bathroom, transforming it into a bright, spa-like room with unique lighting fixtures, a patterned, tiled floor and a tiled wall. “The clients wanted the space to feel as open as possible,” she said.
“When you use black in a design, it can give you a lot of depth. I like to expose people to design that still captures the style they want but using materials that keep it timeless yet fresh,” she offered.
At another project in Bridgeville, Hancock made a small study appear much larger by using wallpaper that resembles bookshelves and adding wall sconces.
“They wanted a transitional style, so that is what we went for. They don’t like a lot of furniture,” she recalled.
The wallpaper was the perfect solution for maximizing the space.
Hancock also works on commercial projects. She recently brought to life the vision of the owner of Soldi Lounge in Homestead, who wanted something old-school with modern appeal. “When you work on a commercial project, you must keep in mind the brand and the customer experience.”
The client wanted the place to look like no other lounge in Pittsburgh, she said. He wanted a traditional nightclub color scheme — black and white, red accents — with a Cotton Club vibe. It was the designer’s first big commercial project, and she pulled together a look that has a Vegas-meets-Cotton Club ambiance.
“As a designer, you have to be able to put your own style preferences aside to create the space the client is imagining,” said Hancock.
She attributes some of her success as an entrepreneur to her first job after the parole board: selling insurance.
“I worked a lot, I scrambled a lot and I really dominated in that industry, but there was burnout,” she remembered. “I had to ask myself the question: ‘What would you love to do that wouldn’t feel like work?’”
Hancock was also looking for something that would not take as much time away from her family.
“I was traveling from state to state selling insurance, but since it was 100% commission-based, I had to produce,” she said. “That was a scary time.”
It did give her experience in running a business and building a team. Her confidence grew and her perspective changed. She became an entrepreneur.
“I decided if I could be successful selling a product that is not even tangible because you can’t use it until you die, I could do anything,” she said with a laugh.
She was the company’s No. 1 salesperson in the state.
Hancock realized there is room for talent in any field. She was not intimidated entering an industry dominated by white women.
“I am a darker-skinned Black woman — I am who I am — but I have always worked in industries that were predominantly male and white, where I was underestimated,” she said. “I held my own.”
As an interior designer, Hancock has created a reputation for capturing what the client wants and being a problem-solver.
“My favorite thing about working with people is being able to create the vision they have in their minds, to make it real, to solve their problems. It makes me feel amazing,” she said.
“The thank-yous that I get, the smiles and the calls after saying, ‘People love my place.’ All that does more for me than the paycheck,” confessed the designer. “Having the freedom to create is priceless, and I never want to overpromise and underdeliver.”
Patricia Sheridan: [email protected].
First Published October 11, 2021, 3:00am
source: https://www.post-gazette.com/life/fashion/2021/10/11/Sheena-Hancock-interior-designer-pittsburgh-homes-decor-soldi-lounge-homestead/stories/202110110001
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