“Your home should be your happy place.”
These are words Jassy Sidhu lives by, and the mission behind her new business, JS Design & Styling.
Collingwood’s newest interior design studio officially opened its doors on Simcoe St. earlier this month, and Sidhu couldn’t be more excited.
“The process started back in November,” said Sidhu. “It’s been a labour of love.”
She held a “grand” opening for the studio on July 4 — well, as grand as it could be keeping social distancing in mind. Still, she was happy to have prospective clients “come in, meet us and see what we’re all about.”
“Normally I would do a grand grand-opening. That’s who I am. But it’s nice to be able to open safely in any sense,” she said.
The COVID-19 pandemic halted her business on all angles, but much like everyone else, Sidhu adapted. She finally got the keys to the retail space on June 1 and charged full speed ahead.
“We’ve been schlepping furniture. I’ve been ordering inventory this whole time,” said Sidhu. The furniture was sitting in at least five different warehouses in Toronto, so Sidhu and her daughters rented a truck and spent the day collecting everything.
“It’s been crazy getting it all done,” she continued.
Sidhu moved to the Collingwood area with her family two years ago. Design has always been her passion, but it wasn’t until recently that she decided to make a career out of it.
“It’s always been in me. I used to rearrange my room all the time when I was little, and I painted my entire house with my mom when I was little,” she said.
After following a “safer” career in finance at first, Sidhu’s entrepreneurial spirit got the better of her. She started staging homes, and her client base quickly started to grow.
The storefront on Simcoe St. is her first brick and mortar, and Sidhu is happy to have a space to showcase the work that she does, while also being able to sell some of her favourite unique pieces.
“I have never done retail before in my life, so this was a huge learning curve,” she said. “I am very excited to be here, to be a part of the community. I feel like it is the next chapter for me.”
Her pieces are sourced from all over, particularly Europe, so Sidhu uses a Canadian supplier to bring them in. She describes her style as “bold and edgy, but neutral” which she thinks will be complementary to the other design studios in town.
“It’s neutral, but I like to punch it up with something unique and something whimsical. It’s all about collaboration, not competition,” she said.
In the spirit of collaboration, Sidhu also plans to partner with a local artist every month to showcase their work in a home setting.
Her main services include interior decorating and styling services for interiors, properties and events.
“We have enough stress in our lives,” said Sidhu. “Home should evoke a feeling of happiness and no stress. Leave your troubles at the door. This is my passion. I want to make you happy in your home.”
