Inside a $6 Million House | Interior Designer Helena Brana On Her Corona del Mar Project
Updated: May 13
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Take Me To LA!
Thanks to our West Coast Account Executive, Giancarlo Spinosi, X3 had an inherent interest in exploring real estate, interior design, property development & investment in California. After doing some research, we stumbled upon Helena Brana of Brana Designs. The house was built by CdM Homes and Designed in collaboration with BRANA.
From first glance of her Instagram, we noticed an exceptional style congregation of luxury and simplicity. Often, it seems as though interior designers define luxury as a smorgasbord of eccentric placements and patterns but Helena had a very relaxing style in her home design so we wanted to reach out and see if she was down to work with X3.
Helena's "organic and contemporary" mantra embodied the freeness of other great minds of design such as Axel Verdoot -- if you aren't familiar, I recommend reading this Kanye West article.
Flying out to Irvine during a time of crisis wasn't the smartest idea; but business doesn't stop and Helena and I kept tabs on the current epidemic; responding appropriately, and safely.
How To Become an Interior Designer
One of the things we wanted to drive home with this video is the fact that Helena has become successful from hard work and not from schooling. We wanted the 16 year old her to understand that talent and success come from hard work and passion. That's a huge thing that I try to demonstrate in all of our PROFILE videos actually. Dedicate yourself and prove you are disciplined, and you will do fine!
Helena worked hard to get to where she is and at the end of the video is a line I love about being yourself. Watch it. You'll see!
Watch the video to learn how her culture influenced her design!
What Did We Do?
After shooting, we went and took a look at Corona del Mar beach. Of course, I haven't been there in a few years so it had to rain like Pittsburgh. It was still beautiful and we were able to reflect on the things that drive us to work harder; family, dreams, etc.
To thank me for stopping by, she was kind enough to take me to True Kitchen; I recommend the Rose Gin and Teriyaki Bowl.
Other Thoughts
- Helena walked me through the house and showed me fine details that only an attentive person would recognize, but everyone would appreciate. The single piece steel staircase, the Calacatta countertops, and the engineering of the elevator.
- All these subtleties add to the value of the house
- Helena's husband is a developer with incredible savvy engineering skills. These steps are a huge feat!
Business Takeaways
One of the things I continue to learn and am amazed by -- it takes time to build trust from clients. Every single business is a new vessel that requires time and hard work to earn trust.
When you ignore the extrinsic motivation of money or something else and the only thing that moves you forward is your own intrinsic value of fighting your mind and any other obstacle; it moves effortlessly.
Helena stated that a lot of her clientele doesn't come directly from Instagram. This makes sense. This is a large purchase and commitment and there are many businesses that don't operate well on direct conversions. This is an example of Instagram being a tool rather than a commerce platform. Her Instagram is a perfect portfolio.
Check out one of our property videos for Arizona Luxury Properties
What is X3/Madera?
X3 is a digital marketing and production agency owned by Frank Udavcak that uses data analytics and content to help grow your revenue. Our #Profile series is a mini-documentary vlog that explores business owners and influencers in the Irvine, Laguna Beach, Pittsburgh, & NYC area. Visit our website to sign-up for a FREE #PROFILE video or to learn how we can increase your monthly revenue with a free consultation.
X3 is a digital marketing and data driven consulting agency. We can develop marketing campaigns, provide data analytics, and help you grow revenue. If you are in real estate, we have a Aerial Imagery department that will create interactive 4K property video production, content, and other real estate marketing properties. Please contact me or Giancarlo Spinosi at 949-412-1728.