Meet Leslie Murphy | Owner and Creative Director of Murphy Maude Interiors

We had the good fortune of connecting with Leslie Murphy and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Leslie, what do you attribute your success to?
Building and growing a team of talented women trained in the fields of architecture, interior design, art, and graphic design is perhaps one of my greatest personal and professional accomplishments and what has led to the success of Murphy Maude Interiors. We all share a passion for art and design and are unified in our mission of improving lives through our work.

What should our readers know about your business?
I founded Murphy Maude Interiors in 2016 from my garage in Memphis. I started as a one woman decorating, staging, and custom art business under the name “DesignArt” doing one tiny job at a time for friends and family. It was much easier when it was small and simple and there was no overhead, but my heart longed for more. More expansion, creativity, collaboration and opportunity! I learned quickly that the rigorous tools and training of an accredited interior design program would be absolutely required to be in service to my clients at the level of excellence I demand of myself. I am fortunate that one of my best skills, in addition to visioning, is recruiting talented people who are much smarter than I am, to come help me realize the vision. It is because of these amazing humans that I can boast any success at all!

Fast forward to today and we are a full service Interior Architecture and Design firm composed of 14 professionals trained in the area of design, architecture, art, and graphic design. We also have two sister companies Mable Originals, our textile line derived from local and regional art, and M2 Cabinetry, our boutique cabinetry company; think leathers, concrete textures, glosses, etc. all made into fabulous cabinetry products.

Because I have always held a strong value for entrepreneurship, creativity, and the empowerment and education of women, I was able to paint a picture of a new type of workplace that meets women where they are in life. Because of this atypical approach, I have been able to secure some of the best talent in the business who believe in my model and share my belief that a happy human is the most creative and productive. And for a business to flourish, the humans inside of that business must be flourishing as well.

We also all share a common passion for art and creativity. We are musicians, visual artists, ceramic artists, architects, graphic designers and more. We are women owned, led, and operated, and we function a lot like a little family. Everything we do is through the lens of art. We want all of our work to have heart and to be genuinely original. Our mission is to improve the quality of life of our clients. We are working hard to become a conscious brand and to do the most good with the gifts we have been given.

Running a business of course has its ups and downs. At this point in my life I try to look at each challenge as an opportunity for growth and improvement. I also consider each client and each project carefully before committing myself or my team to a long term relationship with them. This business is about much more than economics to me. I want to enjoy life and I want others to derive happiness and value from our working relationship together. We have to be in alignment with our clients, vendors, and one another to create and experience real beauty in this world. I believe if everyone could find their passion and live in alignment with their true gifts the world would be a much happier, kinder, and more beautiful place.

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
I am an East Nashville resident and I love to walk to Frothy Monkey for coffee and take long walks in Shelby Park. I also love to have refreshments by the fire after a long week at Public House and dinner at Lockeland Table. All to be finished off with a little music at Urban Cowboy.

Our office is in Germantown near Red Bicycle and Germantown Cafe. I would definitely want to show off our fabulous space and new wallpaper collections to my guests before walking to City House or Rolf and Daughters for a fabulous meal. Increasingly I am spending my days in Wedgewood Houston. The Design Collective is an incredible asset for those interested in design and local art. The entertainment programing at SoHo house is always a safe bet as well!

I also love all things vintage so I would probably introduce my friends to Starstruck VIntage, Black Shag, and the Hip Zipper to get ready for an evening out listening to great tunes. There is no better place than Nashville for listening to great music. On any given night there are a number of local dives with some of the best music and most talented musicians in the country! The Underdog has been a favorite for some time for hearing really quality music.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
My Mom! Sherry Sexton Pruett. She was a single mom who was the example of determination. She showed me that it was actually possible for me to be anything I wanted to be in this world. During her career in an incredibly male dominated field, she managed over 800 personnel. She is now managing HR for my business and continues to help me level up each day! She is my best friend and my ultimate mentor.

Website: https://murphymaude.com

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/murphymaudeinteriors/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/murphy-maude-interiors

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/murphymaudeinteriors/

Image Credits
Alyssa Rosenheck Judith Hill Caroline Sharpnack Sarah Rossi Samantha Hearn