My Why

​

There’s something oddly humbling about realizing your entire career path was shaped by a fictional woman typing on a laptop in New York City.

​

Growing up, I was convinced I'd become Jennifer Garner in 13 Going on 30—living in a beautiful apartment, wearing heels to work, carrying a coffee in one hand and a notebook in the other. Then somewhere along the way, I discovered Sex and the City and became fascinated with the idea of building a life around curiosity, creativity, and writing about the world as you experienced it.

​

My name is Celeste Battres, and I'm an interior designer based along the coast of Orange County, designing homes throughout Southern California. And if my last name sounds familiar, yes—it's that Battres family. The one from HGTV's show Izzy Does It.

​

While most people watched the dramatic renovations, I found myself captivated by the designers behind the scenes—the ones choosing materials, creating mood boards, and transforming empty spaces into homes with stories to tell. Watching creativity become a career permanently altered my brain chemistry.

​

Before interior design, I actually wanted to become a writer. More specifically, a thriller novelist. That dream lasted until my dad—co-owner of Battres Construction and destroyer of unrealistic teenage expectations—suggested I look up the average salary of thriller authors. Let's just say it didn't quite support the lifestyle I'd already imagined for myself.

​

So somewhere along the way, the dream evolved.

​

Instead of Manolos, I became obsessed with $20,000 natural stone slabs.

Instead of dating drama, I found myself romanticizing luxury tile showrooms.

​

Instead of fashion week recaps, I could spend hours talking about boutique hotels, moody restaurants, thoughtfully designed homes, and why a beautifully designed kitchen can genuinely change the way a family lives.

​

At 20 years old, I've now spent nearly five years immersed in the design industry, beginning while I was still in high school. Every project has only reinforced what I believed from the beginning: great design isn't just about creating beautiful homes—it's about creating spaces that support the people living inside them.

​

This blog became the place where all of those passions could finally exist together.

​

A place for timeless interiors, design psychology, career growth, intentional living, and the quiet process of becoming the woman God is calling me to be.

​

Somewhere between growing up, finding my faith, and learning to invest in myself, my definition of success changed. I still love beautiful things. I still appreciate luxury. But these days, luxury looks a little different to me. It looks like meaningful work, peaceful homes, healthy relationships, purposeful living, and building a life that feels just as beautiful behind the scenes as it does on the outside.

​

If you've ever believed that beautiful spaces can change your mood, that personal growth deserves just as much attention as career growth, or that becoming is a lifelong process—I think you'll feel right at home here.

​

And honestly?

​

I think sixteen-year-old me would be pretty impressed.