Meet Natalie Elzinga | Graphic Designer & Creative Consultant

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

Hi Natalie, what was your thought process behind starting your own business?
Starting your own business as a graphic designer is probably a natural progression for most. It’s one of the biggest ways to keep learning, develop your own style and find out what you really love to do. For me, I really enjoy being able to pick projects I am passionate about. Currently, freelancing is my side gig. I make extra money and it helps keep my designs at my full-time job fresh. This is a way for me to dive into creative thinking in a different way; finding new processes, trial and error and testing new ways to tap into my creativity. I’ve recently ventured into starting an interior design business for vacation rentals. My husband and his business partner started investing in houses and I proposed some decorating ideas that fit well. There’s a large market here in Colorado currently and every traveler wants to stay at an eclectic, engaging home-away-from-home. You really have to think outside the box to make yours standout. I had so much fun experimenting with the inside and outside look, from new wall colors to different room themes to finding the perfect fire pit for outside. Using my design degree to translate from onscreen logos to tangible interior designs. I never thought of it in that way, there’s so much more that I can do with my skills. Thinking in terms of grid layouts on pages to rooms.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
This is a tough one, sometimes until you ‘make it big’ it seems like what do I have to brag about? What really sets me apart is the sheer spectrum of different types of art I can create.

I work for a globally recognized company and have designed for one of the biggest events that we have every four years. The USA Swimming Olympic Trials are held to pick our Olympic Team to represent the USA. It’s much more than that, we put on a show, it’s a BIG deal for the athletes that make it to the Trials. At this event you will see art on the sides of buildings, you can participate in swimming related activities, watch a live broadcast, pool side fire and light show, learn about each swimmer and of course stay up to date on social. This art campaign incorporates large scale signage to digital designs to environmental designs to infographic designs to medal designs (I had the opportunity to design the 2020 medals and it was so exciting, I still wear it around the house sometimes). How does all this happen? We have a team. What does the team need? The look, the feel, the art. It’s a long process and when we get there it’s fast paced, emotional and worth it.

How did I get here? I studied design at SUNY Fredonia, graduated and moved to Atlanta where I landed my first design job at a licensed apparel company. I memorized a ton of pantone colors and designed a ton of pajamas with NFL, MLB, NHL, NBA and NCAA logos. I moved up to managing 6 designers and reading a ton of spreadsheets. I didn’t really have much for my portfolio though (or a lot of money), so I started freelancing and networking, lots of networking. What better way to learn more than picking the brain of other designers? There isn’t. You get to have fun, meet new people, learn and potentially get a gig out of it.

My luck changed, low and behold, on linkedIn, a job opening; USA Swimming. I was a collegiate swimmer, I coached AND I designed! What more could they ask for? They put me through the ringer for the interview process and eventually extended the position to me. I’m not sure if I was swooned more by the position or seeing Pikes Peak for the first time.

Just starting out freelancing is hard. How do I write a contract (lesson #1, always have a contract)? How do I setup an LLC? So many questions and that’s why we have fellow design friends, AIGA and google. Don’t stay in a bubble. The really hard part is getting clients, word of mouth has worked best for me. My (current) freelance name is BounCe Haus Design and I mainly design for friends and consult on marketing. Creating a brand for yourself is also a difficult and ever-changing endeavor. As you evolve as a designer so might your identity. Your portfolio and brand doesn’t need to be evergreen, add and adjust more than not (lesson #2, always keep your portfolio updated).

The newest passion is Interior Design for vacation rentals. My business partner and I launched DeckYourDwelling.com this year. This is a virtual service catered to people investing in property but aren’t sure where to start or what to do for decorating their new space. We love bringing rooms to life with fresh paint, pops of color and interesting furniture. Inspired by the Front Range and the beauty of Colorado our unique partnership and combined set of skills creates the most beautiful, finished products. Being able to extend my design skills outside of brand identity, magazine, signage and medal designs is a huge accomplishment for me and I feel my confidence building day by day (lesson #3, try new things, inside and outside of the art world).

My future passion will be getting into writing, I eventually want to write a book.

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?
Day 1 Pikes Peak/Garden of the Gods
High Altitude Doughnuts (top of Pikes Peak)
Lumen8 Rooftop (great views)
Acclimate

Day 2
The incline (right of passage)
The Loop
Sun Water Spa

Day 3
Yoga N Brews
Pig Latin (chair swings)
Olympic Museum (interactive exhibits)
Olympic Training Center
Avs game (if the Sabres are playing)

Day 4
Twin Lakes Kayak
Eddyline
Camp

Day 5
Hike a 14er (Huron is my favorite so far)
Simple Eatery
Cottonwood Hot Springs

Day 6
Lake Dillon Kayak
Outer Range Brewery

Day 7
Sleep

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?
Mom and Dad – Supporting me going into an (at the time) more unconventional career and letting me paint my room a different color every two seconds growing up. Mrs. Harris – My high school art teacher, you really made art fun.
Jan Conradi – Design professor, she pushed me in ways that drove my appetite for the future.
My Brother – Thanks for letting me live with you while searching for my first job in Atlanta.
Jason Lowe – Amazing mentor for my first design job in Atlanta, showed me the ropes and had great patience with me.
Matt Lupton & USA Swimming – For giving me a chance to work in the sport I grew up on and love.
My Husband – My biggest cheerleader, telling me I can do anything and supporting me while I do it.
All of my design clients – Thank you for letting me be a part of your journey.

Website: Interior Design: https://www.deckyourdwelling.com/ , Portfolio: https://www.behance.net/NatalieLElzinga , Full-time: https://www.usaswimming.org/

Instagram: Personal: @BounCeHausDesign

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalieelzinga/

Image Credits
Mike Lewis