Meet Gina Gutierrez | Founder of Storia Home + Principal Designer of Gina Rachelle Design

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

Hi Gina, can you talk to us a bit about the social impact of your business?
Gina Gutierrez, founder of Gina Rachelle Design and Storia Home, has been designing residential spaces for nearly a decade. Throughout the years she has discovered many local makers and small businesses that create unique items which she has used to elevate her clients’ homes. It has always been Gina’s dream to be able to create a store that can feature these makers, and after moving to Sonoma County, she saw the need for such a store and opened her first brick and mortar in the fall of 2021.

Storia not only provides a great service and need in Sebastopol where are neighbors can shop for themselves or others. Our home goods store is very unique to the town and we love that we get to know our customers as they walk through the door. Our shop contributes to our thriving community.

Storia Home curates a collection of decor, art, textiles, books, and furniture that tell a story. Hence the name “Storia,” in honor of Gina’s Italian-Mexican heritage. We try to be very conscious of the product we feature so we can lift up other small businesses. Storia Home shares the narrative of women-owned companies, people of color, the LGBTQ+ community, and other small businesses.

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
Gina Gutierrez has built her business — and her life — on harnessing the power of the self. Born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin but a resident of the Bay Area since 2004, Gina’s drive and passion for interior design propelled her to launch Gina Rachelle Design in 2012. Over the years, she has built an interior design studio that specializes in residential homes.

Gina’s design aesthetic is traditional with touches of modern elements and clean details. Each project is full of life through the use of colors, textures, metals, shapes and thoughtful furnishings and objects. Gina loves taking time to get to know every client to ensure that personal style and preferences are emulated in a space.

In 2021, Gina opened her first retail store, Storia Home to compliment her design business and give back to the community and other small businesses.

I am incredibly proud of the growth GRD and Storia has over the last two years through a pandemic. We have been able to juggle numerous projects considering all the challenges with manufacturing and shipping. In that time, we have also be recognized as the best interior designer in Sonoma County and we were recently selected to design the kitchen and dining room for the 2022 Real Simple Home in Rosemary Beach, Florida.

These last ten years have been a culmination of ambition, drive, and passion. Interior design and retail are very hard businesses to conquer and so you have to give it all of your heart. It was not easy in the beginning as there were so many leaning curves along the way. However, the last 10 years have given me so much experience that I feel better than ever running a team, building a store, and providing design to so many. A home is a safe haven that should be filled with comfort, joy and stories. We can help deliver that to our clients.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
My Sebastopol Tour Guide

Shopping

Storia Home! https://www.storiahome.com
The Barlow https://thebarlow.net
Antique Society https://antiquesociety.com
Rays Trading Co https://rays-trading-co.business.site
B-Side Flower Stand https://www.b-sidefarm.com/flower-farmstand

Food + Drink

Handline http://www.handline.com
Fern Bar https://fernbar.square.site
Khom Loi https://www.khomloisonoma.com
Psychic Pie https://www.psychicpie.com
Sebastopol Cookie Shop https://sebastopolcookiecompany.com
Jams Joy https://www.jamsjoybungalow.com

Wine

Horse + Plow https://sebastopolcookiecompany.com
Pax https://www.paxwine.com
Region https://drinkregion.com

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
I am beyond grateful to all the individuals that have supported me in my journey of opening up two businesses! First and foremost, my life coach – Lianne Raymond – was my biggest advocate. I started working with her in 2012 and she helped me recognize my talent and build my confidence in launching my own business.

Website: www.ginarachelledesign.com | www.storiahome.com

Instagram: @ginarachelledesign.com | @storiahome