By Anne Donnelly
In the bustling design world, where trends come and go, Joël Lynn Designs is a testament to passion, heritage, and a deep understanding of what makes a house a home. Owner Joël Lynn Ralph, whose showroom in Glens Falls will celebrate its second anniversary in July, has built a thriving business focusing on kitchens, baths, and more.
Design, for Ralph, is not just a profession; it’s a family legacy. She explains, “I had a great uncle who used to build cabinets. My mother’s father was a builder. So, having graph paper in our house and drawing up plans was always just a natural thing. When my parents were renovating their home, my mom was drawing up plans on graph paper, and my older brother taught me how to measure the squares to see how many feet are in the square.”
Ralph’s career journey into kitchen and bath design started when her brother, who owned a kitchen and bath company, asked her to help organize his showroom. Curious about the design process, Ralph would take the designer’s plans home. “I used to draw over them and try to understand what all this was about.”
However, the leap to establishing her own business came after COVID. She started representing a cabinet line but soon found herself inundated with calls from people asking her to design kitchens for them. What began as a side endeavor quickly grew organically, with calls continuously coming in. She worked from home for about two years before opening her showroom.
Opening the showroom in Glens Falls was a meaningful decision for Ralph. “My grandmother used to talk about downtown Glens Falls and this particular building as the Empire Theater. It’s a gorgeous building. So when this location became available, it just felt right. I love being in Glens Falls. I love the history of Glens Falls. I love being part of Hometown USA.”
Being self-employed has been a revelation for Ralph. She loves the autonomy and the ability to work in a way that aligns with her passion, something she found challenging when working for others. “When you work for other people who own the business, they’re focused on the bottom line,” says Ralph. “I have more of a passion. I love doing the extras with my clients. It’s a lot more hours, but I love what I do. I would never go back to work for somebody else.”
Recently, Ralph hired a part-time employee, Jaquelin Mignot, who started in March. Jacqueline helps organize the back-end of the business, setting up client portals where clients can send inspiration pictures and appliance purchases. Having an assistant frees up Ralph’s time to focus on the creative aspects of design and building client relationships, something she appreciates as she dislikes the organizational tasks. Migot’s youth, energy, and tech-savviness have been a significant asset to the business.
Ralph emphasizes that kitchen and bath design is far more complex than simply creating beautiful spaces. “There are so many things that you have to think about when you’re designing a kitchen. On top of that, you must make sure the appliances will fit and the handles don’t stick out too far. It’s those things that some people don’t pay attention to.” Despite her past as a music theater major, she now primarily deals with fractions and decimals. Even with modern laser measuring tools and computer programs, Ralph double-checks everything, as there’s always room for error.
The work of Joël Lynn Designs extends beyond kitchens and baths to other areas like fireplace surrounds and laundry areas, and also extends beyond the immediate Glens Falls area, with projects completed in Florida, Pennsylvania, and even a kitchen designed for a project in the UK. The advent of Zoom, a silver lining of COVID, has allowed her to work with clients who own summer homes in the Saratoga and Lake George regions but reside elsewhere.
Most of Ralph’s work comes through word-of-mouth referrals and repeat business from builders, contractors, and past homeowner clients. Kitchen designs typically have a lifespan of 15 to 20 years, and Ralph enjoys the experience of redoing projects she designed years ago for new homeowners.
Looking to the future, Ralph doesn’t envision expanding her business significantly. She loves working independently and enjoys the current pace, managing around 33 projects. As she approaches her later fifties, she’s not seeking accolades but continuing to do what she loves. Her vision is to remain a part of the growth happening in Glens Falls, with her “little showroom” contributing to the vibrant community. Joël Lynn Ralph’s simple message to anyone interested in finding out more is: “Just stop by and say, ‘Hi.’”
You can find out more about Joël Lynn Designs at https://www.joellynndesigns.com/.