About

Who I am  

Hi! My name is Rae, and I’m a down-south Georgia girl, born and raised. I have a Bachelor of Science Degree in Interior Design from Georgia Southern University. Since college I've been blessed with the opportunity to work as an interior designer for various brands in Atlanta. I started my journey as a kitchen designer, then retail designer for the world's largest home furnishings company, IKEA. Afterwards I traveled the country uplifting restaurants through design and art curation for the South's most celebrated pizza franchise, Mellow Mushroom. Currently I work for IHG Hotels & Resorts as a Design Manager, where I focus on creating hotel prototypes that are well-loved by guests and owners. 

My 13 years of experience has totally shaped my design passions! Thanks to my retail background, I am very passionate about kitchen design, and I consider myself a sincere ambassador for small space living, the integration of living with children, and the implementation of amazing low-price living solutions in the home... as well as in the workplace. I've always admired hospitality design, so I feel so lucky that I now get to create and support unique experiences for guests around the world.

In June of 2022, I took my career to the next level by becoming an NCIDQ certified interior designer, and honestly I'm still shook! It's hard to fully articulate what it feels like to achieve such a milestone. It's been a long road, but I feel incredibly blessed to share my talent, skill, and knowledge with the world. I also look forward to the opportunity to lift up others in the design community, and provide mentorship to other Black designers like me.  

What I believe

Harley Finkelstein once said, "It doesn’t matter how much money you have, but rather how much creativity you have." I always keep that in mind, for I know that the best ideas are often born out of the tiniest of budgets. You don't have to be a financially wealthy person to create a functional and beautiful space that is unique to your personality and addresses all of your needs. Little budgets can also create chic spaces. Don't EVER let anyone tell you any different!

What I love

I love a sassy haircut, an unexpected lip color, and a good pair of pointy-toe flats. I also prefer to live my life in the brightest of colors that this world has to offer - in my wardrobe, as well as in my home. In my spare time I enjoy arranging fresh flowers that I find on Kroger Manager's special, cooking Blue Apron meals (I've cooked 600+), digging for buried treasure at my neighborhood Goodwill, and shaking up cocktails to justify my insatiable thirst for vintage glassware. I also have a proclivity towards huge statement necklaces, and clutches large enough to hold my enormous smartphone (team Android, of course).

What you can expect

Here on ‘chic little me’, you’ll see tidbits of my life in the design industry, the work-in-progress townhome that I own with my sweet hubby, Brandon, tips and tricks for creating chic spaces on a budget, simple diys, and even occasional photo bombs of our adorable rescue pup, Chips. Moreover, you’ll experience the musings of a creative, cost-conscious, color-confident young woman who just wants to inspire and share with you in her spare time. 

Thanks for stopping by! If you want to connect, drop me a line at rae@chiclittle.me!

Also, if you want to see what I'm up to, feel free to follow me on social media! 

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Photos by Ruth Brooks @ruthj.jpg