Textured Walls and Natural Materials Star in Julia Miller’s Designs for Yond Interiors
For Julia Miller, the path that led her to a place of rich, wooden interiors and layered textiles was “long and twisty.” Her first profession as a clinical social worker was a world away from interiors. Only after she renovated her own home and gained traction on social media did she get the confidence to pursue this new venture. “I didn’t always know I wanted to do interiors; it was more something I discovered in my middle life that just fit like a perfect puzzle piece,” says the creative director of Minneapolis-based Yond Interiors. “It was driven by passion and interest and the career part of it followed.”
By the look of Miller’s portfolio, you’d think she designed spaces her entire life—there is the cozy Colonial that teeters on the edge of contemporary comforts with deep floral upholstery balanced on light floors; and a wabi-sabi cottage bathed in neutrals as if they were layers of a decadent cake. “We are a studio that prioritizes natural materials as often as possible and are true believers that what Mother Nature creates should be respected,” she says. The designer also leans into textured walls—plaster or limewash—as a signature moment in most projects.
Miller attributes her success to fostering relationships with fellow designers early in her career and “building the plane while it’s flying,” so to speak. “Mentorship and friendship has really helped me to develop a strong sense of the business side of things,” she says.
When it comes to working with clients, Miller is a true believer that finding the home aesthetic is done organically through conversation, time, and observation; one has to be patient as the final look takes shape through the process. “We are seeing more and more people experiment with their furniture layouts,” adds Miller, who favors organic furniture arrangements that are less symmetrical. She is also a fan of using color and wallpaper on the fifth wall—the ceiling. “There is so much potential for ceilings to be so amazing but it takes the right client and architecture to pull it off,” she clarifies.
Tempered whimsy is another element that signals a Yond project. For the “retro feeling” ski house in Idaho, Miller and her team played with brown and cream tiles to create a speckled fireplace surround, its charm perfectly anchored by deep merlot-hued seating. “The home had so many existing elements that we wanted to keep, so it was really a trick to figure out how to incorporate, preserve, and recreate the elements that mattered the most while ushering the home into a new era,” she says.
The self-proclaimed “busy bee” is currently on the hunt for global interpretations of the midcentury era that encompass earthy, warm, and textural details. A believer that a set of vintage lounge chairs can build a room, she says those designed by Bruno Mathsson are a “forever favorite.”
Get to know Julia
House Beautiful: You can collaborate with any brand or artist. Who would it be and why?
Julia: I would have absolutely loved collaborating with Charlotte Perriand. While she is no longer with us, I believe that her ethos of design that creates better living is something I resonate with. Her furniture and lighting remains iconic and I would have loved to learn from her. Yond Interiors is creating a custom furniture line to debut at the end of 2025, and we are channeling all things Charlotte!
HB: Are there any design ideas you feel are cliché and should be retired?
Julia: I will always be a proponent of doing what you love, if you stick to that, it shouldn’t go out of style.
HB: Who is an artisan who inspires you?
Julia: Minneapolis is so full of amazing makers and two ceramicists that we love are Ashley Brazil and Nikki Ceramics.
HB: Who is a design industry leader or who inspires you?
Julia: I absolutely adore the boldness and bravery of the LA based studio Pierce and Ward.
HB: Who is a fellow designer you love?
Julia: Moore House. My friend Blair is always pushing boundaries of what can be done and her ability to create the most ephemeral rooms is a constant inspiration.
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