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After a 3-month bout of meningitis, Misi Overturf transformed from dental student to creative consultant. She spends her days helping people to bring their dream homes to life, and offering talks on artistic outlets and lifestyle themes.
She is also the author of the books Real Easy Décor & DIY and 50 Upcycling Projects From Trash to Treasure.
1. What inspired you to do what you do?
I wanted to write stories about people and their homes. I told my mom this, after ending my dentistry studies due to a three months sick spell caused by meningitis. I considered going back to university to finish studying that after my recovery, but was drawn to the creative alternative and pursued it as a career.
2. Do you decorate and design your own house?
We recently moved into a 200 year old house and the structure is still amazing. I am in awe of how things were so cleverly built with what was at hand years gone by and how the dwellings were erected to embrace seasonal changes comfortably for the inhabitants, living spaces were well set out and it offers volume to move in; the ceilings are almost 4m high.
And I kind of like getting around in older structures and optimizing them further to be slightly more in line with our needs today. With regards to decorating, I have a very eclectic style, and so does my husband. Almost everything in the house has a special story to tell.
So it is more about the personality and making it work all together. I believe your home should be a happy, comfortable space.
3. Who do you admire and why?
I admire Tricia Guild, from Designers Guild in London. I always have and even experienced star struckness when I met her in London in her shop on the Kings Road. She uses colour and pattern with panache, and the are so beautiful and remains timeless. I love her work.
4. What is the biggest challenge you face as a woman in your field?
Oh, that you still get gawked at when you walk into a hardware store into the power tools section. It is still a man’s world.
5. What advice do you give other women trying to achieve their goals?
Don’t underestimate the power of learning skills. It can be something small, but the more you understand a topic the better you can express yourself to get what you want.
You don’t really have to do everything yourself, it is empowering when you can build up skills, but it is also very important to have your needs met with regards to your space, and to learn how to clearly express that. I think the biggest value is to be the conceptualiser, and to make something happen for real that you saw in your mind. This holds true for décor, but also lots of things in life.
6. What superpower would you want?
Ah, I would love to move fast! Like The Flash. Will get so much more done!
7. If you had six months left to live, what would you do?
I would travel. Japan, the Northern Lights, Russia. All over, and then contrast it with cooking wonderful lunches for friends at home. I’d also love to have a go at making my own champagne, will fit that in somewhere too…
8. Would you go back and change anything? Do you have any regrets?
I would just learn more languages, but no, no regrets. I love the saying; no life is without regrets, yet no life is without consolation. We are just all trying.
9. Where do you hope to see yourself in 5/10/20 years?
Just better at what I’m doing, with all sorts of life experiences and the ability to share it with others.
10. What are you currently reading?
A book on the history of tapestries, Animal farm, and lots of recipes!
11. If you could have dinner with anyone from history/celebrity, who would you choose?
The first thing that came to mind, I’d love to meet my grandparents. Never knew any on either side. And wonder what characteristics I inherited from them, genes and character traits that are passed down through generations are fascinating to me...
But I also thought it must have been amazing to be the discoverer of so many wonderful things as Leonardo Da Vinci did, and what a unbelievable experience it will be to share a glimpse into his mind.
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