Artisan of the Month
Herb Shropshire
Herb Shropshire Interiors, LLC
Atlanta, Georgia
 After graduating from college with a degree in business management, Herb Shropshire pursued his career in corporate America supporting budget and planning software in 2001. That same year, he also relocated from Omaha, Nebraska to Atlanta, Georgia. After working in a corporate environment for several years, he decided that he wanted something more out of his career. He then made the decision to leave his job and attend a local technical school.
Having always been told by family and friends that he had a talent for interior decorating, he decided to take an interior design program at the local technical school. He enjoyed the class, and saw this as the career he had been looking for. While at the school he also discovered faux finishing, and in 2006 he received the school’s faux certification and began his business. Although Herb still works in interior design occasionally, faux finishing is his mainstay. In faux he found a job where he can exercise his creativity, and believes that he has found his niche in the Atlanta area. He is also grateful that he has his degree in business, as it has helped him to run his own business very effectively.
Herb enjoys his career in faux “because with faux finishing the sky is the limit. There is always something new to learn.” He also likes the flexibility of being his own boss. However, what he believes makes it all worthwhile is the client’s reaction at the end of a project. Herb comments “I love seeing that they really love what I did.”
When asked about a favorite job, Herb struggled to pick just one. Each job is so unique and wonderful in its own way that it is hard to choose. One job that he enjoyed was completed using a combination of foil, Lusterstone, and waxes. He says of this job “I had never done this finish before, but when it was complete I liked it better than anything else I had done before.” That was until he learned a technique using glass beads from Kathy Carroll in Atlanta. He says of the technique “it was a lot of work but the results were worth it.”
 Although Herb likes subtle finishes such as suede, his real love is for bold finishes. He enjoys the bold finishes because of their big “wow” effect. His preferences play well with his clientele. Much of Atlanta prefers more traditional finishes, but his clients generally tend toward more modern and contemporary finishes. Herb is also proud to include several pro-athlete homes in his completed jobs over his three years in business, and adds that he primarily works off of word of mouth advertisement.
When on a job, Herb works to be punctual and professional with his clients, and keep the work area clean. His main goal aside from making sure his customer is completely satisfied, is to complete the job in the quickest and least intrusive way possible. Currently Herb does much of his work himself, but in the future he would like to expand his business with 2 or 3 more faux finishers. His ultimate goal is to expand further in Georgia and possibly into other states.
Herb believes that education is integral to his success as a faux finisher. He says “faux finishing and interior design are very competitive fields. You need to be up to date.” Herb likes to learn wherever possible, and treats every environment as a learning experience. He says of this “any time that I am out in public or in a commercial space I am always trying to figure out how they achieved a particular look.” In addition to paid classes, Herb also tries to attend as many free seminars and local sessions as possible. To Herb, education is as much of an investment in his business as his tools. He adds “anything to make your job easier or more enjoyable is important to invest in.”
Herb recently met Kathy Carroll at a free event in Atlanta, and she immediately impressed him. “Not only was she very helpful, but Kathy had a plethora of techniques on display that I had never even seen before.” That day Kathy taught a technique using glass beads. He learned the technique a month ago and since then he has already completed one job using the technique and has two more jobs in the wings for the finish. He was also impressed by her willingness to share her knowledge. He notes that this is rare in a field that is so competitive. His business background also gave him a further appreciation for Kathy and her instruction. During her time in Atlanta, Kathy was also giving a talk on business tips to help grow your business and make it more profitable. He says of his experience with her “it is obvious that she has great business sense and a lot of information to share.”
For more information about Herb Shropshire Interiors, LLC please visit their website at herbshropshire.com. Herb Shropshire can also be reached by phone at 678-777-4483 or by email hshrop@msn.com.
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