About Me
I’m Linda Holt and for as long I can remember, I've had two passions: Photography and Decorating.
I help people create their own beautiful, functional, personality-driven spaces, and I also teach my fellow designers how to best capture their design work using only their smartphones.
How I got here…
Growing up in a suburb west of Boston, I spent hours rearranging and decorating my bedroom. Then, when I was tired of that, I would head outside with my Kodak Instamatic Camera. My subjects were usually our English Setter, Spunky, and miniature Poodle, Gigi. Looking back, they were the most patient dogs on the planet.
Ultimately, I chose to pursue photography, leading to a 25-year career as a professional photographer in Boston.
My specialty was shooting headshots and portfolios for actors and models. I loved working as a photographer, yet I never lost my passion for decorating.
I spent my weekends wandering through flea markets or antique stores, making window treatments, trying out a new wall color, or painting a dated piece of furniture. My husband and two sons never knew what room was going to get torn apart next.
Chronic neck pain from years of lifting heavy cameras and photo equipment had finally taken its toll. My doctor told me to put down the heavy cameras for good or face spinal neck surgery.
I embraced this difficult diagnosis as an opportunity to pursue my interest in interior design. So in 2008, I packed up my photography studio and went back to school to study interior design.
I opened Linda Holt Creative in 2011; now, I split my time between empowering clients to create their dream home and teaching Smartphone photography.
The way we design and decorate our homes has changed; resources and inspiration abound!
I've found many homeowners today enjoy the process of decorating their own homes and prefer to lean on my professional expertise as a guide or a consultant.
It's important to you that your home reflects your personal style and taste. You like to maintain complete control over your budget, and you enjoy shopping (or the thrill of scoring unique items) for your furniture and fixtures.
This type of interior design service is something I searched for back when I was working as a photographer. Like many of my clients, I had a good "eye" but needed some professional guidance to end the continuous buy and return decorating method.
I made many calls but had no luck finding an interior decorator or interior designer that would work "with" me and allow me to order my own products. Between HGTV, Pinterest, and a wall of design magazines at Target, I knew that many people no longer needed full-service design.
My design business employs the consultant-centric model I sought out years ago. My collaborative consulting approach is the sweet spot for homeowners seeking professional guidance but ultimately enjoy shopping on their own to create their space.
Not only do I save my clients from making costly mistakes, but I empower them to create the homes of their dreams, not mine.
Are you interested in working together?
Fun facts and accolades:
- Married to the same guy for 39 years, and we have two grown sons
- Recently downsized from a big house in the country to a condo 9 miles from downtown Boston
- My rescue dog, named T. Nevers, refuses to have his picture taken
- Received the 2021 "DesignHound Change Maker" award
- Voted into 2020’s top 20 Design Influencers in North America
- Chosen as a tour leader of High Point Furniture Market "Insider Tour" in 2019 and 2020
- Trend writer for Merrimack Valley Magazine
- Two-time featured designer for the national event the One Room Challenge
- Chosen as a four-time participant in Design Hounds national tours
- Published in Merrimack Valley Magazine, The Boston Globe, Seasonal Living, House Beautiful Online, and Architectural Digest online
- Chosen as Elle Decor designer of the Day in 2012
- Featured speaker on getting better smartphone photos at multiple design industry events
- Interviewed on multiple national Podcasts, including A Well Designed Business, Inside Design with Kandrac&Kole, Wingnut Social, Home Stagers and Designers on Fire, and Design and Style podcast
- Started a Facebook photo challenge during the pandemic that has over 600 members
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